This is an idea that I've been brewing for a while, after I've had my run of more traditional formatted RPs on here. I just took outside inspiration to make it mystery genre.

I'll only act as GM and RP necessary NPCs, while each player not only creates their own character, but 1-2 NPCs that'll have specific interactions with that player's character. The basic "mystery" is that (at least IC) each player does not initially know which created NPCs correspond to which other player character, other than the ones created to interact with themselves. As the GM I'll have NPC sheets DMed to me, not have players post NPC sheets (that could influence game play), and mix up NPC interactions, so at least IC it could take a while to figure out who goes with who.

Now for the actual RP setting that I want to test run this on:

The players are affiliated with a school in a Japanese village (with some modern amenities) during the 1980s, either as a student or staff member. There is a phenomenon that occurs during a summer festival held in the village, where in recent years people have died and/or disappeared on the day of and/or days after it. The players are both susceptible to but also able to investigate this phenomenon for a period of the month the festival occurs (RP in game length). However, the players are susceptible to the point that they can become the specific culprits for the phenomenon that year, causing characters to die or disappear ([i][b]I will be allowing PK[/b][/i]). The goals of players are to prevent the phenomenon from turning them into culprits, and if possible investigate as far into the truth behind it as they can.


[hider=The process by which a player becomes a culprit:]
The specific interactions by the NPCs created for each player will automatically, inevitably lead to players becoming culprits, by negatively triggering them in someway. (Some RP events may also be triggers, GM discretion for plot advancement.) Thus the primary method to achieving the goal of preventing the phenomenon is to disrupt or prevent NPC interactions from targeting their specified player.

The phenomenon progresses the anxiety, paranoia, and stress of a player character as they interact with their specific NPCs, generally degrading their state of mind until they hallucinate and have violent urges. I split the progression into 5 stages, where each interaction by a player with their specific NPC (most often) upticks their progression by 1 stage (I will notify players by DM):

L1 - Beginning stage.
L2 - Existing anxiety, paranoia, and stress lasts longer without abating.
L3 - Delusions, emotional instability and as above.
L4 - General paranoia like a persecution complex sets in, momentary hallucinations, and as all above.
L5 - Frequent hallucinations, and urges to commit violence against oneself or others, and as all above ([i][b]PK is allowed when this stage is reached[/b][/i]).
[/hider]

For those who have read this far and have realized it, yes this is based off the Higurashi When They Cry franchise. [i][b]No prior knowledge will be necessary in order to RP this.[/b][/i] But below is a spoiler to address those interested already with Higurashi knowledge.


[hider=HIGURASHI SPOILERS DO NOT READ WITHOUT PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF COMPLETE STORY]
This has nothing to do with Gou (other than piggy backing off the exposure). The only source material I am basing this RP off of is the OG 8 arcs from the VN, and acceptable equivalents (anime, LN, manga, etc.). Below is a list of NPCs I deemed necessary to RP for plot, players may choose to have NPCs from this list to specifically interact with their character, as long as individual sheets are still written for each chosen NPC:

Furude Rika (not looping though)
Houjou Satoko
Takano Miyo
Tomitake Jirou
Sonozaki Oryou
Sonozaki Akane
Irie Kyousuke
Yamainu affiliated NPCs
Kimiyoshi Kiichirou
Ooishi Kuraudo
Kumagai Katsuya
[/hider]

If anyone has Higurashi experience and would like to contribute suggestions for plot, please reply with hiders and spoiler labels. I am considering opening up GM spots later to share my load RPing NPCs and developing the plot, but for the test run I think I will be good on my own. I have more ideas to implement if the test run is successful, so this rule set could be updated.

I will write up character sheets once I catch an initial wave of comments on this thread. General suggestions for the rule set are welcome. For the test run I am accepting up to 3 players, first come first serve. Anyone else is welcome to comment OOC while reserving a spot for a possibly larger RP group in the future. I hope this RP can capture an element of detective mystery I have not seen before in my personal experience.