Our Lady of Thorns

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity!

— The Book of Psalms

Early autumn, 1346:

The great bell strikes, bolting you out of sleep. One peal—Matins, first of the eight daily offices. Two in the morning, and the wind off the Channel coast has found every gap in the Dorter walls.

You lie in your cot still in your habit, as the monks of the priory of Our Lady of Thorns must attend office below without delay. Five months a novice here, and still you have not yet made peace with the schedule.

Dorter (on your cot)

There are several of your fellow monks here—Brothers Benedict, Hugh and Anselm—along with your mentor, Brother Aelred.

What will you do, Brother?

Start

Your beloved mentor. Brother Aelred is in his sixties, tall and broad-shouldered, with gentle eyes that often crinkle with quiet amusement. In the five months you've studied under him, his kindness has been matched only by his knowledge of healing herbs.

Brother Hugh heads down.

Dorter (on your cot)

This great room is used by all of the choir monks except the prior, Brother Oswald. It could easily provide rest for twenty brothers, but there are only eight cots in here now. Each cot has a chest at its foot for any meagre possessions the brother has.

A window high up reflects pale moonlight on the floor.

A doorway leads south to the Hall. Narrow stairs descend to the Quire, where offices are held.

You can see three Brothers (Anselm, Benedict and Aelred) here.

Brother Benedict heads down.
Brother Martin arrives from the south.

The room smells of wool and straw, of tallow and cold stone. It is the smell of a life stripped of comfort.

Brother Aelred heads down.
Brother Anselm heads down.
Brother Martin heads down.
Brother Wilfred arrives from the south.

(first getting up from your cot)

Night Stairs

Midway on the narrow stone stairs connecting the Dorter to the Quire. These are the Night Stairs: three times each night, monks file down in darkness for Matins, Lauds, and Prime. The walls are close, the air still.

A lone candle flickers in its niche.

You can also see three Brothers (Martin, Anselm and Aelred) here.

Brother Aelred heads down.
Brother Anselm heads down.
Brother Martin heads down.

This candle is a "canonical hour candle". It is used by Brother Cuthbert to tell the hours for offices and when to ring the great bell. It has burned down past 2 marks, leaving 22 marks remaining below the flame. From it, you estimate the time as two in the morning.

Brother Remigio arrives from upstairs.

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Brothers here:
- Aelred, the herbalist (seated)
- Anselm, the cantor (seated)
- Benedict, the infirmarer (seated)
- Cuthbert, the sacrist (seated)
- Hugh, the cellarer (seated)
- Martin, the kitchener (seated)
- Oswald, the prior

Brother Oswald sits on the stalls.
Brother Remigio arrives from upstairs.

You sit on a stall next to your mentor, the herbalist Brother Aelred.

Brother Remigio sits on the stalls.
Brother Wilfred arrives from upstairs.

He chuckles gently. "An old herbalist who talks to plants."

Brother Wilfred sits on the stalls.

"Son, you must learn to know yourself." He smiles.

Brother Anselm lifts his voice—clear, unwavering—and the office begins, with the other brothers joining in.

Surely, you wouldn't leave your stall now.

O come, let us sing unto the Lord:
let us make a joyful noise
to the rock of our salvation.

— The Book of Psalms

You join the others in song.

[You'll automatically continue singing throughout the office. You may perform other allowed actions. When you'd like to skip to the end of the service, just WAIT.]

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

You've sat on these for months now during offices. While sacred to you, the carpentry is plain. On them are nine Brothers (Wilfred, Remigio, Oswald, Martin, Cuthbert, Anselm, Aelred, Benedict and Hugh).

You continue to sing with the others.

Priory brethren:
- Aelred, the herbalist
- Anselm, the cantor
- Benedict, the infirmarer
- Cuthbert, the sacrist
- Hugh, the cellarer
- Martin, the kitchener
- Oswald, the prior
- Remigio, the lay kitchen assistant
- Wilfred, the librarian

Brothers here:
- Aelred, the herbalist (seated)
- Anselm, the cantor (seated)
- Benedict, the infirmarer (seated)
- Cuthbert, the sacrist (seated)
- Hugh, the cellarer (seated)
- Martin, the kitchener (seated)
- Oswald, the prior (seated)
- Remigio, the lay kitchen assistant (seated)
- Wilfred, the librarian (seated)

Brother Anselm, the cantor, is barely thirty, young for his office. He joined the priory at a young age and was put under the tutelage of Brother Wilfred for many years. He has a clear, strong voice and an easy smile. You've learned that unlike many of the other brothers, he seems to enjoy conversation where the Rule permits it.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Benedict, the infirmarer, is a heavyset man in his forties with gentle hands and a warmer smile than his bulk might suggest. He moves with the careful efficiency of one who tends the suffering daily.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Cuthbert, the sacrist, is in his late forties. Dark-haired and sharp-featured, he keeps the sacred vessels spotless, the candles well-stocked, and the bell hours precise. He rarely smiles.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Hugh, the cellarer, is lean and blond, barely thirty but already worry-worn. He manages the priory's worldly goods—trade, stores, accounts—and the weight of it shows in his troubled expression.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Martin, the kitchener, is short, round, and quick to laugh—unusual in this sombre place. He and Brother Remigio, the lay monk, produce the simple meals that sustain the community.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Oswald, the prior. Lean and grey-haired, in his early fifties, he governs the priory with stern discipline. You've learned to measure your words and deeds carefully in his presence.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Remigio is a lay brother from Tuscany—not fully professed, but devoted to the work. He's in his late thirties, with sharp features and expressive hands. His English is poor, and he often lapses into his native tongue.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Wilfred, the librarian, is the most venerated of the brethren, well over seventy. He's lean and wiry, with wisps of white hair shooting in all directions from his head. His habit has bits of orange fluff or fur on it.

You continue to sing with the others.

Brother Wilfred's habit is a plain black robe, like yours. You're not sure what the orange fluff is.

You continue to sing with the others.

Centuries of incense have worked themselves into the very stone here. The smell is deep and resinous, threaded with beeswax. It is a smell that seems to belong to God rather than to men.

You continue to sing with the others.

Using WAIT during a service skips to the end of the service.

Is this what you want (y/n)? Y

(skipping about twenty-five minutes to end of service)

The office ends.

Brother Aelred touches your shoulder. "The hour is early, my son, but our herbs call for our care. First, though, I must conclude a conversation with another brother. Seek me out in the gardens when you are ready. The air is pleasant this morning, is it not?"

All of the brethren head out, leaving you alone in the Quire.

You spend several long minutes reflecting on your life now: ritual, timing, prayer, silence. It feels both comforting and confining. You're not sure which feeling prevails.

Our Lady of Thorns
A medieval monastic mystery/tragedy
by Joel Burton <joel@joelburton.com>
Site: https://lady-of-thorns.netlify.app
Release 1 / Serial number 260404 / Inform v6.44 PunyInform v6.4.1 SDR

You stand up from the stalls.

Wander church & learn things

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

A wooden rood screen separates the Nave from the Quire, dividing the public space from the sacred. A simple carved cross tops the screen—the "rood" that gives the screen its name. The wood is dark with candle smoke.

Simply carved and without ornamentation.

Nave

The public space, where villagers stand for Mass weekly. The stone floor is worn smooth by centuries of feet. Detailed stained glass admits pale moonlight. The Quire lies to the east, separated by a screen. A doorway in the north wall leads up to the Tower Stairs.

The great door out to the west is closed.

You remember the first time you saw this glass, on the second day of your novitiate. Unlike some other things in the priory that show signs of decay, these still shine brightly on sunny days. The centre pane, the largest, has a golden hammer labelled "II: LABOR OMNIA VINCIT" ("Work Conquers All"), a reminder of the mission of monks.

A great oaken door. Carved deeply into its face: EGRESSUS FRUCTUM FERT ("Going out bears fruit"). The door is closed.

You open the great door.

Porch
This covered entrance protects the great door from the winds that come across the sea from the east. Villagers used to gather here before services, but the number who do so has been declining for years.

You can go south out to the covered walkway the brothers call "The Passage", or you can go east into the church.

The great door is open, revealing the Nave to the east.

You remember Brother Aelred's request to meet him this morning. You know he'll be in the gardens, south of the Cloister.

You close the west door, revealing the carving on this face.

A great oaken door. Carved deeply into its face:

  NOSTRA DOMINA SPINARUM ("Our Lady of Thorns")
  FUNDATUM ANNO DOMINI MCLII

Almost two hundred years of wind and rain have worn the letters down. The door is closed.

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

You open the great door.

Nave

The public space, where villagers stand for Mass weekly. The stone floor is worn smooth by centuries of feet. Detailed stained glass admits pale moonlight. The Quire lies to the east, separated by a screen. A doorway in the north wall leads up to the Tower Stairs.

The great door is open, revealing the Porch to the west.

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Meet Remigio & follow him

Cloister North

You emerge on the northern edge of the Cloister walk, the covered stone arcade at the centre of the priory. It's a continuous square path surrounding the Garth, a large open yard. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The wall of the Nave rises imposingly to the north. A passageway into it leads to the Quire. You can also go west to the northwest corner, east to the northeastern corner, or south into the Garth.

[Since the Cloister is so large, it is divided into eight parts: Cloister Northwest, Cloister North, and so on.]

You know you should go to the gardens. You wouldn't want to keep your mentor waiting.

Cloister Northeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The Chapter House is in to the east, and the Day Stairs to the upper floor head upward from here. You can also go west to the northern end of the Cloister or south to the eastern end.

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

Cloister Southeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The long Slype, leading to the Infirmary and the Herbarium, lies to the east. You can also go north to the eastern end of the Cloister, and west to the southern end.

The lay monk, Brother Remigio, runs up to you, his face ashen. "You!" he cries, grabbing your sleeve. "Come—Frate Aelred, l'erborista, he is, the Slype—" He cannot find the words. His eyes say everything. He urgently points east.

Brother Remigio looks panicked. He keeps gesturing toward the Slype and saying "Frate Aelred".

Brother Remigio implores you to move quickly.

Cloister South

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The Refectory lies in to the south. You can also go west to the southwestern corner of the Cloister, east to the southeastern corner, or north to the Garth.

Brother Remigio desperately signals you to follow him east to the Slype.

You follow Brother Remigio east.

Cloister Southeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The long Slype, leading to the Infirmary and the Herbarium, lies to the east. You can also go north to the eastern end of the Cloister, and west to the southern end.

