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{{Youmay|the species|{{TW|Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments|the TV series adaptation}}}}
{{Infobox group
|name = Shadowhunters
|image = Codex Shadowhunters.jpg
|alt name = * Nephilim
* Children of the Nephilim
* Children of Raziel
* Children of the Angel
|founder = [[Jonathan Shadowhunter]]
|creator = [[Angels|Angel]] [[Raziel]]
|status = Extant
|base = [[Idris]]
|residence = Worldwide
|species = Half-Human<br />Half-[[Angels|Angel]]
|occupation = [[Demons|Demon]]-hunters<br />Enforcers of [[the Accords]]
|motto = ''Descensus facilis Averno est'',<br />"The descent into Hell is easy"
|allies = * [[Angels]]
* [[Downworlders]]
* [[Mundanes]]
|enemies = * Demons
* Rogue Downworlders
* Rogue Shadowhunters
* [[Endarkened]]}}

'''Shadowhunters''', also known as '''Nephilim''', are a secretive race of beings who are humans born with [[angels|angel]] blood. They have fought [[demons]] and have lived alongside [[Downworlders]] in the [[Shadow World]] for well over a thousand years, creating their own culture and civilization within human society. Their mandate is to keep the peace in the Shadow World and keep it hidden from the [[mundanes|mundane]] world while protecting the inhabitants of both worlds.

Despite their ancestry, Shadowhunters are mortal and therefore vulnerable to old age and death; however, their angelic blood endows them with special abilities that allow them to achieve feats beyond what's humanly possible through the application of angelic [[runes]].

==History==
{{Quote|We are sometimes called the Nephilim. In the Bible they were the offspring of humans and angels.|Hodge Starkweather|''[[City of Bones]]''}}

In the Bible, the Nephilim were the offspring of humans and angels, although it is unknown if they really existed or not. In the [[Shadowhunter's Codex]], the Angel [[Raziel]] is said to have named [[Jonathan Shadowhunter|Jonathan]] and his new breed after the Nephilim of the Bible, even making references as such, though this too is unknown as no official records exists of what exactly happened that day.<ref name="Codex">''[[The Shadowhunter's Codex]]''</ref>

===Creation===
[[File:Codex Raziel.jpg|thumb|The Angel Raziel and Jonathan Shadowhunter.]]
[[File:Raziel codex.png|thumb|Raziel with the [[Mortal Instruments]].]]

{{Quote|The legend of the origin of Shadowhunters is that they were created more than a thousand years ago, when humans were being overrun by demon invasions from the other worlds. A warlock summoned the [[Angels|Angel]] [[Raziel]], who mixed some of his own blood with the blood of men in a cup, and gave it to those men to drink. Those who drank the Angel's blood became Shadowhunters, as did their children and their children's children.|[[Hodge Starkweather]]|''[[City of Bones]]''}}

A thousand years ago, shortly after 1000 AD, the Earth was [[the Incursion|invaded]] by hordes of [[demons]]. During the times when the Crusades first began, particularly believed to be some time in the winter months,<ref name="CoHF">''[[City of Heavenly Fire]]''</ref> a crusader named [[Jonathan Shadowhunter|Jonathan]] called on Raziel. Jonathan begged Raziel to help save humanity. Seeing the honesty and nobility of his wish, the angel obliged and mixed his blood with that of Jonathan in the [[Mortal Cup]], a mixture he let Jonathan drink. Raziel then gave Jonathan the other two [[Mortal Instruments]], the [[Gray Book]], and the fitting name of Shadowhunter as a symbol of his transformation.<ref name="Codex" />

Soon, more men and women drank from the cup and became Nephilim warriors themselves. They soon became known as Shadowhunters, after Jonathan, the first of their kind. Their children, and their children's children, inherited their parents' angelic blood and became Nephilim themselves.

For some reason, undisclosed at this point, 1234 is a significant date among Shadowhunters: along with the Nephilim motto, the date is inscribed on the base of the statue by the entrance to the [[Silent City]] in [[New York]]. The 11th and 13th centuries are also cited by the [[Shadowhunter's Codex]] as the beginning and peak, respectively, of the promotion of the race of the Nephilim, when new members were being sought for and recruited after the death of the first Shadowhunters, and the two points in time pointed out as when the first edition of the Codex was written, the first being the time given in the presumption that the Codex was written by Jonathan Shadowhunter, and the second estimated based on modern research and dating techniques.<ref name="Codex" />

===Demon plague===
At one point, a demonic plague almost wiped out the Shadowhunters. This topic is taught in History lessons at the [[Shadowhunter Academy]].<ref>''[[Nothing but Shadows]]''</ref>

===Victorian era===
In 1872, the Shadowhunters signed the first of [[the Accords]], becoming the first step in the peace negotiations with the [[Downworlders|Downworld]] populace.

