Thomas Steel

Once you are friends

A blacksmith needs friends in these troubling times. Dark things are afoot. I don't mean the soot on my boots!

I didn't always want to be a smithy, you know? Instead, I fancied myself as a hunter or tracker or just investigating things using detective work.

A lack of crime in Quill sort of spoils that, though.

Oh, just one more thing before you go. You have some soot on your nose.

Once they like you

Did I tell you about the time I investigated the case of luggage? That was a lot to handle, let me tell you!

Or the Basket of the Houndvilles? That one was no picnic!

The Curious Button of Benjamin Case. That was a man who found a rusty button, but over time it got cleaner until it was gleaming.

It turned out a Brounie had been polishing it in secret.

And who could forget the Case of Undercooked Chicken Bought No Questions Asked? That one had me up at night for a while!

Oh, before you go, just one more thing. Your shoelaces are tied.

Asking for help

Am I glad you are here! I am in the middle of a most perplexing puzzlement that presumes pre-emptive pondering and posturing.

It is a question scholars have pondered for centuries! Maybe if you can work it out and give me the thing you think it is, then this will be another case solved for Steel and... whatever your surname is.

What is your last name, by the way?

Really? That's unusual.

So, can you crack this most enigmatic egg of an enigma? What do golden chickens lay?

When it is done

That's it! You cracked the case but not the egg, thankfully! A golden egg at that.

Who sent the puzzle?

Oh, I don't know! I shall investigate that myself. I need to show off my investigative chops!

That's the pig I use to sniff for clues, so don't judge me.

Thanks again.

Oh, just one more thing. You are amazing. But you still haven't sorted that soot or those shoelaces.