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A

(l)Abyss, The - large void opened by the bomb detonated by the Magisterium (which was meant to kill Lyra, but failed)... this is the largest of the holes through which Dust is vanishing, and it is from here that the specters come.

(l)Adamant Tower, The - Lord Asriel’s Fortress

Aërodock- docking place for the zeppelins

*Æsahættr- see Subtle Knife

(l)Alamo Gulch- where Lee Scoresby and John Parry flee to. The forest is burned by zepplins. Lee covers John Parry’s escape by sacrificing himself in a battle with the swiss guards sent after Lyra and Will

* Alethiometer, The A device driven by Dust that is able to answer questions formed in the mind of the user. It is a symbol reader, with each symbol having an infinite number of meanings. A skilled user forms their questions by imagining how far down the particular meaning they are searching for is on the ladder of meanings for that symbol, and must old the three levels in their mind while the alethiometer makes its response by stopping on a symbol for each number of times that the meaning is down on the ladder of meanings. There are massive books in the libraries of Lyra’s Oxford dedicated to the countless meanings of the symbols. In the ‘His Dark Materials’ books, this is the object used by Lyra to help her on her quest. She uses it to trick Iofur, to learn about Will, and countless other times.

Alexandrovna, Lydia

Borisovitch's wife? servant?

Ama

A girl from the Himalayan village. who brings food to Mrs. Coulter, helps Will revive Lyra.

Ama's Father Goes with Ama once to see who Mrs. Coulter is.

*(art spyglass.jpg)Amber Spyglass, The Probably the least important of the three objects mentioned in the books, the Amber Spyglass is built by Mary Malone from the sap of the wheel pod trees. Through the amber-like sap, Mary is able to see the movement of Dust. Other than that, the Amber Spyglass has no use.

*Anbaric Current- a form of electric current, used in Lyra’s world.

(sp)Angels- spiritual beings formed from pure Dust. Angels vary in power and wisdom, and also in their allegiances. Many join Lord Asriel (under the angel Xaphania) in the rebellion against the Authority.

Angelica- a red headed girl who lived in Cittagazze. Sister of Paolo and Tullio

Anges, Sister- Stenographer for the Consistorial Court of Discipline, sworn to silence

Annie-A girl at Bolvangar; friend of Lyra’s.

Archbishop- a guest at Mrs. Coulter's cocktail party

Arrow, Dr. Broken- A skraeling who mapped the currents in the Great Northern Ocean.

Asriel, Lord- Lord Asriel, who is really Lyra's father, is a rich and powerful man searching for a way to open a gateway into another world. When he finally achieves this, he begins his real work: to raise an army powerful enough to go against Heaven itself.

Atal-The mulefa zalif who befriends Mary Malone and helps her to learn the language and customs, as well as build the Amber Spyglass

Atomcraft- a form of atomic power used in Lyra's world.

Aurora Borealis, The- the effect caused by particles from solar wind entering the earth’s atmosphere at the magnetic poles.

Authority, The- The first angel to condense from Dust... portrayed as someone so old that they have lost all ability to think reasonably, responding only to simple kindness as a child would.

B

Balisides, Teukros- Lord Asriel's alethiometer reader

Balthamos- The other angel taking Will to Lord Asriel.

(l)Basalt Fortress- see Adamant Tower

Barnard-Stokes-Two renegade theologians who believed in the existence of parallel worlds.

Baruch-An angel who appears at the end of TSK to take Will to Lord Asriel.

(event)Battle on the Plains-the battle between Asriel’s forces from every world against the armies of the Authority. Asriel wins, the Authority is…killed… by Lyra, accidentally.

Belacqua, Lyra- Art: fanart by Jess, fanart 1 by Orson (The Daemon Cages), Fanart 2 by Orson(The Throwing Nets), and cover art coming soon) -Also known as Lyra Silvertongue, Lyra is one of the two main characters of His Dark Materials. She's lived at Oxford College for all her life surrounded by scholars and important authority figures. She's content on running wild around the streets and rooftops of her beloved home with her best friend, Roger Parslow. This all soon comes to an end when she is swept up into a fateful tide that will take her to the edges of reality.

Bella- A girl at Bolvangar; friend of Lyra’s.

(l)Belvedere, The - the children of Ci’gazze fight Will and Lyra here because they don’t want to lose the knife. Serafina Pekkala and her witches come to rescue the two children at the last minute.

Bernie the Pastry chef-A half-gyptian, reporting to Farder Coram on what Lyra was doing throughout her childhood.

Betty, Sister- A nurse at Bolvangar.

Black Shuck -A great ghost dog mentioned in Gyptian legends.

Bloodmoss- native plant growing in the north of Lyra’s world used for healing.

Bloodmoss Salve- an ointment made by John Parry for healing. Stopped the flow of blood from Wills cut fingers.

Boatsman of the Dead- (Art: Land of the Dead by Orson, Cover Art) -Old man who has, since the dawn of time, rowed the dead across the lake into the Land of the Dead itself. Very similar to the boatsman on the river Styx, from Greek and Roman mythology

(l)Bodley’s Library- Library in Oxford where the books about the alethiometer are kept.