In 1878, the Shadowhunters of the [[London Institute]] faced [[Axel Mortmain|the Magister]] and his [[automatons|clockwork army]], whose intent was to create a formidable new race of half-Nephilim, half-demon beings, with the first of their kind, [[Tessa Gray]], capable of several unknowable abilities—one of which was the power to [[Change]] when the demon parent is an [[Eidolon]]. His plan was foiled, however, with the combined efforts of the few members of the London Enclave and the [[warlocks|warlock]] [[Magnus Bane]].<ref>''[[The Infernal Devices]]''</ref>

===20th Century===
There had been a time when some, if not most, of Nephilim women were not fighters; they were usually relegated to domestic duties such as cooking and fostering the current and future generations of young Shadowhunters at home. While there have been women fighters over the years, and it is recognized that there have always been women in the Clave—mastering the runes, creating weaponry, teaching the Killing Arts—but only a few were warriors, ones with exceptional abilities who had to fight to be trained. It was a generation in the late 1900s, which included [[Maryse Lightwood]] and [[Jocelyn Fray]], that was the first where all women were trained to become Shadowhunter warriors along with the men.<ref name="CoB" />

In 1991, a great tragedy called [[the Uprising]] occurred during the signing of the Ninth Accords. A group of dissidents called [[the Circle]] and led by [[Valentine Morgenstern]] considered the Clave and Covenant outdated and in need of reform. They advocated and upheld their belief that they must increase their numbers by turning more [[mundanes]] with the Mortal Cup, and that they must once again be united and up in arms primarily against Downworlders.

During the signing, they planned to slaughter the attending unarmed Downworlders, as well as the Shadowhunters who would resist and defend the Downworlders. While they were stopped and countered by Downworlder reinforcements, all of whom were informed and prepared by Valentine's wife, [[Jocelyn Fray|Jocelyn]], and former ''[[parabatai]]'', [[Luke Garroway|Luke]], there were still several casualties. Despite the Circle's efforts, the Accords was signed nonetheless.<ref name="CoB">''[[City of Bones]]''</ref>

===21st Century===
In 2007, Valentine returned and planned to wipe out the current Shadowhunter race, at least those who would resist his proposal for change, and finally refresh their numbers by calling upon the angel Raziel once again.<ref name="CoB" /> He summoned a demon army and set them on [[Alicante]] and a great battle, referred to as the [[Mortal War]], took place, once again ending in death on both sides. Valentine was ultimately defeated, brought down by Raziel himself.<ref name="CoG">''[[City of Glass]]''</ref>

After his death, however, his son, [[Sebastian Morgenstern]], took up after him, albeit going down a different path. With the help of [[Lilith]], Sebastian plotted to start a war to raise Hell and rule the human world with his army of [[Endarkened]] Shadowhunters, corrupted with Lilith's blood and the [[Infernal Cup]].<ref name="CoLS">''[[City of Lost Souls]]''</ref> Sebastian Turned a large number of unwilling Nephilim, and killed even more during the invasion of [[Idris]] that became referred to as the [[Dark War]]. While Sebastian was ultimately defeated, it was too late as a large majority of the Shadowhunters gathered at Alicante had already been slaughtered. To salvage their population and ranks, the Clave decided to reopen the [[Shadowhunter Academy|Academy]] and recruit more mundanes for [[Ascension]].<ref name="CoHF" />

Also, for the betrayal of the [[Faeries|Fair Folk]] during the war, the Shadowhunters forced a treaty with the [[Seelie Court]] that the faeries pay reparations for damages dealt to the Nephilim and the [[Praetor Lupus]], and that there no longer be fey warriors or armies, that any of them seen bearing weapons, without consent from the Clave, can and will be lawfully killed. The terms drew the ire of their kind, and fierce criticism and condemnation from the Council warlock representative [[Magnus Bane]]; nonetheless, the faeries begrudgingly accepted. Their agreement came to be known as the [[Cold Peace]].<ref name="CoHF" /> The [[Scholomance]] was also reopened for this reason.<ref>''[[Lady Midnight]]''</ref>

==Home==
===Idris===
{{Main|Idris}}

Idris is the homeland of the Shadowhunters and is protected by the 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 Central 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 one city, [[Alicante]], which is also known as the Glass City.

===Alicante===
{{Main|Alicante}}

Alicante is the only city and the capital of 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 itself 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. All around are residences of several Shadowhunter families and the Council. There are stores throughout the entire city that display and sell a wide array of objects from weapons to clothes.

