All the Legends

All the legends are true.

Well, they certainly are in the world of the Shadowhunters!

Imagine it for a second. You're walking down the streets of New York City. You get in line at a rather sketchy-looking nightclub because it happens to be your 18th birthday and you want to live a little! Your friend says it's a bad idea, and the bouncer doesn't let you in for some reason, but some equally sketchy-looking guy vouches for you and the two of you get in! All because you asked about the strange glowing symbol painted on the club's sign?

You go in and while you're having a good time, your attention is drawn, understandably so, to a beautiful lady in a white dress that certainty does not fit the surrounding vibe. You watch as she leads a guy off into a secluded section of the club. Next thing you know, two other guys appear and murder the dude. You scream just to realize...

...nobody else can see what you just saw.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "That sounds like one of those boring old ghost-flicks! Like 'omg, you can see me??'"

Well, not quite. Because you're name is Clary Fray, and you've just witnessed 3 Shadowhunters killing a demon.

Shadowhunters, or the Nephilim, are a hidden race of angel/human hybrids created by an Angel named Raziel to battle demons and protect humanity, or "Mundanes" from the Shadow World. They are more than just your occasional group of vigilante-esque warriors, however. There is an entire, extensive society that makes up the Shadowhunters. An oath they take, governing bodies, centuries of traditions. They even have a secret country! (Well, not secret anymore, but I'm not the first to spill the beans on that one.)

And if your typical Angel vs. Demon death-match story is a bit overtold, there's even more to the Shadow World! You didn't think those were the only hybrids, did you? Where's the fun in that?

What is not encompassed by Angel-Demon standard noted above is known as Downworld. Downworlders come in various different forms but for the most part fall into the following categories (Hint: You've probably heard of most of these, but guess what? We're going to talk about them anyway!).

Werewolves are a more recent development when it comes to the Shadow World, a result of previously unknown demonic diseases making their way through the human race. These are not just people who turn into wolves. Coupled with demonic strength and speed, they are quite a force to be reckoned with! In human form, werewolves are usually pretty friendly and you may greet them as you would any other person. In wolf form, however, you better escape if you can, and do not attack unless you are first. Werewolves more often than not attack out of fear. Be careful, their bite does have the ability to turn even Shadowhunters.

Vampires. Yes, yes, another familiar one. Also the second of those "recent developments" mentioned earlier. For the most part they're just like you've heard- fangs, blood, can turn you if bitten. Check, check, check. However, if faced with a vampire, there's a few more general rules-of-thumb to follow than Werewolves. Don't look them in the eye, don't expose your neck or insides of your wrists, don't go to a second location with a vamp you don't know. Never drink from a goblet given by a vampire even if they assure you it's safe. They do not take insults lightly, so it's best to be respectful.

Now we get into the actual other hybrids!

Warlocks have a bit of a complex relationship with Shadowhunters. The result of a demon/mundane pairing, warlocks possess magic that make them the most powerful of the Downworld, and they are often brought on by Shadowhunters to assist in work. Each individual warlock possesses a unique "mark" that identifies them as such, though some are more easily hidden then others. These identifiers can be anything from a small, unique birthmark, to cat eyes, to completely green skin or horns. The only thing to note when meeting a Warlock is that it's considered rude to stare at their mark. Otherwise, the temperament of the warlock you're faced with depends entirely on the warlock themself.

And finally, possibly the most elusive of the Downworld, the Faeries. They go by any number of names besides Faerie, including Fey, Fair Folk, Kind Ones, etc. Despite those names, they are not always fair or kind. Similar to the Vampires, there are more rules to stay safe when around the Fey. Do not sign any contracts or agree to any bargains, do not eat or drink anything a Faerie gives you, do not tease them about their height. The Fey love to play games and answer questions in riddles. Do not underestimate them, for they are not as naive and generous as they seem. This is because the Fey are the spawn of demons and angels-beautiful like angels, viscous as demons.

Only two Downworlders can bear children-Werewolves and Faeries. Vampires and Warlocks do not possess the ability. A Warlock cannot come from a pairing of Shadowhunter/Demon, despite Shadowhunters being half-mundane themselves. The Angelic and Demonic bloods both dominate in any situation, so essentially no child would survive this pairing. Werewolves can have children with Shadowhunters but since, as mentioned above, Angelic blood is dominant, the child would be a Shadowhunter. It has been proven that a Shadowhunter/Faerie child would be a Shadowhunter with certain Fey characteristics or appearances.

There is an entire universe out there in the Shadow World, and if you want to dive head-first into the magic that is Cassandra Clare's creation, I suggest reading The Shadowhunter's Codex. It has got everything you could possibly need to know for your Ascension into the world of the Nephilim.

Remember, all the legends are true, and sometimes, they're after you.

Happy Hunting, my dear Nephilim-to-Be!