The Marked Coin

The Coin's Account
Solved the case of The Marked Coin.

Patron: Halvik Storn, in Dreskmark Market Square. The sheet asks for Culprit, Motive, Method. Each answer must rest on a finding; a lead only points you onward.

Usually heard from Doltha Ree (“Ask Doltha what her count will not square”). You need not wait for it: a case enters your casebook as soon as you hold one of its facts.

Gather the proof

1. Talk to Halvik Storn in Dreskmark Market Square and choose “Ask what he wants of you”.
   Needed before Doltha Ree: “Ask Doltha what her count will not square”.
2. Talk to Doltha Ree in Dreskmark Market Square and choose “A word”.
   Needed before Doltha Ree: “Ask Doltha what her count will not square”.
3. Talk to Doltha Ree in Dreskmark Market Square and choose “Ask Doltha what her count will not square”.
   Lead Counting Purse Rumor: “The counting-house clerk Doltha Ree has a rent-purse that will not square: the watch has its answer and her count has another, and the two do not meet.”
4. Talk to Doltha Ree in Dreskmark Market Square and choose “The missing purse”.
   Finding Vurn Debt: “Marrit Vurn swept the counting-room that morning and lingered by the hearth past her work; she owes more at the dice-house than she earns in a season.”
   Lead Watch Blames Sweeper: “The watch has settled the matter on Marrit Vurn — the sweeper who lingered and owes at the dice — and looks no further.”
5. Take the Counter Slugs in Dreskmark Market Square.
   Lead Second Tally Mismatch: “A fistful of lead slugs raked from the strongcounter's groove proves a swap was worked here — but not whose hand squared the tally to hide it.”
6. Take the Debt Call Notice in Dreskmark Market Square.
   Finding Sault Hush Debt: “The sum gone from the count answers, to the copper, a Hush debt called against Sevrin Sault this season — due before the quarter turns, and far past a clerk's wages.”
7. Talk to Doltha Ree in Dreskmark Market Square and choose “Show Ree the lead slugs”.
   Finding Count Slugged: “The strongcounter was slugged — lead dropped in as the silver was drawn out — and the column that should mark the shortfall stands squared full, in Sevrin Sault's own hand.”

Keep the order: a topic only appears once you hold the lead or the item it needs.

The answer

Show the case sheet

Question	Answer	Proved by
Culprit	Sevrin Sault	Count Slugged; Sault Hush Debt
Motive	Cover Hush Debt	Sault Hush Debt
Method	Slugged The Count	Count Slugged

The trap

These are true findings that point at the wrong story. Presenting a sheet built on them costs a segment of the day and the clean pass.

• Vurn Debt makes a wrong sheet presentable (Culprit: Marrit Vurn, Motive: Pay Dicing Debt, Method: Pocketed While Sweeping). “Marrit Vurn swept the counting-room that morning and lingered by the hearth past her work; she owes more at the dice-house than she earns in a season.”
• Stane Access makes a wrong sheet presentable (Culprit: Obrin Stane, Motive: Cover Own Debt). “The overseer Obrin Stane carries a counter-key of his own and gaming debts he likes kept quiet — he could open the strongcounter any hour, and he had reason to want coin.”

Close the case

Stand beside Halvik Storn and present. When the sheet holds, Halvik Storn offers courses; the case closes, and The Coin's Account unlocks, once you commit to one. Any course counts; they differ in the morale and marks shown beside each. This run chose Convict.