#origin: brytish

[oakleystreet]

L Y R A     B E L A C Q U A

DÆMON: Pantalaimon, a pine marten.

BOND: Split.

HAIR: dirty blonde.

EYES: blue.

AGE: 6 months during LBS. 10-11 during NL. 12-13 during TSK and TAS. 15 in Lyra’s Oxford. 20 in TSC.

BIRTH: 1985. (between July, August and September, according to the Timeline).

NATIONALITY: Brytish. (English).

STATUS: Alive.

Lyra Belacqua was born to Marisa Coulter and Lord Asriel, a product of their affair.

After Marisa’s husband, Edward Coulter, tried to kill her and was killed by Lord Asriel, who then lost everything he had, Lyra was taken into government custody and then placed at the Priory of Godstow in Oxford by Lord Nugent, the head of Oakley Street.

There, Lyra was taken care by the nuns for a couple of weeks before the Great Flood happened. As she was being hunted by Gerard Bonneville, a physicist who wanted to get hold of her to likely trade her for scientific freedom to research Dust, Lyra was rescued by Malcolm Polstead and Alice Parslow, and they set out in Malcolm’s canoe, La Belle Sauvage, for London.

During their time in the flood, Lyra was taken by the Sisters of Holy Obedience, but was promptly rescued by Malcolm. Eventually, they reached a fairy island and met Diania, a fairy who tried to steal Lyra by feeding her fairy milk. Malcolm tricked Diania and recovered Lyra, and once again they were back in the Flood, on their way to Lord Asriel in London.

When they arrived in the city, the CCD forces that had been looking for them were caught in a conflict, as Lord Asriel and Oakley Street agents made their way to rescue Lyra and the children. Lord Asriel returned with them to Oxford in a gyropter, and left Lyra under the protection of Scholastic Sanctuary at Jordan College. There, Malcolm left with the Master of Jordan, the Alethiometer he took from Gerard Bonneville, which would pass into Lyra’s possession ten years later.

“Secundum legem de refugio scholasticorum, protectionem tegimentumque huius collegii pro filia mea Lyra nomine reposco.” Asriel said. “Look after her.” “Scholastic Sanctuary? For this child?” “For my daughter Lyra, as I said.” “She’s not a scholar!” “You’ll have to make her into one then, won’t you?”

—  Lord Asriel, chapter 25, La Belle Sauvage.

Lyra grew up in Jordan College, under the guardianship of Dr Carne, but personally being cared for by Alice Lonsdale. She had a rather carefree life, being an natural leader and befriending most children from the region, from gyptians to town kids to college children. At one point, Lyra was responsible for invading the Costa family’s boat with her little gang of children and she often played war games with these particular groups of children. At the College, her actions were observed by Bernie Johansen, the half-gyptian pastry cook, who reported back to the Costas, who then reported to John Faa, as a favour to Lord Asriel.

She grew up believing Asriel was her uncle, and he made brief, sporadic visits to see that she was well cared for. Lyra was informally educated by the scholars from Jordan, and she had very little interest in learning as well, and as a result her education was flawed, filled with gaps, and yet in certain areas unusually specific, as Jordan College was meant to be a higher education institution.

When Lyra was ten or eleven years old, she sneaked into the Retiring Room out of curiosity, but ended up seeing the Master of Jordan poison the decanter of Tokay meant for Lord Asriel. Upon Asriel’s arrival, Lyra revealed herself in order to save him from drinking the poisoned wine and Asriel employed her as a spy during his presentation to the scholars, hiding her in the cupboard. During this meeting, Lyra was introduced to the concept of Dust and she saw the City in the Sky in Lord Asriel’s photograms.

(to be continued)

Lyra, prior to her daemon settling, had the innate skill of reading the Alethiometer without needing to consult the books. This skill was likely attributed to her status as child of the prophecy and she lost it after her return from the Land of the Dead and Pantalaimon’s settling.

