What If We Had Dæmons...?

[tessasglory]

Well, new sports would be invented, or at least new rules. Can you imagine if dæmons came into existance in the middle of a football game??? Chaos! I love rugby, but the sport would be too dangerous for dæmon participation.

[SuperTrainStationH]

The kids were playing ball games in Bolvangar and the dæmons were very involved and enjoying themselves.

[Dæmon~Temazin]

But this is FootBall we're talking about!!! I bet their Dæmon would be cows! But a boy at my school is a football player and his Dæmon is a chihuahua.... creepy.

[tessasglory]

AWESOME lol people would step on that poor thing. But sports we know today would have to alter, but you know the kids would come up with the new sports involving dæmons.

[Foxtail57]

Maybe in kids' basketball, they could change the rules so that they all had to change into a different type of bird for each position?? That would make it fun and interesting! For instance, Wing Attack could be a kestrel, Goal Defense a starling? Imagine a group of kids running around, with a flock of birds above their heads. Nice.

And it would mean no-one's Dæmon would get trodden on or anything.

[Dæmon~Temazin]

Wing Attack could be a kestrel

Okay. Temazin, I choose YOU!!! XD Jk, had to make a pokemon refernce there. Wing attack LoL But what if your Dæmon is settled already, and is not a bird or other flying animal?

[Adamoun]

I think there would be sports for different sort of people. If you didn't have a bird Dæmon, you wouldn't play sports, which require bird Dæmon. It's like if you're not muscular, you don't do sports that require that. Because you have no chance.

Also, games we already know and that have a relatively small playing area could still be played, me thinks. The Dæmon could be outside the field. Games like, I dunno, street basketball?

[HDMforever]

Hmm...maybe. I don't know, though...non-bird dæmons could still fit into sports, though, I think. Like, for example, I used to think Nio was a tiger, and we still managed when I envisioned him. In things like basketball, even when tackles are going on, I usually picture people's dæmons staying out of the way of people who aren't looking, and maybe the tacklers' dæmons would be interacting... okay, I'm rambling now. My point is, yes, sports would be modified, but I don't think they'd necessarily have to dictate what your dæmon should be.

While talking about physical stuff, what about self-defense? (I'm learning that in gym right now--the exercises are a NIGHTMARE!) If someone's attacking you and you pull off one of those self-defense moves, well, what about their dæmon? Unless yours is free (unlikely) and still unsettled (depends) it'll be difficult to get free--imagine a pine marten against a tiger. And if someone is chasing you, how will you get away from a cheetah dæmon?

[Dæmon~Temazin]

THAT there is another great question! Sometimes when I think about it, people would have a better chance in self defense that what you may expect. Temazin can turn into a bear sometimes and also a wolverine, but if he setteld as just a luna moth, another of his forms, he can easily distract the other person's Dæmon and may get them stuck or hurt. And while the attacker(s) aren't paying attention, I could disarm or, since I took karate, knock them out with a kick.

That's just me though, I think kids with unsettled Dæmon have a far better chance at beating an attacker than someone who has already settled.

[tessasglory]

It's true that kids' dæmons could defend themselves better, but as for the cheetah, it's human wouldn't be able to run as fast as the dæmon, so it will only be abe to run the length of its bond with the human. Wait a sec, can humans ride on their dæmons? Or is that disrespectful or taboo???

In self defence, instead of just you, you have your dæmon to help, or at least squawk pretty loud to get attention. In that respect, I'm very lucky to have Agapius. Since he's a tiger, he can defeat nearly every dæmon, or if trapped, can roar pretty loud!

I imagine job interviews would be harder, since they can see what personality you have just by looking at your dæmon.

[Shana]

Sports and dæmons is kind of an interesting concept...I've thought about it quite a bit, actually. Whenever I play sports outside of school or in school, I have different places I project Kunelai depending on the game I'm playing. If I'm playing basketball, I usually project him on the sidelines, running alongside me as I move down the court. When I surf, I project him either on the board with me or in the water. When I longboard he either flies alongside or hitches a ride on the board with me. I've never projected him when I play baseball...that's an interesting one. Baseball fields are too big for people whose dæmons are settled to have them [the dæmons] sit in the dugout and watch without straining the bond. I'll have to think about that one more. :V
Tag would be an interesting game, though, wouldn't it?