==Government and Politics==
{{Dialogue|[[Madame Dorothea]]|You would call them that. You're familiar with the motto of the Covenant?|[[Jace Herondale]]|Sed lex dura lex. The Law is hard, but it is the Law.|src=''[[City of Bones]]''}}

The Nephilim follow a strict set of rules set out in Codex and [[the Covenant]]. There are many rules and guidelines that must be followed.

===Clave, Consul, Council===
{{Main|The Clave}}

[[The Clave]] is the collective name for the political body of all active Nephilim. Shadowhunters become members of the Clave upon reaching adulthood at the age of eighteen when they decide to declare their allegiance to the Clave. Members of the Clave all have rights to contribute to any Clave issue under discussion. They keep and interpret the Law and have the right to help decide on important matters that affect the Nephilim.

The Clave's governing body is [[the Council]], and the [[Consul]] is their highest appointed official. The Consul holds little executive power but presides over the Council.<ref name="Codex" /> The Council may represent the larger Clave when making decisions that don't require a vote—matters of immediate import that are not large enough for the entire Clave to become involved in.

The Clave is divided into smaller groups in different countries and cities of the world: Enclaves in most of the world, and Conclaves in the Americas and Australia. These regional groups are then locally led by individual(s) put in charge of each [[Institute]]; the head is also the Enclave's representative on the Council, and every active Shadowhunter residing in the area under their jurisdiction answer to them. These local Enclaves coordinate their own local decision making and organizational structures as they see fit, though the Clave may still interfere in some cases.

Young Shadowhunters who are orphaned, or whose parents have left the Clave, are asked every six years if they would like to join the Clave and become a Shadowhunter. If the child answers no every time until they are eighteen, three times in total, they are left alone, free to live as a mundane forever. At any point during the eighteen years, the child can go to any Institute and ask for training.

===The Covenant===
{{Main|The Covenant}}

The Covenant is the Law upheld by the Clave. It provides the rules of conduct for Shadowhunters and Downworlders. The Covenant protects the rights of Shadowhunters to enforce civilized relations among the Clave, Downworld, and the mundane world, and also protects the rights of Downworlders so that they may not be maltreated by Shadowhunters. It is also the Covenant that guarantees that the Shadow World remains shadowed from the mundane world. The Covenant also elaborates on the legal system of the Shadowhunters.

===The Accords===
{{Main|The Accords}}

The Accords acts as amendments to the Covenant agreed to be taken as the law of the land by all of the Shadow World, a treaty that ordains how Shadowhunters and Downworlders interact with mundanes and one another, as well as each group's rights, responsibilities, and restrictions. With the Accords, groups of Downworlders also in peace with the Accords agree to the same oath to never reveal the truth of the Shadow World to mundanes. The Accords are revised and signed every fifteen years by representatives of these groups.

===World relations===
While Shadowhunters living in Idris do not fall under any of the mundane authority surrounding them, they are still technically humans and citizens of the countries in other parts of the world outside of Idris and are subject to their laws. Aside from that, they do have alliances with different governments in the world. In London, monarchies through the ages have tithed to the Shadowhunters in secret to keep their kingdoms safe. In the USA, the Department of War and the Department of Justice have both affiliated with Shadowhunters.<ref name="CP">''[[Clockwork Prince]]''</ref>

==Mission==
The goal of the Nephilim is to fight, and someday 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 and ashes are used, as the bones of demon hunters are powerful protection, to fortify important buildings, and to supply power to the [[Silent Brothers]].

Aside from this, the Shadowhunters have also placed the responsibility of upholding the peace and secrecy of the Shadow World, as well as the protection of the mundanes and the world in general from the supernatural, upon themselves.

==Culture==
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.

===Life===
Most Shadowhunters spend their younger years as warriors. An exception would be when Shadowhunters join one of their two monastic orders: the [[Silent Brothers]] and the [[Iron Sisters]]. The Brothers serve as the keepers of their lore and knowledge; they serve as their librarians, researchers, and occasional medics. They reside in the [[Silent City]]. The Sisters design and forge their [[weapons]]; they are the keepers of ''[[adamas]]'', the holy metal given to them by Raziel. They reside in the Adamant Citadel.

===Religion===
The Nephilim do not conform to any mundane religion as they have allied themselves with every mundane belief system. Also, individual Shadowhunters are allowed to believe what they choose. Some Shadowhunters see their own lifestyle and beliefs as a separate religion. Mainly, they have their own beliefs about angels, demons, Heaven, and Hell, and they worship the Angel Raziel as their creator.<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/105294104054/cristina Cristina Rosales and religion,] Cassandra Clare on Tumblr</ref> Still, the Nephilim acknowledge the truths in mundane religions, mythologies, tales, and legends, and often integrate this into their real-world knowledge.

