Charon

Charon is the Demon Lord of pride, installing into mortals vainglorious beliefs and a twisted interpretation of perfection. A being of impossible beauty, many have succumbed to his will with the pursuit of perfection, and belief that they have achieved greatness.

Also known as the Golden, the Lord of a Thousand Mirrors and many other names that preach of divinity, Charon is far from the benevolent God many of his followers claim him to be. Behind his gleaming smile lies corruption and the hunger for the souls of mortals.

Where other Demon Lords claim souls from violence or manipulation, it is through worship that Charon draws his power from. He inspires awe, obsession, devotion, and promises to share his perfection with the mortals that fall to his charm. Charon is the ultimate reflection of those that see themselves above others, be it through their craft, their wealth or their mind. He offers his gifts willingly to those that accept them, but like all things when dealing with Demons, there is a cost.

Domain and Influence

Pride is a common emotion for mortals, who often seek praise for their accomplishments. It is when this is taken to the extreme that Charon strikes. A simple whisper: you can do better, you are special, you deserve it all. His touch inspires those who listen to even greater feats, until the greatness begins to devour them. The ideas Charon drives in to such devotees are often grand, world-changing and terrible.

Narcissism and admiration grow as the mortal falls under the sway of Charon, seeing him as some divine spark in their thoughts. Vain kings, a mighty swordsman, artists and scholars – all are driven mad by their own brilliance. As Charon's presence grows stronger, empires fall, duellists challenge gods and artists gouge out their own eyes. When their soul has been totally corrupted by their pride, Charon merely waits for it to enter The Weave, where he delicately feasts on it for eternity.

Appearance and Depictions

Many have claimed to see Charon directly, by it in visions or dreams where he speaks inspiring words to them. He is described as a colossal figure, twenty feet tall, with a body carved like living marble. His skin is white and cracked, as if his perfect form had been sculpted then shattered by its own brilliance. Within the cracks flows molten gold, glowing faintly, suggesting divinity leaking through flaw.

Long, golden hair adorns his head, with features that slightly resemble that of a High Elf. Black, depthless eyes watch intensely from a flawlessly symmetrical face. Charon is often described as smiling, although the expression never quite seems to be truly honest.

Sometimes he is in ornate robes, often left loose to show off his muscular form. Many have described Charon as wearing resplendent golden armour, etched with celestial designs and impossible geometry. All agree that instead of the two arms that mortal bear, Charon has four. These he moves with balletic precision, and often two wield impossibly crafted duelling swords.

Those blessed enough to ever lay their sights on Charon describe him as breathtaking, a creature of unnatural beauty and grace. But they also always note something seems wrong. A movement that is slightly off, a shadow that flickers out of sync briefly, a gaze that makes one feel lesser. None can truly describe or grasp what makes them feel unnerved, but it is clear Charon's divine appearance is a mask, one to cover the sins he inspires.

Myths and Legends

The Sundering of Auraiddmir was a cataclysmic event in Varda's history, one that gave birth to several of the Demon Lords within the Weave. Charon is one of these.

Once a High Elven prodigy, the Elf that was to become Charon was a man of great skill. An artist, warrior, philosopher and magister, he was considered a living paragon of their culture. Both an unmatched duellist and revered thinker, there was always a slight arrogance that underpinned his greatness. Rumours abound that the Elf was one of the first to hear the whispers from beyond, and it is his pride that bought the empires undoing.

When the Demonic invasion began, the Elf's conceit in his skills had him preaching to his fellow Elves. He claimed that the Empire could not fall because he was part of it, and that his powers would allow him to control the Demons rampaging through the realm.

Impossible spells were cast, and soul-bound enchantments used to enhance his already impressive capabilities. The Elf participated in many battles against the Demon invaders, always seeking out the greatest of adversaries. After each victory, the Elf would bind part of the Demons essence to himself, still believing he could eventually control the forces from the otherworld. Little did he know, this act would slowly corrupt his soul, as the dark powers of the Weave began to take their toll.

Eventually, the Elf met his match in the Demon Lord Tharoest, The Destroyer. Such primordial rage was too much for the Elf, but still in his last moments he boasted of his power, of his perfection. As the Elf's body was left shattered and his soul departed, it was torn into the Weave, and there it was twisted and transformed. Charon the Demon Lord was born, offering inspiration twisted into madness, an ever-burning pride so pure it could shatter empires.