The Easthaven Exchange Cohort

The dynamic of the Exchange Cohort in Easthaven is that of a small investigative division in the mundane world. They tend to be somewhat insular and defend their own, as is typical in a group regularly facing the weird, dangerous, and deadly. They're small in number, especially compared to the community they police. While they hold no power in the mundane world, being nothing more than a fully licensed PI firm in the eyes of the law, they work to maintain the secrecy of the supernatural and protect the supernatural community. They work to eliminate risks to that secrecy, and neatly fill in the role as the men in black of the supernatural world. These risks can be rampaging creatures of all sorts: the bay creatures looking for a snack, unauthorised spiritual activity, people getting lost in the subway and ending up in the underworld, flesh-eating possessed scarecrows, and many more. The more unfortunate cases, such as shifters gone amok or ritualists pushing the envelope too far, are also handled by the Exchange, often to deadly effect.

In the City

The larger cities like New York or Los Angeles have more bodies to throw around, while Easthaven has learned to get the most out of their available agents. This, along with their favourable reputation in the community, means they are generally respected and taken seriously. Despite their losses and inability to expand as rapidly as the community they protect, the Easthaven Exchange cohort is intent on using their resources as effectively as they can to fulfill their charter.

In contrast, the Easthaven police department would consider them vigilantes if they knew what the Exchange got up to. However, there is still the vestiges of a working relationship between the two organisations. Should a mundane case start looking supernatural, higher-ups in the know are known to tap the Exchange PI for the work, to the bafflement of some officers.

Recent Developments

Although small in number, the Easthaven cohort managed to strengthen their Sewing Circle in 2023, who occupied the topmost floor of the Exchange Offices. With an experience Arcanist coming up from Boston to spearhead the efforts, they've been successful in both expanding the Circle's expertise, projects, and membership. This means the Exchange agents can more readily find someone to create enchanted objects for them.

Chain of Command

The sole authority in an Exchange office is the Inquisitor, a formal title left over from the European roots of the organisation. There are differences in leadership styles between Inquisitors, but there is a common goal of protecting everyone from supernatural threats. The other ranks, senior to junior agent, represent the level of experience of the agents under the Inquisitor's command. Senior agents can lead bigger teams on cases that need more manpower, but usually, agents handle cases with their partners, calling in back-up when needed.

A player may place their character in any of the agent ranks at their discretion. The only qualification is that the history of the character reflects their chosen rank.

Inquisitor

Theo Crowhurst

Ranks

Senior Agent, Agent, Junior Agent

Exchange Training

There is no single recipe for how to train an Exchange agent. The training model used across America is an apprenticeship approach, focused on learning on the job with another agent. Most seek out to join them and purposefully develop skills that will make them useful to the Exchange. Therefore, rookies are often already familiar with the Exchange and the community. In the case of a skilled individual showing promise, an Exchange cohort in a city may actively pursue recruiting them, but this is not as common as those joining through their own initiative.

The variety of training depends on senior agents available in each Exchange office. If a rookie or agent is interested in pursuing a magic or ritual focus, seeking an apprenticeship with another agent with expertise in that area is the natural progression of their training. Most senior agents are expected to offer their expertise, especially if they're experts in any magical field or theory. Generally, all agents know how rituals and magic work, especially the Codes of Conduct. Agents learn counter-magic tactics through a mix of on-the-job training and course work, specifically the quirks of magic, identifying ritual circles and breaking them safely, and the weaknesses and strengths of metahumans.

Depending on an agent's training, they employ a variety of abilities and tools to counteract the magics they encounter on the job. Many agents carry objects of silver and iron, with the cleverer agents, with access to good arcanists, carrying around little bottles of sunlight for an emergency. They know how to outfit themselves for a problem they anticipate and how to make it up as they go along if they run into something unexpected. Independence and initiative is highly prized within the Exchange, the agents that show the most promise being given more responsibility than others.

While retirement is an option within the Exchange, most do not choose to leave the organization. It is difficult to go back to normal life at the end of it all. So they remain on board, often serving as archivists or researchers once they age out of active field duty. Alternatively, an agent may go rogue, but depending on the situation around their desertion, they may be hunted by the Tongue-Tyers and more often than not meet a swift end.

Cohort Equipment

List of equipment the Easthaven Exchange would provide to their agents. Any mechanical bonuses provided to the Exchange are tied to the keyword called The Knack unless otherwise stated, which human or half-blood characters must either pick on creation or fulfil the requirements to gain. Characters who are agents can still gain other Mundane Keywords and use the skill bonuses in addition to the Knack.

Wayfinder Badge

A palm-sized coin with mysterious geometric circles and runes etched into the metal, bronze with silver detailing. Its look is reminiscent of an astrolabe, but it is in truth the intricate enchantments carved into it. The enchantments need occasional recharging by Exchange Arcanists, as sun can depreciate the magical effect.

Effects of the Badge

• The Wayfinder Badge can find other Wayfinder Badges
• It can pinpoint specific badges since each has a personalised enchantment.
• It can also sense the closest badge to you, without needing to specify a person.
• The way of triggering it is up to player flavour, but it can be different between characters.
• Walls and buildings do not get in the way of the badge tracking other badges.
• It is accurate, taking you directly to the target badge.
• Its range is within a few hundred miles, designed to be used within Essex County, but is functional outside of it.
• It can only track Easthaven badges as it is their unique enchantment.

Other Equipment

Silver for Monsters

All Exchange Agents will be given an object of silver, to help them against rampaging shifters.

Sky Iron for Magic

All Exchange Agents will be given an object of sky iron, to help reduce the impact of blood magic should they encounter it in the field.

Call to Arms

All Exchange Agents also receive a weapon based on the agent's preference (if they don't already have a personal weapon). This weapon is functional, lacking any embellishments.

Protective Enchantments

Exchange Agents can commission enchanted clothing and other protective garbs from the Sewing Circle. Enchantments are still subject to wear and tear as well as sun exposure, so every agent is responsible for maintaining their own kit.

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