#hentzau

Nerron: Do you take constructive criticism?

Hentzau: I only take cash or credit card.

Hentzau: I value all Goyl under my command equally.

Earlier that day…

Hentzau: I don’t care for Nerron.

“His Dark Materials” au where a person’s soul manifests as an animal accompanying them

(Part 1)

In the Dark Materials series, a person can’t move far away from their daemon. However, it is possible to achieve the ability of separating from them using a painful process and it’s disturbing to see a person without a daemon. In this au, the Goyl are born being able to separate from their daemon, which is another reason for humans to be disgusted by them.

Most daemon’s are the opposite gender of their respective person’s, but there are exceptions (that don’t have anything to do with sexuality or gender identity).

Below, I have compiled a list of Reckless characters, their daemons’ names (I googled a list because I am very bad at coming up with names), species and character traits. The comments and my inbox are very open for your thoughts on this and if you are missing a mirrorworlder on these lists, do feel free to tell me and I can do more parts! (Also, I might rewrite some book scenes to fit this au, so let me know if there are scenes you would like to see! Or also if they are completely new scenes hehe)

Have fun browsing the list!

Jacob: Vesiora/“Ves”: marten

(Because I appreciate the Gwin from Inkheart parallel with this. Also, both Ves and her human are ready to put on a dirty fight whenever flight is not an option. Since Fox is the Voice Of Reason, Ves is content to merely make Jacob’s plans slightly less fatal.)

Fox: Vixen. Duh.

(Daemon name might just be “the vixen”. Fox has a unique connection with her daemon; in her childhood she would dream that she roamed the forest as a vixen. She discovered that her daemon started being able to leave the house at night and move around while Celeste saw through her eyes. When Celeste started being able to transfer her consciousness into her daemon’s body at will, she was driven away when her stepfather became aware of this.)

Will: Estoria/“Tori”: Lioness

(Will’s daemon first manifested as a golden retriever upon his entry to the Mirrorworld. But as the Jade grew and Will started confronting his buried feelings of righteous anger about his past, his daemon changed to symbolise the way he embraced the strength and bravery within himself. He missed Tori painfully during the time he was back in his home world after book 1. Tori is a very independent character and determined to never show the weakness she associates with the “gentle little brother” persona she and Will had been forced into. It’s quite a contrast to see Will’s bright smile and then the grim lioness next to him. But once she feels respected by someone, she is very willing to offer her friendship and loyalty. She will lie down next to them and offer remarks in a dry humour you wouldn’t expect from Will.)

Clara: Adean: White corn snake

(The symbol of the medical profession is a snake wound around a staff and white corn snakes are very lithe and pretty; Clara would probably not have a big daemon because she is wary of the Mirrorworld when she firsts visits and does not miss her daemon mich upon her return home. Also, the symbolism of a snake leading to exploring a forbidden thing… might be relevant here as well later on. Adean preferred to stay hidden beneath Clara’s clothes during her first visit to the Mirrorworld, only coming out from time to time for some tentative exploring. However, he has gotten braver over time.)

Nerron: Rirja: Kea parrot

(I did consider a snake or wolf here, because Nerron explicitly identifies with some qualities of these animals. But he also is not at peace with himself and therefore I assigned him an animal he *dis*likes to symbolise that. To emphasise how he doesn’t fit in with the Goyl on either side of the civil war, the bird is exotic, therefore a parrot. Kea are very intelligent, make problems for humans and their kind used to get slaughtered for things -very few of them allegedly attacked sheep- they weren’t all responsible for. Sounds very much like Nerron. Nerron’s inner monologues and his self insults manifest in Rirja speaking these things to him, as well as him taking out his frustrationand anxiety on her. At the same time, they work as an excellent team and the other is the only person either of them trusted completely for most of their lives. When they meet Will and Tori, their relationship improves as Nerron starts being kinder to himself. Rirja is an excellent observer and lockpicker.)

Kami'en: Jurriaan: Giant cave lizard from book 4

(The most fearsome and impressive predator of the Goyl world. He is very cocky about the way his daemon is proof of his strength. Jurriaan is just as headstrong and determined as his Goyl, so it’s good that they rarely have disagreements. While Jurriaan is all in favour of proving their strength by defeating the humans, he is against Kami'en marrying one. Jurriaan is blind like the animal he resembles, but he never stopped being wary of Nenad’s smell. Though the fact that the Fairy has no daemon is equally unnerving to him.)

Amalie: Nenad: Slow Loris

(Slow Loris elbows can release a type of venom from glands. The secreted venom, when mixed with their saliva becomes a highly toxic material. Whenever the animal feels like threatened, it will lick the venom. Later a bite from the animal will cause death. Like the animal her daemon resembles, Amalie may seem harmless, but if she is set on delivering a bite, it’s a fatal one. The fact that Kami'en isn’t truly in love with Amalie is shown in Jurriaan refusing to let Nenad touch him.)

Hentzau: Strerja: German shepherd

(The Jesper hound gets to have a dog daemon. And she is far more comfortable being on the surface than her Goyl. But she is equally done with Kami'en’s antics. Nevertheless, she is absolutely loyal to Kami'en and Jurriaan. Strerja’s excellent instincts as a guard and warrior have never let her down. She knows that she and Hentzau will be facing many more battles and she is ready for all of them. The battle of making it through babysittingKochany was an unexpected one, but she is determined to master it with professionalism.)

Sylvain: Yrna: Beaver/Grizzly

(Of course Sylvain is delighted to meet his daemon and takes to her right away. I considered a moose, but they are impractically large. The beaver is a national animal of Canada and I love the idea of her following Sylvain with her beaver legs. But him having a younger bear as a daemon would give him a great connection to Chanute. I am more in favour of a bear who underestimates her own strength and size from time to time, but has the most gentle soul.)

Hideo: Mayumi: Grey pansy butterfly

(Hideo was cast out from the ranks of his fellow fighters when Mayumi settled in the form of the Nihon symbol of homosexual love. At first, Hideo was angry at her for exposing him like this, but she insisted that her form was set as this and wouldn’t ever be changed. She settled like this because she didn’t want her human to spent his life amongst people would hate him for who he loves and to prove a point: while her form may be fragile, its meaning is not. There is nothing wrong with them or the way Hideo falls in love. Mayumi makes him wear his heart on his sleeve so that one day, who he is will be seen and loved by the good people he deserves. These days come when a woman with a fox soul arrives at their island and when a goose recognises Mayumi and understands her message. As their shadow falls on foreign ground, they are ready for their new freedom.)

Hentzau: Are you ready to commit?

Nerron: Like, a crime or to a relationship?