As for self-defense, I imagine it would all depend on forms. For example, a moth dæmon would not only act as a distraction if attacked, but would be able to slip away quite easily. I doubt a tiger person would be someone who would point-blank stalk or attack someone, seeing as that isn't really something tigers do other than to find food. I'm not sure that makes sense written out. You would have to do case studies and research regarding 'stalking' animals or even scavengers, perhaps, as they seem like they would be more of the 'creepy alleyway attacker' type.

As for job interviews, it could make the interview easier or harder depending on the form. If you had a form that had a personality the interviewers were looking for, it would obviously be easier, but if you had the 'wrong' form and thus the 'wrong' personality, it would most likely be harder.

[Dæmon~Temazin]

I learned something really cool! Try to see your Dæmon in the dark! I'm not kidding, it works, they actually look more real that way.

[tessasglory]

I'll try that out dæmon-temazin.

Knowing my luck, Agapius would be too intimidating or something and I still wouldn't get the job lol.

[Dæmon~Temazin]

Maybe you could work for the mafia or the mob. 03o

[tessasglory]

Interesting thought lol. I could be a female bouncer! lol Or security... Who knows. The sky's the limit! As long as it's a violent bloody sky...

[Dæmon~Temazin]

YAY! Darkness! (Charlie the Unicorn 2) I guess I'd work somewhere that serves hotdogs... I LOVE hotdogs...

[tessasglory]

Blegh! Can't stand them. Much prefer burgers. However, I feel we have drifted off topic somewhat. Hmm... well, what about when people go to clubs and get drunk? Chaos in the dæmon domain dontcha think?

[HDMforever]

Probably! (Lol, I kind of stayed out of it while you were having your off-topic discussion, but I'm back now! ) They'd probably act the same as their humans...remember the scene in The Golden Compass where Lyra and Roger were drinking wine in the cellars? Their dæmons were--roughly quoted-- "Becoming gargoyles, each trying to be more ugly than the other and giggling." Or something like that. So, yeah, probably the same as humans but more amiable.

I'm going to throw in one of my own ideas--is there a size limit on dæmons? Because honestly, have you ever seen anything bigger than a snow leopard? I mean, can you have a horse or an elephant or something? I mean, you probably could, but what do you guys think?

[Dæmon~Temazin]

Thats what I was thinking too! Would be hard to get into a building with an elephant. lol imagine a Dinosaur Dæmon!!! That would be crazy! XD But I honastly don't think theres a size limit.

[tessasglory]

Yeah I guess so. Someone with an elephant dæmon would have to love the outdoors. However, the first person to get a dæmon bigger than a big cat would end up in the paper, like they do those 'I gave birth to fifty babies' stories. Not sure they'd have a dinosaur dæmon though...

It's strange how some people seem to have adopted an animal for a dæmon. I mean, when someone gets a pet that they're really close to, it seems like they have a connection. I know I do with my cat (sadly I had to move and he's too old for the move, so he stayed with my mum ) and my nan has a westie, and they even start to look similar. You know what I mean? Or do I have a major case of rambling?

[Dæmon~Temazin]

too much rambaling... sorry, I loves my cat too, but she doesn't really look like my inner self. UGH! I had a horrible migrane today! I was doing some strange pyhic power crap and it burned my head! Temazin didn't even talk to me after that.

[Adamoun]

There is a thread about the size here: http://www.hisdarkmaterials.org/cittagazze/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=8925

I vote for too big is not practical and you should be very in?practical to have a big Dæmon. Same goes with the very small Dæmon.

[tessasglory]

Yeah, but people do get very small dæmons, like beetles for example. Though I doubt that anyone would have an ant dæmon.

Ouch for the psychic burn-out! I feel your pain on that one. Tonight I'm hosting a ghost walk, so I'll be working overtime!

(my appologies for rambling lol) I've just realised I've been on here a year exactly! WOOT!

[Dæmon~Temazin]

I've been on here for almost two months!

[HDMforever]

I just thought of something else...it relates more to the books than the other thoughts.

Okay, so I'm sure everyone remembers the guillotine from TGC. I was just thinking, I mean, I know you'd be in a state of panic if you were in the intercision situation, but I think that a very simple way to escape would be to have your dæmon change into a gnat or something really, really small and have them fly through the mesh either to your side or out of the machine completely. That's what I thought...

Also: we know that dæmons can get pretty fantastical (aka unrealistic) with their forms, like when Pan became a dragon in the first book. But just how unrealistic can they get? I mean, can a child's dæmon change into a pokemon or something? And if it could, could it settle as one? (Unlikely in my opinion, but you know...)