The Seal of the Lady
The bells had barely finished ringing when word reached the Chancellery: a theft, within the very walls. The culprit worked cleanly, but not without witnesses — and the witnesses, at last, have begun to talk. Before you, one by one, will stand Iustin the Mariner, Gavril the Farrier, Toma the Cellarer and Safta the Herbwife. Rumor walks the deed through every corner: the hunting lodge, the scriptorium, the tourney field and the north wall. Take up the quill, follow the thread of the clues, and set your seal upon the verdict.
Suspects
He brings goods from ports with unpronounceable names. Half the cargo never appears in the customs records.
1.78 m
left-handed
blue eyes
black 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 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
She gathers herbs at hours when honest folk sleep. The herbs, she says, speak then.
1.58 m
right-handed
green eyes
greying hair
Locations
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 scriptorium
Slanted desks, ink, and working silence. Here a quill creaks louder than a conscience.
the tourney field
Empty stands outside festival days. An excellent place for meetings that never happened.
the north wall
The stretch of wall the patrol skirts when the wind blows. Everyone knows that.
Objects
the silver candelabrum
Heavy as a small anvil. It can light a room or end a conversation.
the map of the realm
The kingdom's borders, drawn with a fresh correction where there should be none.
the rusted sword
An old weapon, forgotten on the rack. The rust on the blade is newer than it looks.
the silver-clad icon
The silver casing is old craftsmanship; the nails that hold it were driven this week.
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.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: Iustin the Mariner was there after matins.
- The chronicler notes drily: the map of the realm matches that hour: at dusk, whatever the court may say.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the suspect with blue eyes handled the rusted sword.
- About the culprit, the Chancellery knows one thing for certain: the culprit was there at dawn.
- The hounds caught no scent at all: the suspect with green eyes was not present at dawn.
- The gate guard swears: the tourney field and the silver-clad icon go together.
- The traces left at the scene show it plainly: the culprit was in the place where a quill creaks louder than a conscience.
- The chronicler notes drily: Toma the Cellarer was there at dusk, whatever the court may say.
- Whatever the market gossips: the hunting lodge and the rusted sword do not go together.