Shadowhunters, also known as Nephilim, are a secretive race of humans born with angelic blood. They are a demon hunting race that has survived for over one thousand years. They have fought the demons valiantly, creating their own culture and civilization within human society. Their mandate is to protect humans.

If the Mortal Cup is reversed, it will be transformed into a demonic version known as the Infernal Cup. Using the Infernal Cup can turn Shadowhunters into Dark Shadowhunters. All you need, as demonstrated by Sebastian and Amatis, is demon blood and the Infernal Cup. When a Shadowhunter consumes it, that person will become corrupted.

Contents 1 Creation 2 History 3 Home 3.1 Idris 3.2 Alicante 4 Government & Politics 4.1 The Clave 4.2 The Covenant 5 Mission 6 Culture 6.1 Births 6.2 Ceremonies and Rituals 6.3 Combat 6.4 Marriages 6.4.1 Mundane 6.4.2 Ascension 6.5 Deaths 6.6 Friendships 6.7 Colors 7 Known Nephilim Families 8 References

CreationEdit

One thousand years ago, the precise date unknown, the earth was being invaded by hordes of demons. A man, Jonathan Shadowhunter, had a warlock summon the angel Raziel. He begged Raziel to help save humanity so the angel mixed his blood with that of Jonathan Shadowhunter, in the Mortal Cup, and gave it to men to drink. Those men became known as the Shadowhunters, as did their children, and their children's children. They were given the first Gray Book, listing all of the runes, to use in their fight against demons.

HistoryEdit

In 1868, the Shadowhunters sign the first of The Accords. This is the first step in the peace negotiations with the Downworlders populace.

In 1878, the Shadowhunters of the London Institute face the Magister. He and his clockwork army attacked the Nephilim. Tessa Gray, with the ability to Change into other people, dead or alive, and hear and see their thoughts and memories, and be used as a volume for communication with the spirits of the dead, is sought by the Magister.

The Uprising occurs in 1991. Valentine Morgenstern and the Circle plan to slaughter the unarmed Downworlders. This event is stopped by the Downworlders and some of the other Shadowhunters, informed by Valentine's wife, Jocelyn Fairchild-Morgenstern, and former best friend, Lucian Graymark, both of whom discovered the error of his ways.

In 2007, the Accords were signed again and Valentine plans to wipe out the current Shadowhunter race and make a new one by calling upon the angel Raziel again. A demon army he had summoned from their dimensions nearly slaughters all Shadowhunters and Downworlders, a great battle taking place. Valentine is defeated, nonetheless, after being killed by the angel Raziel.

HomeEdit

IdrisEdit

Idris is the homeland of the Shadowhunters and is protected by Demon Towers, forcing demons out and protecting the city, the only way to bring them down is to wipe demon blood on them from the inside—an almost impossible feat.

Idris is in Europe. It is a small country between Germany and France, with protective spells and wardings all around, all over the borders, preventing mundanes from entering. When they attempt to cross the border into Idris, they are simply transported into the next border without noticing.

Idris is mostly forest, littered with vampire nests and werewolf packs. There are mountains that can only be crossed in high summer without freezing to death. There is a small system of towns throughout Idris. These towns are not very big and are all sort of oriented around the one city, Alicante, which is also known as the Glass City.

AlicanteEdit

Alicante is the only city in Idris. It is often called the Glass City because of the presence of the Demon Towers that guard the city against demon attacks, reflecting light and looking like glass. The entire city is lit and powered by witchlight. The houses throughout the city are built from all eras. The Gard, the meeting place for the Clave, sits atop a hill at the edge of the city. There are stores throughout the entire city that display and sell a wide array of objects from weapons to clothes.

Government & PoliticsEdit

The Nephilim follow a strict set of rules set out in the Shadowhunter's Codex. There are many rules and guidelines that must be followed.

The ClaveEdit

The Clave is the general organization of all Nephilim, particularly, it is the governing body of the world of half-humans, headed by the Council.

The Clave has different branches in different areas of the world, with Institutes are the seats of power. Every active Shadowhunter in an area belongs to a certain Clave, such as the Conclave in New York, Enclave in London.

The CovenantEdit

Covenant is the Law upheld by the Clave.