Every mundane religion is also partly aware of the ongoing battle against demons, having been affected by [[the Incursion]] themselves. However, since mundanes would not be capable of fighting demons, they merely incorporated their existence and the battle against them methodically into belief systems as different evil entities. Their leaders instead opted to help by assisting the Nephilim, who are equipped to battle the demons, in their mission, as long as Shadowhunters do not cleave to a single religion.<ref name="CoB" />

Contacts and relations were established between the Nephilim and the more mystical orders of the world's major religions, with a small group of chosen leaders acting as the representatives of each religion, signing secret treaties that promise the continued provision of havens and weapons for Shadowhunters in exchange for protection. Their end of the bargain is upheld by allowing the Nephilim access to their different religious communities, holy buildings, or places of worship as havens, or for their numerous hidden caches or reserves of holy tools and equipment for Shadowhunter use, the oldest of which is said to be in the Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, dating to over five hundred years ago.<ref name="Codex" />

===Festivities===
While most Shadowhunters typically do not participate in or observe mundane religious or cultural traditional celebrations or holidays such as Christmas or Thanksgiving, some have accepted it as a custom, though without the religious significance it has for mundanes.<ref name="CoHF" />

However, historically they have observed a winter festival of the Angel — this is held on the day when Raziel is said to have appeared to Jonathan Shadowhunter and given him the Mortal Instruments. Traditionally the celebration involves setting lit paper lanterns out onto Lake Lyn while drinking spiced wine and putting notes of their wishes for the upcoming year into the cairn of stones at Jonathan Shadowhunter's tomb. The location has since been lost to time so instead, Shadowhunters now cast slips of paper with their wishes into a hearth where it will burn up overnight.<ref>[https://ss-em.s3.amazonaws.com/External/19/72009Share.html Shadowhunter Army December 2019 Newsletter]</ref>

===Training===
[[File:Codex Training.jpg|right|230px]]

Shadowhunters may be trained at a very young age, by their parents or other mentors and guardians. Some Shadowhunters may train at an [[Shadowhunter Academy|academy]] in [[Idris]], or at [[Institutes]] in other parts of the world.

Typically, children of Shadowhunters, whether biological or adopted, can choose to train to be Shadowhunters when they're about ten. They can also refuse, and in a Shadowhunter family, that once meant the child was sent away, but the rules have since changed. [[Ascension]] would then be open to the non-Shadowhunter, adopted child.<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/105773977074/clace-malec-and-mangoes-said-hey-cassie-i-was Adopted child,] Cassandra Clare on Tumblr</ref>

Upon completion of their training, it is customary and traditionally expected that Shadowhunters travel to other Institutes to learn about other Nephilim cultures.

===Battle===
There are varieties of [[weapons]] and [[Shadowhunter gear|gear]] used by Shadowhunters. Most of these weapons are made with materials capable of killing demons, some using ''[[adamas]]'' forged by the [[Iron Sisters]].

Most used are the [[seraph blades]], the primary weapons of the Nephilim, made of ''adamas'' and calls upon the power of an Angel's name to access the blade's power. In addition to seraph blades, some Shadowhunters choose to have a weapon of specialty, such as swords, bows and arrows, and many more.

The Nephilim also have devices, such as the [[Sensor]] and [[Portal]], that make their tasks easier. Each species is weak to a certain element. Blessed iron is effective against fairies, silver powder, and bullets against lycanthropes, holy water, and other religious symbols against vampires, and demons are generally susceptible to damage from angelic weapons, etc.

===Ceremonies and Rituals===
====Birth====
{{Quote|Sanvi to the right of me, Semangelaf behind me-|Part of the protection spell|''[[Chain of Iron]]''}}

Eight days after their birth, newborn Shadowhunters have spells cast on them to lock their souls and protect their minds from demonic influences. While originally directed towards protecting the Shadowhunters from [[Lilith]] specifically, these rituals protect them from any and all demonic visions and possessions.<ref name="CoI">''[[Chain of Iron]]''</ref> Technically, the ritual is mainly only necessary for those who are in danger of being targeted, so people with Shadowhunter blood but who are un-Marked and raised among mundanes, with no one knowing what they are, will remain unaffected, or minimally so, by the lack of the spell.<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/114145386629/rituals Rituals,] [[Cassandra Clare]] on Tumblr.</ref> The rituals are performed by a [[Silent Brothers|Silent Brother]] and an [[Iron Sisters|Iron Sister]] in which they invoke the names of the angels of protection: Sanvi, Sansanvi, and Semangelaf.<ref name="CoI" />

