Charon

*Charon's origin comes from a land far from the lands of Hellas. He was the child of strange and foreign gods, but was exiled from his family due to some concern of a possible conflict with his brother over their rights of succession. Charon became a ferryman, sailing various rivers and seas for so long, he nearly forgot about his old life. Then, the Titans found him camping on the shores of the Underworld. Sensing his divine spark, but lacking in the nutrition provided by Ambrosia and Nektar, Charon was recruited to oversee the imprisonment of the Titans prisoners in Tartarus.

When Zeus, Artemis, and Apollo mounted a prison break effort, Charon was nearly thrown into Oblivion, but was rescued by Hades — a prisoner whose routine torture Charon had overseen for over a century. Though he knew he did not deserve any mercy, Charon plead for a chance to prove himself. Hades not only gave him that chance, but also gave him a job with a steady source of income and a steady diet of Ambrosia and Nektar.

In the war with the Titans, Charon served as Hades' stalwart companion and aid. The two were rarely apart for over a century. When Hades pried the Bident from the fingers of Perses, it was Charon's blade against Perses' neck. When Hades was nearly slain by Kronos, it was Charon who came to his master's defense, though it nearly cost him his own life. When the Underworld was being restructured to reflect Hades' reign, Charon acted as the Steward of the Stygian Palace, overseeing Hades' court when the King of the Underworld was away.

As peace came to the Underworld, Hades offered Charon any position in the Stygian Court. Charon asked only for some minor purviews and a humble boathouse on the River Styx. For the price of a coin, Charon would give affordable passage to the souls of the dead to their final judgement. Though a humble ferryman, Charon has always remained Hades' loyal right hand. When Titans escape or heretics spread false doctrine, Charon has never failed to offer his assistance to join the Wild Hunt and ride beside his king once more.*

## Divine Lore

### Unknown Year - 310 Years Before Titanomachy

Charon was found camping on the shores of the River Styx by agents of Lord Perses, the Titans' Steward of the Underworld. Recognized as a foreign deity who had not identified himself or sought right to transport through the domain of the Titans, Charon's life was forfeit. However, instead of executing the trespasser, Perses decided to send him to Tartarus, however not as a prisoner, but rather as its warden.

Tartarus recently had the addition of a new prisoner that Kronos demanded to be watched at all times. Perses' few attendants had already grown tired of rotating this duty and Perses had no patience to listen to their complaints. Instead, he sought to appoint a new, dedicated warden, but none in his court desired the position. Charon solved that problem nicely... so long as Kronos did not discover Perses' leniency with a trespasser.

### 310 YBT - 103 YBT

As instructed by Perses, Charon oversaw the daily torture of the prisoners under his care. Though, Charon took no joy from this and only did so as it was required of him to balance the scales of Tartarus. Charon was open to hearing the suggestions from his prisoners, allowing some to endure harsher torture as to give others some reprieve.

### 103 YBT - 5 YBT

When Zeus broke into Tartarus, joined by his twin children Apollo and Artemis, Charon quickly surrendered. Still, Artemis wrestled him to the ledge and held him in such peril while he was interrogated about how to free the prisoners. When he had performed such service, his reward was to be a drop into Oblivion. However, Hades saw potential in the deity and quickly caught Charon's arm, pulling him to safety in exchange for Charon's promise of devotion and service.

Not one to break his promise, Charon continued to serve Hades faithfully throughout the war with the Titans. When Hades began his secret romance with Persephone, Charon soon discovered it and dutifully helped conceal their trysts. When Hades sabotaged Titans' supply lines, Charon was right beside him. When Hades went to the Underworld to claim the Bident from Lord Perses, Charon helped Hades secure the alliance of both the Cocytus and Lethe River Tribes and then fought beside his master as they dared to storm the gates of the Stygian Palace.

### 5 YBT - 0 Olympian Calendar

In the final years of the war against the Titans, Charon rode into battle with Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus. Though he lacked any weapons or combat skill sufficient to slay a Titan, he still fought as though he did. In the final battle against Kronos, Charon took a blow meant to end Hades, allowing his master to strike a meaningful blow to the King of the Titans. Though Charon may have died that day, Persephone rushed in and carried him from the battlefield.

