For those of you who know the series, you can skim over this chapter (please read it anyhow as it is not identical to the books/show)

Dæmons

Dæmons are the external physical manifestation of a person's "inner-self" that takes the form of an animal. Dæmons have human intelligence, are capable of human speech - regardless of the form they take - and usually behave as though they are independent of their humans. Pre-pubescent children's dæmons can change form voluntarily, almost instantaneously, to become any creature, real or imaginary. During their adolescence a person's dæmon undergoes "settling", an event in which that person's dæmon permanently and involuntarily assumes the form of the animal which the person most resembles in character. In this fic, most dæmons have settled by the ages between 14 and 20. Dæmons are usually of the opposite sex to their human, though same-sex dæmons do exist.

Although dæmons mimic the appearance and behaviour of the animals they resemble perfectly, dæmons are not true animals, and humans, other dæmons, and true animals are able to distinguish them on sight. For example, it is possible for humans to distinguish a bird-shaped dæmon within a flock of birds in flight.

Dæmons frequently interact with each other in ways that mirror the behaviour of their humans, such as fighting one another when their humans are fighting, or nuzzling one another when their humans embrace, and such contact between dæmons is unremarkable. However, a human never touches another's dæmon as it is considered the greatest taboo and an infringement of personal respect and dignity. Daemons cannot naturally separate from their humans, and must stay a few yards away at all times because it is extremely painful when they try and separate.

However, in very rare cases, humans and dæmons can separate. It is a very painful process and often results in death. When a human dies, the dæmon's body vanishes.

Form
Dæmons settle during puberty to a form that reflects their mature personality. Often, this happens to coincide with their profession - for example dog dæmons are the most common with security guards or soldiers, so there is an element of suitability to it. For example, one would probably never find someone who isn't a sailor or a fisherman with an aquatic dæmon.

The most common forms of dæmons are regular animals such as cats, birds or ermine. Although we might all want a tiger for our dæmon, it takes a very specific and unusual person. Imagine what walking around a city with a tiger might suggest about you.

Admin's note:
Please pay attention to the point above. If you want an unusual dæmon, say a leopard or a giraffe etc you need to have a very good
reason. So, feel free to be creative! Do your research, and come up with all kinds of interesting cats, dogs, snakes and so forth. However, you don't have to over think it. Your character will likely be better suited to a Jack Russel than a fire-breathing short snouted dragon-cow (ok, that's not a thing but you get the point).

Gyptians:

Gyptians are an ethnic group, roughly similar to modern day Romany Travellers. They are water-travellers, and live mainly on boats traversing the canals and rivers of Brytain. Their primary source of income is through trading and travel.

They are divided into large families, the heads of which make up the Gyptians' Council, which is ruled by the King or Queen of the Gyptians, Gyptians sometimes gather in a "byanroping, a summons or muster of families". Their society, while widely dispersed geographically, is tightly knit. Gyptian children are extravagantly loved and looked after by other members if they stray. Their ethnic group is small enough for all Gyptians to know each other by name, yet large enough to gather a significant force.

When a Gyptian child's dæmon settles, they hold a ceremony to commemorate the child becoming an adult. It is a moment of great pride amongst Gyptian communities.

They have a distinctive accent and vocabulary containing "Fens-Dutch" words. For example their names are frequently of Dutch origins and  they use Dutch terms such as "landloper" which the Gyptians use disparagingly to refer to someone who is not a Gyptian.

Despite their honourable nature, they are sometimes perceived negatively by mainstream society. Although they trade fairly, they are described as partaking in "incessant smuggling and occasional feuds" in which they may kill other Gyptians. They are generally considered 'lesser' by the rest of society, and have all sorts of rumours and folk tales surrounding them.

Gyptians have a deep connection to the environment around them, a bit like indigenous communities around the world, though these beliefs are more prevalent in older generations. Most notably, their idea of 'The Secret Commonwealth' a phenomenon and a world beyond rationality. Though considered nothing more than a bedtime story by many, it is a mysterious magical realm which co-exists within the world. Some Gyptians have claimed to have witnessed it try to help them when they are in trouble with authorities and so forth.

Magisterium:

In this universe, the Holy Church is run by a corrupt and largely malicious force names the Magisterium. They seem for total control and oppression, and are very powerful. Those who are caught going against the Holy Church are deemed heretical and subject to harsh punishments, including execution. It is important to mention that I do not believe Christianity or the church is in any way evil (although Pullman may disagree). To me it is more an example of what can happen when an institution has too much power.

The Consistorial Court of Discipline or the CCD is the most active branch of the Magisterium. They are effectively the police and military wing.

The League of St Alexander is a programme that enlists young people to spy for the magisterium. This starts from as young as five to early adulthood. For older students, it is considered training for a post within the Magisterium.

Oakley Street:

Oakley Street is the code name for the Intelligence Division of the Office of the Private Purse, a secret spy organisation that was set up to combat the Magisterium and the corrupt dealings of the Church. They are a small but incredibly devoted group. The secrecy of the Organisation is paramount as if discovered they have nothing to protect themselves against the Magisterium. The offices have been abandoned and the division silent for years.

Alethiometer:

An Alethiometer is a compass like device that is used to communicate with Dust to find truthful answers to one's questions. They are incredibly rare, with only six known to have been made.

However, reading an Alethiometer is very difficult and requires years of training and study. Most scholars use extensive reference books to decipher the many different meanings of the symbols.

To read the alethiometer, the user first directs three needles to lie over certain symbols on the face of device to create a question. Then, the user holds this question in their mind, without grasping at the answer, but being content not to know. At this point, the fourth needle swings into action, moving from one symbol to another to create the answer.

There is a new and more unorthodox way of reading it, created by Oliver Bonneville, who worked for the Magisterium. Rather than framing a question with a stable triangle, all three hands were pointed at a single symbol, the single anchor then providing a rapid, unpredictable way of reading when the user relaxed and 'floated away' with their viewpoint in constant flux. Many views this method as disrespectful and unstable. By abandoning the stability of the single-viewpoint classical method, the reader is able to arrive at meanings faster and with far less reliance on the books. However, this comes at the cost of depth of understanding and the unfixed perspective inevitably made the reader violently sick.

Bonneville discovered that the method only worked in the 'present tense'; it could show events but not their causes and consequences. There are also pills could somewhat mitigate against the sickness, but Bonneville did not make it clear what these were.

Dust:

Dust is perhaps the greatest mystery for this universe, and one that the Magisterium are most afraid of. Not many people know of its existence, and any talk of it would attract unwanted attention from the Magisterium. It is a powerful force which they believe to be the manifestation of Original Sin. If, perhaps, they could understand Dust, they could exterminate it and in doing so remove Original Sin.

The Northern Lights are also thought to have a connection with Dust.

Amongst other circles, it is believed to be a physical analogue of everything that is consciousness; human thought, imagination, love, kindness and curiosity. It is dependant on Dust just as we are on it. But no one knows for certain, and such claims could be labelled as heresy.

The Subtle Knife:

A knife with a blade so fine it can slice through the fabric between the worlds of the multiverse. A legendary object, the stuff told in story-tales and thought by most to be just a story. The knife was owned by Will Parry and has not been seen since his disappearance.

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OF DÆMONS AND DUST,
his dark materials applyfic