The Journey continues

Hello and welcome back!

First and foremost, please accept my apologies for the absence. I had, erm... business, to take care off. However, I trust you've enjoyed your temporarily extended stay with Charon. No? Well you'll have to forgive me. In recompense I would like to treat you tonight to a special encounter.

I, your guide through the night, am about to show you that my warnings of dangers that lie in wait were not empty words. Those that are still with me, should remain close for we are about to meet a creature that is deemed to be among the fiercest. The origins of its name lie once again in ancient Greece. Although there are quite a bit of sources that date even further back, it is the Greeks that are responsible, for its infamy. So without further ado, Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Cerberos!

A foul wind blows over the handful of brave souls that are sitting in the ferry. As the prow of the boat cuts through the mist, a huge silhouette of a three headed dog emerges from the gloom. Each head is full of sharp teeth and bears a pair of bloodthirsty eyes. The foam dripping from the mouth adds to the hostile look of the hound of hell. Now you realize that the foul wind is nothing else but the devilish dog's breath.

Have you had enough? No you cannot get out and take a picture with him. He is quite sensitive to bright light and his six eyes are already eyeing your camera with suspicion. I really think we should get out of here, and leave the caretakers the daunting task of calming the beast down. He's a big fan of flute music. After several hours of listening to the music he'll fall asleep, but since neither I nor Charon can play the flute, we should get away while we still can.

And So It Begins...

Welcome one, welcome all!

You have come here just in the nick of time. Just as I and my dear friend Charon were to begin our first cruise down the vast Stygian expanse. Those of you who have been here before will surely recognize the gates that lead onto the launch dock. The famous line above once quoted by Dante reads, "Abandon Hope".

This you should do because as I've mentioned over and over, this is no picnic. There will be terrors beyond your wildest imaginations as we travel down the dark side of our world.

Firstly I believe we should introduce the driver of our fine watercraft. The Ferryman himself, his name is Charon.

The first mention of him that is brought up in the world of the living was done so by the ancient Greeks, most notably Virgil, the poet:

There Chairon stands, who rules the dreary coast -

A sordid god: down from his hairy chin

A length of beard descends, uncombed, unclean;

His eyes, like hollow furnaces on fire;

A girdle, foul with grease, binds his obscene attire.

His words, as you can see, accurately describe the old man currently standing at the stern of the boat.

*Morningstar drops his voice to a quiet whisper*
Let me confide in you some truths you will never hear from Charon himself, but you must never let on, that it was me that gave it away. Firstly, if you can learn to let his words (which may be sometimes quite rough) pass in one ear and out the other, you'll learn to see that he is far from evil. His job is difficult and seeing scores upon scores of sinners every day has made him quite, hmm.. what's the word, bitter. His grumblings however are quite harmless, and you my fellow explorers of the nightly realms, should worry more about those whom we'll encounter outside our ferry. As long as Charon (and he will reluctantly allow you to call him Harry) is by our side, we'll be in relative safety.

*Then raises his voice again so that Charon can hear him*
That said, you must always remember, not to bother Charon while he is working the oars. The waters of Styx can be dark and deadly tricky, and it takes extraordinary talent and cunning to guide the ferry across them. We must always be thankful for the guidance and the fierce protection offered to us by this most deadly entity.


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Well, thank you for reading, this has been the first of hopefully many posts to come. I am quite new to blogging and am planning to take this step by step. Bear with me, I'll update as frequently as I can, posting information on various myths, beliefs, and folktales. Creatures, spirits and beings of the dark as well as light will be encountered along our trip. You will quickly learn that they all have unique personalities and quirks to their characters. If you my traveller have an idea for something to be discussed in the blog please share it in the comment section, I'll try my best to incorporate as much as I can. That said, Dark Dreams to all...