The Veil of the Abbey
Someone slipped poison where it did not belong, and now the whole court eyes its goblets warily. Between remedy and venom runs a thin line, and someone at court crossed it knowingly. Before you, one by one, will stand Chamberlain Iorgu, Grigore the Cupbearer, Elisei the Stargazer, Nichifor the Spy and Filip the Steward. Among the things spoken of in whispers are the customs scales, the royal seal, the signet ring, the ceremonial crown and the ledger of accounts. The threads were tangled on purpose: investigate, weigh every word, and pronounce your verdict only when the grid leaves no room for doubt.
Suspects
He arranges the king's audiences and, for a small courtesy, the order in which petitions are read.
1.77 m
right-handed
grey eyes
brown hair
He tastes the king's wine before anyone else. A trade with a short future, he says, but a rich past.
1.70 m
right-handed
brown eyes
chestnut hair
He reads the future in the stars and the past in men's debts. The second method fails less often.
1.67 m
right-handed
blue 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 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 old dungeon
Cells abandoned since the new dungeon was built. "Abandoned" is one way of putting it.
the tourney field
Empty stands outside festival days. An excellent place for meetings that never happened.
the guild forge
Anvils, tongs, and a fire that never goes out. Many small metal things vanish here.
the throne room
Gold, purple, and the most closely watched place in the kingdom. In theory.
the wharf
Moored boats, wet ropes, and goods that prefer to arrive in the fog.
Objects
the customs scales
Copper pans, sealed weights. One of the weights rings hollow.
the royal seal
Whoever holds it can seal any decree. Which is why it should not be wandering the kingdom.
the signet ring
The crest has been filed away almost completely. Almost.
the ceremonial crown
The "wearable" copy of the true crown. At least, that was the idea.
the ledger of accounts
Neat columns of figures, with one page torn out exactly at mid-month.
Motives
jealousy
Otrava care mistuie pe cel ce râvnește ce nu-i al lui.
a debt of honour
O făgăduială care cântărește mai greu decât viața.
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.
the inheritance
O avere așteptată, pe care numai o moarte o desparte de mână.
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.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: Elisei the Stargazer handled the royal seal.
- The tracks in the dust do not lie: the suspect with brown eyes handled the ceremonial crown.
- In the Chancellery's ledger it stands in black and white: Chamberlain Iorgu was at the guild forge.
- Every scout reports the same about the culprit: the culprit was driven by a debt of honour.
- The gate guard swears: Chamberlain Iorgu was driven by jealousy.
- Grigore the Cupbearer raises their right hand and says: "I was in the place with stands empty outside festival days".
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the old dungeon and the customs scales do not go together.
- Two witnesses, upon their crest: the ledger of accounts and ambition do not go together.
- The chancellor deduced it coldly: if the suspect with greying hair was at the wharf, then the tallest suspect was at the throne room.
- A maid whispered it at confession: the wharf and the royal seal go together.
- An honest-faced witness saw it plainly: the ceremonial crown and the inheritance go together.
- The gate guard swears: Filip the Steward handled the signet ring.
- At the Chancellery, Elisei the Stargazer maintains: "I handled the ledger of accounts".