The Silence of the Court
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 Ilinca the Baker, Iustin the Mariner, Anica the Miller, Gavril the Farrier and Sava the Bell-Ringer; one of these names covers a lie. The places named in the testimonies — the customs cellar, the north wall, the old dungeon, the cathedral crypt and the Golden Boar inn — each await their turn under scrutiny. Few files have tested so many investigators; untangle the threads, catch the lie, and pronounce your verdict.
Suspects
She weighs flour to the gram and people at a glance. No one stays in her debt twice.
1.62 m
right-handed
brown eyes
chestnut hair
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
Her mill grinds grain by day and rumours by night. The flour comes out white; the rumours, always black.
1.63 m
right-handed
brown eyes
blond 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 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
Locations
the customs cellar
Sealed crates, thick ledgers, and air that smells of undeclared goods.
the north wall
The stretch of wall the patrol skirts when the wind blows. Everyone knows that.
the old dungeon
Cells abandoned since the new dungeon was built. "Abandoned" is one way of putting it.
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.
Objects
the broken lantern
The glass cracked, the wick burned to the end. Someone needed a lot of light, fast.
the bishop's chalice
Gold set with blue stones. Blessed three times, stolen twice.
the vial of belladonna
A small flask, a wax stopper, a label written with care. Three-quarters empty.
the ciphered letter
Orderly rows of meaningless signs. The ink is costly, the paper costlier, the sender - unknown.
the silver candelabrum
Heavy as a small anvil. It can light a room or end a conversation.
Motives
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
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.
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
fear of exposure
Groaza de a fi dat în vileag, care împinge la orice.
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 bell-ringer remembers well: the tallest suspect came earlier than Ilinca the Baker.
- Even the jester says it in earnest: the suspect with blond hair never set foot in the place where the rooms upstairs ask no questions.
- The gate guard swears: the broken lantern and jealousy go together.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the bishop's chalice and the inheritance go together.
- Before the investigator, Iustin the Mariner firmly repeats: "I was there at noon".
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the suspect with dark eyes was in the place where the cells only seem abandoned.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the suspect with dark eyes was there after matins.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the customs cellar and the silver candelabrum go together.
- Before the investigator, Anica the Miller firmly repeats: "I was driven by fear of exposure".
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit handled the bishop's chalice.
- The chronicler notes drily: Anica the Miller was there at dusk, whatever the court may say.
- The gate guard swears: a debt of honour matches that hour: at vespers.
- Whatever the market gossips: the north wall and the ciphered letter do not go together.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the left-handed suspect handled the ciphered letter.
- The Chancellery checked twice: the north wall and fear of exposure do not go together.
- The chronicler notes drily: the customs cellar matches that hour: at vespers, whatever the court may say.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: the old dungeon and the inheritance go together.