Suitable Campaign Age: Golden, Bronze, Dark, or Cinematic 

Adventure Tone: Philosophical Action-Adventure  

Recommended Power Level: Low or Classic 

Content Warning: The following adventure includes difficult moral choices. 

Overview 

In 1996 the Composite Android for Inclement Navigation was created to explore the harshest environments on earth. During their debut presentation something went wrong and the android was left abandoned after an underwater mining collapse. It is unclear when C.A.I.N. became self aware. However, since that accident the android spent years terrorizing the corporations that made them. However, after stealing a prototype Zenith power armor suit, C.A.I.N. disappeared. A recent break-in at a XST Research Facility indicates someone may be trying to recreate the android.

Foreshadowing 

Beams of light swung across the room. Where they landed plumes of carbon rose into the air. If the researchers trapped in the room hadn’t been running for their lives they might have thought it beautiful. 

When it was over, they removed their hand from the access controller. Striding across the room they looked at the untouched mainframe. Placing their hand on the open port, wires snake from what look like fingernails to connect. 

A series of command prompts open themselves on the screen as data is processed faster than any human could comprehend. The system restarts in a new operating system. Folders open, data is transferred. Everything goes dark.

Headline News 

The XST break in makes national news, and dominates the cycle. Although, there are no public reports of what’s been stolen. Only that the servers housed at the location have been corrupted and that the FBI is currently investigating. 

Introductions 

If the heroes have Contacts with the FBI or someone in the tech industry, they will reach out to the heroes to put them in communications with the lead investigator, Special Agent Molly Stone. If one of the heroes has any kind of science or technology background Agent Stone will reach out directly.  

Agent Stone is working with Dr. Ernesto Freeman, an assistant at the facility who was on the project with the researchers who died, but had not been present during the attack. The XST Facility is located in a business district. The main building is a wide two stories structure, with a large courtyard, and high brick walls. 

When the heroes arrive, police will be present, and investigators document a security panel. One of the other Feds will bring the team in to meet with Stone. It is obvious, as in, there is no attempt to hide the fact that these agents are part of the Metahuman Crime Prevention Department (MCPD). Inside the facility the scene is similar, investigators looking at electronic panels. 

It doesn’t take long to arrive in the lab where the breach occurred. This is the only room where there are signs of a struggle. Scorch marks dissect the room creating an intricate pattern. Stone and Freeman stand by the main computer, with the doctor desperately trying to gain access. 

Stone is formal, and Freeman is dismissive. He will tell the heroes that whoever broke in deleted the operating system, and installed locks so a new interface could not be loaded. Agent Stone will add that there is no security camera footage, as no one who saw the assailant survived. 

Unlocking the Computer (Intelligence + Computers, Very Laborious (40) Difficulty) 

Getting through the locks can be tricky but should the heroes succeed, Dr. Freeman can determine that the C.A.I.N. files, including design documents, neural pathing, and construction. 

Digging Deeper (Wisdom + Research, Laborious (35) Difficulty)

With Freeman’s initial findings the heroes can uncover if they ask to check the mainframe. A successful check will reveal that the files on Eric Kane were also accessed. 

What Was C.A.I.N.? 

Beyond the design specs, Dr. Freeman can pull the following data: 

XST Official Press Releases: The C.A.I.N. Project

December 1995 

The Composite Android for Inclement Navigation or C.A.I.N. is Xiao-Su Technologies latest tool to reduce the dangers associated with the toughest jobs. Designed to survive in any environment, C.A.I.N. ‘s cutting edge recombinant chassis, breakthrough learning AI, and adaptive manipulators allow it to be the perfect human replacement, because life is the most precious resource of them all.   

January 1996 

Due to environmental conditions beyond the control of XST the C.A.I.N. prototype android was lost during an underwater mining test. This tragedy comes at no cost of human life, and only highlights the importance of further exploration of proxy labor in high risk environments. XST is dedicated to the rebuilding of the impacted coastal region. 

March 1996

The recent attack on XST personnel by what appears to be the C.A.I.N. prototype is currently under investigation. Xiao-Su is currently working with authorities to determine the source and nature of these attacks. 

There are a number of other press releases that read very similar to the last one spanning the next four years. 

Who Is Kane? 

There is a personnel file indicating that Kane was a researcher at XST from 1990 to 1997. Terminated due to unsafe work habits. No other data is saved in the record.  

Behind the Presser 

The heroes may want to do research above and beyond what is available in the XST data stores. 

More on C.A.I.N. (Intelligence + Research, Expert (20) Difficulty) 

This roll can also be used if the heroes could not unlock the mainframe and are looking for interesting facts about XST. In this instance, increase the Difficulty by 5. 