(l)Bolvangar-the northern outpost where children are severed from their daemons in cruel experiments operated by the Church’s General Oblation Board. Lyra is captured by hunters and taken here, where she is almost severed from Pan. The Gyptians fight here to save the children still alive, while Lyra, Iorek, Roger, and Lee are taken to Svalbard by the witches.

Boreal, Lord-A man at the cocktail party; involved with the General Oblation Board.

Borisovitch, Father Semyon- Priest who gave Will the vodka

(l)(pic)(site)Botanic Garden (see Photograms)-the location of the bench where Will and Lyra vow to meet every Midsummer’s Day at noon for the rest of their lives, no matter what.

Brantwijn- A drink in Lyra's world.

Breathless Ones- Half-killed warriors who inhabit the North, in Lyra's world. Their daemons keep them alive by pumping their lungs.

Bridge to the stars- the opening through the aurora that Lord Asriel opens.

(l)Bristol- city in Lyra's (and our) world, but not visited in the books

Butler, The The butler of Jordan College, named Wren; seen in the Retiring Room.

Byanplats- An area of the Gyptian's Fens, in Lyra's world.

(art)Byrnison, Iorek (art: Iorek and Lyra by Max, Einarsson's Pub) Iorek Byrnison is one of the panserbjørne (don't ask me how to pronounce this), the armored bears of the North. When Lyra and the party of gyptians come across Iorek, he is living as an outcast in a sparsely populated northern town. The townspeople's fear for the bear caused them to get him drunk and steal his armor. When Lyra helps him get his armor back, Iorek joins their quest. At first Iorek looks after Lyra because it's his job, but he soon grows attached and protects her with his life.

C

Cabinet Coucil- The Prime Minister's special advisors which include both Lord Asriel and the Master of Jordan College.

Cahuchuc-A cable covering in Lyra's world.

Calvin, Pope John- The last pope in Lyra's world. He moved the Papacy from Rome to Geneva. After he died, the Papacy was abolished and was replaced with the Magisterium. Cansino, Sam

An old acquaintence of Lee Scoresby; gives Scoresby information about Grumman.

Carborn, Colonel- The man who made the first hot air balloon flight over the North Pole. (Lyra sees him at the Royal Arctic Institute).

Cassington Scholar- scholar at Jordan College

Cave, The- the name of the computer used by Mary Malone to communicate with Dust.

Cawson-the steward of Jordan College. His daemon is a red-setter.

Château-Vert -Green woods surrounding Lyra's Oxford

Chaplain, The The chaplain of Jordan College.

Chocolatl- a hot drink, similar to hot chocolate. Lyra attempts to order this on her trip to Will's Oxford.

Chthonic Railway- A kind of subway underneath Lyra's London

(org)Church, The - the ruling body in Lyra’s world, based in Geneva.

(l)Ci’gazze, the city- the city where Lyra and Will stay for awhile as they get to know each other. Location of the Torre Degli Angeli

(W)Cittagazze- a world where specters prey on the souls of adults, while children roam about, unharmed by and unable to see them.

Clara, Sister A nurse at Bolvangar who seemed bland to Lyra.

Clarice Walk- The street in London, in Lyra's world, where Tony Makarios lives.

Claybeds- An area in Lyra's Oxford where the brick-burners children live

(sp)Cliff-Ghast- a form of vulture that lives in a few of the worlds mentioned in the books. These creatures are able to communicate in a very primitive language.

(l)Clouded Mountain- the fortress of the Authority.

(org)College of Bishops- the former ruling part of the church, now weaker.

Coal-silk- A fabric, in Lyra's world.

Coal-spirit- A fuel, in Lyra's world.

Colby- A town on the German Ocean, in Lyra's world.

Colby Water- An estuary of the River Cole. The last stretch of inland water in the Fens, before reaching the coast, and the German Ocean.

(org)Consistorial Court of Discipline- the most powerful part of the church, run by a twelve-person board, headed by a president. Ran a system called preemptive repentance, meaning that if a person punished himself or herself in advance, they could commit a crime. This is the body that sent Father Gomez after Lyra.

Conzona, Michael Head of a Gyptian family; put in charge of coordinating the other gyptian leader’s work; second in command of the Gyptians.

Cooper, Dr. One of the doctors at Bolvangar. Interrogated by Consistorial Court of Discipline.

Cooper, Mrs. Will’s former piano teacher; takes care of Mrs. Parry during Will’s absence.

Coram, Farder A good friend of Lord Faa's, and a friend of the witch queen Serafina Pekkala.

Costa, Billy A gyptian boy captured by the Gobblers.

Costa, Ma A Gyptian boat-mother; mother of Billy Costa and Tony Costa.

Costa, Tony A gyptian who goes to the North with Lyra.

Coulter, Edward The husband of Mrs. Coulter; killed by Lord Asriel.

