Hmmm... ok... I'm not 100% sure I understand how this is supposed to work, but I did just read over the rules and the murders that have been announced so far in Spare Oom.

It doesn't look like anyone has joined any alliance yet, so I'll get this one started.

Can I still make an accusation for Round One? Is this where I do that?

The Scarlet Alliance would like to accuse starkat of the murders. Just 'cause.

Ah! An accusation!

That is incorrect. Good guess (and you got the guessing going!)

For future reference, please remember to include a lair location with your accusation (kind of like Clue, but without weapons). So in this case, you could have said starkat, Games&Blogs (or something similar).

Keep up the good work, detective!

Well, out of peacock blue and mustard yellow and scarlet red, I've always looked best in the latter, so the Scarlet Alliance Homeroom it is. (Besides, it matches my roses. )

I must say, I find the idea that only one mod is behind all of these murders rather surprising. Indeed, they seem like the work of many, unless all this seeming randomness is actually carefully constructed super-plot.

*wonders which mod could have a stake in Devil Duck Bakery*

Greetings, Rose. As we seem to be the only two members, I suppose we need to team up to make our next accusation. Any suggestions? Presumably it's someone who has not already been murdered or injured...

Greetings Willow! Lettuce deduce some suspects! *puts her thinking cap on*

Here is the list of all of the global moderators and moderator emeriti. I wonder if it could be one of the administrators, though—fantasia_kitty or Tirian? Hmmm.

Thinkthinkthink.

*is now reminding herself of Winnie the Pooh* Oh my.

I think it is fairly safe to say that whoever the murderer is, they have a passionate love for chocolate, given that the Devil Duck Bakery specialized in duck-related chocolate-flavored baked goods and they seemed keen to protect their business from competition—hence bumping poor Twigs off.

And they seem to like wearing hats and masks and capes, since that was the costume they were wearing when they drowned Varnafinde with a glass of water, but then, lots of people do. Like to wear hats and masks and capes, I mean. Not drown people with glasses of water.

And then there's the curious question of how they obtained so much gelatin in order to orchestrate Gymmie's most unfortunate demise. Very, very mysterious indeed. Methinks the flavor of the jello could prove to be an important piece of information.

I don't know who the murderer is, but I can't help but notice that Mr. Boo Kay seems unfamiliar with the grammar rules for semi-colons and subordinating conjunctions. Very suspicious, if you ask me. Then again, maybe that is not normally part of a bucket's education.

I don't know if the murderer necessarily is a chocolate lover. You'd think they might appreciate an alternative bakery drawing non-chocolate-lovers away from Devil Duck Bakery, so that there is more chocolate available to them.

Don't forget that coracle's murder involved tea! We aren't told *which* mod had elevensies plans with her... perhaps they only SAID that they came in and found her dead. After all, why would she have started the meal without her guest?

EDIT: I just PMmed an accusation to Hugh of Johobbit in the Spare Oom... I'll let you know what he says to that. (Is it ok that I appointed myself our representative?)

(Yes, that is fine! I was afk. )

Good point about the murderer potentially not being motivated by passionate love of chocolate. I suppose it's rather more likely that they wanted to start a non-chocolate duck-themed bakery themselves, and felt the need to do away with that competition.

And excellent observation about Auntie Coracle's murder! Hmmm. Now, what other tea-loving mod might have had plans for tea with Auntie... that is the question!

Hello, winners! Congratulations on finding out who was behind all these murders! Unfortunately, as you know, the killer escaped. But, while you were going through their Lair, you found a very interesting message! It appears to be a page from someone's journal or personal log or something of that ilk. I can't quite make it out, but perhaps you can:

ISLP IDLPY
D CLUS WMJS DKRM NMQQSQQDMK MA L UDLH MA NPSWDMTQ VLRSP QDKWS D CLUS CLI DR RCS MRCSP JMIQ CLUS ESWMJS IPLBMKDQC D RCDKG RCSY VLKR DR D VDHH CLUS RM ISLH VDRC RCSJ

Got me what it means. Give it a go and see if you can figure it out! If you can't make heads or tails of it in an hour or so, talk to one of the Hosts. They're helpful little critters. Once you think you've figured out what made the mod act so weird, come find me, and I'll give you the key to bringing them back to normal. Good luck, and may the odds be in your favor!

Looking at the lone Ds and Ls, I'm pretty sure we just need to change each letter to the third letter that precedes it in the alphabet. I think. *gets to work*

... Or not.

Unless zirp is a word and nobody told me.

*fiddles*

WHOA. I can't believe my guess was correct as to the moderator AND the location involved!!! What are the odds????

Rose, you seem to be our code expert, so I'll let you work away on that message.

*high fives Willow, btw*

AWESOME job!

*hands you a fedora because every #1 sleuth should have one*

And thank you for the vote of confidence on my decoding skills. Heehee.

*whips out a magnifying glass and examines the mysterious message closely*

*quietly sidles in*

Got room for one more? I'm a little behind and might be a bit slow due to being sick, however I'd love to help.

Besides, my archery gown is red. I match the team colour.

Yes, please join us! *can use all the help she can get with this riddle*

And yay, we're color-coordinated.