Since Nephilim blood is mostly dominant, if a Shadowhunter has children with any species, their children will still be Nephilim. A special case is when one parent is a [[faeries|faerie]], wherein some of their kind's characteristics or attributes may manifest in the child, and a demon, such as [[Tessa Gray]], though this is very rare as the child of Shadowhunters and demons are usually stillborn. When the half-breeds continue to have children, the trace of the other species will either slowly diminish through the generation or disappear entirely.<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/86516329819/in-the-mailbag Various questions answered,] Cassandra Clare on Tumblr</ref>

====Runes====
{{Main|Runes}}

Shadowhunters were given [[runes]] by the Angel Raziel, all contained in the Book of the Covenant, and copied into the [[Gray Book]]. These runes, or Marks, are applied on the Shadowhunters' skin and gives different effects and abilities. [[Clary Fairchild|Clary Fray]], a Shadowhunter with an exceptional amount of angel blood, finds herself able to "create" new runes, or recall ones, not given to them by Raziel.<ref>''[[The Mortal Instruments (book series)]]''</ref>

When a young Shadowhunter is set to begin his or her formal training, usually around the age of ten, they receive their first rune, typically the [[Voyance rune]], in a formal ceremony done by Silent Brothers. In some cases, like when the child of former Nephilim chooses to join their ranks at a later age, they receive these runes years later; another special case is the reception of a different Mark than what is usually given first when the child is weak or sickly.

====''Parabatai''====
{{Main|Parabatai}}

''Parabatai'' is the term for two Shadowhunters who fight alongside each other. These Shadowhunters are partners and are particularly close to each other. Shadowhunters have the option to choose their ''parabatai'' before they turn 19, after which the option will no longer be available to them; in fact, having ''parabatais'' is quite uncommon among the Nephilim.

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'' for it draws on the ''parabatai's'' double strength. It is forbidden 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 Shadowhunter's life, they can only have one ''parabatai'', even if their partner dies.

====Marriages====
{{Quote|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 black ceremonial gear marked with gold runes for men. Marriages are often done in the [[Accords Hall]] in [[Alicante]]. Upon marriage, the family ring given to the woman upon proposal and engagement is returned.

A tradition in Shadowhunter weddings involves a significant person to the bride and groom: having a ''[[suggenes]]'' who would "give away" the bride/groom to her/his partner—similar to the mundane tradition of "giving away the bride"—and welcome the other into the family. The ''suggenes'' would be a significant person—a father, mother, sibling, child, friend, ''parabatai'', or an elder who symbolized the whole family—chosen by the bride/groom. It is not always necessary or even possible to have a ''suggenes''.<ref>''[[Bitter of Tongue]]''</ref><ref name="LoS">''[[Lord of Shadows]]''</ref>

The Shadowhunters mark each other with permanent runes of love and commitment over their heart and arm, signifying their love and devotion for one another.

Same-sex marriage is also recognized in Idris when it is done in a country where same-sex marriage is legal.<ref name="Codex" />

=====Intermarriage=====
Relationships with mundanes, and any other species other than fellow Nephilim, are generally looked down upon by [[the Clave]]. In fact, marriage to mundanes is forbidden. However, Shadowhunters can be with Downworlders; they simply cannot be wed in a Shadowhunter ceremony because the Downworlders cannot bear the rune that is a part of this ceremony. Other forms of marriage to Downworlders are allowed, such as church weddings, handfasting, faerie ceremonies, among others, though some of these are not generally recognized by other Shadowhunters.<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/90461750544/malec-and-weddings Weddings,] Cassandra Clare on Tumblr</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/cassieclare/status/466204271336493056 Fae weddings,] Cassandra Clare on Twitter</ref>

To be able to marry a mundane, a Shadowhunter will have to leave the Clave and become a mundane, stripped of their Marks. 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, wherein they can their children will be made aware of their lineage and will be offered to become Shadowhunters every six years until they are eighteen.

However, this can be avoided if the prospective mundane lover Ascends to become a Shadowhunter.

During the early days of the Nephilim, when recruitment and the strengthening of their numbers were a priority, marrying mundanes was encouraged. However, after the population of Shadowhunters became stable, the Clave of the 1400s revoked Institute heads' ability to create new Shadowhunters without approval; since no system for evaluating was provided, most requests after this were refused. The marriage to mundanes was completely outlawed by the Council in 1599, at the height of the Schism and the Hunts, during which the Nephilim became more isolated from the mundanes. This isolation remained and continued, and even shaped the relationship of the Nephilim with mundanes, even generations after. In 1804, the Law prohibiting intermarriage was revoked; however, while the marriage is still forbidden, the method of Ascension was at least developed.<ref name="Codex" />

=====Ascension=====
{{Main|Ascension}}

Ascension is the process through which mundanes become Shadowhunters by drinking from the [[Mortal Cup]]. The option is open to lovers and adopted children of Shadowhunters, and, in some rare cases, other [[the Sight|Sighted]] mundanes interested or selected to become a Shadowhunter. Though rare, the Cup has been used to create more Shadowhunters through the years, when their ranks and populations were depleted. Mundanes who Ascend to become a Shadowhunter may then choose and submit their own Shadowhunter last name for approval, or just pick from one of the old defunct Nephilim names (names which have no longer had living or active holders for some years).