Lyra is considered very small for her age. She is also said to be strikingly beautiful, enough to draw the attention of passersby.

During their adventures, Pan and Lyra had to separate when she visited the world of the dead. By doing this, they acquired the skill of separating like the witches do.

Lyra still takes Alethiometer classes with Dame Hannah Relf. She also had a brief dalliance with Dick Orchard - the boy who could spit further than anyone else - who also happened to have been a childhood crush of hers.

Lyra uses the name Silvertongue among friends, although she is still legally and widely know as Lyra Belacqua.

Her Alethiometer was given to her by the Master of Jordan, after Malcolm gave it to him. It had belonged to Gerard Bonneville, who stole it from a monastery in Bohemia; the monks had also stolen the Alethiometer from a traveler who had taken shelter with them. The history of the instrument is tied to the fact it had been often stolen, Lyra being the first owner in a long time who had actually received it as a gift. (TSC, chapter 7)

Lyra can use the new method of reading, but it makes her feel sick and often refuses to use it. She is yet to understand the connection between the method and the daemon.

Lyra’s major is unclear, but she wrote an essay at one point about the Patterns of Trade in Arctic Region with particular reference to independent cargo balloon carriage (1950-1970) (click here to see the Extra letters from OUATIN). In that same letters she mentions “Econ Hist,” and how it must be that subject as there is no other way to examine her knowledge about the alethiometer. It can be assumed she was majoring in Economic History.

At one point, Lyra mentions the Count and Countess Belacqua, her alleged parents who died in aircraft accident. It is unclear whether they were real people or made up by Asriel to cover his own identity as Lyra’s father.

DÆMON RELATIONSHIP

Chaotic, friendly, constant banter, harmonious. Good communication and synchronized behaviour in feelings and actions. (HDM)

Chaotic, aggressive, constant disagreement and sheer unhappiness. Lack of synchronization in feelings and actions; lack of communication. (TSC).

FAMILIAL TIES

Lord Asriel: father.

Marisa Coulter: mother.

Marcel Delamare: uncle on her mother’s side.

Madame Delamare: grandmother on her mother’s side.

Dr Carne: legal guardian under scholastic sanctuary.

FRIENDS & ALLIES

Roger Parslow

Miriam Jacobs: colleague.

Hannah Relf: mentor.

Malcolm Polstead: former teacher, ally.

Alice Lonsdale: caregiver and friend.

Iorek Byrnison: friend.

Serafina Pekkala: friend.

ROMANTIC TIES

Will Parry: old flame.

Dick Orchard: old flame.

ENEMIES & RIVALS

Olivier Bonneville: rival.

Father MacPhail: enemy.

Father Gomez: enemy.

Pierre Binaud: enemy.

AFFILIATIONS

Jordan College: safe haven.

Oakley Street: allies.

Bud Schlesinger.

Anita Schlesinger.

The Eastern-Anglia Gyptians: allies.

Farder Coram.

Ma Costa.

John Faa.

St. Sophia’s College: alma mater, educational.

Magisterium: enemy (during HDM), antagonistic (during TSC)

Consistorial Court of Discipline: violent.

La Maison Juste: antagonistic.

The League of St. Alexander: suspicious.

The Daemonless People: friendly.

Princess Rosamond Cantacuzino: friendly.

Vaclav Kubiček: friendly.

Nur Huda el-Wahabi: acquaintanceship.