Following the defeat of the Titans, Hades thanked Charon for his service and for saving his life. Hades released Charon from his debt, but Charon only fell from his nursing bed to swear allegiance to Hades once more, saying to serve him again would be his honor.

### 0 Olympian Calendar - 2969 OC

With Hades taking over the reins of the Underworld, Charon became the god's loyal aide-de-camp in the restructuring of the domain. When Hades had to leave the Underworld, Charon would either wield the Bident and oversee the Stygian Court as Hades' appointed steward or appoint Hecate to act in his stead, so he could accompany Hades as the god's coachman or comrade-in-arms.

As the Okeanids of five Lampade Tribes had a long tradition of serving as the harem of the Underworld's leader, they grew impatient with Hades' disinterest in laying with them to secure heart-pacts that would ensure their alliance. Charon attempted to convince Hades that the ritual was necessary for the stability of the Underworld, but Hades continued to deny the nymphs the pleasure — having already promised strict devotion to Persephone in lieu of their marriage at the time.

Knowing that Hades could not break his promise to Persephone, nor could he explain why he could not make a heart-pact with the nymphs as word would certainly have reached Demeter who had strong relationships with the nymphs of the Natural Order (and nymphs love to gossip), Charon offered to serve as Hades' champion as the Okeanids openly began to defy the restructuring efforts without the assurances of the heart-pact. Hades agreed to name Charon as his personal champion for the ritual. The Okeanids were a little disappointed to find Charon joining them for the much anticipated ritual, but all of them left rather satisfied with Charon's prowess — with all five of them continuing to carry on intimate relationships with Charon ever since.

From three of these heart-pacts, daughters were born. They were raised by their mothers until they reached a proper age to join Hades' Stygian Court, being named as his new permanent Erinyes, or "Furies" as they came to be known. From the other two heart-pacts, sons were born, which Charon oversaw as nymphs are rarely well-accustomed to raising non-satyr sons. Charon's sons became members of Hades' court, including the Keeper of Hades' Orchard and Hades' Physician and Torturer.

For his faithful service, which Charon was more than happy to perform, Hades offered Charon any position in the Stygian Court. Charon thanked Hades for the offer, but instead only asked to be the ferryman that saw the souls of the dead to their judgement. Hades saw that his friend wanted quiet and solace, so he agreed, granting Charon a boat, an oar, and humble estate on the shores of the River Styx.

## Role in NeOlympus

Appearances of Charon

 Abilities

### Ichoric Doctrine

* **Divine Physicality:** Deities possess the following abilities, though the exact levels may fluctuate or cease to function due to lack of Nektar and Ambrosia in their system. Generally speaking, Nektar is processed by the deity's body and converted into ichor which is required for replenishing lost ichor due to injury and channeling essence; while Ambrosia is processed by the body to heal injuries and sustain immortality. Deities do require some level of mundane food and drink, though a diet strictly made of Nektar and Ambrosia can sustain them (though they may become increasingly disconnected and 'inhuman' as a result).
	+ ***Enhanced Agility:*** Deities are more agile, coordinated, and dexterous than their physique alone may otherwise suggest.
	+ ***Enhanced Awareness:*** Deities are more closely attuned to the esoteric, arcane, and mystical than mortals. They can perceive ghosts, unmanifested nymphs, and other passively invisible patterns at work in the environment.
	+ ***Enhanced Durability:*** Deities are more durable, resilient, and resistant than their physique alone may otherwise suggest. Mystical weaponry, magic, concentrated essence weaponry, the natural attacks of other gods or divine creatures, and weapons forged of magical metals such as adamantine or orichalcum are the exceptions to this nigh-invulnerability. Most mortal weaponry cannot pierce divine flesh, though bladed attacks from incredibly strong mortals have left bruises or slight cuts on them and repeated blows can weaken them over time as their body burns through its consumed Ambrosia.
	+ ***Enhanced Might:*** Deities are stronger than their physique would otherwise suggest. Their punches are often dealt harder than a mule can kick. In conjunction with their enhanced durability, most deities can barehandedly punch through a brick and mortar wall without concern for harming their body.
	+ ***Enhanced Speed:*** Deities are faster, more reflexive, and all-around quicker than their physique would otherwise suggest. They can usually dodge arrows or even gunfire if they are aware of the attack and prepared to move.