Brother Remigio desperately signals you to follow him east to the Slype.

You follow Brother Remigio east.

Slype

The Slype is a long east-west corridor lined with decorative bushes. West is the Cloister, east is the Infirmary. A small passage heads south to the Herbarium and the gardens.

Brother Remigio is here, looking terrified.

Brother Aelred lies on the stone floor.

Brother Aelred is clearly unwell. His movements are frantic and his eyes look unusual.

Death scene

Your beloved mentor. In normal moments, Brother Aelred's eyes twinkled with kindness. Right now, though, he looks desperately ill. Sweat beads on his flushed face, and his pupils look strange. His limbs grab wildly at his habit, making it seem as though he is trying to remove something that isn't there.

Brother Aelred seems gripped with delirium. "Gathering... he was always gathering... I wanted to know why..."

His pupils are unnaturally dilated and black, like you have never seen in a person living or dead.

Brother Aelred's hand jerks, trembling, gesturing north toward the bushes lining the Slype and the Scriptorium behind. His lips move. "The letter... the letter told me everything..."

This definitely feels like an unnatural condition. You resolve to discover what happened to Aelred.

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

To the north are some bushes and beyond those, the walls of the Scriptorium.

Brother Aelred convulses wildly. The end of his earthly time cannot be far.

These bushes were a point of pride for Aelred, given how hard it can be to grow roses in this climate. Given the season, the flowers are largely gone, replaced by only rosehips and their scent.

A strange peace crosses Brother Aelred's face. He finds your hand and holds it with surprising strength. "One life for two, my friend." He smiles, looking towards Heaven—and is gone.

Brother Aelred lies dead on the stone floor. You pray he is at peace.

Having heard Remigio's cries, Prior Oswald arrives and, upon seeing the wide and still eyes of Brother Aelred, makes the sign of the cross and whispers a prayer. The other brothers assemble. Brother Benedict, the infirmarer, is called upon to determine if Aelred is dead, and does so.

You find yourself in the garden without quite knowing how you got there, standing among Brother Aelred's carefully tended beds. Your friend. Your mentor. The pangs of loneliness that have eaten at you on long nights return cruelly.

Brother Wilfred, the venerable librarian, finds you in the Garden and tries to offer consolation: "My child", he says, "you will always have a friend in me. Brother Aelred lived a joyful life, and we can carry on in his spirit with your help." He gestures to the gardens that you have grown to love so much.

You are told by others that there is a meeting in the Chapter House. You dry your eyes and make your way there.

Chapter House

The Chapter House is a modest hall where the brothers gather each morning to discuss priory business. A painted panel on the wall depicts the hours of the Divine Offices. In one corner stands a wooden statue. The only exit is west, out to the Cloister.

Two benches are in the centre of the room.

A broad table lies between the benches.

You can also see eight Brothers (Wilfred, Remigio, Oswald, Martin, Hugh, Cuthbert, Benedict and Anselm) here.

The brothers gathered here begin to find seats, and Brother Oswald, the prior, begins to speak.

Chapter meeting

You sit on the benches.

"Brothers," starts Brother Prior Oswald, "this is a terrible day for our community: the loss of our herbalist, Brother Aelred."

You listen intently to Brother Oswald.

Brother Oswald pauses. "Brother Aelred's passing was... sudden. He did have a weak heart. Let us thank God that his passing was quick."

It shows the offices:

   Matins  2 AM     Sext     Noon
   Lauds   5 AM     None     3 PM
   Prime   7 AM     Vespers  5 PM
   Terce   9 AM     Compline 7 PM

(Since you know these by heart, you can see this list at any time with the command OFFICES).

Brother Oswald continues: "We will observe a day of fasting today and break our fast after Matins tomorrow. Brother Benedict has placed our dear brother in the Infirmary Chapel. You may pay your final respects to him there."

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

It's a wooden statue, worn and with the paint flaking in places. You know it to be Brother Gordian, the founder of the priory. His face is filled with reverence and curiosity, and he is depicted holding a scroll reading "III: SAPIENTIA", reflecting one of his three creeds, wisdom.

Brother Oswald continues: "Our novice"—he gestures toward you—"is doing adequately in his role, and will spend today cataloguing the gardens. He and I will meet after the burial tomorrow to decide how to proceed without our herbalist."

You dare not disturb the meeting with such an action.

Brother Oswald continues: "Of course, we will continue to hold the rest of our Divine Offices today—however, given the circumstances, some of you may be absent. To this, I give my blessing."

You listen intently to Brother Oswald.

The meeting draws to a close and the brethren stand.

[You can always get a list of brothers with you with the command HERE.]

Brothers here:
- Anselm, the cantor
- Benedict, the infirmarer
- Cuthbert, the sacrist
- Hugh, the cellarer
- Martin, the kitchener
- Oswald, the prior
- Remigio, the lay kitchen assistant
- Wilfred, the librarian

"He was so kind." Anselm's voice catches. "We're all going to miss him terribly."

Brother Wilfred yawns sleepily.

Brothers Oswald, Hugh, Benedict, Cuthbert and Remigio leave.

"What a loss for our community. I knew him his entire adult life, and such a pleasant acquaintance it was. He was always thoughtful—he began to bring me rosemary sprigs after he learned that that was my mother's name."

Brothers Wilfred, Martin and Anselm depart, leaving you alone.

You feel a deep sense of obligation to Brother Aelred. Something about this death doesn't feel right or natural. You vow to discover what happened and why. You'll need to finish your investigation by the end of Compline tonight, since Brother Aelred will be buried tomorrow morning.

You're not sure where to begin, but examining his body in the Infirmary Chapel or searching his Herbarium might be good places to start.

Of course, such an investigation would be unsanctioned by the prior. You'll have to cover your tracks carefully.

Start solving: examine body

(first getting up from the benches)

Cloister Northeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The Chapter House is in to the east, and the Day Stairs to the upper floor head upward from here. You can also go west to the northern end of the Cloister or south to the eastern end.

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

Cloister Southeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The long Slype, leading to the Infirmary and the Herbarium, lies to the east. You can also go north to the eastern end of the Cloister, and west to the southern end.

[There is no clock here, but between bells ringing for offices and your own internal sense, you decide that it is very approximately four in the morning. You can check this sense at any time with the command TIME.]

From your vague sense of time, it is four in the morning.

Slype

The Slype is a long east-west corridor lined with decorative bushes. West is the Cloister, east is the Infirmary. A small passage heads south to the Herbarium and the gardens.

Infirmary

The Infirmary serves both the brothers and visiting villagers who seek healing. Several narrow beds line the western wall. A workbench holds mortars and bowls for preparing remedies. The air has a sharp tang.

The Infirmary Chapel is to the south, and the Slype is out to the west.

Brother Benedict is here, tidying the workbench and looking reflective.

A polished metal mirror hangs from a hook on the wall.

A curious cabinet, perhaps for medicines, sits against a wall.

A young face, barely requiring shaving, stares back at you. Your black Benedictine habit hangs loose on your thin frame. No tonsure marks your crown—you're still a novice, not yet bound by final vows. Brother Aelred used to say you had honest eyes. You hope he was right.

"Our dear brother is in the Infirmary Chapel and you may seek him there."

"I examined Brother Aelred carefully before preparing his body. His heart stopped—he was an old man, and such is God's will. We will lay him to rest tomorrow with proper honour."

Infirmary Chapel

This is a tiny chapel attached to the Infirmary, barely large enough for a priest and one or two others. A simple stone altar stands against a wall, and a statue stands in a corner, worn smooth by many hands.

This chapel is where the dying receive extreme unction, where the desperately ill make their final prayers. The air is heavy with the memory of fear and hope.

The only exit, for the living, is out to the north.

You can see an altar (with Brother Aelred's body on it) here.

A simple stone altar, worn by generations of prayer. On it is Brother Aelred's body.

Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his saints.

— The Book of Psalms

Your beloved mentor lies still on the altar, still dressed. His face is peaceful now, though you remember his agony earlier. His eyes are wide open—staring upward as if fixed on Heaven—and his hands are folded across his chest. Something seems odd about him, though you can't quite place it.

There's an odd smell about his remains, something like alcohol and urine in his mouth. Unusual.

His pupils are unnaturally dilated and black, like you have never seen in a person living or dead.

It depicts St Roch, patron saint of the plague-stricken and the sick. He's depicted as a pilgrim, with a hand pointing to a sore on his leg.

The artist was clearly aiming for realism with these. You recall Brother Aelred telling you vivid stories of illness he saw on his travels.

You whisper a small sad prayer to your dear mentor. You fervently hope he can hear you.

Get restricted garden key

In an inner pocket of his robe, you find an iron key. You take it.

[The score has just gone up by 2 points.]

Heavy and iron, its surface pitted with rust from years hanging in the damp Herbarium. You know this key from seeing Aelred use it: it opens the gate to the Restricted Garden where the dangerous herbs are grown.

Next step: go to herbarium

Infirmary

Several narrow beds line the western wall. A workbench holds mortars and bowls for preparing remedies. The air has a sharp tang.

The Infirmary Chapel is to the south, and the Slype is out to the west.

Brother Benedict is here, tidying the workbench and looking reflective.

A polished metal mirror hangs from a hook on the wall.

A curious cabinet, perhaps for medicines, sits against a wall.

Slype

The Slype is a long east-west corridor lined with decorative bushes. West is the Cloister, east is the Infirmary. A small passage heads south to the Herbarium and the gardens.

Herbarium

This room still carries Brother Aelred's presence in every corner. Bundles of dried herbs hang from the rafters. The worktable in the centre, laden with materials above and below, bears the marks of much use. A large terracotta pot in the corner was used often to transfer plants. Without him here, the room feels hollow.

The Slype lies north, and the Garden—his garden—waits to the south.

The table is the one where you and Brother Aelred did your daily work. On top of it are some jars, some gloves and Aelred's Herbal.

Looking below the table, you find Brother Aelred's basket, which he used for gathering and carrying herbs.

Taken.

There are almost two dozen of them, each carefully labelled. You know these well—managing these has been your daily labour for the past few months. You don't see anything missing or unusual about them.

gloves: Taken.
Aelred's Herbal: (putting the iron key into the basket to make room)
You take the Herbal, aware that this was among his most prized possessions. You can only hope you'll make as good use of it as he did.