Coulter, Mrs. Marisa. Mrs. Coulter, who is really Lyra's mother, is first brought into the book as the head of the Oblation board, a faction of the church conducting experiments on childeren and their dæmons. Mrs. Coulter spends most of her time trying to capture Lyra, all the while continuing her horrid experiments. However, in The Amber Spyglass, she adopts a new stance on issues.

Cousins The master of Jordan College's manservant.

Crystal Litter, The- the cage-like vehicle that the Authority was carried in by angels. Opened by Will and Lyra, to let him escape.

D

Daemons- the physical manifestation of the human soul, in the shape of an animal that reflects the person’s character. In the books, only the people in Lyra’s world have daemons, although it is inevitable that other worlds have them as well.

Dark Matter- see Dust

(org)Dead, The - inhabitants of the Land of the Dead, every species, every age, from every world, good or evil. Led out of LOTD by Will and Lyra in The Amber Spyglass.

Dean, The The Dean of Jordan College.

Dr. Dee- A magician who lives at Mortlake.

Dust- the physical manifestation of conscious thought and love. Dust is flowing away through the windows created by the subtle knife, until Will and Lyra fall in love, creating enough Dust to halt the flow, for a time. The angels (who are themselves made of Dust) close the remaining windows, and ask Will to destroy the Subtle Knife in order to protect Dust.

E

(l)Einarsson's Pub fanart by Orson)- pub where Lyra first meets Iorek drinking spirits. Eisarson, Soren - An advisor on Svalbard who suffered under Iofur.

Enara, Lake- A region in the North, where Serafina Pekkala is Queen

Enquirer- a scholar at Jordan College

Experimental Station- see Bolvangar

Expermiental Theologians- scientists in Lyra’s world.

Experimental Theology- The term for the study of science in Lyra's world.

F

Faa, Lord John- Lord Faa is the leader of the gyptians... strong, powerful, older man who leads the expedition to rescue the kidnapped children at Bolvangar.

Falkeshall- The place in Lyra's London where the pleasure gardens are, beside the river.

Feldt, Lena A witch who is tortured by Mrs. Coulter, and who finally reveals that Lyra is the second Eve.

Fen-Dutch- A gyptian dialect.

(l)Forest-forest where Will travels with Baruch and Balthamos

G

Gabriel College- A college in Lyra's Oxford, located near Jordan College.

(org)(sp)Gallivespians (art: TAS cover art)- spies who are only about as tall as a grown man’s hand. Very proud, have a high (and perhaps deadly) sense of honor. They work in pairs, and are armed with poisoned spurs on their heels. Ride on large dragonflys that are bred for that purpose. Each Gallivespian clan has its own breed of dragonfly, with their own unique strengths and abilities.

(org)General Oblation Board- Also known as the Gobblers… the group that was run by Mrs. Coulter, and that had been running the research facility at Bolvangar.

German Ocean- An ocean in Lyra's World, perhaps parallel to the North Sea.

Gerrit, Raymond Van- A gyptian who speaks at the roping.

Gobblers- see "General Oblation Board".

Golden Compass, The- title of the first book in countries that receive the American edition of books. See also Alethiometer, the

Golden Monkey, the- unnamed throughout the entire trilogy, the golden monkey is Mrs. Coulter’s daemon.

Gomez, Father Luis The youngest member of the CCOD, sent to kill Lyra in order to prevent her fall (his sin is supposedly allowed, since he did preemtive punishment)

Gracious Wings Harpy in LOTD who strikes at Lyra for lying, but eventually befriends her, leads her and the others out, and saves her life, for which Lyra gives her the name Gracious Wings

Grandfather of Cliffghasts, The An ancient cliff ghast who Ruta Skadi overhears explaining why Lord Asriel will fail without the Subtle Knife.

Ground-gas-A natural fuel source that Lee Scoresby uses to fill his balloon.

Grumman, Stanislaus- see Parry, John

(org)Guild, the- forgers of the subtle knife. This was a group of philosophers in Cittagazze that traveled among the worlds, and who accidentally released the specters upon their people.

(org)Gyptians- a form of gypsies that travel on canal boats. The Gyptians lead the attack on Bolvangar to rescue the kidnapped children. The word gypsies come from ‘Egyptian’, so Pullman was going back to the root with this name.

(l)Gyptian Boats & Zaal- Lyra is rescued by the gyptians and goes with them on their canal boats to the Zaal, an old meeting hall of the gyptians. This is where they decide to rescue the children from Bolvangar, and the Gobblers.

*Gyropters- flying crafts similar to helicopters, used by Lord Asriel’s forces.

H

Hangman's Wharf- A wharf in Lyra's London, where the wharehouse used by Mrs. Coulter to store the children is located.

(sp)Harpies- Guardians of the Land of the Dead who torment the dead spirits. The Gallivespians, Tialys and Salmakia, make a deal with the harpies saying that the harpies will have the task of guiding the spirits through the land of the dead to the window, in exchange for true stories about that person’s life.

Hartmann, Simon Head of a Gyptian family; put in charge of the gold.

