Characters

 =**Character Descriptions** = This section provides a short description of all the major characters in the book. This can be printed out as a study guide for students, used as a "key" for leading a class discussion, or you can jump to the quiz/homework section to find worksheets that incorporate these descriptions into a variety of question formats. Characters **Lyra** - This is the only character who can read the alethiometer, an ability which gives this character power that is used only when necessary. **Lord Asriel** - This character has a powerful presence and a dark past and is the main character's real parent. This character's primary concern is manipulating the power of Dust to bridge different universes. **Mrs. Coulter** - This beautiful, intelligent character is considered the most sinister character of the book and is often demonstrated by a golden monkey daemon. **Roger** - This character is the main character's best friend and is kidnapped by the Gobblers. **Iorek Byrnison** - This character is armored and refers to that armor as its soul. **John Faa** - This character is the leader of the Gyptian people and organizes a rescue party. **Farder Coram** - This character is a seer who becomes a grandparent figure to the main character. **Serafina Pekkala** - This character is a witch queen who owes allegiance to one who saved her life. **Lee Scoresby** - This character is a Texan aeronaut who flies a balloon and assists the Northern expedition. **Iofur Rakinson** - This character is King of the Svalgard bears and wants to be human. **Ma Costa** - This character is an intimidating person with a good heart who, at one point, is the main character's nurse. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Tony Costa** - This character rescues the main character from capture and assists on the expedition north. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Billy Costa** - This character is one of the kidnapped children whom the main character meets up with in Bolvangar. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**The Master** - This character gives the alethiometer to the main character. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Tony Makarios** - This character goes missing; it is later discovered that this character has been separated from his daemon. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Mrs. Lonsdale** - This character is the main character's caretaker at Jordan College. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Dr. Martin Lanselius** - This character is the witch consul. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Stanislaus Grumman** - This character is a Northern explorer who studied Dust before disappearing in the North. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Dr. Ruskonov** - This character is a scientist who first discovered Dust. <span style="line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt; margin-top: 0.6em;">**Jotham Santalia** - This character is a mad prisoner that the main character meets while imprisoned in Svalgard.