A thin volume, but very handy: it lists many herbs and other plants, along with descriptions of them and their uses.

It's much too dense to read the entire thing. (You can consult it by looking up a plant by name, like CONSULT HERBAL ABOUT YARROW.)

The different bunches of herbs hang from the rafters. From here, you can't make out what they are.

You climb up onto the worktable.

Three different bunches hang from the rafters. They're still out of your grasp—Brother Aelred was much taller than you—but you recognise them as thyme, rosemary, and feverfew.

You climb down from the worktable.

That is not a verb I recognise.

The gardens

Garden

Aelred's garden. You can still see where his hands touched everything: the carefully weeded beds, the path worn by his daily rounds.

You can enter the Herbarium to the north. A closed gate west guards plants too dangerous for common use.

Neat rows of raised beds, carefully tended and weeded. Woody rosemary grows tall in one corner, its leaves green against the autumn sky. Low-growing thyme spreads in silvery-green mats, while feverfew's white daisy-flowers still bloom despite the season. In the most sheltered spot, a tiny basil plant catches what little sun reaches this northern garden. It's a small miracle that Aelred coaxed it to survive this long.

(putting the gloves into the basket to make room)
Rather than taking the entire rosemary plant, you take a sprig of it.

It smells of pine sap and wood.

(putting Aelred's Herbal into the basket to make room)
Rather than taking the entire thyme plant, you take a sprig of it.

Spending time here reminds you of a conversation from spring, when Brother Aelred was tending part of the garden. "This one's a challenge, my son," he said, gesturing at a new, small plant. "It wants warmth and sun we can barely give it here. But there's a brother of ours—he came from sunnier lands, seeking refuge. He never complains, but I see the homesickness in his eyes." Aelred touched the leaves gently. "If I can coax this to grow, it will remind him of home. A small kindness, perhaps, but sometimes those matter most." You will miss Aelred so much.

Strongly earthy with a note of mint.

(putting the rosemary sprig into the basket to make room)
Rather than taking the entire feverfew plant, you take a sprig of it.

Strong and bitter, almost medicinal. Like chamomile but sharper.

(putting the thyme sprig into the basket to make room)
Rather than taking the entire basil plant, you take a sprig of it.

It's strong and peppery, with notes of anise.

You try a single leaf: it's sharp at first, then peppery and a bit like liquorice.

Restricted gardens

(with the iron key)
You unlock the restricted garden gate and open it.

Restricted Garden

Here is Aelred's collection of dangerous plants—those too potent for casual use, too deadly for error. The beds here are smaller, more carefully separated.

Aelred brought you here only twice, making you repeat each plant's name, its use, its danger. "Respect them, my son", he said. "In the right dose, they heal. In the wrong, they kill."

The only exit is out through the gate to the east, which is open.

A small gnarled mandrake root pushes from the earth, pale and forked like a tiny human figure.

(first taking the gloves)
You pause for a second. His gloves, and now they'll pass to you. You hope you can honour his work in the garden.

You put on Aelred's gloves.

Rather than taking the entire monkshood plant, you take a sprig of it.

You cautiously sniff: barely any scent at all. The plant saves its power for those who consume it.

(putting the basil sprig into the basket to make room)
Rather than taking the entire foxglove plant, you take a sprig of it.

Barely any scent at all, just a faint greenness, like cut stems.

(putting the monkshood sprig into the basket to make room)
You break a sprig off of it.

Reminiscent of stale urine. Very unpleasant.

You wouldn't dare. You've been taught that it's very toxic.

(putting the foxglove sprig into the basket to make room)
You wrap your fingers around it carefully and pull it free. The root forks into two distinct limbs below the crown—the shape the ancients called anthropomorphon, the man-formed. They said it screamed when pulled from the earth. The silence feels like a small mercy.

(first taking Aelred's Herbal)
Mandrake: called also Mandragora, and by some the sleeping root or gallows root. In small doses brings drowsiness and eases pain. The smoke of the root, carefully breathed, brings a deep and restful sleep—useful before surgery or for the gravely restless. The root itself should not be eaten in quantity, but it is not dangerous to handle.

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

Garden

Aelred's garden. You can still see where his hands touched everything: the carefully weeded beds, the path worn by his daily rounds.

You can enter the Herbarium to the north. An open gate west guards plants too dangerous for common use.

Herbarium

This room still carries Brother Aelred's presence in every corner. Bundles of dried herbs hang from the rafters. The worktable in the centre, laden with materials above and below, bears the marks of much use. A large terracotta pot in the corner was used often to transfer plants. Without him here, the room feels hollow.

The Slype lies north, and the Garden—his garden—waits to the south.

Slype

The Slype is a long east-west corridor lined with decorative bushes. West is the Cloister, east is the Infirmary. A small passage heads south to the Herbarium and the gardens.

Open medicine cabinet

Time passes.

"RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring two times to call the brothers to the Lauds office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

You wait a minute.

Brother Benedict arrives from the east.

Infirmary

Several narrow beds line the western wall. A workbench holds mortars and bowls for preparing remedies. The air has a sharp tang.

The Infirmary Chapel is to the south, and the Slype is out to the west.

A polished metal mirror hangs from a hook on the wall.

A curious cabinet, perhaps for medicines, sits against a wall.

You set the wheels to 1-1-5-2.

You hear a satisfying click as the lock disengages.

[The score has just gone up by 3 points.]

You open the medicine cabinet, revealing three decoctions (foxglove, henbane and feverfew).

foxglove decoction: (putting the mandrake root into the basket to make room)
Taken.
henbane decoction: (putting Aelred's Herbal into the basket to make room)
Taken.
feverfew decoction: (putting foxglove decoction into the basket to make room)
Taken.

You close the medicine cabinet.

A small bottle of a concentrated greenish-brown liquid, labelled "Henbane". You know from Brother Aelred that this is used for sedative purposes, though it does have disturbing side-effects. If used in excess, it can be fatal.

This bottle is almost entirely empty, with only a few drops remaining.

Like stale urine.

You recognise in Brother Aelred's symptoms the signs of henbane poisoning. This death wasn't caused by a heart attack.

Now that you've recognised the symptoms of henbane poisoning in Brother Aelred and found the henbane decoction, you're even more certain he died of unnatural means.

Henbane causes violent convulsions and terrible pain before death. No herbalist would choose such suffering for themselves, even if they were desperate enough to commit the mortal sin of self-murder.

This was murder.

[The score has just gone up by 6 points.]

(first taking Aelred's Herbal)
Henbane: of great virtue against toothache and the pains of rheumatism when taken in very small amounts as a decoction. Yet henbane is treacherous in larger quantity. The dying man's eyes grow wide and strange, the pupils swallowed up by darkness, as though he looks upon things unseen. Visions come upon him—some report them as blessed, others as torments. Let the infirmarer dispense this herb with great caution, for the difference between remedy and poison is a matter of mere drops.

Slype

The Slype is a long east-west corridor lined with decorative bushes. West is the Cloister, east is the Infirmary. A small passage heads south to the Herbarium and the gardens.

Cloister Southeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The long Slype, leading to the Infirmary and the Herbarium, lies to the east. You can also go north to the eastern end of the Cloister, and west to the southern end.

Hint: Now that you've searched both gardens and examined the body in the Infirmary Chapel, your next step could be to search all the Priory locations looking for evidence.

Kitchen, talk to Remigio

Cloister South

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The Refectory lies in to the south. You can also go west to the southwestern corner of the Cloister, east to the southeastern corner, or north to the Garth.

You can see an orange cat here.

The orange cat twitches, sensing movement somewhere.

Refectory

The Refectory is a long, austere hall where the community takes its meals in silence while one brother reads aloud from the lectern. Two rows of trestle tables stretch the length of the room, their surfaces scrubbed clean. High windows along the wall admit pale moonlight that barely reaches the floor. The smell of pottage lingers faintly in the air.

A doorway to the south leads to the Kitchen, and a wide opening to the north returns out to the Cloister.

The tables are bare and well-washed.

Kitchen

The priory kitchen is a large room, lit by high windows. A door leads north to the Refectory, and stairs descend to the Undercroft below.

A large table dominates the centre, scattered with implements and vessels. A hearth is built into a wall, its fire warming the room.

Brother Remigio is here, tidying the table.

"Such sad thing." He looks despondent.

"Me?" He laughs, a little surprised. "I am... nobody. A man who walk very far." He wipes his hands on his habit. "I find this place, they let me stay. I work hard. Is enough, no?"

"You? You are..." he grins. "Come si dice? Tadpole. Small, new. But you grow, sì?"

"Ah, Frate Martin! He is..." Remigio searches for words. "Very good man. Kind. We work, uh, insieme—together—in cucina, the Kitchen. He teach me English." He smiles warmly. "He no here now. At church."

"Ah, la gatta! Frate Wilfred, he love her much. She good mouser. Always hungry."

"Frate Hugh? Good man. He work hard down there, always busy with..." he gestures vaguely at the floor, "...stores, sì?"

Brother Remigio stops you, apologetically. "No, not allowed", he says, "Frate Hugh, he not allow go to cellars."

Refectory

The Refectory is a long, austere hall where the community takes its meals in silence while one brother reads aloud from the lectern. Two rows of trestle tables stretch the length of the room, their surfaces scrubbed clean. High windows along the wall admit pale moonlight that barely reaches the floor. The smell of pottage lingers faintly in the air.

A doorway to the south leads to the Kitchen, and a wide opening to the north returns out to the Cloister.

Cloister South

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The Refectory lies in to the south. You can also go west to the southwestern corner of the Cloister, east to the southeastern corner, or north to the Garth.

You can see an orange cat here.

Cloister Southeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

The long Slype, leading to the Infirmary and the Herbarium, lies to the east. You can also go north to the eastern end of the Cloister, and west to the southern end.

Go to Scriptorium

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit cold night air and pale moonlight.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

Scriptorium

The Scriptorium—where brothers create the illuminated manuscripts that are a primary source of priory income—smells of ink, manuscripts, and woodsmoke. High windows admit the pale moonlight that the season allows, and a modest fire burns in the fireplace, keeping the manuscripts dry despite the sea air.

The large central table is covered with the materials of the illuminator's art as well as a sample of their work.

The Cloister is out to west; the Library is east, through the closed door.

Large enough for four monks to work here, the table is laden with implements for producing illuminated manuscripts. A breviary, presumably a current work, is open on the table.

