This is a story about orphan girl who lives in an alternate world that is similar to earth, but where people's souls exist outside of their bodies in animal form. The people are ruled by a shadow and oppressive council known as the Magisterium, which is doing it's best to keep everyone from getting information about what is called"dust". Lyra's uncle Asriel (Daniel Craig) has been researching Dust, and he has seen to it that Lyra is given safe shelter at Jordan College. But when the visiting Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) arrives, she asks Lyra to accompany her on a trip to the North to meet the Panserbjorne, a race of armored bears. Before Lyra leaves, the headmaster gives her a golden compass, a device which only she can read, and from which she can intuit the truth.