Devastated by the loss of her friend but determined to find the source of Dust and stop the Magisterium, Lyra and her dæmon, Pantalaimon, walk through the portal into an unknown universe.
Lyra reaches the research station at , where she discovers the horrific truth: the Gobblers are performing "intercision," a process that surgically severs children from their dæmons to prevent them from being "tainted" by Dust. Lyra leads a daring escape, freeing Roger and the other children. The Climax and Betrayal The Golden Compass
: An exiled armored bear ( panserbjørn ) whom Lyra helps regain his dignity and throne. Devastated by the loss of her friend but
Lyra travels further to find Lord Asriel, believing he needs the alethiometer to defeat the oppressive Magisterium (the Church). However, she learns too late that Asriel actually needs the energy released from severing a child's dæmon to rip open a bridge to another world. Asriel sacrifices Roger to create this portal. The Climax and Betrayal : An exiled armored
Before Lyra is taken into the care of the glamorous but cold , the Master of Jordan College gives her an alethiometer —a golden, truth-telling compass that only she can learn to read. After discovering that Mrs. Coulter leads the Gobblers, Lyra escapes and joins forces with the Gyptians , a group of water-travelers whose children have also been stolen.
: A witch queen whose clan aids Lyra in battle. The Dark Secret
The story of The Golden Compass (also known as Northern Lights ) follows , a spirited and deceptive young girl living in a parallel Oxford where human souls exist outside the body as animal companions called dæmons . The Call to Adventure