Henly- city in Lyra's world, briefly mentioned though never visited.

Hazard- A card game played by the Gyptians.

(l)(pic)High Street, Oxford- location of the lawyer that knew Will’s father.

(l)Himalayan Village- small village in the Himalayan mountains where the cave is located that Coulter hides Lyra in. The battle between the swiss guards and King Ogunwe’s forces is fought here while Will and Lyra escape with the Gallivespians and Iorek. The knife is broken here when Will thinks of his mother.

Hjalmurson, Hjalmur The bear who Iorek Byrnison killed over a she-bear.

(l)Hornbeam Trees- trees with “perfectly symmetrical close-leafed crowns”… Will entered the world of Cittagazze through the window located in a line of Hornbeam trees.

*Hot Air Balloon- A balloon used by Lee Scoresby to travel.

Captain Hudson- An explorer traveled to Van Tieren's Land.

Huismans, Jacob One of the spies working under Benjamin de Ruyter; reported that Benjamin was dead before dying himself

(sp)Human (Lyra's World)- our own species; the only difference is that in Lyra's world the soul of a human takes on an animal form, which represents their personality. This animal form, known as the daemon, can change its form throughout childhood, but once the human reaches maturity, the daemon settles into one specific form that reflects his or her person. (Daemons, for the most part, are the opposite sex from their human, however there are some cases where the human and daemon are the same sex).

(sp)Human (Our World) - people who cannot visibly see their daemons. The world where the webmasters of this site live.

I

I Ching- form of divination developed in ancient China that involves casting sticks to form symbols that answer your questions. The I Ching is used by Mary Malone, and is one of the ways in which shadows/Dust communicate with humans.

Inquirer of the Consistorial Court of Discipline- Questions witnesses in the Court

*Intention Craft, The- craft created by Lord Asriel that reads the mind of the operator and does what you think, without the need of conventional engines, controls, etc. An experimental version is stolen by Mrs. Coulter.

Intercessor, The- A scholar at Jordan College.

Isis River- river in Lyra's world

J

Jansen, Dirk- Man whose house Lyra and Will enter the Land of the Dead through. Dirk was just killed by the soldiers, so they accompany him and his neighbors on the way to the LOTD

Jaxer- A gyptian who helped rescue Lyra in London.

Jenniver- An alcoholic beverage that the gyptians drink.

(l)Jericho- a section of Oxford where Lyra used to play with her urchin friends... where most of the Gyptians lived or stayed.

Jerry the Seaman- A sailor on the Gyptian boat who befriends Lyra.

(l)(org)Jordan College- (location and organization... see Photograms for pics of real oxford colleges) The richest and grandest college in the Oxford of Lyra’s World. The buildings of Jordan are grouped around three irregular quadrangles, and date from as far back as the middle ages. It has the Melrose Quadrangle, with the Chapel and Palmer's Tower, and Yaxley Quadrangle - where some of the colleges' oldest buildings stand. The Master's lodging opens into the Yaxley Quadrangle. The college is surrounded by Gabriel College on one side, St. Michael's College on the other, and the University Library behind. Lyra's room is on Staircase Twelve. It also extends several levels underground, and owns a lot of the surrounding land. This is where Lyra was raised by the scholars, and where she befriended Roger.

K

Kamainen, Juta A witch who loved John Parry, but whose love was turned down; murders John

Kerim a gyptian who helped rescue Lyra in London.

(l)Kholodnoye- the village where Will talks with a priest and drinks vodka.

Khunrath, Pavel- late fourteenth, early fifteenth centure scholar who constructed the alethiometers in Prague see here for details about him.

(l)Kingdom of Heaven- see Clouded Mountain, the

Kirjava- Will’s daemon. Settles in the form of a large cat.

L

Landlopers- A gyptian term for people who live on land, not on water like them.

(W)Land of the Dead- the underworld where all souls from all worlds go when they die. Guarded by harpies, it is a place of neither heaven nor hell—just nothingness, forever and ever. Lyra and Will travel here in order to talk to Roger. They end up opening a way out, and leading the dead out into the world of the Mulefa.

(l)Land of the Dead (Suburbs)-the town that the living go as they wait for their Deaths to take them to the boatsman.

Langlokur Street- A street in Trollesund, the location for the sledge depot where Iorek Byrnison works.

Lanselius, Dr.- The consul of the witches in Trollesund.

Lascar- A race of people in Lyra's world.

Latrom, Sir Charles- see Boreal, Lord

Librarian, The The librarian of Jordan College; was aware of the master’s poisoning attempt on Asriel.

(l)Limefield House- Boreal’s house in Will’s world

Lizzie Brooks- the pseudonym Lyra uses at Bolvangar.

(l)London- Mrs. Coulter takes Lyra to London when they leave Jordan by zepplin. Coulter has an apartment here, where she and Lyra live for a period of roughly six weeks before Lyra runs away during a cocktail party.

Lonsdale, Mrs. The housekeeper of Jordan College.

