Mortal Instruments - Shadowhunter Race and Martial Archetype

## Shadowhunter

*“We are sometimes called the Nephilim. In the Bible they were the offspring of humans and angels.”*

–Hodge Starkweather, City of Bones

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Shadowhunters, also known as Nephilim, are a secretive race of beings who are humans born with angel blood. 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.

### Creation

*“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 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

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A thousand years ago, shortly after 1000 AD, the Earth was invaded by hordes of demons. During the times when the Crusades first began, particularly believed to be some time in the winter months, a crusader named 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.

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.

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### 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

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.

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<div class='footnote'>Shadowhunter Race</div>

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### Shadowhunter Names
Shadowhunters commonly follow standard human first names that you can find around the world. However their unique family names is where they stand out. 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.
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* **Family Names:** Acosta, Aldertree, Ashdown, Balogh, Baybrook, Beausejours, Beauvale, Bellefleur, Blackthorn, Blackwell, Branwell, Breakspear, Bridgestock, Carstairs, Cartwright, Carvalho, Casales, Castel, Chaudhury, Coldridge, Crosskill, Dearborn, Delgado, Dieudonné, Fairchild, Featherstone, Freeman, Gladstone, Gonzales, Graymark, Grunwald, Hayward, Herondale, Highsmith, Hightower, Joshi, Kaidou, Kanuni, Ke, Keo, Kingsmill, Kriegsmesser, Larkspear, Lightwood, Lindquist, Longford, Lovelace, Maduabuchi, von Mainzv, Makepeace, Malatesta, Malhotra, Mayhew, Mendoza, Merryweather, Midwinter, Montclaire, Monteverde, Morgenstern, Nightshade, Nightwine, Overbeck, Pangborn, Pedroso, Penhallow, Pontmercy, Pounceby, Ravenscar, Rocio, Rockford, Romero, Rosales, Rosewain, Safar, Scarsbury, Sedgewick, Shimizu, Silverhood, Solcedo, Starkweather, Tefereel, Thrushcross, Tokugawa, Townsend, Trueblood, Turan, Velez, Verlac, Villalobos, Wang, Wayland, Wentworth, Whitelaw, Wrayburn, Youngblood
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### Shadowhunter Traits
As a Shadowhunter you have certain traits you share with other Shadowhunters.

***Ability Score Increase.***
Your Intelligence score is increase by 2, and your Strength or Dexterity score is increased by 1.

***Age.***
Shadowhunters age at the same rate as humans, and are considered adults at the age of 15.

***Alignment.***
Shadowhunters tend toward no particular alignment. The best and the worst are found among them.

***Size.***
Shadowhunters are about the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

***Speed.***
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

***Angelic Lineage.***
Your angelic blood protects you. You have resistance to Radiant Damage.

***Combat Training.***
All Nephilim are trained from a young age. You gain proficiency with Light Armor and two Martial Weapons of your choice.

***Glamour.***
Shadowhunters are trained to move while being unseen. You gain advantage on Stealth checks. Additionally, when you reach 3rd level, you can cast the spell *Invisibility* at 2nd-level spell level once with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest. Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for this spell.

***Languages.***
You can speak, read, and write Common, Celestial and one extra language of your choice.

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<div class='footnote'>Shadowhunter Race</div>

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## Martial Archetype
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### Shadowhunter
Your blood has been found to have been mixed with that of angels. Knowing this you are now able to travel the path of the Shadowhunter. The warrior class of the Shadowhunter race. You are able to the power of runes to tap into the magics contained angelic blood you carry.

#### Angelic Runes
Starting at 3rd level, you learn there are many runes that are useful and important to working as a Shadowhunter. They allow for the Shadowhunter to adapt to his situations readily. You can use these a number of times equal to your Intelligence Modifier per short or long rest.
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* **Stele:** In order to draw these runes on your skin you need to have a special arcane focus. This focus allows you gain the effects of the runes you draw. In order to draw a rune during combat you must have a free hand, using the Stele does not count as your object interaction for the turn. If your Stele is lost or stolen it will return to you magically once you finish a long rest.
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* **Spellcasting Ability** Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for the spell effects of your Runes. You use your Intelligence whenever the spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a spell effect.
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* **Spell save DC** = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
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#### Voyance Rune
Also at 3rd level, you receive your first permanent rune. The Voyance Rune unlocks the potential hidden away in your angelic blood. You gain advantage on Perception, Athletics, and Acrobatics checks.

#### Nyx Rune
At 7th level, you receive another permanent rune. Shadowhunters often operate in the dark of night to avoid detection. The Nyx rune allows them to see clearly in darkened spaces. You have darkvision. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it w ere dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. If you already have darkvision, the range is increased by 60 feet.

#### Angelic Power
At 10th level, you have become used to using runes on yourself. You gain the ability to add a rune to your weapon. A weapon inscribed with Angelic Power deals and additional 1d10 radiant damage on your first attack. If you are attacking a fiend, demon or undead you gain additional damage equal to your Intelligence modifier. When you finish a long rest you may choose one weapon to inscribe with this rune.

