Charon

**Charon** is the ferryman of Avernus, the Greek underworld.

## Description

In various depictions, Charon is just an old man who ferries the living through the River Styx. In other depictions, he is shown as an undead, with grotesque traits, and is sometimes depicted as been attached to the boat by his torso, essentially ending in him been the boat himself.

## Overview

Charon's origins are unknown though he is said to be a child of Nyx alone or Nyx and Erebus. It is also not specified when he became a chthonic deity or how he was even employed by Hades to begin with, nevertheless, Charon takes his duties with utmost seriousness and is committed to his task. Charon even ferries the souls of the damned for the Christian Hell though the task is often applied to Phlegyas.

Often accompanying Charon is the messenger god Hermes, who was thought to act as a guide to the dead in Hades. Often Hermes escorts the soul to Charon, who then takes them deeper into the underworld for judgement. However, once they are taken to Charon, it is required to pay the boatman a fee to which he would bring the dead across the River Styx that separated the world of the living from the world of the dead. Those who could not pay the fee were forced to wander the shores of the river as Wraiths for eternity (or one hundred years depending on the recount).

Charon has even assisted Greek figures who descend into Avernus on various challenges, such as Odysseus, Orpheus, and Psyche. Heracles engaged Charon’s services when, for his twelfth and most difficult labor, he was required to fetch the terrible three-headed dog Cerberus. The infernal hound made sure no soul or shade ever left the Underworld or crossed the waters without either Charon or Hermes as their guide. Hades was prepared to punish Charon for allowing Heracles, a living mortal, to traverse the Underworld until the boatman explained that he was given legal passage by Hermes himself.

## Powers and Abilities

**Banishment:** Charon can banish an object or being from a specific place to either a certain place/area they choose or into the area the target is most connected, in case of summoned beings their home plane of existence. Anything from abilities, traits, people, animals, properties, objects and even gods and everything else in-between can be affected by this power irrespective of difference in power. This also bypasses any/every negations and immunities.

**Coastal Lordship:** Charon has total domain and control over coasts around the world. Charon will be able to have unlimited control and power over beaches and their surroundings, some advanced users can create beach areas out of nothing.

**Divine Object:** Charon has access to an object that grants them divine/holy powers. They can range from source materials to apparel to fully-designed weapons; whatever the form, they can impart divine powers to those who lack them entirely or augment the already existing holy capabilities.

**Fire Generation:** Charon is able to either physically or mentally generate and project fire from their body.

**Guardianship:** Guardians are often those who are of noble birth or a high position of great historical or legendary importance. They have taken/been given the responsibility to defend, protect and, if needed, avenge the focus of their protection, which can be an object, place, concept, or person (throne/crown, village/gate/country/planet, love/good/harmony, royal heir/chosen prophet, etc.) among other things.

**River Deity:** Charon with this ability either is or can transform into a River Deity, a god/goddess who represents or is associated with water, rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, water falls and floods, and even droughts. River Deities are common in mythology and were usually important among civilizations.

**Underworld Deity:** As an archetype an underworld deity, a god/goddess who represents or is associated with the underworld or also known as the netherworld, and sometimes two different places. The also possess unlimited control over life and death. Underworld deities were very common in mythology and feared by most. Especially when one defines as the Anti-Being.

**Psychopomp:** Charon are or can transform into a Grim Reaper, which is another form of the personification of Death. Death is frequently imagined as a personified force. In some mythologies, a character is known as the Grim Reaper, who, after Death, collects a person's soul. These types of beings are a form of psychopomp, which means the 'guide of souls' are creatures, spirits, angels, demons, or deities in many religions whose responsibility is to escort newly deceased souls from Earth to the afterlife. Their role is not to judge the deceased but to guide them. However, unlike many Psychopomps grim reapers have been able to possess the touch of death, while still limited to the mandate of a mortal's lifespan, unable to take them before their time in most circumstances. Grim reapers have been depicted in different times and cultures as anthropomorphic entities, horses, deer, dogs, whip-poor-wills, ravens, crows, vultures, owls, sparrows and cuckoos; these users have the powers and responsibilities related to Death. Grim Reapers are seen as cloaked skeletal winged figures with scythes or sickles claiming the deceased's souls. Who takes them to their respected afterlives; however, this is not always the case, and they have been seen in various forms throughout history, even appearing as angels, demons, spirits, as well as humanoid entities.

**Skeleton Deity:** Charon is an undead deity, a god/goddess who represents or is associated with the bones, the dead, the undead, the grave, the underworld, and even sometimes death itself.