Lorenz, Joachim- traveler who pekkala meets in cittagazze, running from the specters

Louis, Brother Convener of the Secretariat of the Consistorial Court... took Mrs. Coulter to MacPhail, stole the lock of Lyra's hair from Coulter.

Lovet, Hugh One of Lyra’s friends in Oxford.

Lyra- see Belacqua, Lyra

Lyra's Death The being who takes Lyra to the boatsman, but who has followed Lyra all of her life.

(W)(map) Lyra’s World – The first world seen in the His Dark Materials Trilogy. This world is controlled by the Church, which seems to never have undergone a protestant reformation. The world has a Victorian era feel to it. This is the homeworld of Lyra Belacqua/Silvertongue, and the sole world mentioned in The Golden Compass/Northern Lights. At the end of the first book, the window to Cittagazze is opened from this world, by Lord Asriel, causing the drastic climatic changes felt in the later books.

M

MacPhail, Hugh The president of the Consistorial Court of Discipline, MacPhail sacrifices himself and his daemon to detonate the bomb intended to kill Lyra, but fails

(l)Magdalen College (see Photograms page for pics and links)- college in Lyra and Will’s world, probably Pullman’s model for Jordan.

Magisterium, The- see Church, the

Magnusson, Captain- The captain who is takes the children to the North.

Makarios, Tony A boy captured by the Gobblers; Lyra discovers him severed from his dæmon.

Makepwe, Father The oldest member of the Consistorial Court of Discipline

Malone, Mary Mary Malone is a scientist researching Dark Matter (dust) in the universe that we know. When Lyra suddenly shows up at the lab, Mary doesn't know what to think. She doesn't have much time to think when the same forces that are against Lyra and Will soon intervene and dismiss her from her research. Angered, she forges a fake ID to get access to the site of the window between worlds. Mary will be on her own until the end of book 3, where she assumes one of the most important roles in the trilogy.

Marchpane- Lyra’s word for marzipan.

Martha- A girl at Bolvangar; friend of Lyra’s.

Marzipan- sweet almond paste. Marzipan is what reminded Mary of falling in love, and the story that she told was what triggered the love between Will and Lyra.

Master, The The master of Jordan College; attempted to poison Lord Asriel.

Master of the Craft Mulefa zalif who shows Mary how to apply the lacquer to make the spyglass

Maystadt Process- The name for the severing process performed by the silver guillitene.

McGinn, Bridget A girl in Bolvangar whose name is called by the nurse; probably the last child to be severed.

McKay A research student in charge of the dæmon cages.

Metatron The angel who has taken over the responsibilities of The Authority. When he was a man, he was Enoch, son of jared, son of mahalalel, son of kenan son of enosh, son of seth, son of Adam. Metatron is also Baruch's brother.

Monica, Sister Stenographer for the Consistorial Court of Discipline, sworn to silence

(art?)Moxie Will’s cat; tripped a robber, causing his death.

(sp)Mulefa- the Mulefa are described as diamond shaped, with trunks. However, their most noticable feature is that they have evolved the ability to ride seed pods as if they were wheels. The world where they live has ancient lava flows criss-crossing it, which act as highways for the Mulefa. A single Mulefa is called a zalif. The Mulefa seem quite peaceful in the books, their only enemies being large birds that come in from the sea on occasion and ravage their town. However, the Mulefa usually just ride away during these attacks, and have not been known to fight. Mary Malone lived with the Mulefa for a time, and learned to communicate with them by making the grunting noises, and moving her arm in the same movements made by the mulefa trunk.

(l)Mulefa Village- the village where Mary stays with the Mulefa, learns their language, and tries to figure out what’s wrong with the wheel trees.

(W)Mulefa’s World- World with vast plains, tall trees, and lava flows that act as highways for the inhabitants who, by evolution, ride on wheels made from seedpods of the trees. The location of the window from the land of the dead.

N

Nälkäinens- Headless ghosts that inhabit the forests of the North. They attack when their victims are asleep.

Naptha Lamps- a type of gas lamp used in Victorian England, and Lyra’s world

New Denmark- A country in Lyra's World.

Night-ghasts- Ghosts that haunt Lyra's dreams after she disturbs the coffins in the catacombs.

No-Name the Harpy- see Gracious Wings

Northern Lights- the title of the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy in countries that receive British editions of books. See also Golden Compass, The and Aurora Borealis, The

(l)Norwich- city in Lyra's world... also city in our world... Pullman's birthplace (October 19th, 1946)

Norroway- A country in the North, in Lyra's World.

(l)North, The- general term used by Lyra to describe the (seemingly) wonders of the artic region which contains Bolvangar, Svalbard, the witches, etc.

Northern Progress Exploration Company- The company that the General Oblation Board sets up to cover its true purpose.

(l)Northern Village- the unnamed village where Lyra finds Tony Makarios without his daemon.

(l) Nova Zembla- an island in the north of Lyra’s world, southeast of Svalbard.

O

Office of Inquisition- A former office of the church in Lyra's world, which may soon be revived in the dark times ahead.

