"The Law Is Hard, But It Is The Law"
Being immersed quickly in a whole world that is still beyong our recking is a bit overwhelming. We've learned not just that there are intellignet magical creatures on Earth who are not purely human, but that there are many of them and many who wear a human face. These people wield powerful magic and engage in powerful somtimes violent feuds. We know of the Shadow World and what you will find here.
We Nephilim are, primarily in the Shadow World the keepers of peace. Thus the keepers of the Law. The Law- our Covenant with Raziel tells us what does and does not fall under our jurisdiction. How we may punish violations of the Law, and what rules we ourselves must obey in our interactions with Mundanes and with Downworlders and with one another.
The Law of the Nephilim in not a full code of conduct for Shadowunters in all realms of their lives. First and foremost comes the injustion attributed to Jonothan Shadowhunter himself: "You are Man; serve Man; live among man." Though Idris may come with its own body of general Laws, the Shadowhunters assigned all over the world are expected to live among the basic moral codes of their civilization. Our own Law is foremost in importance, but mundane Law muist be observed as well.
- You must investigate any known instances of Covenant Law being violated. In fact, you are required to consider even rumors, urban legends, & foldtales, to asses their credibility
- You cannot reveal the Shadow World to mundanes. In Fact, Raziel's guidance is that as we protect and save mundanes they must not know they are being saved
- Whenever possible, you must obey the mundane Laws in the place where you live
- You must never commit a crime aginst another Shadowhunter. These violations are punished much more harshley by the Clave than crimes against mundanes or Downworlders. This is not becase of moral superiority or because a Shadowhunter is a more valuable person than a non-Shadowhunter, but rather because we Nephilim are few and our lives short. To cause another Shadowhunter to come to harm is to benefit the demons who seek to destory us.
- Collaboration or collusion with the demon who seeks to destory us is considered treason and is usually a captial crime. Colluding with demons to bring direct harm to Shadowhunters would bring down the Clave's harshest possible punishment. The end of that Family's existence among the Nephilim. The preprtrator's Marks would be stripped and he or she would be made Forsaken. Left to go insane and die. The rest of the family would merely have their Marks removed and be made mundane, removed form our ranks entirely.