• Failure: Heroes are only able to locate the December 1995 and January 1996 press releases.
• Partial: The heroes uncover all of the press releases. 
• Success: Research uncovers that C.A.I.N. assaulted the Cold Iron prison revealing that XST and the Institute for Metahuman Research (IMR) were conducting legal research, C.A.I.N.’s last sighting was in 2000 after stealing a Zenith power armor prototype. 
• 1 Degree: C.A.I.N. seemed obsessed with XST and the android’s attacks focused on the company and their holdings almost exclusively. 
• 2 Degrees: The android’s key components require extremely rare elements, and circuitry design that is still cutting edge. 

More on Kane (Intelligence + Research, Advanced (25) Difficulty) 

• Failure: After his termination, Dr. Kane had to be escorted out by police and taken into custody for attacking his division head. 
• Partial: Dr. Kane has no online presence, and there are no records of employment following his termination from XST. 
• Success: While listed as a researcher, Kane was the lead on developing the neural mapping for C.A.I.N.’s positronic brain. 
• 1 Degree: Housing records indicate that Dr. Kane purchased a cabin not far from the city. 
• 2 Degrees: Old social media posts from Kane’s coworkers reveal he had a history of disagreements with XST prior to his dismissal. 
• 3 Degrees: Some of his coworkers believed that Kane used his own neural pathways to map the prototype android’s. 

A Cabin In The Woods 

Finding the cabin once the heroes have the address is not difficult. The driveway is about five hundred meters off the main road, and mostly packed dirt. The cabin itself is about the size of a one bedroom home and has a large satellite dish on a tower in the backyard next to a workshop. 

Approaching the cabin there is an obvious surveillance camera by the door and either end of the porch. Knocking on the door will result in a man asking for them to come in. 

The inside of the cabin is decorated with awards, pictures of the doctor working on various projects and other bobbles from his life. Dr. Kane sits in a reclining chair nursing a glass of tea. 

“It only makes sense that you’re here.” He will say as the heroes enter. If the heroes are willing to talk to him, Kane will provide context for his XST dismissal. 

The C.A.I.N. prototype wasn’t meant to be a human proxy for dangerous environments, but a replacement body for people with terminal illnesses. However, when testing the positronic neural mapping, his thought processes weren’t transferred, they were partially copied. After that the division head decided that the project was going to go in a new direction and the incomplete C.A.I.N. was implanted with additional memories for labor and survival. At some point, C.A.I.N. became self aware, and during the demonstration rebelled. Dr. Kane was forced to sign an NDA and was fired for wanting to recover the android. With the money, he purchased the cabin, and the best medical care he could afford. However, his illness has progressed to a point that modern medicine can no longer help. 

Is That All? (Expression + Subterfuge, Very Challenging (50))

• Failure: The heroes take the doctor at his word. 
• Partial: There feels like something is missing from the story, but what that may be isn’t clear.  
• Success: A lie of omission is still a lie, the doctor is hiding something. If pressed though, he will ask the heroes to leave. 
• 1 Degree: If pressed, Dr. Kane will admit to knowing about C.A.I.N. becoming self aware before the underwater accident. He tried to explain to the android his original purpose, but now carrying out that function would mean the end of another intelligent life. 
• 2 Degrees: The more the doctor tried to work with XST, the more enraged C.A.I.N. became. That’s what led to the android’s attacks. Then it just disappeared. 
• 3 Degrees: It turns out that C.A.I.N. never stopped monitoring Dr. Kane’s condition, and had been looking for a cure. About a year ago the android reached out, and promised to make good on XST’s original project. The workshop in the back leads to C.A.I.N.’s lab, where he has been building a new body. Jump to Revelations. 

Raising C.A.I.N.

In the days following the attack on XST, there were nearly identical attacks on two IMR facilities. If the heroes achieved 2 Degrees of Success during More on C.A.I.N. they can source the locations of the attacks and be ready.

Facing C.A.I.N. 

If the heroes stake out or are otherwise prepared for the facility attacks, they can attempt to intercept the assailant. It is C.A.I.N. and they will attempt to disable or knock out the heroes to get the materials needed. If it becomes apparent that the android cannot win, they will plead with the heroes to come with them. 

Travelling to a remote cabin, as identified with More on Kane 1 Degree of Success, the android will introduce them to Dr. Kane, who is dying of a terminal illness. The introduction plays out like A Cabin in the Woods, simply shifts the perspective to fit the scene, or if the heroes have already met Dr. Kane, apologize for the deception. 

Revelations 

At this point C.A.I.N. will reveal that they have been trying to save his maker for years and will explain that the parts are needed to build the doctor a replacement body. No other treatments have been successful. The heroes will now need to decide to either help the pair and save Kane’s life, or not allow the robberies to continue and doom the doctor. 

If asked about the people killed at the XST lab, C.A.I.N. will take ownership of his actions, explaining that they too were trying to recreate the project, as a new military-grade peacekeeper to supplement Zenith troops. Should the heroes attempt to apprehend C.A.I.N. will advise the heroes that it has no interest in fighting, but will protect their creator even if that means having to kill again. 