[lordeasriel]

a general question about hdm world building when writing fic cause I found it really unique in the sense of having so much wordbuilding but also so little like Lyra’s world is so vivid yet it is also filled with loads of empty patches like okay there was a Swiss war but what was it about and how is the brytish government structured etc. Really just wondering how you find writing fic for this fandom as I feel it’s hard to remain in ‘canon’ when canon can be so vague

Sorry it took me a while to reply to you, I was thinking about how to respond because this is a very complex question lmao

Writing for HDM to me is fun, that's the beginning and the end of it, I do it because I enjoy being so deep into this world, it's comforting, but it's also difficult. Like you said, Lyra's world suffers from a patchy style of worldbuilding, we have information that comes in various degrees of depth; using the example of the Swiss War, we know it happened and we know it had to do with the Magisterium, but we don't really know how and why exactly it happened, and because Philman writes new stuff as he sees the need for it, we are constantly getting information that conflicts we what we already knew (the daemons, the world itself, even with characters). I remember prior to the release of TSC, we were discussing the fact Marisa must have been an only child, because her personality was far too caustic for someone with a sibling, yet Philman just came out of nowhere and added a sibling to her. And it makes sense, but it shatters your whole view of the character, and you have to rethink this character with the new information you have, if you want to continue to write canon.

I write stories in general with 2 things in mind: 1) I write from a character's perspective and emotions, so I need to know and - more importantly - understand that character; and 2) I write that character as a part of the world, so I need to understand and know the world. For characters like Marisa, Asriel, Lyra, Malcolm, and other main characters, we have lots and lots of information, direct and indirect, that we can use to create our interpretation of the character. These are much easier to write because we have a lot about them, and because they have a lot of screen/page time as well, we spend more time with them, but then you have characters like Marcel and Madame Delamare, both related to Marisa, and they have very little information on them themselves, but because we know a lot about Marisa, how Marisa behaves and all that, we can take those things and connect them to these characters and build their profile from that. Then we have characters like Glenys Godwin, Thomas Nugent, the Master of Jordan, characters who have so very little information a lot of what you know and understand of them come from you making things up to fit the little the book gives you, and that is also perfectly fine. It's just less consistent.

Now, my definition of writing Canon Compliant fic, it's what I do and how I do it, it's that you need to write within canon, not just what canon says. For example, we know daemons can separate from their humans if they want to and they can both survive; this is a new concept (which we call the New Daemon Lore, because it adds on the old lore from the original trilogy) that is canon, so you could write lots of interesting daemon relationships that can fit into this new information, but if you decide to write that no, this cannot happen in any circumstances, then you no longer are within the boundaries of canon. I hope this is making sense lmao

Another example is that Philman retconned Mrs. Coulter into being blonde, and this has divided the fandom, but the point is the newest entry to the world is this and this is canon. However, Mrs. Coulter is considered a blonde in LBS, while in NL (despite some editions changing it) she is still said to be a brunette. So, if you decide to say Marisa died her hair either in LBS or NL, that would still be canon Compliant because 1) in Lyra's world hair dye already exists (in TSC) 2) it's a perfectly valid response within canon.

So to me, it's more important to write within the boundaries of canon than trying super hard to mimic what we already know it's truth. To do that, I do a lot of research on old countries, languages, I do research on the great wars, as Philman uses lots of countries that existed prior to WW1. For example, we know that Lyra's world is a little behind technologically, but they had nuclear tech and they had phones, but Lyra still writes letters, so we can assume that phones weren't everywhere and super accessible - it's the sort of information that we get from reading the book but it's not super obvious like, it's something you assume from having read the books and having other types of information. Other information, like, we know Oakley Street is always headed by a Counselor of the Privy Council, a position that is appointed by the Prime Minister in our world, so we can assume Lyra's world also has a prime minister - but their king seems far more present than the Royal Family is in our world. Lyra mentions too that she takes care of herself, when it's assumed she got pregnant, and from that we can assume two things: 1) There's types of contraceptives in her world (and in TSC there's also big pharma companies so we can assume pills existed) 2) Abortion is a thing as well. So from here you can work out reasonable scenarios for your story; in a world controlled by the Church, how is the situation of abortion? How does contraceptives work? How was sex before marriage treated?

