Shadowhunter’s Codex

by Cassandra Clare

  The Shadowhunter interested in its history can find older models displayed in libraries and museum collections of older Institutes.

  * * *

  Did you Know? No!

  The Codex has a different definition of “interesting” than me

  Interestingly, the standard runic labels on the Sensor were originally intended as a temporary measure. In his classic memoir of 1910, A Whoops and a Bang: The Shadowhunter of the Modern Age, Henry Branwell hypothesizes a single Mark that could be used to cause the buttons of a Sensor (or anything else) to appear in the native language of the person holding it. Such a Mark is not known to exist, but Branwell was at that time enthusiastically arguing for the use of warlock magic in collaboration with Nephilim Marks to create new and more complex effects, an unpopular position both then and now (although see the Grimoire, Chapter 6, for a discussion of the history of the Portal). This course of Branwell’s experimentation, however, was disrupted when in 1914 he began a long collaboration with the Iron Sisters, the results of which remain secret to this day. The Mark of Translation remains uncreated, and the Sensor remains covered in runes whose meanings must be committed to memory.

  SENSOR TECHNICAL SUPPORT FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  The Sensor is a complex tool, and many Shadowhunters struggle with the nuances of its use. Here we attempt to answer those questions that arise most frequently.

  Yes, that is what “Frequently Asked Questions” means, thank you.

  Can the Sensor be modified to detect werewolves, vampires, and other Downworlders?

  It cannot. The Sensor is attuned to the presence of demon energy; while Downworlders all have some demonic magic in them, they are not demons and do have normal human souls. Therefore they will not register on a Sensor.

  Can the Sensor be modified to detect only certain kinds of demons?

  Yes! This is a lesser-known but useful function of the Sensor that requires no modification. The buttons can be manipulated, using the Marks, to isolate only demons who match a certain set of qualities.

  Can the Sensor be modified to detect a specific Greater Demon?

  No.

  Can the Sensor be modified to detect where I left some object?

  No.

  When will my Sensor support the Flash rune?

  The Flash rune referred to here causes a burst of bright holy light, and rumors have existed for years that the Sensor was going to be modified to be able to successfully hold the Flash rune. Unfortunately, the Flash rune currently causes the Sensor’s normal function to slow down and often stop working entirely. As yet, the only Sensors available do not support Flash, and only the Iron Sisters know whether they ever will.

  Help, my Sensor’s buttons are all labeled in runes.

  Those are Marks.

  I haven’t learned these runes yet!

  We might recommend a trick long known to Shadowhunters, involving drawing your own labels on the Sensor buttons with a felt-tip marker.

  My Sensor is vibrating!

  That is within the normal bounds of Sensor operation. When a Sensor is overloaded with the proximity of demon energies, it will begin to vibrate with intensity. This was long considered a deficit in the design of Sensors, but the advent of modern technology has caused many Shadowhunters, especially those more familiar with the mundane world, to regard the vibration as a useful feature.

  Unlike the mundane tools that vibrate, the Sensor can become so overloaded with demon energies that it can ignite and explode. Therefore, caution is advised.

  My Sensor has vibrated so much that it has ignited and exploded.

  You will, unfortunately, need to requisition a new Sensor from your Institute. Also, there is a tremendous quantity of demonic energy in your immediate vicinity. You must make sure to evaluate your immediate circumstances before trying to examine your Sensor; it is possible that you are about to be devoured by either a Greater Demon or a Portal to Hell.

  So if you had a human who’d drunk a lot of Greater Demon blood when he was a baby, would he set off a Sensor?

  Who would do such a terrible thing.

  Just hypothetically.

  If you already know this guy, track him down! Sensors are for demons you don’t already know personally!

  God, get a room, you two.

  Good point.

  THE STELE

  The stele (pronounced in English 'steh•lay) is listed here among the tools of the Shadowhunter but could just as easily be mentioned among weaponry; it is the fundamental tool of the Nephilim, the device by which Marks, our only magic, may be inscribed. An elaborate decorated stele is often the first tool given to a young Shadowhunter at the beginning of her studies.

  The stele is a wandlike instrument, made of pure adamas. It is inert when not in use but when taken up glows and warms with the magic of the Marks. It is longer than modern writing instruments, usually a foot long or more, and as a result contemporary Shadowhunters will require practice to be able to draw runes with facility when using one.

  All steles are functionally identical, but of course there is wide variation in their design. Many have handles inscribed with family crests and the like, some are studded with gems—the only requirement for a working stele is that it include an unbroken rod of adamas of at least a certain length. On the other end of the spectrum are the narrow practice steles given to child Nephilim to learn runic manuscription on sheets of parchment.

  The first stele is believed to have been a rough oblong of adamas used by Jonathan Shadowhunter to inscribe the first Marks on his own skin. The stele designs have become refined over the years. Some scholars see a link between the stele and the Jewish yad, the ritual pointer used to avoid physically handling the parchment of the Torah when reading from it, but no direct connection can be made, although it is probable that the earliest Iron Sisters were inspired by such designs. Represent!