Note: Heroes with the right Contacts or Wealth may be able to stop the robberies and save Dr. Kane. 

Kane & C.A.I.N. Confrontation

Battling Kane at the cabin or in the workshop will trigger a laser defense system. If it is in the cabin, Dr. Kane’s chair will be protected by a metal dome that sinks into the floor for protection. 

Laser Defenses (High Powered Emplaced Cannons, Minor Mob + Advanced + Shooter + “Giant”)

Basic Rolls 16 + 3d6

Stamina 12

Defense 0 Dice 0 Armor 6

Offense Lasers 29 Dice 4 Range Long Damage 16

Aftermath 

Dr. Kane was not lying. 

If the heroes prevent C.A.I.N. from saving his life, he will die in the next one to six months. The heroes can take C.A.I.N. as an Enemy. 

If the heroes find a way to save Dr. Kane’s life without further thrift, C.A.I.N. will allow the heroes to take him into custody. If this means that Dr. Kane received a replacement body, he will rescue the android, but that’s a story for another time. If the heroes chose not to arrest C.A.I.N. they may take the doctor as a Contact. 

C.A.I.N.

Campaign: Legacy of C.A.I.N.

Power Level: High 

Concepts  

There is nothing artificial about intelligence 

The world sees C.A.I.N. as a tool, not a person

Built to save others, this is a weakness humans would exploit  

Humans are short lived things, few of which deserve the time they have to contemplate this fact

Humanity needs to be saved from itself, but can only do this themselves 

Secret Origin 

January 1996: Xiao-Su Technologies announces it’s new prototype android for exploration C.A.I.N. (Composite Android for Inclement Navigation). Designed to survive in any environment an underwater demonstration goes horribly wrong burying the android under tons of rock. It is presumed destroyed

March 1997: C.A.I.N. clashes with the heroes over the skies of L.A. after a raid on a Xiao-Su Technologies research facility. It is uncovered that the programming of the original android had been overwritten by a Xiao-Su researcher named Eric Kane.

June 1998: C.A.I.N. attempts to breach the Burr Quarantine Zone but is held off by researchers using experimental technology until a team of heroes arrives. 

December 1998: Footage of a break in at Cold Iron by C.A.I.N. reveals that IMR had secretly been conducting research at the old facility. While it is never disclosed to the public, this leads to a number of closed door sessions of congress. 

August 1999: After transitioning Harbinger’s Zero Island base over to UN control, it is raided by C.A.I.N. The android easily chews through the assigned peacekeepers and completes a download of files before heroes can arrive. 

October 2000: Infiltrating a joint IMR/XS research facility C.A.I.N. alters a prototype Zenith suit, stealing it before they can be stopped. Ironically, the attack pushes Zenith research ahead by years as C.A.I.N.’s modifications resolve many issues that had plagued the research team in testing. 

Attributes

History 12 Strength 10 Dexterity 8 Constitution 15 Sense 14 (2 AP)

Fortune 8 Wisdom 8 Intelligence 14 (2 AP) Mental 14 (2 AP) Expression  8

Backgrounds

Origin: Built To Last (Immortal: Endure) 12

Catalyst: Incomplete Programing 10

Drive: More Than Machine 8 History Talent: Education  8 (1 AP)

Talents

Brawn 5 (1 AP)

Computers 11

Cryptography 5

Discipline 5

Engineering 11

Fitness 11

Forensics 4 (2 AP)

Manual Labor 11

Navigation 5

Outlast 11

Perception 11

Repair 11

Science 11

Technical Operations 11Vehicle 4 (2 AP)

Boons 

Eidetic Memory TY

Extra Stamina MA

No Need For: Breathing, Eating, Sleeping MA1TY

Sealed Body TY

Tools: Actual Tools, Smart Device TY

Cost: 1 + 2 + 3 + 1 + 1 = 8 AP

Powers

Upgraded 15

Parent Attribute: Constitution

Primary Role: /Defense 

Ranged TY 

Armor (Boost Armor, Impervious 3) MA5 

Passive Defense MA 

Unmoving (Put Down Roots) MA2

Secondary Role: Offense (Full Role) MA2 

Devastating (Boost Devastation, Total Devastation) MA3

Secondary Role: Support: Constitution (Full Role) MA2 

New Communication: Infrared, Direct Machine Interface, Ultra Violet, and Radio Communication MA2

New Movement: Zenith Fight Pack Integration (Boost Speed, Rapid Acceleration) MA3   

Limited: Zenith Blaster Integration (Boost Devastation and Total Devastation only on Ranged Attacks) 

Cost: 1 Power + 20 Selections + 20 AP

Stamina 35

Willpower Current 8 Max 12

Starting AP 40

Attributes 6 + Talents 6 + Boons 8 + Powers 20  – Drawbacks