I mean, it's a mix of common sense, research and creative freedom you have to sort out to know how to deal with it. Philman himself is the master of this world, so he can do whatever and we as fic writers, we adapt or we die lmao I mean we adapt or we just don't write canon compliant, but you don't need to write a super canon compliant fic to make it good. Currently I am working on a similar docs to the timeline, but it's a sort of big History Book of Lyra's world geography and culture so it's easier to access, but like you said, the information we have is dubious and scarce, so lots of what I will be doing there it's research and guess work.

Sorry this got so long but yeah, in conclusion, writing for HDM is hard, if you intend to be super canon compliant, but my advice and my experience is: you should worry about staying within canon instead of going straight for cold hard facts of canon, not being flexible about it. Do research on things, silly things like "when was birth control invented" or "how did medicine was made in the early 1900s". Philman being old and with a scholar background, he has lots of knowledge that we can only get by doing research; he comes up with things, especially pre Old War things, because lots of his favorite authors are from the Victorian era and prior to that. But more importantly, make sure you are entertained with the world you are trying to shape from his work; focus on what you think needs addressing in his world. What would you like to see and, then, did Philman ever hint at that? Those are the important questions, imo

You shouldn't treat canon so stiffly because it's a fluid thing, especially for HDM. Philman can just release another book and just change everything lmao He kinda does that a lot, so it's good to be light headed about this.

[zenlesszonezero]

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[ankulometes]

The Pelerin, Part 2: The Marsioras

My journey to Gwyrhyd begins far away in Lemesos on the island of Cuprys. Despite now being home to the court of King Ioan of Hierosolym, who generally makes himself a nuisance, the entire island remains nominally the demesne of the Marsioras Ysbydar Order of Sants Iosef and Cara in Hierosolym. For an upfront payment of 26,000 gold bysants (around £Ʌ,000 pund sterling), an annual fee of £2,000, and a commitment to support the Cyn’s pilgrimages to the Holy Land, they have held Cuprys in fief from the Brytish crown since Risiart’s day. It was a huge investment but one none amongst them regret.

As the name of their organisation might suggest, the Marsioras are a military religious hospitaller order. Whilst they do tend the poor and sick, these days their first duty of care suggested to a modern ear by the word “hospital” is to Christendom; specifically the holy lands in the east. Certainly, there are few pacifists or physics within their ranks. However, war is only indirectly the source of their great wealth and power. These days they are first and foremost merchants and bankers.

Despite being nominally a Brytish order with an Alban patron saint, they are sanctioned by the pope in Rhoma under the terms of whose bull they are free to operate throughout the west without hindrance and exempt from any taxes. Cyn Iorweth is only their liege lord for Cuprys. It is an anomalous contract within the context of their operations as a whole that arose from historical circumstance. Indeed, it is one his Lusignan vassals now beseech him to dissolve in their family’s favour. The Marsioras hold many extensive lands throughout Christendom in their own right, a great deal having been granted as gifts to support their good works. Only last summer they were given the whole of the islands of Malta, Comino, and Goso as their own by the pope himself.

Although most initiates still hail from the Brytish Isles and their headquarters are located in Ludun, plenty flock to join the order from beyond its original home shores. Their distinctive churches that take the form of an Alban cross and nimbus can be found everywhere from the sandy hills of sun-baked Hierosolym in the southeast to far-flung Tyrodanar, beset by ice and snow in the freezing far northwest. Thus may pilgrims or crusaders deposit their wealth with the order in their own land in exchange for a promissory note that enables them to withdraw their deposit over the course of their long and perilous journey east.

Nevertheless, it is very different from a modern bank in your world or theirs. The order is strictly forbidden from practicing usury. Unlike their Francian brethren in the Order of Solomon’s Temple who have unwisely taken debts from the King of Gawl onto their books, the Marsioras are not permitted to issue credit in any form whatsoever. Although it is often difficult to deny such favours to the powerful, they are compelled to demur by their most sacred vows. Naturally, they may accept some small consideration given out of gratitude in return for the services they have rendered. Given the scale of their operations, such tokens add up to a not inconsiderable sum. It turns out that letting people decide how much they want to pay can be quite profitable. Especially when the stakes are the salvation or damnation of the rich.