Brother Wilfred's current work: an unfinished breviary for the office. The Latin text flows in careful Gothic script across vellum pages. Several decorated initials have been illuminated with silver leaf and vermilion, their intricate patterns revealing the master's eye even as the slightly wavering lines betray his trembling hands. Many pages still await illumination.

The breviary lies open to Psalm 23. The Latin reads: "Dominus regit me, et nihil mihi deerit; in loco pascuae ibi me collocavit..." (The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; He maketh me to lie down in green pastures...)

Time passes.

Brother Wilfred arrives from the west, places the silver key on the table, and sits.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

A silver key, tarnished with age. Brother Wilfred guards it jealously: it's his responsibility as librarian to control access to the priory's precious books.

Drug Wilfred with mandrake

Brother Wilfred, the librarian, is the most venerated of the brethren, well over seventy. He's lean and wiry, with wisps of white hair shooting in all directions from his head. His habit has bits of orange fluff or fur on it.

"Ah, my breviary. I have done finer work." A pause that does not invite contradiction. "But the patterns are sound. Whatever else, the patterns are sound."

Brother Wilfred rubs his temples wearily.

"A fine cellarer. In the past few months, he's been helping me in the Library."

"I'm afraid I can't let you in. The Library is off-limits to everyone but me. Strict orders from the prior."

(first taking the mandrake root)
You throw the mandrake root into the fireplace.

An unpleasant, acrid stench starts to fill the room. To be cautious, you move to the other side of the room, far from the fireplace.

The fireplace is a stone recess in the wall with a fire going.

Now under the influence of the burning mandrake, Brother Wilfred starts to snore.

The sleepy like to make excuses.

— The Rule of St Benedict

Being as quiet as you can be, you take the key from the table.

Brother Wilfred seems deeply asleep.

[Carrying items not related to your work here (such as the silver key) is against priory rules. Find a way to hide these or carry them unnoticed.]

(with the silver key)
You unlock the library door and open it.

It's already open.

The mandrake root has burned, and the air starts to clear. Wilfred is still deep in sleep, and will be for a while.

Library

This is a small private room. There is a bookshelf on one wall and a large map of the priory on the other. The only exit is out to the west.

[The score has just gone up by 3 points.]

The bookshelf has about fifty items, most of which are manuscripts, used for the work in the Scriptorium. One that draws your attention because of its thin size and small format is titled "Registrum Fratrum".

(putting Aelred's Herbal into the basket to make room)
You carefully remove the Registrum Fratrum from the shelf. Brother Wilfred would be furious if he knew.

You put the Registrum Fratrum into the basket.

You found a way to carry illicit things unnoticed.

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

Finely etched into brass and signed "Prior Gordian". It shows both the indoor and outdoor areas, from the two dorters on the upper floor all the way down to two crypts below ground.

One dorter for the choir monks and one for the lay brothers, naturally.

Two crypts: a larger one, simply labelled "Crypt" and another, "FitzAlan Crypt".

Now that you think of it, while you've been in the crypt once for a service, you've never even heard of the other one.

Scriptorium

The Scriptorium—where brothers create the illuminated manuscripts that are a primary source of priory income—smells of ink, manuscripts, and woodsmoke. High windows admit the cool morning light that the season allows, and a modest fire burns in the fireplace, keeping the manuscripts dry despite the sea air.

The large central table is covered with the materials of the illuminator's art as well as a sample of their work.

The Cloister is out to west; the Library is east, through the open door.

Brother Wilfred sits at the table, close to the fireplace, snoring heavily.

You close the library door.

(with the silver key)
You lock the library door.

You place the key on the table, hoping that it's in the same place it was before.

Brother Wilfred starts to stir. He may awaken soon.

"Ah, young son, you'll have to pardon an old man his weakness." He blinks sleepily at you.

Study Fratrum

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

Garth

The Garth is the small grass courtyard at the heart of the Cloister. The covered Cloister walk surrounds it on all sides, its arches framing the sky above with its cool morning light.

In the centre is a sundial and a stone well.

An old stone well, its edges worn down by centuries of drawing water.

You can recall a story Aelred told about this: "The summer of... thirty-one, I think it was. Perhaps thirty-two. The well ran so low you could hear the bucket scrape the bottom, and Brother Oswald, then our cellarer, was rationing water like a miser counts farthings. We processed around the garth singing the litany, 'Ora pro nobis'."

"Nothing happened, of course. Not that day. We went to bed parched and unconvinced. But in the morning the level had risen a foot. Prior Wilfred wept for joy. Brother Oswald said it was condensation."

The sundial casts a shadow showing the time as quarter past six in the morning.

(first taking the Registrum Fratrum)
Aelred (1284-). Entered the priory 1295 as a youth. Serves as herbalist. Fluent in several languages beyond English and Latin.

Written below this, in fresh ink in Wilfred's scratchy hand, it reads: "Requiescat in pace, care frater".

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

Anselm (1316-). Entered 1332. Studied under Brother Wilfred as a youth. Appointed cantor 1344 despite his youth, owing to the exceptional clarity of his voice. Leads the brothers in the Divine Office.

Benedict (1298-). Entered 1318. Served as infirmarer from 1328. Treats both brothers and villagers who seek healing. Known for his patience with the dying.

Cuthbert (1300-). Entered 1315, son of a nobleman from the south. Appointed sacrist 1325. Maintains the sacred vessels and vestments with meticulous care. Keeps the canonical hours by ringing the great bell.

Hugh (1314-). Brought to the priory in 1322 as a child of eight, his family unable to feed him after failed harvests. Raised and educated by the brothers. Appointed cellarer 1342. Manages stores and trade with exceptional diligence. Has a widowed sister in the village of Coldport who visited once.

Martin (1304-). Entered 1322. Born into a prominent Welsh family. Appointed kitchener 1334. Oversees the preparation of meals for the community, assisted by Brother Remigio.

Oswald (1294-). Entered in 1312 from a minor noble family. Elected prior 1338 upon the retirement of Brother Wilfred. Governs with strict adherence to the Rule of St Benedict.

Remigio (c.1308-). A lay brother from Tuscany, came to the priory in 1340 seeking refuge from troubles in his homeland. Works in the Kitchen and performs manual labour. Has not taken full vows.

Wilfred (1273-). Entered 1290 from a scholarly family in Norwich. Elected prior 1310, serving until 1338 when he stepped down due to age. Now serves as librarian and master illuminator, though his hands tremble with the years. The oldest brother in living memory, he has seen the priory through plague, famine, and decline.

You note that this entry was written by Brother Wilfred himself, but in his way, he tried to maintain a scholarly and truthful tone.

Aldwin (1326-). Joined us in 1346, coming from a family serving Lord Thornbury. Educated by that Lord. Mother died young. Interested in gardening, so he is being mentored by Brother Aelred.

Gordian (1112-1192). Founder of the priory in 1152, formerly Master Builder to the Earl of Pembroke. A man of great skill and piety, he lived by three great creeds that he impressed upon the brethren drawn to the new priory.

Gordian designed the church and Cloister himself, from the great bell in the tower to the stained glass of the Nave.

It is said he built the priory as penance for worldly pride, each clever mechanism a reminder that God's mysteries surpass man's cleverness. He served as prior from its founding until his death.

(consulting the Registrum Fratrum)
In the margin, you find a note: "Pax: First spotted in 1342 by Remigio. She's an excellent ratter and conversationalist, though her Latin is poor."

You put the Registrum Fratrum into the basket.

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

You can see an orange cat here.

Cloister Southwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

A small alcove, the Lavatorium, is to the south. You can go north to the western edge, or east to the southern edge. The West Gate, allowing outsiders to enter the Cloister, is to the west and closed.

You raise the bar, unlocking the gate.

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

You can see an orange cat here.

The orange cat twitches, sensing movement somewhere.

Garth

The Garth is the small grass courtyard at the heart of the Cloister. The covered Cloister walk surrounds it on all sides, its arches framing the sky above with its cool morning light.

In the centre is a sundial and a stone well.

Search dorter

Cloister North

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The wall of the Nave rises imposingly to the north. A passageway into it leads to the Quire. You can also go west to the northwest corner, east to the northeastern corner, or south into the Garth.

Cloister Northeast

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Chapter House is in to the east, and the Day Stairs to the upper floor head upward from here. You can also go west to the northern end of the Cloister or south to the eastern end.

Day Stairs

You're in the middle of a set of broad stone steps. The steps dip in the centre from generations of sandaled feet. This staircase is used by you and the brethren to travel between the Cloister and the dorters above when there's enough light and warmth to use outdoor stairs.

Above is the upper living areas and below is the Cloister walk.

Hall
This plain corridor connects the two dorters. Wooden floorboards creak underfoot. There are passages to the north, south, and east. Broad stairs lead down to the Cloister.

Dorter

This great room is used by all of the choir monks except the prior, Brother Oswald. It could easily provide rest for twenty brothers, but there are only eight cots in here now. Each cot has a chest at its foot for any meagre possessions the brother has.

A window high up reflects cool morning light on the floor.

A doorway leads south to the Hall. Narrow stairs descend to the Quire, where offices are held.

You open Brother Aelred's chest, revealing nothing.

You close Brother Aelred's chest.

You open your chest, revealing nothing.

You close your chest.

You open Brother Anselm's chest, revealing a seashell.

A perfectly-shaped scallop shell, perhaps kept as a badge of a pilgrimage.

You close Brother Anselm's chest.

You open Brother Benedict's chest, revealing a rosary.

A set of plain beads strung together. You've seen the brother carry them around at times.

You close Brother Benedict's chest.

You open Brother Cuthbert's chest, revealing a comb.

A plain wooden comb. You're surprised that Brother Cuthbert has this, given how he's lectured you about the evils of vanity.

You close Brother Cuthbert's chest.

You open Brother Martin's chest, revealing nothing.

"RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring three times to call the brothers to the Prime office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

You close Brother Martin's chest.

You open Brother Wilfred's chest, revealing a sketch.

A fine ink sketch of the priory entrance, showing the artistry of the masonry and the door carving. You recognise Brother Wilfred's distinctive style.

You close Brother Wilfred's chest.

You open Brother Hugh's chest, revealing some letters.

A pair of letters on rough, cheap paper.