MissionEdit

The goal of the Nephilim is to end the plague of demons on Earth. They are dispatched to every place on Earth to fight against demon hordes. The fight even continues after death. Their bones are used, as the bones of demon hunters are powerful protection, to fortify important buildings.

CultureEdit

As with all populations, the Nephilim have developed their own culture and traditions. They have traditions and habits that, though not official laws, are expected of them.

BirthsEdit

Newborn Shadowhunters have spells cast on them to protect their minds from demonic influences. These rituals protect the Shadowhunters from demon visions for example. The rituals are performed by a Silent Brother and an Iron Sister.

Ceremonies and RitualsEdit

CombatEdit

MarriagesEdit

"The ritual is taken from the Song of Solomon. 'Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death.'"

The color of marriage is gold. Shadowhunter women generally wear gold dresses and men black ceremonial gear, marked with gold runes. Marriages are often done in The Accords Hall in Alicante. The Shadowhunters mark each other with permanent runes of love and commitment over their heart and arm, signifying their love and devotion toward one another.

MundaneEdit

Some choose to leave their lives as Shadowhunters behind to live and have a family with their mundane lover.

There are three rules for those who leave the Clave. First, the Shadowhunter must sever contact with any and all Shadowhunters they have ever known, even their own family. Second, they cannot call upon the Clave for help. And third, the Clave can still lay claim to their children.

Since Nephilim blood is dominant, if a Shadowhunter has children with a mundane, their children will still be Nephilim.

AscensionEdit

Although marriage of a Shadowhunter to a mundane is forbidden, they can marry if the mundane is turned into a Shadowhunter through a process called Ascension. After the Shadowhunter applies to the Clave for an Ascension for their partner, the Clave is required to consider it for at least three months, and the mundane will be studying to learn about Shadowhunter culture.

Mundanes who Ascend to become a Shadowhunter may then choose their own Shadowhunter last name, and may pick from one of the old Nephilim names.^[1][2]

Ascension, which involves making the mundane drink from the Mortal Cup, was still then allowed during The Infernal Devices, but has since then been disallowed because the dangers of letting adult mundanes drink from the Mortal Cup has since then been recognized.

DeathsEdit

Shadowhunters often die young. The fight against demons kills off many of them. Therefore, when a Shadowhunter dies in battle, the words Ave Atque Vale and their name are spoken. This means "hail and farewell" in Latin. Their bodies are burned to ashes and laid in the tombs. The color of funerals is white. They do not use black because that is the color of fighting and it isn't appropriate. They also wear red runes for mourning.

FriendshipsEdit

Parabatai is the term for two Shadowhunters who fight alongside each other. These Shadowhunters are partners and are particularly close to each other. Shadowhunters must choose their parabatai before they turn 18.

The runes drawn by one's parabatai are stronger than those used by another. Also, there are some runes that can only be used by parabatai. It is illegal for two parabatai to fall in love with each other. If this happens, they will be separated. Most Shadowhunters don't have a parabatai, so they are not very common. In a Shadowhunters life, they can only have one parabatai, even if their partner dies.

ColorsEdit

“	Black for hunting through the night For death and sorrow, the color’s white. Gold for a bride in her wedding gown, And red to call enchantment down.	”
–Nephilim children's rhyme, mentioned by Jonathan Morgenstern, City of Lost Souls

Colors mean different things to Shadowhunters than they do to mundanes. Black is the color of their gear; white is for mourning; gold for weddings and red is ceremonial.

Known Nephilim FamiliesEdit

Fairchild Morgenstern Lightwood Herondale Graymark Trueblood Wayland Starkweather Carstairs Penhallow Blackthorn Highsmith Midwinter Pangborn Aldertree Dieudonne Monteverde Wen Yu Townsend Kaidou Malhotra

Branwell Lovelace Ashdown Whitelaw Pontmercy Youngblood Thrushcross Nightwine Ravenscar Cartwright Merryweather Blackwell Nightshade Verlac Bellefleur Chaudhury Rosales Gladstone Kingsmill Montclaire

ReferencesEdit

Start a Discussion Discussions about Shadowhunters

You can find discussions about everything related to this wiki on The Shadowhunters' Wiki Forum!