The Case of the Knight’s Last Helm

It was the day of the midsummer tournament at Caerwynd Castle. The lists were alive with cheering crowds, the clash of lances, and fluttering banners. But before the final joust could begin, tragedy struck.

Sir Aldric of Blackmere, the reigning champion, was found dead in the armoury. His visor had been jammed shut, trapping him inside his helm. By the time attendants prised it open, it was too late – Sir Aldric had suffocated.

The castle buzzed with shock and suspicion. Constable Edmund quickly gathered the four people most closely tied to the knight:

1. Sir Bertram – Aldric’s ambitious rival in the lists, who stood to gain glory if Aldric fell. He claimed he was sharpening his lance in the tiltyard when the murder happened.
2. Lady Isabella – Aldric’s estranged wife. Known for her sharp words and colder heart, she insisted she had been watching the earlier contests from the gallery.
3. Oswin the Squire – Nervous, loyal, and often humiliated by Aldric’s temper. He said he had been polishing his master’s shield elsewhere in the armoury.
4. Master Giles the Armourer – Trusted overseer of weapons and gear. He swore every piece of armour had been inspected thoroughly that very morning.

The Clues

1. Aldric’s visor showed deep scratches, as though it had been wedged shut with a tool.
2. A bent nail lay on the floor near the body – the perfect size to jam the visor closed.
3. The nail was coated in beeswax, commonly used by squires to polish armour.
4. Sir Bertram had motive, but his gear was still lying unprepared in the tiltyard, suggesting his alibi had some truth.
5. Only someone with close, trusted access to Aldric’s personal armour could have tampered with it unnoticed.

Theories and Suspicions

• Sir Bertram: Hungry for victory, was he desperate enough to cheat his way to glory?
• Lady Isabella: With no love lost between them, could she have seized this moment for revenge?
• Oswin the Squire: Humiliated and mocked, was this the act of a servant pushed too far?
• Master Giles: A craftsman betrayed by oversight – would he risk his reputation for murder?

Constable Edmund paced the armoury floor. The bent nail. The beeswax. The scratches on the visor. Suddenly, the answer was clear.

The Solution

It was Oswin the Squire.

He had jammed his master’s visor shut using a nail coated in beeswax from his polishing kit. At first, he meant only to embarrass Sir Aldric before the tournament – forcing him to fumble and lose face before the crowd. But the prank turned fatal when Aldric suffocated in the sealed helm.

When confronted, Oswin broke down in tears. “I only wanted him shamed… not dead.”

Constable Edmund shook his head grimly. “Oswin the Squire, you are guilty of the murder of Sir Aldric of Blackmere.”

Did You Solve It?

Did the beeswax give the game away, or did you suspect another knight or lady of the castle? Share your theories in the comments! And don’t forget to check back next month for another murder mystery to test your wits…