The Sign of the Abbey
Something — or someone — has vanished in Realm of the Crown, and no one can say when the thread was cut. Every passing hour erases another trace, and the traces were few to begin with. On the Chancellery's list stand Sava the Bell-Ringer, Teofil the Chronicler, Nichifor the Spy, Castellan Ursu and Filip the Steward; one of these names covers a lie. The hours in question: "at dawn", "after matins", "at noon", "at dusk" and "at vespers". A sharp eye is not enough here — it takes an archivist's patience: fit everything together, then pronounce your verdict.
Suspects
He has rung the cathedral bells on the hour for thirty years. He sees the whole city from above and forgives nothing he sees.
1.83 m
right-handed
brown eyes
greying 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
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
He keeps the fortress dungeon and the tally of those who leave other than they entered.
1.90 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
He counts the crown's silver every evening. On some evenings the count comes out different - and he says nothing.
1.79 m
right-handed
grey eyes
chestnut hair
Locations
the scriptorium
Slanted desks, ink, and working silence. Here a quill creaks louder than a conscience.
the old dungeon
Cells abandoned since the new dungeon was built. "Abandoned" is one way of putting it.
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the cathedral crypt
The old kings sleep beneath crested slabs. Now and then, someone disturbs their rest.
the queen's garden
Roses trimmed to a line and paths you may walk only by invitation. At night, the hedge has ears.
Objects
the silver candelabrum
Heavy as a small anvil. It can light a room or end a conversation.
the vial of belladonna
A small flask, a wax stopper, a label written with care. Three-quarters empty.
the signet ring
The crest has been filed away almost completely. Almost.
the ciphered letter
Orderly rows of meaningless signs. The ink is costly, the paper costlier, the sender - unknown.
the rusted sword
An old weapon, forgotten on the rack. The rust on the blade is newer than it looks.
Motives
greed
Dorința nesățioasă de avere, care nu se oprește la nimic.
the inheritance
O avere așteptată, pe care numai o moarte o desparte de mână.
revenge
O datorie de sânge pe care numai fapta o mai șterge.
ambition
Setea de a urca, chiar peste trupuri, spre o treaptă mai înaltă.
blackmail
Un secret ținut ca funia la gât, strâns exact cât trebuie.
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.
- The hounds caught no scent at all: ambition does not match that hour: at vespers.
- The gate guard swears: the cathedral crypt and blackmail go together.
- The chronicler notes drily: the castle cellar matches that hour: at noon, whatever the court may say.
- The chronicler notes drily: the signet ring and revenge go together, whatever the court may say.
- The hounds caught no scent at all: revenge does not match that hour: at vespers.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: greed matches that hour: at dawn.
- A maid whispered it at confession: Teofil the Chronicler handled the signet ring.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: Sava the Bell-Ringer never touched the rusted sword.
- A note in the margin of the ledger: if Teofil the Chronicler was driven by revenge, then Castellan Ursu handled the ciphered letter.
- The hounds caught no scent at all: the queen's garden does not match that hour: at vespers.
- At the Chancellery, Castellan Ursu maintains: "I handled the vial of belladonna".
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the silver candelabrum does not match that hour: at dusk.
- The chronicler notes drily: Sava the Bell-Ringer was driven by greed, whatever the court may say.
- The chancellor deduced it coldly: if Castellan Ursu handled the ciphered letter, then Filip the Steward was at the scriptorium.
- About the culprit, the Chancellery knows one thing for certain: the culprit was driven by the inheritance.
- The customs register is clear: Nichifor the Spy was not present at vespers.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the silver candelabrum and blackmail go together.