However, drinking from the Mortal Cup is dangerous and does not always work. It takes special strength and resilience and they must be extensively tested, so most never survive the transition. Adults, particularly the "untrained and unworthy," could either be unaffected by the process entirely or killed outright, and it mostly works on children; at one point, the Council had considered lowering the age of agreement to Ascension to twelve or fourteen.

Because of the risks, one must be petitioned and appealed to the Clave, and they are required to evaluate and consider for at least three months before approval, during which the mundane should be studying to learn about Shadowhunter culture.

When the Cup was lost and believed to be destroyed in the late 20th Century, the Nephilim believed that Ascension will never happen again, until it was found and retrieved almost two decades later. After the [[Dark War]] of 2007, the Clave became desperate for new Shadowhunters after their numbers were depleted, and they reopened the Academy for new recruits, which include mundanes Turned into, or being trained to become, new Shadowhunters through Ascension.

====Punishment====
When proven guilty of a violation of their important [[the Covenant|laws]], Shadowhunters may be stripped of their Marks. This is mostly done when a Shadowhunter chooses to leave the Clave to marry a mundane and become one in the process. Another act of treason to receive this punishment is by murdering another Shadowhunter; this grave act—particularly if accomplished through demonic means—will result in the forceful transformation of the violator into a [[Forsaken]] mundane, as well as the removal of the family's Marks and having their family name and records stricken from Nephilim history.<ref name="CP" />

====Death====
Shadowhunters often die young as their fight against demons kills off many of them in battle. The traditional color of mourning among the Nephilim is white, contrary to the mundanes' typical black, which is their color of fighting, for their clothes, and red for runes.

To honor a Shadowhunter's death, most of them are burned, and their remains are later interred. Those who die in [[Idris]] are traditionally entombed in its necropolis outside [[Alicante|Alicante's]] walls, where most old Shadowhunter families have not only grave plots but large family tombs and mausoleums. Those who die outside Idris are entombed in the ossuarium that makes up a level of the [[Silent City]], though still smaller than the cemetery in Idris, wherein the desiccated bodies are burned and turned to ashes used to make and reinforce its marble arches. The [[Silent Brothers]] have responsibility for the dead in both locations. However, those whose deaths are not considered honorable, such as suicides, criminals, and monsters, are instead buried, whole and unburned, in other places, such as at the crossroads in Idris outside the [[Brocelind Forest]].

During funerals, or when a Shadowhunter dies with another present, their name and the words ''Ave Atque Vale'', taken from a poem by Catullus, which means "hail and farewell" in Latin, are spoken.

Before being set on the funeral pyre, the Shadowhunter's body is presented so that words of mourning can be spoken and those left behind can pay their last respects. The eyes of the dead Shadowhunter are bound with white silk, and he is laid to rest with his arms crossed over his chest, a seraph blade clutched in the right hand and resting over his heart. Funeral rites vary depending on the part of the world the Shadowhunter is from but traditionally conclude with a sentence from The Odes of Horace: Pulvis et umbra sumus.—"We are dust and shadows."<ref name="Codex" />

Nephilim burial ceremonies were generally for Nephilim only, but an exception could be made for those who died in the service of the Clave.<ref name="CA">''[[Clockwork Angel]]''</ref>

====Honors====
Some Shadowhunters leave behind legacies that become marked and included in Shadowhunter's history. Historical figures such as [[Jonathan Shadowhunter]] and the [[Angels|Angel]] [[Raziel]] are among the very well-known figures throughout their history.

Of course, over the course of centuries, events occur that shape the future of the Nephilim. Tapestries, illustrating passages from history, and monuments may be made in their honor or memory. Apparently, grand deeds, such as victory in a war, may warrant the creation of such tributes.