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#### Elemental Shielding
At 15th level, you learn the runes needed to shield yourself from the elements. When you take damage from an elemental effect you can use your reaction to gain resistance to they type of damage until the end of your next turn. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1) until you take a long rest.

#### Runic Mastery
At 18th level, you have mastered the use of runes. When you use Action Surge you can apply a rune of your choosing for free. Using this ability does not consume a use the Angelic Runes feature.

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<div class='footnote'>Shadowhunter Features</div>

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### Available Runes
These runes are the most commonly used by all Shadowhunters. These runes can be used through your Angelic Runes feature gained when you reach level 3.
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#### Accuracy Rune
*3rd Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Bonus Action
* **Duration:** 1 Round
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As a bonus action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the True Strike Cantrip. You gain a brief insight into the target's defenses. On your next turn, you gain advantage on your first attack roll against the target. The spell ends at the end of your next turn.
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#### Alliance Rune
*5th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 Minute
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As an action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you and two allies the effects of the Bless spell. Whenever a target makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll or saving throw. The spell lasts for 1 minute.

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#### Courage in Combat Rune
*13th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 Minute
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As an action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Crusader's Mantle spell. Holy power radiates from you in an aura with a 30-foot radius, awakening boldness in friendly creatures. Until the spell ends, the aura moves with you, centered on you. While in the aura, each nonhostile creature in the aura (including you) deals an extra 1d4 radiant damage when it hits with a weapon attack. This spell lasts for 1 minute.
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#### Deflect Rune
*3rd Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Bonus Action
* **Duration:** Instant
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As a bonus action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of taking the Dodge Action. Until the start of your next turn, any attack roll made against you has disadvantage if you can see the attacker, and you make Dexterity saving throws with advantage. You lose this benefit if you are incapacitated or if your speed drops to 0.
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#### Fearless Rune
*5th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 Minute
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As an action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Heroism spell. Until the spell ends, the creature is immune to being frightened and gains temporary hit points equal to your spellcasting ability modifier at the start of each of its turns. When the spell ends, the target loses any remaining temporary hit points from this spell. The Spell lasts for 1 minute.
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#### Guidance Rune
*3rd Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 Minute
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As an action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Guidance Cantrip. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends. This spell lasts for 1 minute.
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#### Iratze Rune
*3rd Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Bonus Action
* **Duration:** Instant
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As a bonus action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Healing Word spell. You regain hit points equal to 1d4 + your Intelligence modifier.

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<div class='footnote'>Shadowhunter Runes</div>

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#### Insight Rune
*7th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 Minute
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As an action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Detect Thoughts spell. For the duration, you can read the thoughts of certain creatures. When you cast the spell and as your action on each turn until the spell ends, you can focus your mind on any one creature that you can see within 30 feet of you. If the creature you choose has an Intelligence of 3 or lower or doesn't speak any language, the creature is unaffected. The spell lasts for 1 minute.

You initially learn the surface thoughts of the creature--what is most on its mind in that moment. As an action, you can either shift your attention to another creature's thoughts or attempt to probe deeper into the same creature's mind. If you probe deeper, the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. If it fails, you gain insight into its reasoning (if any), its emotional state, and something that looms large in its mind (such as something it worries over, loves, or hates). If it succeeds, the spell ends. Either way, the target knows that you are probing into its mind, and unless you shift your attention to another creature's thoughts, the creature can use its action on its turn to make an Intelligence check contested by your Intelligence check; if it succeeds, the spell ends.

Questions verbally directed at the target creature naturally shape the course of its thoughts, so this spell is particularly effective as part of an interrogation.
You can also use this spell to detect the presence of thinking creatures you can't see. When you cast the spell or as your action during the duration, you can search for thoughts within 30 feet of you. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 2 feet of rock, 2 inches of any metal other than lead, or a thin sheet of lead blocks you. You can't detect a creature with an Intelligence of 3 or lower or one that doesn't speak any language.

Once you detect the presence of a creature in this way, you can read its thoughts for the rest of the duration as described above, even if you can't see it, but it must still be within range.

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#### Ostium Rune
*5th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 hour
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As an action you inscribe rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Protection from Poison spell. If you are poisoned, you neutralize the poison. If more than one poison afflicts the target, you neutralize one poison that you know is present, or you neutralize one at random.

For the duration, the target has advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and it has resistance to poison damage. The spell lasts for one hour.
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#### Speak in Tongues Rune
*5th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Action
* **Duration:** 1 hour
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As an action you inscribe rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Comprehend Languages spell. For the duration, you understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that you hear. You also understand any written language that you see, but you must be touching the surface on which the words are written. It takes about 1 minute to read one page of text. The spell lasts for one hour.

This spell doesn't decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn't part of a written language.
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#### Swift Rune
*7th Level*
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* **Cast Time:** 1 Bonus Action
* **Duration:** Instant
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As a bonus action you inscribe this rune on yourself grants you the effects of the Misty Step spell. You teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.

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<div class='footnote'>Shadowhunter Runes</div>