Their lands yield rents and goods of every kind in quantities proportionate to their vast extent and from the trade in which they have grown yet fatter. Within this expansive network, Cuprys remains a lynchpin despite the loss of first Hierosolym and now Acca to the Sarasan hordes.

Such political upheavals have made business increasingly difficult. The rise of first the Mongols and now the Mamlwc have played havoc with trade routes in the east over recent sinades. Many caravans now travel farther north via the Dumwr to the benefit of the Eidalians. Regular squabbles between their powerful merchant republics in Dgenofa, Pisa, and Fenis pose an ongoing threat to the activities of Marsioras, despite their papal protection.

Nevertheless, Cuprys remains a key staging post on the Silk Road. Their hold on the island permits them to act as middlemen for much of the trade in precious cloth and spices that flow out of the far east beyond the Tigrys and Ewfrates. To these valuable goods, they add the great quantities of sugar produced on the island. It is the finest to be found anywhere as it does not cake or harden with age. The Marsioras hold a monopoly upon the import of the stuff to Brytan and Eirean and dominate its trade elsewhere besides.

Then they have the mines pumping out ludena here. This legendary mineral can be used to make steel that never rusts and shines like a mirror or pigments of the most vivid reds and yellows that will hold fast and retain their vigour until the day of judgement arrives. It is the secret ingredient behind Brytan’s famed cloth and metalworking industries. You might know it as chromium.

Gold and silver floods into their coffers to pay for all these desirable luxuries and rarities. Obviously, much of that is sent out eastward in payment but a great deal remains. A fair proportion of the settlement is paid in kind through the supply of goods from Albion that are almost as precious to those in the east as their spices and silks are to the people of the west.

There is tin, copper, and salt. These things in which the Brytish Isles are fortunate to be abundant where others are lacking have been traded along the route for thousands of years. The inhabitants at its far eastern end imagine those mythical distant lands on the edge of the world to be made entirely from bronze and halite.

There are healing balms and ointments or soaps and candles scented with precious oils that cure many kinds of ailment. They sell spirits imbued with the essence of life itself and powders that will render even the filthiest water potable and rid your bed or body of a noxious infestation. And perfumes, pastes, and cosmetics to paint the face, cleanse the body of malodorous vapours, whiten the teeth, and freshen even the most foul of breath.

Their storehouses beneath the castle in Lemesos are filled with woollen cloth that is softer than an angel’s gown and clothing made from exotic furs and skins that protect against even the harshest of mountain climes. And precious glass and enamelware of intricate craft. Or delicate Alban porcelain, known as crecanomawrdan, decorated in the distinctive geometric style of the islands.

For the right price, they can procure fine horses that are swifter than the winds that come on a winter storm and stronger than an elephant. Or great sea eagles larger than a man that are fit for the arm of an emperor. They have hunting dogs that understand human speech. And uruch cattle with meat so tender it can be cut with a blade of grass yet so ample it will feed an army for a week and whose milk is as rich and sweet as nectar. Or a flock of damad whose wool can be spun into a silken thread that never ends. They have walrus ivories from beyond the farthest seas. And if you ask the right person in the right way, they might even be able to acquire a horn of the mythical unicorn for you. It is sometimes said that they know your desire — and your price — before you even know it yourself.

Many of these goods and others besides come substantially or exclusively from the siar of Gwyrhyd, that famed city about which tales are told far and wide. It is a land within a land at the very heart of Albion; a veritable Eden blessed by god and protected by the diverse magicks of the ancients; a place where none die and a man might sustain himself on the very air he breathes, taking only meat and wine for his amusement. Or so some say. What is undoubtedly true is that the individual I seek is largely responsible for their production. Of the goods. And of the tales too, I suspect. So I make my way to the harbour in search of his ships.

