I was at a larp called Daemon recently – more here. These are just the “scientific” papers I variously plagiarised, invented, and gratefully received from others. There here so I can find them later, or if anyone who ends up playing the larp could find any use for them.
I guess this a Pullman fanfic. Niche, niche, niche fanfic. (Sorry.)
Memento mori: demon as auriga in development of the psyche.
McMillen et al
Proceeding of the London Society of Psychologists
The development of the psyche can be understood as a series of revelations in a human’s understanding of their world. This paper posits that the role of the Daemon in these revelations is to present an external viewpoint of the Self. In their absence, that model would merely be extrapolated from the human’s own sensory inputs unmoderated. The daemon thus becomes essential to mental health, as part of the construction and thereafter monitoring of a mental model of the world. Thus excision – removal of the daemon link – results in catastrophic effects on the psyche. The paper further notes that strongest wills can withstand separation, and by it gain a deeper understanding of the world by a wider perception. The authors mean, of course, the witches.
A study of daemonic emancipation
Bartlett and McMillen, in peer review
Proceedings of the Blackett Symposium
A recent attack by the forces of the Magisterium on the peaceful inhabitants of London has given us the opportunity to study an interesting set of experimental subjects. The three individuals had been, to various degrees, exposed to the “Magisterium powder”. The circumstances did not permit true experimental rigour – our degree of control was lamentable, as we had no opportunity to observe the subjects before exposure – but this short paper outlines the observations and theories formed at the Bartlett Symposium.
Method.
Four subjects were observed in unstructured interview, and through means of the recently invented “attachment meter”.
Results
Subject A – metered as asymmetrical – a strong connection *from* human, and a weak connection from Daemon. Daemon observed in conversation as showing a higher level of “loneliness”.
Subject B – metered as asymmetrical – as a strong connection *from* human, and a weak connection from Daemon. Daemon behaviour perhaps sleepier than usual?
Subject C – metered as strong symmetrical – equally strong connections from human and from daemon. In conversation, gave observations of choking and collapse in other humans in the area, as the Subject moved to a covered area. Did not observe the sparkling lights of classic “Daemon death”, did observe humans lying on the ground, presumed dead.
Subject D – metered as strongly asymmetrical – a strong connection from daemon, and a weak connection from human. Human impacted by strong sexual feelings. Daemon had found other deaemons interesting in a different way.
Subject E – unaffected by Powder. Metered as strongly asymmetrical – a strong connection from daemon, and a weak connection from human. Great discomfort observed in the Daemon.
Conclusions
Observations of asymmetrical connections and changed daemon behaviour seem to indicate trauma to the duple bond. Initial conclusions lead tentatively to the theory that duples exposed to larger concentrations of the powder may result in daemons somehow being released, still living, from their humans. Naturally, this is easily contradicted by additional evidence as it emerges, but this “Emancipation” as Bartlett names it is a major advance in bond studies. It links to previous work by McMillen et al in the role of daemons in the development of the psyche, and may lead to a process of “chemical intercision”, to what goals we are currently unsure. It should be clear that any further experimentation must be scoped with close attention to ethical standards.
On the nature of gender in the human/daemon duple.
Hornet and McMillen
Unpublished
Gender is a social construct; defined by an internal debate heavily influenced by external examples of gendered identities: binary, non-binary and/or fluid. McMillen (ibid) proposes the role of daemon in development of the psyche as “auriga”. That role: “Remember you are mortal” implies a questioning stance, a challenge to the human part of the duple to consider the developing nature of their Self. This is congruent with the internal debate on gender on the part of the human partner; it is an externalisation of gender-questioning. While there are no records of daemons transitioning between genders alongside their human partner’s transition: there are certainly cases of people whose daemons are the same gender as themselves, and some whose daemons are creatures that don’t themselves have binary genders. While no evidence exists, mythologies giving examples of this exist and could be based in reality or in meaning-making. The paper proposes there may be a parallel between emerging nature of the daemon during childhood, and of the gender of human partner and that the rarity of observed same-gender daemons is simply a matter of cultural pressure. Further research into the influence of gender identity on human/daemon duples is recommended. It is postulated that societal expectations of opposite gender pairings may adversely impact long-term psychological health.
Shiftings in the lone and level sands
Hornet et al
Proceeding of the London Society of Psychologists
There’s an observed link between intelligence and how frequently your deamon shifts while you are a child. Which leads to which – the child’s superior imagination causing the daemon to shift or the deamon’s greater flexibility of form informing the child’s flexibility of thought? This paper explores how developmental games that encourage daemons to shift more imaginatively and might influence the child’s intelligence and imagination.
Hoping it false I left Olympus’s heights
Hornet et al
Proceeding of the London Society of Psychologists
Does the form the daemon takes at the time influence any of the well known child development or morality studies such as the marshmallow test or the one where pre-verbal children prefer the puppet that behaves generously?
Give me the child
Hornet et al
Proceeding of the London Society of Psychologists
An investigation into the impact of ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) on how daemons settle. Is there a link between abuse/marginalisation/challenging upbringing and how “safe” a form the daemon settles on? Do you get fewer exotic animal Daemons in impoverished places?
This time, this place: Misused, mistakes. Too long, too late
Bel et al
Unpublished notes
Why are witches being able to be so far away from their demons?/ What is different about them – the demon, the witch or both. An examination of the research – is there a pattern of learning to do so and the feeling of safety, have they mastered this or is it some other ability?
Questioning the role of the daemon in a duple’s legal responsibility
Greenwood
Proceedings of the Inner Temple
This paper discusses questions of legal capacity in the human/daemon duple. Are deamons invested with their own personal morality and ethics? Is it a projection of the internalized code of the attached? Or is it innate in the primal type (Are some daemon forms more disposed to anger or violence or subrogation ( see in particular dogs and servant attachments). If so, which entity is responsible for any criminality caused by a daemon; on a scale of escalation from petty theft to assault. Does the form of the daemon affect the child’s growth and progress away from it’s natural pathways ? Can a daemon be held liable for its crimes, or can the crimes of it’s attached human be laid at the feet if the daemon. If there is concern over the unhealthy attachment of a troublesome daemon is removal appropriate? It is ethically kinder to detach ?
Who develops who? Nature vs nurture through the lens of the Däemon/human duple
Ershaw
Proceeding of the London Society of Psychologists
How much part does active or passive interpretation of the Daemon type result in a predermination of life and career path? How does that affect the social mobility of children from poorer/minority backgrounds? The work of Hornet et al on daemon identity in privileged backgrounds and their theory of social inequity is used to examine poor sampling and researcher bias in studies ‘proving’ that lower class people are more likely to have dog daemons and that upper class people ‘naturally’ have leader daemons, etc.
A fish out of water
Gradgeer, Ershaw and Farina
Annals of the Students of English Society
What are the implications of a human getting a daemon which is a fish or other animal which cannot exist in their environment? This paper presents a socio-archaeology study of historic marine-nomadic groups and evidence of aquatic daemons in adults and aquatic forms in children from those communities, and those who join them, with particular reference to the English water-dwellers. It examines the assertion that The Divine in its foresight accounted for such, hence the mutability of our Daemons during our youth.
LARP experience 