Lee Scoresby

Lee Scoresby is a skilled “aeronaut” balloonist from the state of Texas.

In the novella Once Upon A Time in The North, which serves as a prequel to His Dark Materials, Lee is twenty-four years old. He meets Iorek Byrnison when the two of them help a Dutch captain, van Breda, escape with his cargo from the Muscovy harbor town of Novy Odense. From details mentioned in the novella, it can be deduced that Lee is fifty-nine years old at the time of his death.

Lee is an old Arctic hand, and extremely skilled with his balloons. He is sharp with a gun, though generally nonviolent. His dream is to sell his balloons and buy a ranch back in Texas.
Lee’s best friend is the armored bear Iorek Byrnison. They fought together, and he once saved Iorek’s life.

Lee (and his daemon, Hester the hare) pledge their support to John Faa and the Gyptians on a mission to destroy Bolvanger and save its captive children. He is delighted to learn that Iorek has been hired too.