The Mystery of the Dawn
A bold theft has shaken the calm of the court, and calm will not return until the truth comes out. The culprit worked cleanly, but not without witnesses — and the witnesses, at last, have begun to talk. On the Chancellery's list stand Costache the Toll-Keeper, Mihu the Archer, Brother Anselm, Onufrie the Executioner and Nichifor the Spy; one of these names covers a lie. The hours in question: "at dawn", "after matins", "at noon", "at dusk" and "at vespers". Few files have tested so many investigators; untangle the threads, catch the lie, and pronounce your verdict.
Suspects
His scales weigh the goods; his eye, the merchant. Both can be "greased" at need.
1.80 m
right-handed
dark eyes
grey hair
He hits a coin tossed on the wind from a hundred paces. At questions, though, he always misses.
1.76 m
left-handed
brown eyes
brown hair
He has copied manuscripts for forty years. He knows what every one of them says - including the forbidden ones.
1.75 m
right-handed
brown eyes
greying hair
A quiet man with a loud trade. He keeps a notebook of the last words of every condemned soul.
1.92 m
right-handed
dark eyes
bald
Officially, he does not exist. Unofficially, he was seen in three places at once - which is, of course, impossible.
1.74 m
left-handed
dark eyes
brown hair
Locations
the cathedral crypt
The old kings sleep beneath crested slabs. Now and then, someone disturbs their rest.
the Golden Boar inn
Wine watered down and rumours diluted with nothing. The rooms upstairs ask no questions.
the hunting lodge
The royal cabin in the heart of the forest. Far from the eyes of the court - which is exactly what suits some.
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the customs cellar
Sealed crates, thick ledgers, and air that smells of undeclared goods.
Objects
the ruby dagger
A short blade, its hilt set with a stone red as a frozen drop. It was sharpened recently.
the guild seal
The stamp that turns any goods into goods "of certified quality." Worth a mine of gold.
the locked chest
Three padlocks, two rows of straps. Fresh scratches around the hinges, not the locks.
the purse of gold coins
New coins, unworn, from a minting not yet in circulation. Interesting.
the ciphered letter
Orderly rows of meaningless signs. The ink is costly, the paper costlier, the sender - unknown.
Motives
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
fear of exposure
Groaza de a fi dat în vileag, care împinge la orice.
revenge
O datorie de sânge pe care numai fapta o mai șterge.
greed
Dorința nesățioasă de avere, care nu se oprește la nimic.
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
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.
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Verdict
The culprit always lies; everyone else tells the truth.
- A maid whispered it at confession: Brother Anselm was in the place that smells of undeclared goods.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the customs cellar and revenge go together.
- The gate guard swears: the purse of gold coins matches that hour: at vespers.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: Mihu the Archer was there at noon.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: Brother Anselm was not present at dusk.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: fear of exposure does not match that hour: at dusk.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the tallest suspect never set foot in the castle cellar.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the shortest suspect never touched the ciphered letter.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the cathedral crypt and the guild seal go together.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the purse of gold coins and jealousy go together.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the locked chest and fear of exposure do not go together.
- The Chancellery checked twice: revenge does not match that hour: at dawn.
- The customs register is clear: the ruby dagger and fear of exposure do not go together.
- About the culprit, the Chancellery knows one thing for certain: the culprit was driven by greed.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit handled the guild seal.
- A maid whispered it at confession: a debt of honour matches that hour: at noon.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the hunting lodge and the locked chest go together.
- The chancellor deduced it coldly: if Mihu the Archer was driven by a debt of honour, then Costache the Toll-Keeper was driven by jealousy.