(first taking the letters)
The first letter reads:

Dearest Brother Hugh,

I write to you in desperation, though it shames me to beg. The harvest failed again this year, and what little we had has gone to the lord's rent. My William can barely stand now—his leg has worsened terribly since Candlemas. The wound festers and will not heal.

It must be cut, else the poison will spread to his heart. There is a surgeon in Norwich, but the cost—Hugh, it is three shillings. We have not three pence.

I have sold all I can: the good kettle, even the winter blankets.

I know the Rule forbids monks from keeping wealth. I know you have given all to God. But if there is any way, any kindness you might ask of your abbot, any alms the monastery might spare for Christian charity. My William will die without it.

Your sister in Christ and in blood,
Rose

The second letter reads:

Dearest Hugh,

May God bless you a thousand times for your mercy. The two shillings came just as William could no longer rise from bed.

We took William to the surgeon. He cut the leg below the knee. It was terrible, Hugh, but necessary. William lives, praise God, though he is weak yet.

But the surgeon demands another shilling and sixpence still owed. He will not wait past Michaelmas. And now William cannot work at all—he who used to haul timber is now fit only to sit and weave baskets, if his strength returns.

I hate to ask again after your generosity. The shame burns in me. But Hugh, they will take our cottage for the debt. We have nowhere. Starvation comes.

If there is anything more you can do—any favour you might ask—I swear by Our Lady I will never ask again. One more shilling would save us.

Your grateful sister,
Rose

Where could Brother Hugh have found the money she mentions?

[The score has just gone up by 2 points.]

You close Brother Hugh's chest.

Search Lay Dorter

Hall
This plain corridor connects the two dorters. Wooden floorboards creak underfoot. There are passages to the north, south, and east. Broad stairs lead down to the Cloister.

Necessarium

This narrow chamber extends from the Hall. A wooden bench with several latrine holes runs along one wall, each opening onto the dung pit far below. The smell is overpowering. Cold, foul air rises from the pit. The only exit is out to the west.

Hall
This plain corridor connects the two dorters. Wooden floorboards creak underfoot. There are passages to the north, south, and east. Broad stairs lead down to the Cloister.

Lay Dorter
This chamber was built to house the lay brothers, those who serve without taking full vows. The walls are marked with darker patches where other cots once stood, and you can see the worn floorboards where chests were dragged back and forth over the years. Now the room holds only Brother Remigio's single cot and chest, pushed against a far wall. The priory's decline is nowhere more visible than in this emptiness, this quiet room that once held the sounds of simple men at their evening prayers.

The only exit is north to the Hall.

You open Brother Remigio's chest, revealing a pilgrim badge.

A small badge, cheaply cast in pewter but carefully kept. It depicts a figure in a monk's robe: St Francis of Assisi, you think, given the birds around him. The kind of thing sold to pilgrims at a shrine. How it ended up in an English priory, in the chest of a Tuscan lay brother, is a story you will never fully know.

You close Brother Remigio's chest.

Hall
This plain corridor connects the two dorters. Wooden floorboards creak underfoot. There are passages to the north, south, and east. Broad stairs lead down to the Cloister.

Dorter

This great room is used by all of the choir monks except the prior, Brother Oswald. It could easily provide rest for twenty brothers, but there are only eight cots in here now. Each cot has a chest at its foot for any meagre possessions the brother has.

A window high up reflects cool morning light on the floor.

A doorway leads south to the Hall. Narrow stairs descend to the Quire, where offices are held.

Night Stairs

Midway on the narrow stone stairs connecting the Dorter to the Quire. These are the Night Stairs: three times each night, monks file down in darkness for Matins, Lauds, and Prime. The walls are close, the air still.

A lone candle flickers in its niche.

From a distance, you can hear your brothers singing.

This candle is a "canonical hour candle". It is used by Brother Cuthbert to tell the hours for offices and when to ring the great bell. It has burned down past 7 marks, leaving 17 marks remaining below the flame. From it, you estimate the time as quarter past seven in the morning.

From a distance, you can hear your brothers singing.

Time passes.

The singing from the Quire stops.

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Chapels

Sanctuary
A domed ceiling rises above this, the area where Prior Oswald leads public Mass. The Quire is to the west and a chapel is to the east. The Sacristy is through a doorway to the south. A closed gate bars the path descending to the Crypt.

You can see the high altar here.

Lady Chapel

The largest of the three chapels, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. This chapel sees more use than the others: the brothers pray here for the priory's patroness, Our Lady of Thorns. To the west is the Sanctuary. Small doorways lead north and south to smaller chapels.

A statue of Mary stands in a niche and a stone altar is next to her.

A stone statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her hands are open in a gesture of welcome and mercy. Her carved face is serene.

Carved on the base:

  BEATAE MARIAE MATRIS DEI
  (Blessed Mary, Mother of God)

A simple stone altar, worn by generations of prayer.

St Jude Chapel

A small chapel dedicated to St Jude, patron of desperate causes. The stone floor is worn down—many souls have visited here over the generations, praying for urgent escape from terrible situations. A doorway leads north, out to the Lady Chapel.

A statue of the saint is in a corner. Near it is a stone altar with a prayer mat laid before it.

A wooden statue of St Jude, simply carved and painted. The saint holds a staff in one hand. His painted eyes seem to gaze down with deep concern at those who kneel before him in desperation.

A simple stone altar. Someone has left an offering of small red berries on it.

Small seed pods. You don't know them by sight, though.

Someone carefully gathered these as an offering. They're fresh and fragrant, picked within the last day or two.

A faint, floral scent, but clearly of a rosehip.

I am the rose of Sharon,
and the lily of the valleys.

— Song of Solomon

This action brings back a memory from summer: Aelred in the Garden, showing you a rose in full bloom. "Beautiful now, Brother, but its true gift comes later. These petals fall, and by autumn the hip swells with seed, tart and rich. We gather them after the first frost for winter cordials." He'd smiled. "The rose serves us twice: beauty in summer, medicine in autumn." He pauses, then continues: "For some, though, they portend painful loss."

St Jude is the patron of lost causes. Brother Hugh has a sister in desperate need, and someone has been leaving offerings here, quietly, privately. You feel certain you know who.

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

Lady Chapel

The largest of the three chapels, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. This chapel sees more use than the others: the brothers pray here for the priory's patroness, Our Lady of Thorns. To the west is the Sanctuary. Small doorways lead north and south to smaller chapels.

A statue of Mary stands in a niche and a stone altar is next to her.

FitzAlan Chantry

The FitzAlan family chantry, endowed long ago for masses. But the FitzAlans are gone now—their line ended in the pestilence—and no masses are said here anymore. You can return out to the Lady Chapel through the south.

A stone altar is set against a wall.

FitzAlan Chantry

A heavy-looking block of stone on the floor. Gouges in the floor by the altar testify to its weight. Above the altar, carved into the wall, are the FitzAlan arms and motto.

A lion? It's a bit too far up to see clearly.

It's high above the altar, but you can make it out: "LEO VIAM DUCIT". They certainly thought highly of themselves.

You climb onto the altar. From here you can better see the arms above.

A finely-detailed brass rampant lion standing out from the stone.

You push against the lion and, surprisingly, it moves inward slightly. A deep click is heard in the wall.

You climb down from the altar.

You push against the altar and it swings away from the wall, revealing an opening in the floor.

Roll a great stone to me here.

— The First Book of Kings

The opening reveals a ladder descending into darkness.

[The score has just gone up by 3 points.]

You dare not head down to darkness without a light source.

Get CANDLE

Lady Chapel

The largest of the three chapels, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. This chapel sees more use than the others: the brothers pray here for the priory's patroness, Our Lady of Thorns. To the west is the Sanctuary. Small doorways lead north and south to smaller chapels.

A statue of Mary stands in a niche and a stone altar is next to her.

Sanctuary
A domed ceiling rises above this, the area where Prior Oswald leads public Mass. The Quire is to the west and a chapel is to the east. The Sacristy is through a doorway to the south. A closed gate bars the path descending to the Crypt.

You can see the high altar here.

You open the door.

Sacristy

A small room where items used during services are kept. Shelves hold neatly folded linens, precious chalices, and other miscellaneous vestry items. The smell of beeswax and old incense lingers. Brother Cuthbert maintains this space with meticulous care.

Through the open door, cool morning light spills in from the Sanctuary.

You find linens, chalices, a pewter platter, and other smaller vestry items useful for services.

Among the miscellany: a beeswax candle and a brush.

You take it, promising yourself you will return it.

Sanctuary
A domed ceiling rises above this, the area where Prior Oswald leads public Mass. The Quire is to the west and a chapel is to the east. The Sacristy is through a doorway to the south. A closed gate bars the path descending to the Crypt.

You can see the high altar here.

You close the sacristy door.

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Night Stairs

Midway on the narrow stone stairs connecting the Dorter to the Quire. These are the Night Stairs: three times each night, monks file down in darkness for Matins, Lauds, and Prime. The walls are close, the air still.

A lone candle flickers in its niche.

You light the beeswax candle using the canonical hour candle.

[The score has just gone up by 1 point.]

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Sanctuary
A domed ceiling rises above this, the area where Prior Oswald leads public Mass. The Quire is to the west and a chapel is to the east. The Sacristy is through a doorway to the south. A closed gate bars the path descending to the Crypt.

You can see the high altar here.

Lady Chapel

The largest of the three chapels, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. This chapel sees more use than the others: the brothers pray here for the priory's patroness, Our Lady of Thorns. To the west is the Sanctuary. Small doorways lead north and south to smaller chapels.

A statue of Mary stands in a niche and a stone altar is next to her.

FitzAlan Chantry

The FitzAlan family chantry, endowed long ago for masses. But the FitzAlans are gone now—their line ended in the pestilence—and no masses are said here anymore. You can return out to the Lady Chapel through the south.

A stone altar is swung open from the wall (revealing a ladder leading down into darkness).

You climb down the ladder.

"SNAP!" As you step off the bottom rung, a counterweight somewhere in the mechanism snaps the ladder back to the ceiling, far out of reach. Are you trapped?

FitzAlan Crypt

This is a small vaulted chamber, no more than ten feet across. The central tomb bears the effigy of a knight. Flanking this is a smaller undecorated tomb.

The walls here are finished stone rather than rough-hewn rock, and a narrow recess has been cut into them—likely once holding offerings or relics. The air is still, undisturbed for decades or longer. A patina of dust covers everything, unmarred by footprints save your own.

