The Mystery of the Chancellery
An overturned goblet, a face gone pale, whispers dying down — thus began, in Realm of the Crown, the case before you. Between remedy and venom runs a thin line, and someone at court crossed it knowingly. Before you, one by one, will stand Toma the Cellarer, Sir Bogdan de Fag, Teofil the Chronicler, Tintar the Jester and Petru the Herald. Among the things spoken of in whispers are the bishop's chalice, the ceremonial crown, the vial of belladonna, the silver candelabrum and the royal seal. Few files have tested so many investigators; untangle the threads, catch the lie, and pronounce your verdict.
Suspects
He holds the keys to every cellar in the castle. He claims the wine vanishes on its own, by "angelic evaporation."
1.73 m
left-handed
brown eyes
red hair
He pawned his armour to pay his tavern debts. Honour, he says, does not rust.
1.85 m
right-handed
blue eyes
brown hair
He writes the kingdom's history as he is ordered. The unwelcome drafts, however, he keeps every one.
1.69 m
left-handed
brown eyes
greying hair
The only man in the kingdom who may tell the king the truth - provided he makes it sound like a joke.
1.56 m
right-handed
green eyes
red hair
He proclaims the crown's will to every corner of the kingdom. Sometimes he proclaims it before the crown itself knows.
1.82 m
right-handed
blue eyes
blond hair
Locations
the scriptorium
Slanted desks, ink, and working silence. Here a quill creaks louder than a conscience.
the merchant's house
Carpets brought from overseas and a desk with more secret drawers than drawers.
the tourney field
Empty stands outside festival days. An excellent place for meetings that never happened.
the watchtower
The highest point of the fortress. From here you see everything - and from below, everyone sees who climbs up.
the throne room
Gold, purple, and the most closely watched place in the kingdom. In theory.
Objects
the bishop's chalice
Gold set with blue stones. Blessed three times, stolen twice.
the ceremonial crown
The "wearable" copy of the true crown. At least, that was the idea.
the vial of belladonna
A small flask, a wax stopper, a label written with care. Three-quarters empty.
the silver candelabrum
Heavy as a small anvil. It can light a room or end a conversation.
the royal seal
Whoever holds it can seal any decree. Which is why it should not be wandering the kingdom.
Motives
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
ambition
Setea de a urca, chiar peste trupuri, spre o treaptă mai înaltă.
greed
Dorința nesățioasă de avere, care nu se oprește la nimic.
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
revenge
O datorie de sânge pe care numai fapta o mai șterge.
Moments
at dawn
When the citadel is barely waking and the guards still doze.
after matins
The hour after the morning service, when the abbey empties.
at noon
Midday, with bustle in the markets and silence in the alcoves.
at dusk
When the shadows lengthen and the lanterns are not yet lit.
at vespers
At the evening service, when the bells drown out any footstep.
Open the Grid (below) to solve the case, with the testimonies at hand.
Touch a cell: blank → ✗ (excluded) → ✓ (certain) → blank. Each pair of categories meets exactly once.
| SUSPECTS | LOCATIONS | OBJECTS | MOTIVES | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
| MOMENTS | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| MOTIVES | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| OBJECTS | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
| LOCATIONS | |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the tourney field and greed do not go together.
- The healer says it with a raised finger: if the suspect with greying hair handled the ceremonial crown, then Petru the Herald was driven by a debt of honour.
- In the gate ledger, the suspect with brown hair stands higher, Teofil the Chronicler lower.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the suspect with greying hair handled the ceremonial crown.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the vial of belladonna matches that hour: at noon.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the scriptorium and the ceremonial crown go together.
- The gate guard swears: the silver candelabrum and ambition go together.
- Tintar the Jester declares under oath: "I was there at vespers".
- The gate guard swears: the watchtower and jealousy go together.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit handled the silver candelabrum.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the suspect with brown hair was driven by ambition.
- The chronicler notes drily: the throne room matches that hour: at noon, whatever the court may say.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the bishop's chalice matches that hour: at dawn.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: Toma the Cellarer was at the tourney field.