An example is the 2007 wars, the [[Mortal War]] and the [[Dark War]]. A tapestry was made for the events behind the Mortal War, depicting the image of [[Valentine Morgenstern|Valentine]] summoning Raziel, and [[Clary Fairchild|Clary Fray]], who foiled his plans, on the sidelines.<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/96042585374/city-of-heavenly-fire-questions-spoilers City of Heavenly Fire questions], Cassandra Clare on Tumblr</ref> At the crossroads near [[Brocelind Forest]], where criminals and suicides are typically buried, a necropolis was built for the [[Endarkened]], as their final resting place, a sort of monument or reminder of the Shadowhunters' victory against Sebastian's plans, as well as a shrine for those who had once been Shadowhunters.

Other memorable parts of Nephilim history for which tapestries were made for include the signing of the [[the Accords|First Accords]], the Battle of Shanghai, and the Council of Buenos Aires.

===Motto===
The Nephilim's motto is "Facilis descensus Averno," or "Descensus Averno facilis est," which means "The descent into Hell is easy" in Latin. It was taken from Virgil's poem, ''The Aeneid''.

===Colors===
{{Quote|Black for hunting through the night<br />For death and mourning, the color’s white.<br />Gold for a bride in her wedding gown,<br />And red to call enchantment down.<br />White silk when our bodies burn,<br />Blue banners when the lost return.<br />Flame for the birth of a Nephilim,<br />And to wash away our sins.<br />Gray for knowledge best untold,<br />Bone for those who don't grow old.<br />Saffron lights the victory march,<br />Green will mend our broken hearts.<br />Silver for the demon towers,<br />And bronze to summon wicked powers.|Shadowhunter children's rhyme|''[[City of Heavenly Fire]]''}}

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.<ref name="CoLS" /> According to [[Raphael Santiago]], the demon towers also light up different colors depending on certain messages: gold for celebrations, red signifies magic, which can also be interpreted as danger, and blue as the color of [[the Accords]].<ref name="CoHF" /> Red Marks are also used for mourning,<ref name="CA" /> and was the color used by the [[Endarkened]].

==Known Nephilim families==
Traditionally, most Shadowhunter family names (particularly the English ones) are compound, reflecting something about the family, or the first of the family who chose the name, but this is not always the case. Listed below are the known Shadowhunter family names:

