Charon



Charon (aka the Ferryman, the Boatman and sometimes Death) is a grim and silent ghoul who carries the dead across the River Styx, and the Poisoned Lake in Kolyma.

Background
There is a personage named Charon whose job it is to ferry souls of the dead across the river Styx to Hades (as he did in the time of the ancient Greeks). He was thought of as a silent, shrouded old man. In time, the image became synonymous with Death. Charon has his own scythe, but doesn't carry it all the time It has been whispered that to see his face is to look into the Abyss.

He is the guardian of the River Styx (and other deadly waterways), and will ferry any man living or dead, across the Styx to Hades or Realm of the Dead or the Poisoned Lake...for a price. It is said that Graham accompanied Death to Count Dracula's castle across the lake

The shrouded, ghoul has been known to ferry Dracula and those who pay a price across the Poisoned Lake. Death ferried King Graham across the water, after the king donned the black cloak and the ruby ring, tricking the ghoul into thinking he was Dracula. After Graham had killed Dracula, and received the last of the Magical Keys and the Tiara, the ghoul ferried him back across the lake. Some claim the grim boatman is death itself.

He later gave Alexander passage across the river Styx in the Underworld of the Realm of the Dead for the price of two old coins.

The boatman is a frightening character; his hands little more than claws, and his face is completely hidden inside of his hood.

Titles

 * Charon the Ferryman
 * The Ferryman
 * Ferryman of the Styx
 * Boatman
 * Death

Behind the scenes
For that reason of the toll across the river, ancient Greeks buried their dead.

Charon was a brother of Thanatos (the actual greek personification of of Death) in Greek Mythology; and was the ferryman of both the rivers Styx and the Acheron of Hades. Although Charon has often been associated with death in midieval legend originally that was the position of his brother (who also quite often portrayed as a grim reaper).

Other characters inspired by the Charon figure is the Boatman of the poisoned lake in KQ2, although in that game, it's a ghoul. As is the Boatman in KQ8. In fact KQC suggests that the boatman in KQ2 may even be Charon. It is possible that the Boatman/Ferryman in KQ8 is also the same character.

Charon can be found in the Underworld of the Isle of the Dead in KQ6. The information in then KQC would imply that the boatman's identity is Charon thus suggesting that the character appears in two games. In the KQ7 Authorized Guide is referred to as 'Death' which also ties him to Charon. The Ferryman in KQ8 also has much of the same background; he ferry's the dead across the River of Death (aka River Styx) although he is using a ethereal boat in the Dimension of Death. Thus the River Styx appears to connect between Hades, the Realm of the Dead, and the Dimension of Death. So it is possible that this character actually appears in three games.

In general, the spooky ferryman is a common theme in many adventure games, always inspired by the Charon. One such appearance (although comical one) is in Monkey Island 3.

In KQ6
In the CD version, the narrator pronounces the name Charon with a SH. In Greek the CH should actually be pronounced like a K. In fact the pronunciation is similar to NASA's pronunciation for Pluto's moon Charon, based on the pronunciation and name given to the moon by James W. Christy, who intentionally pronounced it that way, in honor of his wife 'Charlene'.

In KQ2
It is possible to pay passage to cross the lake, with one of the Sapphire Jewels. There is an extra "beckon" animation if you give him one of the treasures.

You only need to wear the cloak to get across free, however, wearing the cloak and the ring gives a more detailed description, and offers a background nod to Dracula himself.

In the KQ2 Hintbook this character is referred to as the boatman or the "shrouded ghoul".

In King's Quest Companion & KQ7 Authorized Guide
The Boatman in KQ2 is referred to as the Boatman and also suggested to be Charon, or Death. Charon later appears in the third edition in the KQ6 chapter.