[Shadowhunter] Encyclopedia

⌾ Circle

Full Name: The Circle of Raziel (commonly known as the Circle)

Leader: Valentine Morgenstern

Place of Birth: Idris

Species of members: Shadowhunters

Motto: In hoc signo vinces ("By this sign we will conquer")

Status: Disbanded

Key Known Members (past and present)

● Valentine Morgenstern

● Sebastian Morgenstern (Johnathan)

● Robert Lightwood

● Maryse Lightwood (then Trueblood)

● Amatis Herondale

● Stephen Herondale

● Michael Wayland

● Jocelyn Fairchild

● Lucian Graymark

● Hodge Starkweather

Enemies: The Clave and Downworlders

Goals: Exterminate Downworlders and revolutionize the Clave

Oath: "I hereby render unconditional obedience to the Circle and its principles... I will be ready to risk my life at any time for the Circle, in order to preserve the purity of the bloodlines of Idris, and for the mortal world with whose safety we are charged."

About The Circle:

The Circle was a group of Shadowhunters led by Valentine Morgenstern who opposed the Clave and attempted to "purify" the world for mundanes.

The Circle was formed by Valentine in his school years in Alicante. He recruited his members early on. Hodge Starkweather came up with the Circle's loyalty oath, and admired Valentine and his leadership. Starting off, the Circle was set up to reform the Clave and increase the number of Shadowhunters to protect mundanes. It also believed in shadowhunters living proudly amongst mundanes instead of hiding.

The group grew both in popularity and numbers of members in later years. However, after Valentine's father was killed by werewolves, the destruction of Downworlders was included in the group's list of goals. Most members still stayed not because they believed in his ideas, but because they worshipped Valentine and saw him as an amiable and strong leader. Eventually, however, many members of the Circle left, after realising how extreme and barbaric his plans were. Amongst these members were Maryse Trueblood, Robert Lightwood, Jocelyn Fairchild and Lucian Graymark.

The Uprising

The Uprising took place in the Great Hall during the signing of the Ninth Accords in 1992. The Circle made an alliance with demons, meaning they were able to smuggle weapons into the Hall to try and overthrow the Clave. Whilst they managed to kill several Downworlders and Shadowhunters at the time, their plan failed. The Downworlders were informed by Jocelyn Fairchild and Lucian Graymark of Valentine's plans.

The Circle was disbanded after the deaths and escapes of most of the members. Valentine himself was believed to have died in the Fairchild Manor. Whilst most of the members fled the scene, some testified for the Clave in return for clemency. They gave the names of those involved as well as actively participating in the search for the members. Whilst individuals such as the Lightwoods were let off relatively easy, Circle members like Hodge were more harshly punished.

Legacy

The Circle became a hidden part of Nephilim history. Most documents to do with the Circle were destroyed as they were an embarrassment to the legacy and reputation of the Clave. Younger generations were not taught about the Circle and they became less and less talked about until Valentine was one day revealed to be alive. Some of his most loyal members were revealed to have been helping him all this time, such as Emile Pangborn and Samuel Blackwell.

In 2007, Camille Belacourt killed several members of the circle on Lilith's orders.

A while after, Valentine's son, Sebastian, recruited the final remaining members of the Circle to summon Lilith at the Seventh Sacred Site. They became the first Dark Shadowhunters by drinking from a copy of the Mortal Cup. A large number of these were killed in a large battle later on.

Article by kait-astrophe