{{col-begin}}
* [[Joaquín Acosta Romero|Acosta]]
* [[:Category:Aldertree family|Aldertree]]
* [[Ashdown family|Ashdown]]
* [[Lazlo Balogh|Balogh]]
* [[Thoby Baybrook|Baybrook]]
* [[Jessica Beausejours|Beausejours]]
* [[:Category:Beauvale family|Beauvale]]
* [[Madeleine Bellefleur|Bellefleur]]
* [[Blackthorn family|Blackthorn]]
* [[Samuel Blackwell|Blackwell]]
* [[Branwell family|Branwell]]
* [[Clive Breakspear|Breakspear]]
* [[Bridgestock family|Bridgestock]]
* [[Carstairs family|Carstairs]]
* [[Cartwright family|Cartwright]]
* [[Luana Carvalho|Carvalho]]
* [[Manuel Casales|Casales]]
* [[Trini Castel|Castel]]
* [[Nasreen Chaudhury|Chaudhury]]
* [[Milo Coldridge|Coldridge]]
* [[:File:CJ Western Shadowhunter Crosskill 01.jpg|Crosskill]]<ref name="ChoG">''[[Chain of Gold]]''</ref><ref name="CoT">''[[Chain of Thorns]]''</ref><ref name="LoS" />
* [[Dearborn family|Dearborn]]
* [[Carmen Delgado Mendoza|Delgado]]
* [[Filomena di Angelo|di Angelo]]
* [[Malachi Dieudonné|Dieudonné]]
* [[Fairchild family|Fairchild]]
* Featherstone<ref>[http://cassandraclare.tumblr.com/post/174854108624/anna-and-ariadne-in-the-future Anna and Ariadne in the future…] Cassandra Clare on Tumblr</ref>
* [[Charles Freeman|Freeman]]
* [[:Category:Gladstone family|Gladstone]]
* [[Matthias Gonzales|Gonzales]]
* [[Graymark family|Graymark]]
* [[Vespasia Greenmantle|Greenmantle]]
* [[Harold Grunwald|Grunwald]]
* [[Esme Hardcastle|Hardcastle]]
* [[Oliver Hayward|Hayward]]
* [[Herondale family|Herondale]]
{{Col-break}}
* [[:Category:Highsmith family|Highsmith]]
* Hightower<ref name="CoG" />
* [[Jahanshah family|Jahanshah]]
* [[Joshi family|Joshi]]
* [[Sora Kaidou|Kaidou]]
* [[Suleiman Kanuni|Kanuni]]
* [[Ke family|Ke]]
* Kelynack<ref name="CoT" />
* [[Keo family|Keo]]
* [[Lydia Kingsmill|Kingsmill]]
* [[Amalric Kriegsmesser|Kriegsmesser]]
* [[:Category:Larkspear family|Larkspear]]
* [[Lieu Julong|Lieu]]
* [[Lightwood family|Lightwood]]
* [[Lindquist family|Lindquist]]
* [[Edward Longford|Longford]]
* [[Lovelace family|Lovelace]]
* [[Rayan Maduabuchi|Maduabuchi]]
* [[Christopher Makepeace|Makepeace]]
* [[Chiara Malatesta|Malatesta]]
* [[Vijay Malhotra|Malhotra]]
* Mayburn<ref>''[[The Infernal Devices/Extras#Of Loss|Of Loss]]'', a ''Clockwork Angel'' extra</ref>
* [[:Category:Mayhew family|Mayhew]]
* [[:Category:Mendoza family|Mendoza]]
* Merryweather<ref name="CoG" />
* Midwinter<ref name="CoG" />
* [[Montclaire family|Montclaire]]
* [[:Category:Monteverde family|Monteverde]]
* [[Morgenstern family|Morgenstern]]
* [[Adele Nightshade|Nightshade]]
* Nightwine<ref name="CoA">''[[City of Ashes]]''</ref>
* [[Amelia Overbeck|Overbeck]]
* [[Pangborn family|Pangborn]]
* [[:Category:Pedroso family|Pedroso]]
* [[Penhallow family|Penhallow]]
{{col-break}}
* Polkinghorn<ref name="CoT" />
* [[:Category:Pontmercy family|Pontmercy]]
* [[:Category:Pounceby family|Pounceby]]
* [[Eloisa Ravenscar|Ravenscar]]
* Ravenscroft<ref name="CoT" />
* Redbridge<ref name="CoT" />
* [[Diego Rosales|Rocio]]
* [[Timothy Rockford|Rockford]]
* [[Joaquín Acosta Romero|Romero]]
* [[Rosales family|Rosales]]
* [[Rosewain family|Rosewain]]
* [[:Category:Safar family|Safar]]
* [[Kazuo Satō|Satõ]]
* [[Delaney Scarsbury|Scarsbury]]
* [[Mrs. Sedgewick|Sedgewick]]
* [[Shimizu-Tokugawa Katsugoro|Shimizu]]
* Silverhood<ref>''[[The Evil We Love]]''</ref>
* [[Marisol Garza|Solcedo]]
* [[Starkweather family|Starkweather]]
* [[Thomas Tefereel|Tefereel]]
* Thrushcross<ref name="CoA" />
* [[Shimizu-Tokugawa Katsugoro|Tokugawa]]
* [[:Category:Townsend family|Townsend]]
* [[Trueblood family|Trueblood]]
* [[Beatriz Mendoza|Velez]]
* [[Verlac family|Verlac]]
* [[Manuel Casales|Villalobos]]
* Vogelspritz<ref>''[[The Eldest Curses/Extras#Simon's graduation deleted scene|Simon's graduation]]'', a deleted scene from ''[[The Lost Book of the White]]''</ref>
* [[Johannes von Mainz|von Mainz]]
* [[Jia Penhallow|Wang]]
* [[Wayland family|Wayland]]
* [[:Category:Wentworth family|Wentworth]]
* [[Whitelaw family|Whitelaw]]
* [[Wrayburn family|Wrayburn]]
* Youngblood<ref name="CoA" />
{{col-end}}

==Trivia==
'''In-universe notes:'''
* Tattoos and beards are rare among Nephilim: due to the nature of runes for the former and viewing the latter as something an enemy could grab onto during battle.<ref name="CoI" />
* Shadowhunters were not excited when automobiles were invented as they could not be [[glamour]]ed like carriages—[[runes]] are not compatible with internal combustion engines. After many attempts resulted in blown up cars, the Nephilim gave up and decided to stick with carriages.<ref>[https://shadowhunters.com/newsletter/march-2020/ Shadowhunter Army March 2020 newsletter]</ref>
* The Shadowhunters of China are famous for having oxblood lacquered—dark, shiny burgundy colored—gear, rather than the standard black. However, this goes in and out of use every few generations.<ref>''[[The Lost Book of the White]]''</ref>

'''Real-world notes:'''
* The term "Shadowhunter" was actually chosen by [[Cassandra Clare|Cassandra Clare's]] editor.<ref>[https://twitter.com/cassieclare/status/603322176943566848 "My editor chose it,"] Cassandra Clare on Twitter</ref>
* Early copies of ''[[City of Bones]]'' state that it had been a [[warlocks|warlock]] who summoned Raziel instead of Jonathan Shadowhunter. This was corrected in later editions.

==References==
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