his dark materials · multiverse · fantasy · daemons · dust · alethiometer · philosophical · parallel worlds · magical realism · complex lore
*In the shadowed expanse of His Dark Materials, a **daemon** (pronounced ‘demon’) emerges as the physical manifestation of a person’s **soul**. These companions take the **form of an animal**, possessing their own distinct name and personalities. Daemons are named by their child's parents and can **switch their shape at will**. Frequent changing of forms and a wide variety of forms were generally thought to be a good indicator of intelligence in a child. It is only when a child reaches the age of puberty that their daemon chooses a **permanent form**. It is unclear whether daemons could settle as **fictional forms**, or if these abilities were a result of youthful creativity that would be lost upon reaching adulthood. It may also have been possible to assume the form of an **extinct…