Ogunwe, King (art: Ogunwe by Max) The commander of Asriel's military forces, Ogunwe is an African King from Lyra's world. His fate is not known- he may have taken over after Asriel fell into the Abyss, and he may have not.

Old Ci'gazze Couple Give food and water to Mary Malone, since she accidentally chased away the specters

(con)Other Worlds Theory- the theory developed by Barnard and Stokes, two renegade theologians from Lyra’s world. The theory states that every time a conscious choice is made, a parallel universe is created. This theory has also come up in our world, and more and more scientists are beginning to accept its possibility.

Oxentiel, Madame Gallivespian who took over Lord Roke's position as spy commander after his death.

(l)Oxford- the Oxford in our world where Will finds the window into Cittagazze. He and Lyra spend some time here in museums, theaters, etc. Lord Boreal steals the alethiometer here, and Lyra and Will rescue it by means of the subtle knife.

(l)Oxford- the Oxford where Jordan College is located, where Lyra grew up.

Ozymandias- in the radio adaptations, this is the name given to Mrs. Coulter's Golden Monkey daemon.

P

Palmerian Professor A scholar of Jordan College.

(sp)(org)Panserbjørne- polar bears who have opposable thumbs, and who can speak. Found only in Lyra's world (at least in the books), the armored bears build their own armor, which is to them the same as a soul. The bears are famous for not being able to be tricked. Iorek Byrnison, the king of the armored bears as of the end of TGC, told Lyra that this is because they do not let human thought get in their way. If a bear wants to be human (as is the case with Iofur Raknison), then he or she is able to be tricked (as proved by Lyra Silvertongue).

Pantalaimon- Lyra’s daemon, nicknamed Pan. At the end of the third book he settles into the form of a pine marten

Paolo A boy who lived in Cittagazze, brother of Angelica and Tullio.

(book) Paradise Lost- What Pullman has credited as being his main source. A 12 book epic poem written by John Milton in the 17th century, about the fall of mankind. (Highly recommend reading this to all fans of HDM)

Paradisi, Giacoma The former bearer of the subtle knife; Teaches Will how to use it.

Parry, John Will's father plays an important role in the trilogy. In our universe, he is the father of Will Parry and an intreped explorer of the north. Evidently, he stumbled on a window, and entered Lyra's world. He became lost and could not find his way home. In this world he became a great shaman known as Stanislaus Grumman. Grumman knows his goal is to reach Will (he doesn't know it's his son) and tell him to give the subtle knife to Lord Asriel.

Parry, Mrs. Will’s mother; has some sort of mental illness, possibly related to the specters.

Parry, Will (art: TSK cover art, fanart by Jess Will is the second of the two main characters, and is introduced in book 2: The Subtle Knife. Will has spent his childhood looking after and concealing his mentally unstable mother. One fateful day, however, Will stumbles on an opening to another world. It is in this world that the two main characters unite. Will then goes in search of his father, John Parry, who was a famous explorer of the North. This is only the beginning of Will's adventures.

Parslow, Roger Roger isn't terribly important until the end of The Golden Compass. He is first captured by the Oblation board in Oxford, and when Lyra herself is captured in the far north, she is taken to the same facility as he. Roger and Lyra soon escape with the help of Iorek Byrnison and the gyptians, and when the party finally meets up with Lord Asriel, they realize they've made a terrible mistake.

Parslow, Simon One of Lyra’s friends in Oxford.

Pavel, Fra Alethiometrist for the Consistorial Court of Discipline

Payne, Oliver A scientist in our world who works with Mary Malone studying Dark Matter.

Pekkala, Serafina Serafina Pekkala is the queen of a witch clan and a friend of Farder Coram. Upon arriving in the north, the gyptians call upon her service and that of her clan's. Serafina will play an active role through the trilogy, and will get Lyra and company out of many tight situations.

Perkins, Alan A lawyer in connection with John Parry; Will calls him from Oxford to get information about John Parry.

Peter, Martha and Granny Family who allows Will and Lyra to stay with them. They explain about the Deaths, who they can see, and Granny's, who is very close.

Photograms- the word in Lyra’s world for photographs

Pie Street- The place market where Tony Makarios is first seen. It is located in the London of Lyra's world.

Pilot of the zepplin Pilot who took MacPhail and Coulter to the power plant at Saint-Jean-Les-Eaux

(l)Plains- the plains and mountains that Will travels over to reach Lyra.

(l)Plains, Grove with stream-where Will and Lyra wander, in search of their daemons, and, in more ways than one, find them. Where the course of Dust is returned to how it was meant to be.

Precentor, The- Jordan scholar.

Projecting Lantern- similar to a slide projector, using an oil or naptha lamp instead of an electric (anbaric) blub. Used by Asriel to show the Jordan scholars photograms of Dust, and the northern lights.

Poppel, Roger Van Head of a Gyptian family; put in charge of gathering all the other supplies.

Porter, The The porter of Jordan College, name Shuter; was ordered to keep Lyra indoors after Roger disappeared.

