The Riddle of the Tourney
Not one deed but a whole scheme has come to light — laid patiently, in secret. The crown demands not only the name but the proof: suspicion without grounds is itself a tool of the scheme. On the Chancellery's list stand Brother Anselm, Costache the Toll-Keeper, Gavril the Farrier and Manole the Jeweller; one of these names covers a lie. The hours in question: "at dawn", "after matins", "at noon" and "at dusk". A sharp eye is not enough here — it takes an archivist's patience: fit everything together, then pronounce your verdict.
From the Chancellery archive
Four craftsmen, one riddle and a tourney. Brother Anselm works with the quill, Costache the Toll-Keeper with the scales, Gavril the Farrier with the hammer, Manole the Jeweller with the fine file. Each knows how to do one thing the other three cannot — and that is exactly what somebody made use of.
In a conspiracy the Chancellery looks not for a person but for a fit between people. Here, though, no agreement could be proved, only a series of deeds which, taken one at a time, are innocent. That is why the dossier was filed at tier III: the truth is not visible in the findings, but only after the testimonies have been put through the sieve of hypotheses.
The places are four corners of the citadel: the castle cellar, the great stable, the north wall and the hunting lodge. The objects run from the ceremonial crown to a broken lantern.
A broken lantern in a dossier that also holds a ceremonial crown is exactly the sort of detail an investigation may not overlook.
Suspects
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
His scales weigh the goods; his eye, the merchant. Both can be "greased" at need.
1.80 m
right-handed
dark eyes
grey hair
Arms like tree trunks and a forge where all noise dies. Some things are better beaten while hot.
1.88 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
He tells gold from gilt at a glance. With people, he admits, it takes him two.
1.69 m
right-handed
brown eyes
brown hair
Locations
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the great stable
It smells of hay and hurried departures. Horses give no testimony.
the north wall
The stretch of wall the patrol skirts when the wind blows. Everyone knows that.
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.
Objects
the ceremonial crown
The "wearable" copy of the true crown. At least, that was the idea.
the ermine cloak
White fur with black tails - only the royal family may wear it. It has a tear at the hem.
the broken lantern
The glass cracked, the wick burned to the end. Someone needed a lot of light, fast.
the abbess's bell
It calls the nuns to prayer. On the night in question, they all say, it rang once too many.
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.
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.
- The hounds caught no scent at all: Brother Anselm never touched the ceremonial crown.
- Brother Anselm declares under oath: "I was there after matins".
- A maid whispered it at confession: the north wall and the ermine cloak go together.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit was at the castle cellar.
- The healer says it with a raised finger: if Brother Anselm was there at dusk, then the suspect with brown hair handled the broken lantern.
- The gate guard swears: the suspect with grey hair was at the great stable.
- In the gate ledger, the suspect with grey hair stands higher, Manole the Jeweller lower.
- The gate guard swears: the tallest suspect was there after matins.
- The gate guard swears: Brother Anselm was there at dusk.