### Inheritance and Birthright:

* **Inheritance and Birthright:** Gods of Olympus will inherit three abilities: One Inheritance from their mother (or matron), one Inheritance from their father (or patron), and one unique ability called the Birthright.
	+ ***Maternal Inheritance: Entropic Affinity:*** As the son of Tiamat, an ancient goddess of chaos from a distant land, Charon has an unnatural connection to entropy and chaos in all its forms. Using this, Charon can unleash vast amounts of entropy into his environment, causing systems to break down and bring disaster upon the area. As ruin also brings an opportunity to start anew, Charon also has an affinity for creating new things.
	+ ***Paternal Inheritance: Hydromantic Affinity:*** As the son of Abzu, an ancient water god from a distant land, Charon has a strong affinity for bodies of water. He can breathe underwater, walk on water as if it were solid ground, or allow water to propel him or his boat through the depths at great speeds.
	+ ***Personal Birthright: Necrotic Affinity*** Having spent most of his immortal life on a new Underworld bodies of water, Charon has developed a taste for the essence of death. He is a natural psychopomp, able to compel souls to follow him, smite shades with a snap of his fingers, or even command the dead to speak. He also has a heightened affinity for the manipulation of necrotic and chthonic essence.

### Doctrine

* **God of Aquifers:** With this purview, Charon can sense the presence of aquifers, underground rivers, wells, and even underground plumbing systems, such as sewers and cisterns. Charon has extensive knowledge of any underground body of water or system made for the containment or transport of water or other fluids.
* **God of Fares:** By exercising this power, Charon can sense the costs various transporters charge for their service and how they have treated their passengers in the past. He can also cause them to waive their fee. By Elysian tradition, passengers in desperate times could invoke Charon's name to have their fee waived. When this tradition has been invoked, Charon can sense if someone has denied the service or abused it for free fare. Charon disposes of such persons when they come to his ferry by granting them passage, regardless if they have their coin or not, but then disposing of them in the burning red waters of the Phlegethon. When such souls manage to swim themselves to the shores, they are usually found by the red river's Lampades who know what they have done and take them to the labor camps to await their reincarnation.
* **God of the Ferry:** Charon is the god of this humble passenger boat and any who operate such a vessel, whether large or small. This also includes airships that routinely fly between one aeroport to another. Using this purview, Charon knows where to find existing ferry services. By touching a fallen tree near a body of water, Charon can also craft a simple ferry through manipulation of essence alone. This purview also grants Charon the knowledge to operate any transport craft, including airships.
* **God of Hermits:** Charon is the patron god of those who shun civilization and society in favor of solitude and the wilderness. Such persons are expected to make routine sacrifices to Charon over a campfire in exchange for protection from the elements. Using his power, Charon can confer such environmental protections on another with a touch. Likewise, he is not affected by the environmental dangers around him.

### Theological Relics

* **Amelithyros:** Charon's oar is more than a mere stick used to guide his boat. It is a divining rod used to help locate water and confer Charon more power over the elements of the Underworld. It was given to Charon by the Lampades and Hecate to thank the god for his dutiful service to the Stygian Court. Using the Amelithyros, Charon can tame any of the Underworld's five rivers or other bodies of water. Simply by placing the oar in the water, Charon can command the river to propel his ferry. Even without a ferry, Charon can command waves to rise up and carry him at great speed. The oar is also a divine weapon capable of injuring other deities, shades, ghosts, and has once slain the Nemean Lion when it broke into the Underworld to hide from heroes hunting it and engaged in a ferocious fight with its own brother, Cerberus. Charon used his oar to brain the monstrous feline whose hide had dulled Cerberus' fangs.

## Trivia

### Mythology

* Urshanabi, was a figure in Mesopotamian mythology. He is described as a boatman in the service of Utnapishtim, and is responsible for taking Gilgamesh to his domain. In the Standard Babylonian version, he also subsequently travels with him back to Uruk. It has additionally been proposed that he might have been viewed as a survivor of the great flood, and that he acted as a ferryman of the dead comparable to Ḫumuṭ-tabal or Greek Charon.