Against the southern wall hangs a faded wooden panel depicting a painted scene, its Latin inscription barely legible in the gloom.

FitzAlan crypt

Large, heavy, and sealed. The carving shows a knight in chainmail, his hands clasped in prayer. His shield displays a lion, the FitzAlan arms.

Probably for the FitzAlan wife or children, this is a simple square block, fully sealed.

A large wooden painted panel set in a distinctive brass frame, it depicts the Three Living and the Three Dead—three noble youths recoiling from three crowned corpses who gesture toward them. Woven beneath in Gothic script: "QUOD FUIMUS, ESTIS; QUOD SUMUS, ERITIS" (What we were, you are; what we are, you will be). Time has taken its toll on the pigments.

The brass frame encloses the art panel. Examining it closely, you find a small button on the right-hand side of the panel.

You push the button and hear a faint click from inside the frame. The panel pops ajar from the wall, revealing an opening to the south.

[The score has just gone up by 2 points.]

You head south through the opening behind the panel, revealing...

Main Crypt

The crypt stretches dimly before you, thick stone pillars supporting low vaulted arches. Rows of tombs line the walls; the air is thick and damp. An opening in the north wall reveals a passage.

A large bell is in a stand by the stairs heading upward, and a small doorway is to the south.

Main crypt and vestry

A large bell in a stand, both made of pewter. You've heard it once rung during a Mass in the crypt, and it was loud enough that you heard it on the Cloister.

You cast your eyes over the tombs.

Son of man, can these bones live?

— The Book of Ezekiel

There are six tombs holding the earthly remains of former priors: Brothers Gordian, Ezra, Crispin, Dunstan, Godric, and Ambrose.

Brother Gordian's tomb is a stone block with a lid on which his name is carved. It is otherwise like the others in the room.

Brother Ezra's tomb is a stone block with a lid on which his name is carved. It sits in the dankest corner of the crypt, positioned between two thick pillars that cast deep shadows behind it.

(first taking the Registrum Fratrum)
(consulting the Registrum Fratrum)
Ezra (1155-1212). Elected as the second prior in 1192 and served in this role for 18 years. He built out the Infirmary and the Infirmary Chapel and opened the priory to religious pilgrims travelling to Wales. Contemporary brothers remembered him for his flaming orange hair and for his bravery: he always said he would protect his brethren from danger to his very limits.

You put the Registrum Fratrum into the basket.

Crypt Vestry

The Crypt Vestry is a long passage of rough stone. This may have originally been designed to be another crypt, but it is used to store materials needed for masses held in the crypt, and there are some such things on a ledge. The room is very infrequently used, since such masses are quite rare.

The only exit out is the way you came.

It's a thick plank fastened to the wall. It contains several items, likely needed for services held down here.

Aha! While the cloths are rotting and ruined, under them, you find a sack.

(first taking the sack)
You take it, noting metallic clinking as you do.

The sack is dark burlap, smeared with yellow powder, tied with simple cord. Opening it, your hands tremble: the weight is unmistakable. Silver coins spill into view: groats and pennies, perhaps ten shillings' worth.

Your breath catches. A small fortune, enough to feed the priory for a season. Hidden here, among the dead, where none have need of it.

These coins are certainly evidence of wrongdoing, but you're not sure where they came from.

[The score has just gone up by 5 points.]

You put the sack of coins into the basket.

Main Crypt

The crypt stretches dimly before you, thick stone pillars supporting low vaulted arches. Rows of tombs line the walls; the air is thick and damp. An opening in the north wall reveals a passage.

A large bell is in a stand by the stairs heading upward, and a small doorway is to the south.

Escape from crypt

You pull the panel closed and hear a click in the frame.

You sound it with vigour which produces an almost deafening peal as it echoes. You feel certain someone above will have heard that.

You crouch far down on the darkest side of Brother Ezra's tomb.

You can hear a key turning in the gate above. If you get caught here, you'll be in serious trouble.

You extinguish the beeswax candle.

You can hear footsteps coming down the crypt stairs.

They grope in the dark without light.

— The Book of Job

It is now pitch dark in here.

You wait a minute.

The footsteps are closer, and you can see some light coming from the stairs.

Main Crypt (hiding)

The crypt stretches dimly before you, thick stone pillars supporting low vaulted arches. Rows of tombs line the walls; the air is thick and damp. A section of the north wall has been covered with wood planks.

A large bell is in a stand by the stairs heading upward, and a small doorway is to the south.

You wait a minute.

Someone has entered the crypt bearing a light.

You wait a minute.

Very close, you hear "Is someone down here?" You recognise the voice as Brother Cuthbert's.

You wait a minute.

Very close, you hear "Helloooo?"

You wait a minute.

The light moves to the south and you sense Brother Cuthbert is now searching the Crypt Vestry.

"RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring four times to call the brothers to the Terce office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

You stand.

To the south, you hear "Is someone in the Vestry?"

Crypt Stairs

At the midpoint of these stairs, you can sense the damp below. A thin veil of cool morning light comes from the area above, but the path down descends into darkness.

Faintly, you hear "Helloooo?"

You slip through the open gate.

Sanctuary
A domed ceiling rises above this, the area where Prior Oswald leads public Mass. The Quire is to the west and a chapel is to the east. The Sacristy is through a doorway to the south. The crypt gate is open.

You can see the high altar here.

Faintly, you hear rustling noises.

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Brothers here:
- Oswald, the prior

You escaped the Crypt without being discovered.

Faintly, you hear "Must have been a draft from the church above." (You hear him muttering a brief prayer.)

Brother Anselm arrives from the south.
Brother Oswald sits on the stalls.

[The score has just gone up by 3 points.]

Bell Tower, Get note

You manage to slip out before the Terce office starts.

Nave

The public space, where villagers stand for Mass weekly. The stone floor is worn smooth by centuries of feet. Detailed stained glass admits cool morning light. The Quire lies to the east, separated by a screen. A doorway in the north wall leads up to the Tower Stairs.

The great door is open, revealing the Porch to the west.

Tower Stairs

A spiral staircase winds up and down from here. The stone steps are narrow and treacherously steep. Cool air and cool morning light flows down from above.

Bell Tower

The bell chamber. Wind whistles through the open arches on all four sides. Dead leaves have drifted into the corners and along the walls, blown in through the open arches.

The great bell hangs overhead. A rope from it hangs to within your reach.

From here, you have clear views in all four directions—such fine views that the priory allows outsiders into this space.

You can also see a wooden chest (which is closed) here.

A bronze bell, green with age. Cast nearly two centuries ago, you recall Brother Oswald once telling you it was cast by the priory founder, Brother Gordian. It bears the inscription "I: FIDES"—a reminder that our primary task is faith.

You open the wooden chest, revealing some bell-repairing tools.

You find nothing else among the tools.

You close the wooden chest.

The leaves that settled across the floor are less prominent immediately around the chest, as though it was moved more recently.

Moving the chest reveals a note that was hidden under it.

Taken.

You put the note into the basket.

Tower Stairs

A spiral staircase winds up and down from here. The stone steps are narrow and treacherously steep. Cool air and cool morning light flows down from above.

(first taking the note)
The note is folded and sealed with wax. You tear it open and unfold it.

It is written in an educated hand on fine paper. It reads: "The manuscript was exquisite—the illumination work exceptional.

Should other such works become available, I remain most interested. Leave word at our usual place." It is unsigned.

Who wrote this note? An outsider? Buying precious priory property? And who was meant to find it and read it?

Note: You've learned enough to solve the crime, but you can continue if you'd like to better understand the crime.

To make a public accusation, you can do so at the next office. Or you could first talk with a sympathetic Brother.

[The score has just gone up by 5 points.]

You put the treacherous note into the basket.

Nave

The public space, where villagers stand for Mass weekly. The stone floor is worn smooth by centuries of feet. Detailed stained glass admits cool morning light. The Quire lies to the east, separated by a screen. A doorway in the north wall leads up to the Tower Stairs.

The great door is open, revealing the Porch to the west.

From a distance, you can hear your brothers singing.

Go to Prior's Solar

Porch
This covered entrance protects the great door from the winds that come across the sea from the east. Villagers used to gather here before services, but the number who do so has been declining for years.

You can go south out to the covered walkway the brothers call "The Passage", or you can go east into the church.

The great door is open, revealing the Nave to the east.

The Passage (North)
A covered walkway that runs along the west edge of the priory. The stones underfoot are set carefully to make this a clear path.

You can go north to the Porch or south to the southern end of the Passage. The West Gate, allowing entrance into the Cloister, is here and closed.

You open the West Gate.

Cloister Southwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

A small alcove, the Lavatorium, is to the south. You can go north to the western edge, or east to the southern edge. The West Gate, allowing outsiders to enter the Cloister, is to the west and open.

You can also see an orange cat here.

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

Cloister Northwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The high walls of the church rise imposingly to the north, and a curious door lies to the west.

Enter Prior's Solar

You press the button and feel it click into place.

You press the button and feel it click into place.

You press the button and feel it click into place.

You hear a satisfying series of clicks from within the door. The lock disengages.

[The score has just gone up by 3 points.]

You open the door.

Prior's Solar

Prior Oswald's private chamber. A narrow bed stands against one wall. A writing desk sits next to it. A chest sits at the foot of the bed. The room is austere but private—a privilege of rank in a community that otherwise shares everything.

The only exit is out to the east.

Under it is nothing but dust.

You open Brother Oswald's chest, revealing nothing.

You close Brother Oswald's chest.

A well-crafted desk with a single drawer. On it is a cross.

A finely detailed cross in dark wood. The brass base bears a small inscription: "CONVERTIMINI". You recognise this from the prophet Joel, a call to repentance and turning to God.

Though you don't see a lock on the drawer, it won't open.

Turning the cross on its base, you hear a click within. The drawer opens, revealing a book. The cross snaps back to its original place.

A simple drawer. It is open, revealing the chronicle.

You're uncertain if taking the prior's property is the right thing to do—but, under the circumstances, you do so.

As you close it, you hear a click inside, locking it again.

Cloister Northwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The high walls of the church rise imposingly to the north, and a curious door lies to the west.

You close the door and hear clicks from inside the mechanism. The door must have locked itself.

The chronicle contains the prior's notes on daily affairs. The recent entries:

15 June 1346: Brother Martin reports the grain stores are adequate for winter, though we had to purchase an additional barrel of flour from the village due to poor harvest. The cost continues to strain our resources.

