Cliff-ghast

The cliff-ghast was a species of flying creature that inhabited the cliffs of Svalbard in Lyra's world.

BiologyEdit

AnatomyEdit

Cliff-ghasts were approximately half the size of a grown human. They were capable of flight, with leathery wings, and had hooked claws. Their heads were flat and they had wide, frog-like mouths and bulging eyes. They gave off a foul smell.^[1]

DietEdit

Cliff-ghasts were scavengers, living off carrion. They also ate Arctic foxes.

CultureEdit

LanguageEdit

Cliff-ghasts communicated with one another using spoken language, though they were not known to speak to other species.

SocietyEdit

Cliff-ghasts revered the eldest of their kind, a blind ghast whom they called Grandfather. He was respected as a source of knowledge and legend, whose memory went back to before the existence of humans. This Grandfather predicted the 'greatest battle ever fought': the war against the Authority, and that Lord Asriel would win if he were in possession of the subtle knife, called Æsahættr in their tongue.^[2]

AppearancesEdit

• Northern Lights
• Northern Lights - The Graphic Novel
• The Subtle Knife
• The Amber Spyglass
• Peril of the Pole (Mentioned only)

ReferencesEdit