How free willed are lesser demons?

[sneakyben]

A question on behalf of a friend of mine:

I’ve always assumed that daemons are pretty mindless, especially the lesser daemons... but what does the fluff have to say?

How ‘individual’ are they?
Are they like zombies in a typical zombie more, or like normal humans, or like brain-washed humans?
or something else?

[DrLove42]

I remember a fluff story from a battle rep in WD recently that had a deamon (a bloodletter) being incensed that it had been summoned for such a meaningless battle

I think they are independantly minded and capable of their own thoughts, but will always obey the powers that be. That isn't the case in some of the greater demons, but in the rank and file i'm sure they do what they're told

[Wildeybeast]

The HH novel Thosuand Sons describes pyskers 'spirit walking' in the warp where the creatures there attack them. They are likened to sharks, animal predators instinctively honing in souls to feed on. It doesn't make clear that these are daemons, they are referred to as creatures living in the warp but assuming these are daemons, they must be the lowest form and are pretty mindless. I think that what are referred to as 'lesser daemons' on the tabletop are quite advanced versions of warp creatures. I think it also depends on what type of daemon you are talking about - a disc of tzeentch is probably not as free willed as a daemonette.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

I thinnnk it's something along the lines that although they have the appearance of having individual minds and act as such, their minds are all nigh-identical and thus effectively bound to their god in that their desires match the god's desires in near all aspects. This is assuming they (or some other entity) doesn't somehow distinguish them, like Skulltake, for instance.

[Anggul]

They act as whatever emotion created them. Bloodletters are created by incessant rage, thus would act extremely angry. Daemonettes are formed by pleasure and excess, thus would act excessively etc.