CAIN ARCHIVE – HOME
Please your honours, said he, I’m able,
By means of a secret charm, to draw
All creatures living beneath the sun,
That creep, or swim, or fly, or run,
After me so as you never saw!
And I chiefly use my charm
On creatures that do people harm.
Welcome to the Cain Archives!
This site is a living repository for our table’s unique version of Tom Bloom’s CAIN—our updated terminology, our additions, and all the strange and wonderful hunts we’ve had along the way. Inside, you’ll find character sheets, expansions, worldbuilding notes, and anything else we’ve created to preserve here.
The archive is always evolving as this game grows and changes, and every update reflects the work, creativity, and memories that we’ve put in to make this special.
Session Structure
We run a flexible, player-friendly structure designed to keep CAIN accessible no matter your schedule. With two separate Admins—one for Wednesday and one for Thursday—each evening having its own flavor and pacing, but both sharing the same world, characters, and ongoing missions.
We have a large rotating cast of players, so availability shifts week to week. As a result, party compositions may change from one hunt to the next. You might work with familiar faces or find yourself side-by-side with someone entirely new. This fluid roster is intentional—it keeps the world active, interconnected, and always moving.
Between missions, we prioritize downtime. Characters have time to rest, train, play games, or simply spend time together. These moments help anchor the chaos of the hunts and give everyone a chance to develop their relationships and character stories at their own pace.
Ultimately, the goal is simple: every session should feel welcoming, collaborative, and alive, no matter who shows up or which Admin is running the night.
Handbooks & Rule Systems
Handbook
This is the CAIN Handbook—a curated collection of every known Agenda, Defiance, and core rule from the base game, all gathered in one place. It’s the foundation of our table’s system and the best starting point for understanding how we play.
As our version of CAIN grows, the handbook grows with it. Rules may refine, terminology may shift, and new ideas may take root, but this section will always serve as your reliable guide to the fundamentals.
Handbook Exp. 1 – Virtues
This is the first expansion to the CAIN Handbook. Though not large in size, it introduces one of the most impactful additions to our ruleset: the Virtues System.
The Virtues are legendary operatives within the organization—living weapons of last resort, deployed only when the alternative would be the death of thousands. Their reputation echoes through every hallway of CAIN. Despite holding no official authority, their presence shapes the culture and morale of the rank and file. They are the sharpest blade the organization keeps sheathed.
This expansion allows players to become mentees to these towering figures. Through mentorship, operatives gain access to fragments of the Virtues’ hard-won knowledge:
- bonus XP,
- additional dice opportunities,
- stat boosts,
- and specialized training that unlocks a controlled, weakened form of a Virtue’s devastating High Defiance—a rare, costly skill capable of turning the tide of an entire battle in an instant.
Handbook Exp. 2 – Drifter Registry
This is the second expansion to the CAIN Handbook, focusing on a category of entities often overlooked. Referred to collectively as Drifters, these beings differ from anomalies in one crucial way: they are not born from human trauma or negative emotion. Instead, they appear to be a byproduct of grace itself.
Their existence suggests an uncomfortable truth—every use of grace, whether by CAIN operatives or hostile anomalies, may ripple outward and give rise to new life on the edges of the Otherworld. In this way, we are as responsible for their presence, so too are the threats we hunt.
Drifters are not inherently hostile. Many behave more like ambient wildlife—creatures shaped by a realm we barely understand. Yet “less dangerous” does not mean “safe.” Even the most passive can become a hazard if startled, cornered, or simply encountered in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This expansion catalogues the known Drifter types, their behaviors, and recommended field protocols. Treat them with curiosity, respect, and caution in equal measures.
Handbook Exp. 3 – Archive 1998
This is the third expansion to the CAIN Handbook, and it brings the most sweeping set of additions. Among its major updates are four new Defiance—one for each established color category (Red, Orange, Blue, and Purple)—raising the total number of known Defiance from twelve to sixteen.
These new disciplines—Tongue, Track, Wire, and Mother—are officially sanctioned by CAIN. Any Executioner can begin training in them. Each defiance expands what operatives are capable of in the field.
Alongside these developments, CAIN has identified emerging psychological patterns among its Executioners, leading to the classification of three new Agenda types: Cradle, Doll, and Broken. These Agendas reflect evolving mentalities around investigating, tracking, and hunting anomalies.
The most alarming news, however, is the documentation of Perfect Anomalies. These entities represent the apex form of all six previously known anomaly classifications—a fully realized, fully matured manifestation of their category. Their threat level is catastrophic: Perfect Anomalies occur at CAT 6!
If you encounter one, the protocol is simple: run. Only the most prepared, coordinated, and desperate teams would ever consider engaging with one.
Active Personnel
Active Personnel
This section contains a complete roster of currently deployed Executioners—played by members of our table. Though they represent only a tiny fraction of CAIN’s total force, these are the individuals whose stories shape our weekly missions.
Here you’ll find all static character information for easy reference: Agendas, Defiance, Kits, Registered Skills, and any long-term information that doesn’t shift from session-to-session. While our physical player sheets track frequently changing details like Stress and Strain, the website serves as the permanent archive of who each Executioner is.
The database also records purchased conveniences, personal upgrades, and other small comforts that make an Executioner’s life slightly less unbearable. Most importantly, it follows each operative’s journey—from an anonymous recruit buried somewhere in CAIN’s endless personnel files to an anonymous recruit who, if they’re lucky, gets mentioned once in an official briefing before disappearing back into the gears of the organization.
This roster is updated after every session by an Admin, ensuring that players can always check in on their character’s status, progress, and place within the ever-shifting tapestry of CAIN.
Lore & Case Files
Lore
This is the Lore archive, home to all official Case Files. These documents are classified, heavily redacted mission records compiled by senior Executioners—known internally as Blackcoats. Their role is to observe each hunt from a distance, evaluate the team’s performance, and conduct post-mission interrogations to extract every crucial detail.
Each Case File is a comprehensive reconstruction of a mission’s events, assembled to brief CAIN’s upper management on what the party encountered, what decisions were made, and what consequences followed. They serve as a historical record—either the job was done, or something far worse occurred.
This archive is an excellent place to catch up on the story so far or to read through the missions of the other session’s party. The Case Files also offer a way to revisit past hunts, re-experience the chaos, and remember how far your Executioner has come.
Watchsites
Watchsites
This section catalogues CAIN’s global network of Watchsites—the scattered facilities that serve as housing, workplace, and containment zones for CAIN’s vast array of employees. They also function as observation posts where upper management can monitor their most valuable assets: the Executioners.
Watchsites vary dramatically in design and purpose. Some resemble high-security prisons; others operate like military barracks; still others feel closer to research labs or testing grounds. Every Executioner is assigned one as their official home. While operatives may be temporarily stationed elsewhere for missions, they almost always return to their primary Watchsite when the work is done.
Reputation among Watchsites differs wildly. Some are known for comfort or competence; others… less so. But despite the conditions, most Executioners carry a stubborn pride for the place that shaped them—good, bad, or somewhere in between.
In a future update, this section will also support a mechanic granting bonuses based on the Watchsite an Executioner calls home, reflecting the training, culture, and scars each location imparts.