(pic)Pullman, Philip- The author of the His Dark Materials trilogy. Big Phil 

R

Raknison, Iofur The king of Svalbard, a panserbjørne who would prefer to be a human being (have a daemon etc) instead of being a bear. He tries to corrupt the other bears of Svalbard to his ways, and almost succedes... his demise earns Lyra the title "Silvertongue", from Iorek.

Retiring Room- the room in Jordan College where it all begins

Roke, Lord Lord Asriel's spy captain, Roke is a Gallivespian who rides a blue hawk.

Rokeby, Nicholas Head of a Gyptian family; put in charge of finding a vessel and commanding it.

Royal Arctic Institute- One of the places that Coulter takes Lyra to as they prepare to take the trip to the North.

(org)Rebels, the- the armies under Lord Asriel who fought against the Authority in the Battle on the Plains. This force was made up of every sentient species from every different world, and numbered millions.

(l)Refueling town- the village where the armored bears under Iorek seek to refuel, and fight to do so. Will challenges Iorek, and destroys Iorek’s helmet with the knife. The beras are allowed to refuel and continue on their way.

Regent, Lord- see Metatron

Relf, Dame Hannah The head of a woman’s college in Oxford.

(W)/(con)Republic of Heaven- the world where Lord Asriel is amassing his forces to fight the Authority and His armies of angels. The location of the basalt fortress, and the battle on the plains. --Also--The concept that there is only here and now, and that one must live to the fullest, building heaven where you are.

(l)River Cherwell (see Photograms page for pics)- river in Oxford where Lyra swam.

Rukh, Lord- An explorer who froze to death in his tent, holding in his hand stone with an inscription carved in an unknown language.

Ruyter, Benjamin de Head of a Gyptian family; put in charge of spying.

S

(l)Saint Michael's College- another College in Lyra's Oxford (possibly ours?)

(l)Saint-Jean-Les-Eaux- Hydro electric/anbaric power plant where MacPhail tried to detonate the Bomb.

Salmakia, Lady Salmakia is the second Gallivespian who goes with Will and Lyra. She and the Chevalier form a partnership that they use in fighting, similiar to a human and a daemon. Salmakia is also proud, as is the nature of her race, but she seems the more controled and kinder of the two spies.

(org)Samoyeds- northern hunters who kidnapped Lyra and brought her to Bolvangar (l)Sant’Elia- another city in the cittagazze world

Santelia, Jotham The prisoner in Svalbard who taught Lyra about the armored bears.

Sattamax- Old zalif who appears to be the leader or wise man of the village that Mary lives in

Scoresby, Lee- The owner of a great air balloon, Lee Scoresby is a friend of Iorek Byrnison. He helps Lyra and a few others reach Svalbard where Lord Asriel is supposedly being held in book one, but his main purpose in the trilogy is to deliver John Parry to Will unharmed, and he does so with fierce determination.

Severing- the process of cutting away a person’s daemon, performed by the scientists at Bolvangar.

Shadows- see Dust

Shot Tower- A tower in Lyra's London, which is used for some form of smelting iron.

*Silver Guillotine, The- instrument used for severing children from their daemons. Is made of two wire mesh cage- one for the person and the other for their daemon. There is a small connecting space between the two cages, which is broken when the blade of the guillotine falls, severing the connection between human and daemon.

Silvertongue, Lyra- see Belacqua, Lyra

Simon A boy at Bolvangar who thought the children were killed when they vanished.

Skadi, Ruta The queen of the Latvian witches; lover of Lord Asriel.

Skipper, The The captain of the ship that the bears charter

Skraelings- A northern people in Lyra's World, similar to the tartars.

Sky-iron- some form of meteorite that Iorek forged his armour out of.

*Smokeleaf- form of tobacco that Lyra said the gyptians were bringing to trade.

Smokemarket- A market in Lyra's world.

(org)Society of the Work of the Holy Spirit, The- more obscure branch of the Church in Lyra's world.

(sp)Specters- ghost-like creatures, created every time that a window to another world is created. The specters prey upon the souls of adult humans, but do not bother children (who cannot see them).

Sraf- Mulefa word for Dust, shadows, dark matter, etc. Starminster, Adele A journalist at Mrs.Coulter's cocktail party who asked too many questions.

Stefanski, Adam Head of a Gyptain family; put in charge of fighting and gathering munitions.

Steward, The The steward of Jordan College; entered the Hall before Lyra and Pan could escape from the Retiring Room.

(l)St. Sophia’s- The boarding school run by Dame Relf’s college.

Sturrock, Cardinal A cardinal who is present during the torture of Fra Pavel.

(l)Styx- Unsure whether this is a lake, a river, an ocean—no specifics, only know that it is a large body of water, across which the dead are taken by a boatsman in a rowboat. Obvious reference to the river Styx in classic mythology.

Sub-rector, The The sub-rector of Jordan College; an almost blind scholar.

