| “ | I don’t know much about the Cousinhood—ancient order veiled in shadow and all that—but I do know that they’re strict about their rules. There’s only one fate for a monster they’ll allow: extermination.
|
” |
The Cousinhood of Man is a "tangentially supernatural"[1] organization of monster hunters in Paranatural.
Bases[]
The Cousinhood has chosen as headquarters an old castle in Transylvania which, allegedly, was seized from Count Dracula.[2] Its doors are lined with stakes, on its walls are munted antique tapestries depicting a werewolf hunt, together with various stuffed heads of monsters; Dracula's shattered coffin is hung over the throne room.
Members[]
- Lady Shrike (former)
- Jean Garcia (apprentice)(former)
- Shred, Apex of the Raptor Sect (formerly known as Knight Hunter Eagle)
- A man with swirly glasses[2]
- High Cleric of Human Resources[2]
- Apex of the Ursine Sect[2]
- Apex of the Serpent Sect[2]
Overview[]
The Cousinhood of Man is a group of purportedly dangerous vigilantes[3] who hunt down monsters such as vampires, werewolves and "corrupted humans"[4]. They seem to be in some way similar to The Activity Consortium, as the two are often compared, and meetings between the two factions have been confirmed.
Their organization is subdivided in sects, each baptized after a predator: known sects include the Ursine Sect, the Serpent Sect, and the Raptor Sect.
Although its elders are reluctant to employ modern technology, they have set up some sort of software that is able to find traces of monster activity through the use of keyword matches and image recognition, even in online correspondence; this measure is referred to as "the Magpie Protocol".
Very little is currently known about them, but they seem to have a negative reputation throughout the Consortium (Boss Leader describes them as "weirdos" and "icky"[5]). There also exists a rivalry of sorts between them, as the Consortium tends to keep the Cousinhood away from their own "territories", such as Mayview.[6] On their part, the Cousinhood refers to Mayview as "Sector X"[2], and Shred has called it "Sector Zero".[7] The Cousinhood regards spectrals with an eye of suspicion, considering them too akin to monsters for their tastes, even though they do not include them among their quarry.[8]
Paranatural[]
Chapter 3[]
When the Cousinhood's most prominent member contacts Texas Walker about the suspicion of potential monster activity in Mayview, Mr. Spender isn't pleased with the news.[3]
Chapter 4[]
Agent Spender, Agent Walker and Boss Leader convene in Waker's room inside the Dream Hub to discuss the Cousinhood's concerns. Walker is pressing for a concession to let the Cousinhood into Mayview, while Spender is thoroughly opposed to such a decision; between the two, Boss Leader opts for an internal investigation led by Agent Day.[5]
Later in the chapter, Boss Leader sums up the Cousinhood's intentions to Max Puckett: one of their "top operatives" is convinced that the last specimen of a kind of monsters is dwelling behind the Mayview Barrier, and the Cousinhood plans to hunt that species down to extinction.[1]
Chapter 5[]
Agent Day briefly brings up the Cousinhood during her meeting with Doctor Zarei.[4]
Chapter 7[]
Jean Garcia reveals that he was a Cousinhood's trainee until his junior year of highschool.[9] To this day, he goes werewolf-hunting with a crossbow at night.[10]
In a flashback that takes place 6 years before the current storyline, Garcia talks about his fond memories of his mentor Shrike, who used to be the best hunter in the service of the Cousinhood of Man.[11] Her weapon of choice was a sword.
Chapter 8[]
Cody speaks a little about the Cousinhood, and speculates that his mother, Shrike, betrayed the Cousinhood when Garcia was bit, helping him hide in Mayview.[12] She had to hide, in turn, when she started a family with a vampire, and when she got infected with lycanthropy herself.
When the Burger doctors attack Davy Jones with wooden stakes, the latter describes this method as "crude" and too linked to the Cousinhood.[13]
The Cousinhood of Man is provided with proof of the presence of vampires in Mayview by Sophie Sybil's report on the PTA meeting. The authorities of the Cousinhood grant Shred, the deadliest hunter that ever served the Cousinhood, the permission to pursue her prey in Mayview at long last.[2]
Chapter 9[]
Boss Leader laments the Cousinhood's meddling in the Consortium's affairs regarding the presence of vampires in Mayview, specifically Dave Jones. She reassures Mina Zarei that she will help protect Jean Garcia if necessary.[14]
In the meantime, Shred arrives on Bayview's shores and clashes with Ángel Guerra at the barrier.[15]
Trivia[]
- The Cousinhood members are known for wearing trenchcoats.[3] It is unknown whether these are part of their uniforms.
- Cousinhood members have swords, chains, crossbows, silver bullets and wooden stakes in their arsenal.[16] Their members aren't allowed to employ supernatural powers while fighting monsters.[12]
- Mayview "has measures in place", in some way or the other, intended to keep away the members of the Cousinhood. This could possibly relate to the Mayview Barrier.[1]
- It's confirmed that the barrier keeps Cousinhood members out of the town.[15]
- The Cousinhood provides an insurance plan to its members.[2]
- The Cousinhood was formerly called the Brotherhood of Man, until they decided to switch to a less gendered name.[2]
- Mr. Spender describes the Cousinhood as "ruthless".[17]
- The alt text once states that the Cousinhood has never been in a full-fledged war against monsters, but "if they were they'd lose it somehow".[18]
Gallery[]
)
)
)References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Chapter 4, Page 118
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Chapter 8, Page 80
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Chapter 3, Page 40
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chapter 5, Page 144
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Chapter 4, Page 18
- ↑ "Don't worry, Rick, I would never let a stranger onto your turf without your permission" - Boss Leader to Richard Spender (Chapter 4, Page 19)
- ↑ Chapter 9, Page 21
- ↑ Chapter 9, Page 22
- ↑ Chapter 7, Page 1
- ↑ Chapter 7, Page 2
- ↑ Chapter 7, Page 51
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Chapter 8, Page 49
- ↑ Chapter 8, Page 77
- ↑ Chapter 9, Page 11
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Chapter 9, Page 21
- ↑ Chapter 8, Page 47
- ↑ Chapter 7, Page 90
- ↑ Chapter custom, Page comic/qa-5
Lore in Paranatural
| |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factions | |||||||
| Cousinhood of Man · Journalism Club · Paranatural Activity Club · Paranatural Activity Consortium · Student Council | |||||||
| Spectral Concepts | |||||||
| Ghosts · Mayview Barrier · Monsters (Vampires) · Spectral Energy · Spectrals (Tools · Mediums) · Spirits (Spirit Languages · Spirit Fusion · Spirit Trance) | |||||||
| Other | |||||||
| The Fever · Hitball · Pop Culture · Starchman Stars · Timeline of the Paranatural Universe | |||||||