Well frankly, in any real murder mystery the investigators are only in danger when they get close to a solution, right? If the culprit is among us it would be silly for them to start killing us all off one by one, especially if we were headed down the wrong path. So in that case the culprit would want to deceive and misguide the rest of the team in an effort to keep us off the trail without drawing our attention back to him/her. As such the single character/high risk endevor isn't too much a concern until we start getting too close to the truth/the end of the role play. Early round deaths should be reserved for NPCs so that the GM can build tension and suspicion between the team members. It doesn't need to be hard at all to decide. You are the GM, you make the rules. Tell the culprit that they can kill only after x rounds, or send them a PM when they are allowed to, or if you feel it is too early, let them attempt it and get caught at it and end the game because we know who-dun-it.

As to the together by chance sort of situation, there would already be some of that suspicion/tension built into it. If these guys think they are all vigilantes that were so eager to paw over a cadaver, then that might make me be on my toes a bit, watching out more for a back stab. If I am brought into a room with a bunch of other players and am told, hey prove your innocence by finding the real killer among you, if any. I am not going to trust any of the lot, and every single thing anyone says or does will be put into suspicion.

But hey, I am flexible, and eager to get started!

@Mr Rage

What if the only way out is to kill whoever seems to be the culprit? Like I said, the culprit wouldn't be the only one allowed to kill. Huh...I just worry that might get too crazy, though...depending on the character set we end up with...

Hmm...I like the rule to make people wait a bit before allowing kills, though. That could be useful. I'll probably use that advice.

I'd like to think common sense can be the rule for how frequently people, both killer and player, can kill folks.

But it's never that easy, is it? :/

@ArenaSnow

Sadly, that seems to be the case a little too often...

@YamiCuoreLaroux You could establish before the game even starts all of the rules with the killer via PM. There could be designated times when someone dies, but the killer gets to PM you and say how, why, and who are killed. That way the role play has a firm structure and the killer can't just walk up to someone and bash their head in. It could be good to have like 2 characters, that way we don't have to drop out just because a character died, or maybe after the murder is solved, we could "reset" sort of, and have the same characters in a different murder mystery cliché, where a different character is now the murderer. For example, this one could be in one time period, and the next one would be in a different place and time, with one of the other characters now being the murderer

All just random thoughts.

@luclovers

I think this makes sense.

So, we have some possibilities for locations and something of a character/kill system so far. Now how to get the group together...

I know I said "by chance", but I do want a specific reason for characters to need to be there, rather than just having them in the wrong place at the right time for no apparent reason. Nothing too much, just a sort of vague thing that can still be expanded upon in different ways by different characters. Should they all be recruited for a mission of some kind? Or maybe there's a tournament of some kind?

Very interested in this. Just saying. :)

@YamiCuoreLaroux

There's a gala for the prince(ss)'s birthday and they're all invited for different reasons i.e chef, nobleman, barmaid, servants, etc.

This way there's an opportunity for any kind of person to be there, really, unless they're a jobless peasant. It gives the killer the chance to scope out their targets, and maybe some disaster happens at the gala that marks them for death?

I saw a mention of a walled city. If that was the case, you could go with the city being put into lockdown after the murder - with the characters being trapped inside.

As for explinations: why were they there anyway? What were they doing? And why do they want to leave so urgently? Sure it's a 'wrong place, wrong time' type explination, but I think it's suitibly wide ranging that it's believable enough.

Maybe royalty is assassinated

Still here, just running a bit slowly. Still considering possibilities.

Okay, so does some sort of celebration held by nobles in the area sound good, then? We could have maybe a large palace consisting of a castle or large estate and a few surrounding inner-city areas inside a wall, perhaps? I don't want to make it too big to navigate, but I want to provide plenty of space for people to play around.

Sounds like a plan to me - a Palace District, of sorts?

Pretty much, yep.

If I don't get this up in the next week, I give anyone who is here right now permission to take the idea and run. Still figuring out school stuff right now.

It happens to the best of us.

@mention me if this starts up at some point.