Eva, Griffin, James, John, Mike, Nate Rae, D.E.E., Zee, Matt, Vadril, Max
Harry Bryant: McLean’s cover identity – Bryant works for Mercabah.
Rae: Bryant uses Syndicate thugs to chase Rae around, then "rescues" her from them, saying that she will not be safe on the main planet. "There are those who believe you will bring misfortune to our world, and will stop at nothing to protect themselves." He offers to take her to the moon, where she might be safer.
Matt: Hired by Harry Bryant of Mercabah Technologies Earth to break into DEE. He is told the ship belongs to Mercabah, but has malfunctioned. He is asked to implant false commands contained on a data chip into the main computer. They have to meet the ship in orbit, and slip him onboard, which could prove difficult.
DEE: His work as a technical contractor has brought him into lunar orbit. Finagled by McLean into traveling to the asteroid in sector 307.
Vadril: Receives a note from Harry Bryant of Mercabah Technologies, informing him of an opportunity to study unique life forms. "Perhaps it will inspire you to resume your research," Bryant writes. "If you are interested, meet me at the VIP landing strip at the Pax Artificium Lunar spaceport at 2200 hours GMT."
Max: It’s been two months since the Mercury incident, so Max hasn’t been on his own for too long. He receives an anonymous note (from McLean) telling him to wait at the VIP landing strip at the Pax Artificium Lunar spaceport at 2200 hours GMT, if he wants to find out more about the Occultem Lapidem.
The story of Cain
The first human to whom Emmanuel tried to bond was Cain. It twisted him, driving him mad, shriveling his body. He killed his brother, and was cursed to walk the land blah blah blah as described in the Bible. He was essentially a walking manifestation of Emmanuel’s taint. The hand that Josef has is not the Hand of Vecna – it is the Hand of Cain.
The rest of Cain’s body is still somewhere… Gaia wouldn’t want him. Vampires may exist; it’s something to be discussed later.
The Caretaker’s mad plan
Mercabah is controlled by the Iron Syndicate. They want Cain’s Hand from Josef, to reawaken Cain.
Adam McLean works for the Caretaker, hence his involvement with the royals. His position as the leader of the sacrificial faction of the Iron Syndicate is useful for a variety of reasons.
The Caretaker is responsible for McLean’s (and the Syndicate’s) attempts at obtaining the Hand of Cain. The Caretaker wants to revive Cain, because he possesses abilities no longer available to the Caretaker, and it wants Cain to assist in the creation of a strange defensive soul structure it is building.
Side note: Cain’s DNA, if studied, might point to the Fearful’s manipulation. At the least, it will be obvious humans were doctored from the other elder races by an external influence.
For later: think about Loki, Ragnarok, and how to fit that into the Midgard scenario.
Cain reborn
How does Mercabah know about the Hand? The Caretaker knows, because it knows many things, and tells the royals the proper coordinates (outside the solar system).
The Syndicate wants the hand to reawaken Cain, since they escavated the rest of the body. Prophecy indicates that "the Hand of Cain is the key to his reawakening." But the McLean misinterprets that, thinking he needs to reattach the hand to the body (which is missing the hand, of course). In actuality, Cain has been regrowing within Josef, feeding on the backlash. Whether reattaching the hand to the body would actually accomplish anything is unknown, but irrelevant at the moment.
No one knows about this creature growing in Josef. (McLean just wants the Hand.) Josef, weakening, left the Earth to search for a suitable resting place, the urge to hibernate growing within him. What he didn’t know was that his urge to hibernate was due to the creature growing within him, the hand feeding on the backlash in Josef’s body.
Once Cain is reborn as a Cthuloid creature with the hand at its center, that’s the end of the first session. He hungers for life experiences to feed him, just like Emmanuel did, except that his hunger is so powerful that he kills those in his path.
The PCs could defeat the creature, driving it off or capturing it.
Tricking DEE into cooperating
Adam McLean knows about DEE’s development through his connections with Mercabah Earth. Mercabah wants to commandeer DEE to go for the hand, and they have a strategy for doing so.
McLean, who found out from the royals, who found out from the Caretaker. However, because they use a "reverse psychology" style manipulation (described below), when DEE chooses not to kill the creature, if it escapes or something goes wrong, they can blame him for it, and say "I told you so."
Max learns of McLean’s whereabouts somehow, and is warned of a vile plan of his that cannot be allowed to be carried out? Vadril could be involved at this point? Maybe McLean informs Max about the ship (to manipulate him into taking a desired action)?
First, Mercabah hires Matt to break into DEE. They claim it’s their ship, but it has malfunctioned and no longer obeys their commands. Matt is supposed to bypass its security and implant a command to go to a certain location (where Josef is hibernating), investigate, and destroy all life found there.
DEE recognizes the commands have been falsely implanted. He recognizes that he has been programmed to blindly accept Matt’s presence on the ship, and also to accept the authority of Harry Bryant (McLean, disguised).
Hopefully, DEE will play along out of curiosity, visit the location, but not destroy the life there (it’s against his ethics due to the LORE chip).
How do Max, Rae, Zee and Vadril get onboard DEE?
Unique intelligences
McLean has arranged for the bringing together of several unique intelligences.
Cohen is composed entirely of nanites, like McLean, and is one of three. McLean wants to regain control of the other two pieces of the Occultem Lapidem, and thus is interested in manipulating Max to appear on the ship. But McLean does not currently know the whereabouts of the third holder of the O.L., so he is not present. (Or is he?)
The Syndicate noticed Rae’s approach, and identified her as some form of alien life. McLean manipulates her to board the ship as well.
Hep is unique, too, and will be present, unless Megan can’t make it.
Matt was used on purpose due to his brain, as well.
Zee is also a unique intelligence, obviously.
Vadril is not necessarily unique, but he is a royal, and thus involved with the Caretaker’s machinations. As a brilliant scientist, he is brought in to study the intelligences.
The fact that Vadril’s work was halted before caused the Syndicate problems. The unification of these intelligences is intended to provide Vadril with the inspiration he needs to complete his important work (the significance of which even he may not realize). We’ll flesh this out more later.