The Torch of the Treasury
A seal that never lies has been placed, this once, in the service of a lie. Whoever drew it up knew the Chancellery's ways by heart — and that is precisely what betrays them. The testimonies keep returning to the same names: Nichifor the Spy, Filip the Steward, Zaharia the Spice Merchant, Sword-Bearer Dragos and Countess Velica de Arin. The places named in the testimonies — the customs cellar, the castle cellar, the tourney field, the throne room and the Golden Boar inn — each await their turn under scrutiny. The threads were tangled on purpose: investigate, weigh every word, and pronounce your verdict only when the grid leaves no room for doubt.
Suspects
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 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
His ships bring pepper, saffron, and news no one asked for. All of it at the same price: steep.
1.74 m
right-handed
dark eyes
black hair
He bears the king's ceremonial sword. At the tourney he has never lost; at dice, always.
1.86 m
right-handed
brown eyes
chestnut hair
She collects fans, debts of honour, and bedchamber secrets. She wields all three as weapons.
1.70 m
left-handed
green eyes
red hair
Locations
the customs cellar
Sealed crates, thick ledgers, and air that smells of undeclared goods.
the castle cellar
Barrels as big as carts and corners the lantern never reaches.
the tourney field
Empty stands outside festival days. An excellent place for meetings that never happened.
the throne room
Gold, purple, and the most closely watched place in the kingdom. In theory.
the Golden Boar inn
Wine watered down and rumours diluted with nothing. The rooms upstairs ask no questions.
Objects
the silver-clad icon
The silver casing is old craftsmanship; the nails that hold it were driven this week.
the hunting crossbow
Light, accurate, with a walnut stock. Exactly one bolt is missing from the quiver.
the locked chest
Three padlocks, two rows of straps. Fresh scratches around the hinges, not the locks.
the ruby dagger
A short blade, its hilt set with a stone red as a frozen drop. It was sharpened recently.
the ciphered letter
Orderly rows of meaningless signs. The ink is costly, the paper costlier, the sender - unknown.
Motives
blackmail
Un secret ținut ca funia la gât, strâns exact cât trebuie.
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
greed
Dorința nesățioasă de avere, care nu se oprește la nimic.
ambition
Setea de a urca, chiar peste trupuri, spre o treaptă mai înaltă.
revenge
O datorie de sânge pe care numai fapta o mai șterge.
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: a debt of honour matches that hour: at noon.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the throne room and the hunting crossbow go together.
- The chronicler notes drily: Nichifor the Spy was there at noon, whatever the court may say.
- The Chancellery checked twice: the locked chest does not match that hour: at vespers.
- The chronicler notes drily: the silver-clad icon and revenge go together, whatever the court may say.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the hunting crossbow matches that hour: after matins.
- Countess Velica de Arin raises their right hand and says: "I was at the castle cellar".
- The gate guard swears: the tourney field matches that hour: at noon.
- A note in the margin of the ledger: if Countess Velica de Arin was in the place that smells of undeclared goods, then Zaharia the Spice Merchant was in the place where the rooms upstairs ask no questions.
- Before the investigator, Sword-Bearer Dragos firmly repeats: "I was driven by ambition".
- The chronicler notes drily: the ruby dagger and ambition go together, whatever the court may say.
- The gate guard swears: ambition matches that hour: at dusk.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit was there at dawn.
- About the culprit, the Chancellery knows one thing for certain: the culprit handled the silver-clad icon.
- The night watch saw the suspect with grey eyes first, and only then the tallest suspect.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the hunting crossbow and greed go together.
- The night watch saw the suspect with brown hair first, and only then Zaharia the Spice Merchant.
- An unsigned note, slipped under the door: "the culprit was at the customs cellar".