[oakleystreet]

L O R D     A S R I E L

DÆMON: Stelmaria, a snow leopard.

BOND: Whole.

HAIR: Black

EYES: (...)

AGE: Undisclosed.

BIRTH: Undisclosed.

NATIONALITY: Brytish. (English)

STATUS: Alive during LBS, NL, TSK and TAS. Dead during LO, S, TSC.

Lord Asriel was a Brytish nobleman and a notable scholar and explorer. He had, a one point, been a member of Parliament and was involved in defeating the Watercourse Bill, which would have limited the gyptians’ right of free passage through Brytain. His friendship with the gyptians was well-known, and he saved two gyptian children, Ruud and Nellie Koopman, from drowning in a flood in 1953.

He made his fortune from exploring, especially the Arctic Region, and was considered richer than a king at one point in his life. Not much of his family is known.

At some point prior to 1985, Lord Asriel met and began an affair with Marisa Coulter, who was married to Edward Coulter at the time. From this relationship, Lyra was born sometime in 1985 and because she resembled Asriel, he took the baby to one of his estates in Oxfordshire and placed her in the care of Ma Costa. Coulter, found out, however, and made an attempt on their lives, which Asriel hindered by knocking the gun from Coulter’s hand, then using it to shoot him in the head.

Asriel was tried by the High Court, and although the law protected his right to defend his property and child, it also benefitted the late Edward Coulter for defending his wife’s honor. As a result of this, Lyra was taken into government custody and Asriel was forbidden from seeing her; on top of that, he had almost his entire fortune seized, leaving him nearly penniless.

He was close to Lord Nugent, who had been in charge of finding a safe place for Lyra to stay and when she was placed at the Priory of Godstow, Asriel visited her briefly, convincing Sister Fenella to allow him to say goodbye. He left Oxford on that night, after speaking to Malcolm and borrowing his canoe; Asriel then had the canoe sent to the best boat-builder in England and asked Coram van Texel to return it to Malcolm.

In the first days of the flood, Bud Schlesinger reported he had briefly met Asriel in Chelsea the night before of his meeting, and that he was preparing to depart for the North once more.

(to be continued)

Asriel’s age is never disclosed and the hints given are somewhat contradictory. Although he is consistently addressed as “Lord,” his noble title is unknown.

Lyra mentions the Count and Countess Belacqua, but it is never clear whether they existed or not. Nothing else is known about Asriel’s family.

He was a member of Jordan College, although the text suggests he spent little time there, instead focusing on his exploring.

His wine of preference was the Hungarian wine, Tokay.

Asriel is described as a tall man, with powerful shoulders, and a fierce dark face. “His movements were large and perfectly balanced, like those of a wild animal (...)” (NL, chapter 1). His voice was described as deep and harsh and he was a man with a dominating posture and attitude.

DÆMON RELATIONSHIP

Slightly in disagreement, mostly quiet companionship and Stelmaria seems to exert the role of reason in their pair while Asriel acts as the impulsive, passionate, emotional part.

FAMILIAL TIES

Lyra Belacqua: daughter.

FRIENDS & ALLIES

Dr. Carne: college relation. 

Thomas Nugent: ally.

John Faa: ally.

Xaphania: ally.

King Ogunwe: ally.

Lord Roke: ally.

John Parry: ally

Thorold: ally and manservant.

ROMANTIC TIES

Marisa Coulter: lover.

Ruta Skadi: lover.

ENEMIES & RIVALS

Metatron: enemy.

Authority: enemy.

Father MacPhail: enemy.

AFFILIATIONS

Republic of Heaven: safe haven.

Jordan College: alma mater, educational.

Oakley Street: uncommitted friendship.

Magisterium: enemy.

Consistorial Court of Discipline.

Society of the Work of the Holy Spirit.

The Kingdom of Heaven: enemy, at open war.