I've had a lot of thoughts around what a daemon AU would look like in the Old Guard universe, so here we go :) @phthalomoon
First off, when thinking about how significant the bond they all share is, I feel like it only makes sense that it would be reflected in their daemons as well. Especially since every time they die, their daemon would turn to dust and then be reformed.
Headcanon #1: When they become immortal, and that bond they all share slips into place, it becomes ever apparent that suddenly their daemons can take other forms. It isn't until they all cross paths, at their own individual times, that the realization dawns upon them that this sudden ability to turn into other forms just so happens to match the other immortals.
The first time this happens to Andromache, there is confusion until she finally finds Quynh and Lykon, but she takes to this sudden change, after thousands of years alone, far better than the latter do.
Nicolo and Yusuf have the fortunate, or unfortunate, realization immediately once they stop killing each other and notice that their souls can suddenly reflect the other.
Sebastien doesn't realize it at first. He's far too disoriented from his repeated deaths and the visions of the woman and her daemon drowning that it isn't until Andromache is helping clean him that he sees that his daemon isn't the same anymore.
Nile takes it all in stride. She freaks out internally for a minute (okay, it was for much longer than a minute), but her daemon finds it amusing to shift from matching Andy to Booker as the four immortals try to ease her into this new existence.
Daemon Names & Forms: Apologies if it is not the form you expect.
First up, Andromache with her daemon Perseus (Greek, meaning "the destroyer"). Perseus was not his original name, in the same way that Andromache was not the first name she had taken, but much like Hector of Troy and his Andromeda, it just stuck.
A Golden Eagle, a celebrated and powerful form upon the Eurasian Steppes, Andromache remembers when he first settled and how proud she had been watching him take to the skies. In Scythian culture, the golden eagle was a profound symbol of divine power, solar energy, and immortality; often tied in with the Griffin, which we see on Andromache's Scythian armor.
Quynh was not surprised when Hung (Vietnamese, meaning "hero" or "heroic") settled into the form of a beautiful snake. He had always been drawn to forms that were as inquisitive as they were striking.
A Vietnamese Blue Beauty Snake, known for having defensive attitudes, is a highly inquisitive and intelligent snake, native to the caves and forested areas of Southeast Asia. In Vietnamese culture, the snake is often seen as a symbol of transformation and immortality. For ancient farmers, the snake was seen as an omen for rain, water, and an abundant harvest. Quynh would grow to wish that her soul didn't remind her of the ocean, even when all she had for centuries was his dust floating around her.
Yusuf had been proud when Tifawt (Amazigh, meaning "light" or "morning light") settled into an eagle with feathers of cream and an unyielding presence.
The Tawny Eagle spreads across North Africa and into West Asia. Renowned for its opportunistic nature and highly adaptable drive. In Amazign lore, the Tawny Eagle symbolizes unyielding independence and freedom, while in the Levant, it holds a history tying it to divine authority, fierce survival, and storms. Yusuf liked to think that it was destiny that gave him such a steadfast soul.
Nicolo had watched Dianora (Italian, deriving from Diana, meaning "brilliant like the moon" or "God is my light") settle early once he was passed from the orphanage into the hands of the church. They had been given their names together after all, yet this was the first time that anything of their own had come from them.
The Hooded Crow is a highly intelligent, two-toned scavenger, commonly found throughout Europe and West Africa, and one of the only types of crows that you will find in Genoa. In Genoa, the crow was occasionally likened to a person who was seen as indiscreet or a clever chatterbox, while in Genoese, to call someone "o croevo" (the crow) was often a nickname given to individuals with dark, unkempt hair (as quiet and kept as Nicky is, his daemon likes to reflect the opposite).
Sebastien had the fortunate, or unfortunate, fate of having his soul named for St. Joan of Arc. As a Roman Catholic, he should have carried that with some pride, but it was hard when she had settled into a form that many viewed as untrustworthy and unsavoury.
The Italian Wolf is the only one to be found in the south of France. In French folklore, the wolf is often used to represent danger, the perils of the untamed wilderness, and fear. Despite many cultures associating wolves with fierce loyalty, deep family ties, independence, and power, it was hard for Sebastien to take any of that to heart with how often he found himself hating himself.
Nile had not given herself any expectations when it came to what form her daemon would settle as. Her mother had raised them to not try to force anything or to find any disappointment in themselves for something that they can't control. So when Marcus (Latin, meaning "dedicated to Mars") settled, Nile figured, 'Hey, at least he can now jump on a canvas as we battle through art history,' not that college ever came.
The Red Fox is often a symbol of intelligence, adaptability, and cunning across many cultures. A creature that relies on its own resourcefulness and trusting its instincts. Because they are highly active at dawn and dusk, they are frequently associated with crossing thresholds and bridging the gap between physical and spiritual realms. Nile was just grateful that they could still cuddle together.
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