- Lee Scoresby: "What's Larsen Manganese?"
- Clerk: "Big rich mining company. You rich?"
- Lee Scoresby: "Does it look like it?"
- Clerk: "No."
- Lee Scoresby: "Well, you got that right,"
- — Lee Scoresby talking to a clerk in Novy Odense[src]
Larsen Manganese was a rich mining company based in Novy Odense. The company's soldiers wore maroon uniforms and carried pistols and batons. The company was private and was looking for authority, like many other private companies, in the northern lands. It was dealing with Ivan Poliakov, who was planning to become mayor, about giving the company more authority on the island.[1]