*Subtle Knife, The (art: knife pic A knife built by the Guild of Cittagazze, the philosophers who lived in the Torre Degli Angeli. One edge of the knife is able to cut through any object, while the other edge is so sharp that it can cut between the very fabric of the worlds. The bearer of the subtle knife is instructed in how to feel with their mind the minute openings between the worlds, into which they may insert the knife to cut an opening wide enough to cross. Bearers should always close windows once they are done using them, as it allows Dust to escape. However, this is not always the case. The Subtle Knife is used by Will in the second and third books to travel among the different worlds. Once, he breaks it when he thinks of his mother. The knife breaks because it cannot cut through the love between him and his mother. Iorek is able to repair the knife, but it is not as long as before, and slightly weaker. At the end of The Amber Spyglass, Will brekas the knife again, this time on purpose, to prevent himself and anyone else from ever travelling freely among the worlds. To break the knife the second time, he thinks of Lyra, and the knife falls to pieces on the ground, wet with the rain from another universe.

(l)Svalbard- the kingdom of the armored bears, where Lyra tricks the bear king, Iofur Raknison into fighting Iorek Byrnison for the throne. This is the source of Lyra’s nickname “Silvertongue.”

(org)Swiss Guard- military serving the Church. Fights against King Ogunwe’s forces in the Himalaya, against the bears in Svalbard (under the command of Coulter), and against Lee Scoresby at Alamo Gulch.

Sysselman, The The governer of Trollesund.

T

Tartars- northern race, similar to eskimos.

Thorold Lord Asriel’s manservant.

Tialys, The Chevalier One of the two Gallivespian spies who accompanies and protects Lyra and Will on their journey through the Land of the Dead. Tialys is a proud warrior, and quick to take insult. His task was originally to bring Lyra and Will to Asriel, but since they refused to go, he was ordered to accompany them.

Tokay- a kind of amber colored wine of which Lord Asriel was especially fond.

Top-hatted man- A man Lyra meets on the streets in London, whose daemon is a lemur. He offers to buy Lyra a sandwich, but Lyra turns him down and lies about who she is.

(l)(site)Torre Degli Angeli- the tower of angels… the home of the guild that crafted the subtle knife. Where Will fights Tullio for possession of the knife, loses his fingers, and is taught how to use the knife by Paradisi. Also a HDM fansite that goes by this name.

(con)Trepanning- the name for drilling holes in someone’s head, done by the tartars

(l)Trollesund, Lapland- the major (although not very large) port of northern Lapland, where Iorek Byrnison and Lee Scoresby join the expedition to rescue the captured children.

(sp)Tulapi- a species of large white birds which have begun to attack without reason the peaceful villages of the Mulefa along the coasts. Father Gomez makes use of them during his hunt for "The Serpent".

Tulku, Pagdzin The famous healer who gives Ama the powder that will wake Lyra.

Tullio An older boy who attempted to steal the Subtle Knife; Will defeats him in a fight, after which he was attacked and killed by Specters.

U

Unnamed Witch A witch who was tortured by Mrs. Coulter. Almost gives away Lyra’s identity, but “Yambe Akka” kills her in time. V

Van Tieren's Land- A region in the North of Lyra's world.

W

*Wheel Pod Trees- trees in the Mulefa World that produce seed pods which the Mulefa use for transportation. When Dust begins to disappear, many of the wheel pod trees begin to die.

White Ham- Woods surrounding Lyra's Oxford.

(l)White Hall Palace- very briefly mentioned in TGC as the location of the prime minister's cabinet, which Lord Asriel and the Master of Jordan serve on.

(l)Winchester- English city where Will lives with his mother until some men seeking information about his father (one of which he kills accidentally) forces him to flee.

*Windows- created by the subtle knife, the windows are openings between the various worlds. Each time a new window is created, a specter is born. The windows allow tiny amounts of Dust to slip out into the abyss. All of the windows are closed in the end by the angels, except for the one out of the Land of the Dead.

Windsuckers- A form of ghost that lives in the North of Lyra's world, and preys on people

Will- see Parry, Will (W)Will’s World- Our world, somewhere within the last ten to twenty years.

(sp)Witches- Female Witches live far longer than humans do, perhaps up to 900 years old. Male witches, on the other hand, are no different than humans. Witch daemons are capable of traveling far away from their witch, an ability which Lyra gains from her experience in the Land of the Dead.

Witch-oil- An oil in the marshes that causes fires to burn. Ma Costa tells Lyra that she has 'witch-oil in her soul'. X

Xaphania The commander of Lord Asriel's angels, Xaphania was one of the angels who originally rebelled. Now, she believes they have a chance with Lord Asriel. Xaphania is one of the highest ranking angels, and is much stronger than Baruch and Balthamos

Y

Yambe Akka- witch goddess, similar to angel of death.

Z

Zaal- The hall in the Fens where the gyptians gather to hold their Roping.

Zalif- the term for one individual Mulefa.

Zeppelins- Airships used for transportation in Lyra’s world by various people including Mrs. Coulter, Lord Asriel, and the Swiss Guard.

Whew, that was a lot of information.

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