  Demons are not harmed by exposure to a stele, but they will typically recoil from one, as they will recoil from all adamas.

  WITCHLIGHT STONES

  One of the great secrets kept by the Iron Sisters is the precise manner by which adamas is extracted and purified from its ore. What we do know, however, is that the presence of adamas affects the rock from which it is extracted, and though it is simple rock, it gives off a pure white glow, as though reflecting the light inherent in the adamas. These “sister stones” of adamas are broken up and polished by Iron Sisters, and Marked to make their glow a property that can be turned on and off at the will of the Shadowhunter holding them. Most rune-stones are basic and interchangeable, and rarely do Shadowhunters get attached to a particular stone over any other. All Shadowhunters carry a witchlight stone, to remind them that light can be found even among the darkest shadows, and also to supply them with actual light when they are themselves literally among dark shadows.

  The great advantage of witchlight stones is that their glow never fades or dissipates, for no fuel is being consumed in creating their light. Such a stone can, however, be destroyed by pulverizing it into dust, whereupon the angelic light absorbed into it will dissipate; thus one never finds “witchlight sand” or the like.

  The largest single witchlight crystal in the world can be found in the Silent City in the form of the Angelic Colossus, a representation of the Triptych, the familiar motif of Raziel ascending from the water wielding the Mortal Instruments. The crystal stands roughly thirty feet tall, and it guards (and lights) the entrance to the Silent Brothers’ living quarters. The Colossus is rarely seen by anyone other than the Silent Brothers, however, and those interested in large installations of witchlight are encouraged to visit the Institute of Cluj, where the renowned Vampire Arch forms the threshold to the Institute. For many years it was thought that humans infected with vampirism were sensitive to natural and holy light and would recoil from it; the Arch was built under the belief that it would protect the Institute from infected humans. We now know this not to be true, but the Arch remains as a symbol of the Cluj Institute’
s dedication to the Angel.

  Or maybe they just like hurting vampires a lot.

  Definitely that. Those Cluj guys are crazy.

  See this is why you are a useful teacher. I get the inside scoop.

  I believe I mentioned something about you two and a room a few pages ago?

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND THINGS TO TRY

  1. What’s your everyday carry? What might you add to it to cover your new Shadowhunter responsibilities?

  Wallet, watch, phone, stele, pencils, sketchbook, waterproof fine-tip pen for inking, pencil sharpener, witchlight, mint lip balm.

  I hear chapped lips are a leading cause of death in Shadowhunters. My turn! Wallet, watch, phone, bass picks, pens, notebook, dice of various kinds, little cloth thingie to clean glasses with—except I don’t wear my glasses anymore, huh, I guess I don’t need to carry the cloth around anymore—super-nerdy pocketknife. Aaaand lip balm. Don’t even lie. You reek of strawberry right now.

  2. What weapon might you like to specialize in? What about it draws your attention? Alas! My secret shame revealed!

  Go ahead, say “rapier wit.” I know you want to.

  RAPIER WIT FINE YES that is what I was going to say because I am so funny. Poor Simon.

  Anyway, I have no idea of an answer to this question, and frankly, Codex, this kind of question is the least of my problems right now. I would like to specialize in not being nearly killed yet again.

  I would like to specialize in being an immortal invulnerable killing machine who craves the blood of the living.

  COMBAT TRAINING

  Once you have familiarized yourself with the tools of the Shadowhunter, you must begin to learn the Shadowhunter’s arts: combat, stealth, agility, endurance.

  It surprises most new Shadowhunters to learn that there is no single set of skills that define us as warriors. We are found all over the globe, just as demons are found all over the globe. As such, there are as many varieties of Shadowhunter combat style as there are varieties in the mundane world. Typically you will undergo training in several different fighting styles, often selected from across human culture, and you will naturally find the styles that most appeal to you and with which you are most effective. You will be likely to study Western combat style, Eastern martial arts, and often stylized combat sports such as fencing or judo. There is a vast common ground of physical ability and prowess underlying almost all of these styles, and so as a new Shadowhunter you should expect to spend plenty of time on basic training to enhance your strength, speed, flexibility, and so on, before you have so much as picked up a weapon.

  Marks may be used to enhance physical traits, but this is not typically done during training, and Marks cannot substitute for the muscle memory that the body learns through repetition and practice.

  Our emphasis on learning from a wide range of sources is supported by a tradition whereby when Shadowhunters advance to majority at eighteen years old, they often travel and spend time in residence at an Institute well away from their home. There is great variation in local Shadowhunter cultures, both in philosophy and in specific techniques. Shadowhunters who have grown up in Idris are especially encouraged to travel, since the protected environment of Alicante may not prepare them for the harsh realities of the mundane world.

  The newly made Shadowhunter, too, should seek to travel during her training, if at all possible. There is no obvious occasion to mark as there is with born Shadowhunters becoming adults, so talk with your Institute head or local Enclave about scheduling.