6 July 1346: Brother Hugh informs me that the sale of our honey and beeswax brought less income than anticipated. Several benefactors who once supported us have redirected their charity elsewhere. Our revenues have declined steadily these past three years.

28 July 1346: Brother Wilfred has misplaced his latest work—a small psalter with illuminations of remarkable quality. He recalls completing the opening of Beatus vir with azure and gold, but cannot remember where he shelved it. At his age, such lapses are not uncommon—this is the second time in this season he has lost a work. This is causing a significant loss of income for us.

3 August 1346: The roof above the Refectory shows signs of damage from the autumn storms. Brother Benedict inspected it and says it will require material and builders to repair—funds we can ill afford. I have written to the Bishop requesting assistance, but hold little hope of reply.

Perhaps that missing psalter is related to that note you found about buying illuminated manuscripts?

[The score has just gone up by 2 points.]

You put the chronicle into the basket.

Locutory, Talk to Anselm

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

A time to keep silence,
and a time to speak.

— Ecclesiastes

Locutory

A sparse rectangular room. A plain table is in the centre, surrounded by two benches. This is the Locutory, where the prior meets with merchants, where brothers discuss monastery business, where the silence of the Rule may be broken for practical needs.

The only exit is out the way you came.

Time passes.

Brother Anselm arrives from the east.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

"He was so kind." Anselm's voice catches. "We're all going to miss him terribly."

He laughs happily. "You? You're, well, you. I think you're doing very well here."

He looks puzzled. "We've talked many times, Aldwin."

"When I had quinsy last year, he took excellent care of me. We were meeting earlier this morning in the Garth."

"He's so serious about the rule of silence that I've never really talked to him."

"Brother Hugh used to be so joyful when I arrived. I fear something has been on his mind for months."

"He's so busy in the Kitchen that I almost never get to talk with him."

"He's extremely capable—but I never get a chance to talk with him."

"Oh, our poor foreign lay brother. He seems a bit like a lost soul. It must be very lonely for him here, especially given how little English he has."

"He is such an excellent illuminator and has such a sharp mind."

"Oh, her? Her name is Pax. She's very friendly. I've often caught Brother Wilfred napping in the Scriptorium with her on his lap."

"He founded the priory, you know? I've only seen a few of his brass devices, but they were all very clever."

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

Pax twitches, sensing movement somewhere.

Go to kitchen

Cloister Southwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

A small alcove, the Lavatorium, is to the south. You can go north to the western edge, or east to the southern edge. The West Gate, allowing outsiders to enter the Cloister, is to the west and open.

Cloister South

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit fresh morning breeze.

The Refectory lies in to the south. You can also go west to the southwestern corner of the Cloister, east to the southeastern corner, or north to the Garth.

Refectory

The Refectory is a long, austere hall where the community takes its meals in silence while one brother reads aloud from the lectern. Two rows of trestle tables stretch the length of the room, their surfaces scrubbed clean. High windows along the wall admit cool morning light that barely reaches the floor. The smell of pottage lingers faintly in the air.

A doorway to the south leads to the Kitchen, and a wide opening to the north returns out to the Cloister.

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring five times to call the brothers to the Sext office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

Brother Martin arrives from the south.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

Kitchen

The priory kitchen is a large room, lit by high windows. A door leads north to the Refectory, and stairs descend to the Undercroft below.

A large table dominates the centre, scattered with implements and vessels. A hearth is built into a wall, its fire warming the room.

Brother Remigio is here, tidying the table.

You can also see Brother Hugh here.

Brother Hugh heads north.

Taken.

The stranger that dwelleth
with you shall be unto you
as one born among you.

— The Book of Leviticus

Remigio's weathered face transforms. "Basilico!" he exclaims, taking the herb and breathing deeply. "I not smell since Toscana." His eyes glisten. "Frate Aelred grew for me? He was brav'uomo, a good man."

He gestures toward the stairs, his voice thick. "Grazie mille, uh, thanks you. Go. I not see you."

[The score has just gone up by 2 points.]

You light the beeswax candle using the hearth.

Brother Remigio looks away slyly as you head down the stairs.

Undercroft

Barrels crowd this vaulted space beneath the Refectory. Many things the priory needs to survive are here: tallow, salt, wine, mustard, grain. Smaller items are spread across a table in the corner. The cellarer's careful hand is evident in the organisation—each item labelled, stacked, accounted for.

As cellarer, Brother Hugh alone manages this space: organising the stores, counting what remains, arranging what must be purchased. No other brother would have reason to come here uninvited.

Stairs lead up to the Kitchen. A wide door to the west allows barrels to be rolled in and out for deliveries.

Undercroft

Musty and filled with fragrances from the barrels, especially with the overpowering odour of tallow.

The table here is made of rough wood. On it are a ledger and a pointed stick.

It's filled with Hugh's cramped hand. The most recent items listed are the sale of beeswax candles, a purchase of a barrel of mustard seeds, and the sale of sheep from the priory's fields.

Search barrels

Opening the sealed barrel will take several minutes. Are you sure? Y

With some time and effort, you succeed in opening it.

Sharp and pungent—the unmistakable bite of ground mustard.

You taste a tiny amount: fiery hot and bitter. You cough.

It's long enough that it's awkward to carry, but you take it all the same.

Searching a barrel will take several minutes. Continue? Y

After digging around with the stick for several minutes, you find something buried deep in the mustard. You pull it free: a small package, its burlap stained deep yellow. You take it.

You pound on the lid to shut the mustard barrel.

You push the door open and head west, emerging at the Passage. The door closes behind you.

The Passage (South)
The narrow walkway ends here. This part seems less travelled, with weeds growing from between the stones underfoot. To the east, the ground slopes down to a wide closed door.

Your candle blows out in the breeze.

Get back in

You untie the cord, revealing a small illuminated psalter.

Fear them not therefore:
for there is nothing covered,
that shall not be revealed;
and hid, that shall not be known.

— The Gospel of Matthew

A small psalter, exquisitely crafted. The leather cover is tooled with a design of intertwined vines and lilies. Opening it, you see Brother Wilfred's unmistakable hand, each page a work of devotion. The opening initial 'B' of Psalm 1 ("Beatus vir") is illuminated in brilliant azure and gold leaf, depicting a tree bearing fruit by streams of water. Marginal decorations show doves, wheat, and grapes.

This is clearly one of Wilfred's finest works. It should be kept in the Library before it is sold, not hidden away.

There's some serious wrongdoing here. Why was this hidden? This must be related to its disappearance, and to that note you found about stealing illuminated manuscripts.

[The score has just gone up by 5 points.]

The Passage (North)
A covered walkway that runs along the west edge of the priory. The stones underfoot are set carefully to make this a clear path.

You can go north to the Porch or south to the southern end of the Passage. The West Gate, allowing entrance into the Cloister, is here and open.

You need to drop the pointed stick first. It's much too large and conspicuous to carry around the priory.

Dropped.

Cloister Southwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

A small alcove, the Lavatorium, is to the south. You can go north to the western edge, or east to the southern edge. The West Gate, allowing outsiders to enter the Cloister, is to the west and open.

Cloister South

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

The Refectory lies in to the south. You can also go west to the southwestern corner of the Cloister, east to the southeastern corner, or north to the Garth.

Garth

The Garth is the small grass courtyard at the heart of the Cloister. The covered Cloister walk surrounds it on all sides, its arches framing the sky above with its bright afternoon light.

In the centre is a sundial and a stone well.

The score is made up as follows:

5 found sack of coins
5 found stolen psalter
5 found henbane poison
5 read the offer note
3 unlocked door to Prior's Solar
3 discovered secret of the lion
3 escaped the Crypt
3 got into the Library
3 opened medicine cabinet
2 bribed Remigio
2 read the Chronicle
2 escaped FitzAlan Crypt
2 found letters to Rose
2 found key to Restricted Garden
1 found way to carry contraband
1 learned about priory's history
1 matched symptoms of the poison
1 consulted Registrum Fratrum
1 consulted Aelred's Herbal
1 discovered a source of light
1 participated in an office
1 noticed suspicious symptoms
1 identified a plant
1 learned schedule of offices

55 total (out of 55)

You're carrying a mustard-yellow package (which contains an illuminated psalter), a beeswax candle, some gloves (worn), a basket (which contains the chronicle, a treacherous note, a sack of coins, the Registrum Fratrum, some letters from Rose, Aelred's Herbal, an iron key, three decoctions (feverfew, henbane and foxglove) and six sprigs (henbane, foxglove, monkshood, feverfew, thyme and rosemary)) and your robe (worn).

Justice: go to service, shout

Cloister North

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

The wall of the Nave rises imposingly to the north. A passageway into it leads to the Quire. You can also go west to the northwest corner, east to the northeastern corner, or south into the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

From a distance, you can hear your brothers singing.

Quire

The Quire is the heart of monastic worship and the centre of the church. Two stalls face each other across a narrow gap, where the brothers gather to chant the Divine Offices. The high altar rises to the east. The Nave lies west, beyond the rood screen. The Night Stairs ascend to the Dorter, and a path leads south, out to the Cloister.

Brothers here:
- Anselm, the cantor (seated)
- Benedict, the infirmarer (seated)
- Cuthbert, the sacrist (seated)
- Hugh, the cellarer (seated)
- Martin, the kitchener (seated)
- Oswald, the prior (seated)
- Wilfred, the librarian (seated)

The brothers look at you, puzzled. Why aren't you seated?

Accusation? You know this may be your best chance to make the accusation and help catch the killer. If you'd like to do so, SHOUT to interrupt the office.

You shout loudly. Every face turns to you—shocked, confused, some afraid.

Slowly, you begin to speak. The coins hidden among the dead. The discovered stolen psalter. The deadly henbane decoction. The note seeking priory manuscripts. The letters to Rose, showing previous payment.

Brother Hugh's face goes very still.

"Brother Aldwin," says Prior Oswald carefully, "what are you saying?"

"I am saying," you answer, "that Brother Aelred did not die of a weak heart." You summon your courage. "He was murdered by Brother Hugh."

You tell Prior Oswald everything. The coins hidden among the dead. The discovered stolen psalter. The deadly henbane decoction. The note seeking priory manuscripts. The letters to Rose, showing previous payment.

