An explanation of Dust

Lord Asriel starts his presentation by talking about humans and their Daemons. He observes that children’s Daemons can constantly shift species whilst an adult’s Daemon doesn’t change. He describes how humans will die a painful death if ever separated from their Daemon. He describes the particles that keep humans and their Daemons connected as ‘dust’.

The gathered scholars are shocked by Lord Asriel’s mention of ‘dust’ as the church has forbidden it being discussed in public. The church has long argued that ‘dust’ doesn’t exist. Lord Asriel explains that to the human eye ‘dust’ is invisible but that in his Arctic travels he has met a ‘spirit-diviner’ called Jopari who has invented a way of making ‘dust’ visible to the human eye.

Lord Asriel goes on to make a second, equally shocking revelation to the Scholars. He shows them a slide of the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. Using Jopari’s methods Lord Asriel has been able to capture an image of a distant world in the lights. Lord Asriel is convinced he can make contact with the world, thus challenging all preconceived beliefs, as promoted by the church, that there are no worlds beyond the material one we inhabit. Arguments break out as the scholars challenge the ‘multi-world’ theory Lord Asriel is suggesting.