  * * *

  A PHILOSOPHY OF WAR

  The first Shadowhunters, including Jonathan himself, dreamed of a world where someday their people would not need to be warriors. David the Silent, especially, loathed fighting and violence, and he wrote eloquently of the Nephilim’s main mission to “discover Peace upon all the World.” It’s believed that the Silent Brothers were, in fact, founded with the primary mission of reversing the great evil acts of Sammael and Lilith, and closing our dimension again to demons. This philosophy continued to guide the Silent Brothers for hundreds of years. Brother Christopher de Sevilla could still write, in 1504, that the Nephilim’s job was to “obsolete ourselves” by “driving the horde back and sealing the doors behind them.”

  The fact, however, is that a thousand years of work and research has brought us no closer to understanding how Sammael and Lilith accomplished their great Incursion, much less to discovering how it can be reversed. The thread of hope that the endless demonic horde could be turned back has frayed and is now so thin in Shadowhunter culture as to have nearly disappeared. Most believe today that if the demonic tide is to be turned, it will be Heaven’s doing, not ours. Our role is to stand behind the open gates and turn them back one by one. And so we fight.

  RECOMMENDED WEEKEND TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR: CLARY FAIRCHILD

  Just a proposed regimen for your weekend to keep you in good shape for next week. (Get ready for stick fighting!!!)

  8–9 a.m.: Wake up. Eat breakfast (lean protein, light carb, NO CAFFEINE).

  9–9:30 a.m.: Calisthenics @ home

  9:30–10 a.m.: Yoga @ home

  10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Language study (Greek, Latin)

  12 p.m.–1 p.m.: Lunch

  1 p.m.–3 p.m.: Intense cardio (running, probably)

  3 p.m.–4 p.m.: Study demon weaknesses and appearances in textbook Demons, Demons, Demons.

  4 p.m.–6 p.m.: Practice kata (your choice of martial arts school)

  6 p.m.–7 p.m.: Dinner

  7 p.m.–11 p.m.: Study (suggestions: history of faerie abductions, poisons and their antidotes, werewolf clan markings)

  11 p.m.–12 a.m.: Free time!

  12 a.m.: Sleep

  WEEKEND TRAINING SCHEDULE FOR: ME

  8 a.m.: Woke up.

  9 a.m.: Woke up again; got up this time. Breakfast (bagel, scallion cream cheese, tomato, coffee w/milk). Calisthenics (walked briskly to deli and back).

  10 a.m.–10:15 a.m.: Yoga. Very centering.

  10:15 a.m.–11 a.m.: Language study (Looked through Latin textbook, watched last forty-five minutes of Gladiator. Fight scenes very inspiring. Took some notes.)

  11 a.m.–12 p.m.: Took sketchbook to Prospect Park lawn. Simon brought lunch (noodles I like from place right by his house). Drew kids playing cricket on lawn. Studied cricket technique for potential application in combat. Drew gladiators playing cricket. Synthesis.

  12 p.m.–1 p.m.: Lab: Interviewed vampire re: vampire history and culture, vampire combat techniques, etc. Very edifying.

  1 p.m.–2 p.m.: Urban exploration (Took subway into Manhattan.)

  2 p.m.–4 p.m.: Literary research (Visited comic book store, bought several volumes of long illustrated study of medieval combat in Japan.)

  4 p.m.: Healthy midafternoon snack (smoothie)

  4 p.m.–7 p.m.: Watched research film in multiplex.

  7 p.m.–9 p.m.: Dinner, tiny Korean place on Thirteenth, soup. (Soup is healthy!) Critiqued fight techniques seen in movie—very unrealistic.

  9 p.m.–10 p.m.: Orienteering (subway home)

  10 p.m.–12 a.m.: Talked on phone with primary Shadowhunter trainer, updated him on status. Planned training regimen for following day. Exchanged positive affirmations.

  12 a.m.–2 a.m.: Read illustrated study of medieval Japanese combat. Cultural exchange with vampire re: illustrated study, vampire’s current boredom. Fell asleep, practiced difficult “balance phone on face” technique for indefinite period of time before it fell onto the floor and woke me up.

  2 a.m.: A refreshing, well-earned sleep.

  SUBJECTS OF NEPHILIM STUDY

  This Codex intends to provide you, the newly minted Shadowhunter, with the basic knowledge you will need to survive and understand your new world and your new people. We cannot possibly provide a full course of training in these pages, and mere written instruction, without the help of a skilled instructor who could not only demonstrate techniques but evaluate your abilities, would be a disservice
to the training you deserve.

  Instead we here provide the outlines of a general course of Shadowhunter training, along with touchstone goals for beginners, for more intermediate students, and for those seeking true expertise. It can be difficult for new Shadowhunters to understand their own training progress. We do not have ranks, promotions, “belts,” levels, merit badges, or anything of the kind. Most of your fellow Nephilim have lived in our warrior culture their whole lives, and the qualities of the well-tempered Shadowhunter have been part of their upbringing. These suggestions therefore should not be taken as rigid requirements but rather as guidelines that may help you understand your progress as you train.