Hugh is taken by the sheriff within days. He is tried, condemned, and hanged before the month is out. Rose dies alone that winter, with no brother to tend her. You inquire among travellers about William, but hear nothing.

You gave Brother Oswald the stolen psalter and the sack of silver, saving the priory from further financial ruin.

You kept your vows of obedience to your Prior. You served truth. But standing in the herb garden near where Brother Aelred died, you wonder if justice and mercy can ever live in harmony—or if, in choosing one, you always betray the other.

Brother Aelred's words echo: "One life for two, my son." You will never know if you honoured his sacrifice, or squandered it.

  *** You chose justice ***

In that game you scored 55 out of a possible 55, in 565 turns.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE, UNDO the last move, give the FULL score for that game, read the full SOLUTION, or QUIT? UNDO
Previous turn undone.

Reset back for other endings

Previous turn undone.

Previous turn undone.

Mercy: confess to Wilfred

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

Scriptorium

The Scriptorium—where brothers create the illuminated manuscripts that are a primary source of priory income—smells of ink, manuscripts, and woodsmoke. High windows admit the bright afternoon light that the season allows, and a modest fire burns in the fireplace, keeping the manuscripts dry despite the sea air.

The large central table is covered with the materials of the illuminator's art as well as a sample of their work.

The Cloister is out to west; the Library is east, through the closed door.

Time passes.

Brother Wilfred arrives from the west, places the silver key on the table, and sits.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

Brother Wilfred looks up from his work and immediately sees the pain and confusion in your face, the weight of carrying around what you've discovered.

"My child", he says, "I can see that you carry much sorrow. Would you like to unburden yourself? Might I offer you confession?"

Talk with Brother Wilfred about the murder? You can do so with CONFESS TO WILFRED.

Wilfred listens as you explain your discoveries. The coins hidden among the dead. The discovered stolen psalter. The deadly henbane decoction. The note seeking priory manuscripts. The letters to Rose, showing previous payment.

A great sadness crosses Wilfred's face. "My son," he begins, then pauses. "No. 'Aldwin'. You are no longer a child."

He sighs deeply. "I have grown more forgiving in my old age. I no longer feel it is my place to judge others' sins—only to hear them and offer what comfort I can.

"But you... you have chosen this life. And if you are to be a true brother here, you must be capable of making great and terrible choices."

He looks at you steadily. "So I leave this to you, Aldwin. Will you bring these accusations to our prior? If you do, Hugh will surely hang. Or will you forgive him, even knowing justice may demand otherwise?

"This is your choice. Choose wisely, and choose with prayer."

What will you do? Choose justice or mercy?

You and Brother Wilfred confront Hugh and tell him to leave. Tonight. Before questions are asked. You give Hugh a shilling's-worth of the coins, and tell him to send this to Rose for William's recovery. Hugh takes flight, and you never learn what becomes of him—or of his family.

You lied to the prior about your day's activities and received penance for your actions that day. At least you can give Prior Oswald the stolen psalter and the majority of the silver coins, saying you found them after being assigned to organise the Undercroft after the unexplained disappearance of Hugh.

But when you pray before the Lady of Thorns, you remember Brother Aelred's last words: "One life for two, my son." Perhaps mercy, not justice, was what he hoped for.

Still, you wonder. A murderer walks free. Does forgiveness make you holy, or complicit? You will carry this question all your days.

  *** You chose mercy ***

In that game you scored 55 out of a possible 55, in 587 turns.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE, UNDO the last move, give the FULL score for that game, read the full SOLUTION, or QUIT? UNDO
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Inaction: chose not to confess

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

Pax twitches, sensing movement somewhere.

Scriptorium

The Scriptorium—where brothers create the illuminated manuscripts that are a primary source of priory income—smells of ink, manuscripts, and woodsmoke. High windows admit the bright afternoon light that the season allows, and a modest fire burns in the fireplace, keeping the manuscripts dry despite the sea air.

The large central table is covered with the materials of the illuminator's art as well as a sample of their work.

The Cloister is out to west; the Library is east, through the closed door.

Get offer to confess

Time passes.

Brother Wilfred arrives from the west, places the silver key on the table, and sits.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

Brother Wilfred looks up from his work and immediately sees the pain and confusion in your face, the weight of carrying around what you've discovered.

"My child", he says, "I can see that you carry much sorrow. Would you like to unburden yourself? Might I offer you confession?"

Talk with Brother Wilfred about the murder? You can do so with CONFESS TO WILFRED.

Hang out in Lavatorium

Cloister East

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

To the east is the entrance to the Scriptorium. You can also go north to the northeastern corner, south to the southeastern corner, or west into the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

Garth

The Garth is the small grass courtyard at the heart of the Cloister. The covered Cloister walk surrounds it on all sides, its arches framing the sky above with its bright afternoon light.

In the centre is a sundial and a stone well.

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

Cloister Southwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

A small alcove, the Lavatorium, is to the south. You can go north to the western edge, or east to the southern edge. The West Gate, allowing outsiders to enter the Cloister, is to the west and open.

Lavatorium

A small alcove off the Cloister where the brothers wash before entering the Refectory. A basin is built into the wall. You can only return the way you came.

A threadbare towel hangs on a peg by the basin.

Kill time

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring six times to call the brothers to the None office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring seven times to call the brothers to the Vespers office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring eight times to call the brothers to the Compline office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

With the end of Compline, it is the end of the day for the priory.

Brother Hugh fled in the night, never to be seen again. You had a chance to resolve this by sharing what you learned, but you didn't. You cannot meet the eyes of Brother Wilfred without feeling shame.

In the weeks that followed, Brother Wilfred grew silent and withdrawn. He stopped eating, stopped illuminating. One morning, he simply didn't wake. Whether from grief for Brother Aelred or despair at the priory's decline, he had lost his will to live.

Three brothers lost. The Rule continues, but the light grows dimmer.

  *** You chose inaction ***

In that game you scored 55 out of a possible 55, in 999 turns.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE, UNDO the last move, give the FULL score for that game, read the full SOLUTION, or QUIT? UNDO
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Reset back for other endings

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Time out: End of Compline

Hang out in Lavatorium

Cloister West

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

The Locutory lies in to the west. You can also go north to the northwestern corner of the Cloister, south to the southwestern corner, or east into the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

Cloister Southwest

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

A small alcove, the Lavatorium, is to the south. You can go north to the western edge, or east to the southern edge. The West Gate, allowing outsiders to enter the Cloister, is to the west and open.

Lavatorium

A small alcove off the Cloister where the brothers wash before entering the Refectory. A basin is built into the wall. You can only return the way you came.

A threadbare towel hangs on a peg by the basin.

Kill time

Time passes.

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring six times to call the brothers to the None office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring seven times to call the brothers to the Vespers office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring eight times to call the brothers to the Compline office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

Time passes.

With the end of Compline, it is the end of the day for the priory.

Brother Aelred was buried the next day in the priory graveyard, marked only by a simple wooden cross.

On warm days, you bring him rosemary and lay it next to his cross.

You reflect on what you learned. The strange death. The coins hidden among the dead. The discovered stolen psalter. The deadly henbane decoction. The note seeking priory manuscripts. The letters to Rose, showing previous payment. Still, you can't shake the feeling that you failed him, that the last thing you could have done for your mentor, you left undone. At least you can give Prior Oswald the stolen psalter and the sack of silver, saving the priory from further financial ruin.

  *** You ran out of time ***

In that game you scored 55 out of a possible 55, in 999 turns.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE, UNDO the last move, give the FULL score for that game, read the full SOLUTION, or QUIT? UNDO
Previous turn undone.

Reset back for other endings

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Death: Caught by Hugh

Cloister South

This is one of the eight sections of the Cloister. Arched openings admit slanted autumn sun.

The Refectory lies in to the south. You can also go west to the southwestern corner of the Cloister, east to the southeastern corner, or north to the Garth.

You can see Pax here.

Pax twitches, sensing movement somewhere.

Refectory

The Refectory is a long, austere hall where the community takes its meals in silence while one brother reads aloud from the lectern. Two rows of trestle tables stretch the length of the room, their surfaces scrubbed clean. High windows along the wall admit bright afternoon light that barely reaches the floor. The smell of pottage lingers faintly in the air.

A doorway to the south leads to the Kitchen, and a wide opening to the north returns out to the Cloister.

Time passes.

Brother Hugh arrives from the north.
Brother Martin arrives from the north.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

Time passes.

Brother Hugh heads south.
Brother Martin heads south.

(waiting stopped because of movement here)

Time passes.

"RING! RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!" You hear the bell ring six times to call the brothers to the None office. Prior Oswald excused you from offices today, but you know the choir monks will be in the Quire for the next forty-five minutes or so.

(waiting stopped because the bell rang)

You wait a minute.

Brother Martin arrives from the south.

Kitchen

The priory kitchen is a large room, lit by high windows. A door leads north to the Refectory, and stairs descend to the Undercroft below.

A large table dominates the centre, scattered with implements and vessels. A hearth is built into a wall, its fire warming the room.

Brother Remigio is here, tidying the table.

You can also see Brother Hugh here.

Brother Hugh heads north.

You light the beeswax candle using the hearth.

Brother Remigio looks away slyly as you head down the stairs.

Undercroft

Barrels crowd this vaulted space beneath the Refectory. Many things the priory needs to survive are here: tallow, salt, wine, mustard, grain. Smaller items are spread across a table in the corner. The cellarer's careful hand is evident in the organisation—each item labelled, stacked, accounted for.

Stairs lead up to the Kitchen. A wide door to the west allows barrels to be rolled in and out for deliveries.

Time passes.

You wait a minute.

Above, you can hear Brothers Martin and Remigio talking.

You wait a minute.

Brother Hugh comes from the Kitchen.

Brother Hugh catches you here. "You!" he snarls, "What are you doing here?" Searching you, he finds the mustard-yellow package. "So, Brother Novice," he says quietly, his voice cold. "You've been meddling where you shouldn't."

You feel a hard object smash against the back of your head. You fall to the ground, gasping.

You feel yourself being stuffed into an empty barrel, and can hear him hammering the lid shut. You pass out—mercifully—so you don't feel yourself being rolled off the cliffs and into the dark sea.

  *** You have died ***

In that game you scored 55 out of a possible 55, in 765 turns.

Would you like to RESTART, RESTORE, UNDO the last move, give the FULL score for that game, read the full SOLUTION, or QUIT? UNDO
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