#Charon’s Staircase

[leotheponderer]

Original world (long) lore dump!

My first visualisation of the place where souls go after death, before they are ready to be brought into the underworld by the Boatman inspired by the Greek myth of Charon. Most souls who came before the Psychopomp's (inspired by Thanatos) revival have taken residence and formed a community of sorts who stays and helps the regretful souls who wander along the Liminal Pathways move on.

The Liminal Paths where souls wander through. Those who are troubled by unresolved issues easily get lost in the infinitely winding path, while the residents who have long since come to terms with their circumstances will take a leisurely stroll around the paths, never getting lost as their minds stay clear. Sometimes residents will meet lost souls trapped in the paths and help guide them through their obstacles.

These are inspired by liminal spaces, which are places where one is not supposed to stay at for too long like shopping malls, corridors, staircases, swimming pools, etc. Since this is the Border where souls await the boatman to take them into the underworld, I thought it would be fitting to represent that through liminal spaces as most souls are not meant to reside there, but to move on to their next destination.

Boats of Leisure and a Raft, perfect for souls to go sightseeing. Boat tours are great as they allow a clear view of the ever-shifting Planes of Liminality and the never ending Paths, allowing the viewers to never truly become bored of its sights. Soft yellow flowers seem to follow these water vehicles, but also be generated by the water ripples, creating a magical trail of flowers. More flowers bloom when the Boatman is near, due to his abilities relating to life.

A Giant Blue Dragon swims in these waters. Fear not, it is friendly and loves the flowers.

The Performers are people who go to the Border to entertain the souls there. They can come from both the Outside and Underworld, they are usually brought in by the Boatman or Psychopomp through an exchange program created by the World. Performances can be anything which is visual (magic, dance, song, etc.) or can entertain such as comedy skits or plays (souls can express emotion, and if they laugh, you'll know).

The Keeper is one who cares for all things living in the Border. They are easily recognised by their flaming robes and calming energy as they attend to their tasks of feeding the fishes, keeping the water temperature suitable for the Blue Dragon, checking up on their friend under the land, among other things. They can use his fishing rod to move the water around, creating flowers for the creatures to feed on. They have quite the sense of humour once you get to know them. Ask about their story and maybe you'll know some trivia about the World's history.

The World is here to greet some old friends of theirs. Seems like some older friends may be due for a visit soon.

The Psychopomp (the grey one with wings) is bringing souls over to the Boatman for transport into the Underworld. The Boatman (the blue one with swirls) brings life wherever he goes, and has a title corresponding with that aspect. The boats can phase through solid things and move through the water without much resistance.

[fandomnerd9602]

Hunting Ghosts

Sam Carpenter x Wick!Reader

For @tokufighter

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you when you least expect it. For you and the Carpenter sisters it was a mixed bag. On one hand, they had to deal with the serial killer known as Ghostface. For you it was the festering wounds that the Continental Hotel had brought on. You find yourself loading up on guns and any assortment of gadgets you needed to combat the dollar store slasher villain. You holster the P30L pistol and pack your grandfather’s tactical rifle into a duffle bag. The attachment that Winston mentioned was a secondary shotgun barrel retrofitted for dragon’s breath incendiary rounds.

You snuck out, having Sam and Tara in the safe confines of the Continental Hotel. You even took Sam’s cellphone that way whoever this Ghostface was, they would be hunting you and not them. You made your way down Times Square, walking around just waiting for a call from the killer. On the cue the phone rings. The caller ID reads Charon. You pick it up, “tell me the girls are safe” “Oh we’re safe.” Sam answers back. “Where are you?” “I’m ending this. Today. I won’t let you or Tara get injured again” “This one’s different. I can’t lose you too. You come back right now. You hear me?!” Sam begs you.

“I will…when Ghostface is six feet under” you hang up. Another call rings, you pick it up without even looking at the caller ID. “Sam, baby, I’m sorry I-” “Oh I’m sure you are” the slimy voice of Ghostface answers back. You stop dead in your tracks. “you look snazzy in that suit. I’m sure if you weren’t with Sam, Quinn would’ve gobbled you up in an instant.” “I might’ve let her. She was smoking hot till you gutted her like a fish” you retort, “of course Sam wouldn’t have minded sharing” “Tempting that would’ve been. Honestly that outfit is missing something…”

“Yeah what?” you say, your instincts kicking in at that moment. “It’s not stained red!” the voice shouts from behind you. You duck and weave, narrowly missing the blade of Ghostface. You counteract the next swing of the blade and stab your own blade through the assailant’s arm. A shriek that sounded feminine in form rings out from the mask. You knew who it was in the moment. “Hello Quinn” you smirk. You hear a growl under the mask. You give your assailant the finger and run off into the crowd. You can feel her give chase. Your mind runs wild - if Quinn is under the mask, who is her partner in this? There’s more than one, as always.

You run into an abandoned building, Ghostface is hot on your tail. You run up the staircase of the complex, you can practically hear the boots of the killer right behind you. You reach the top of the staircase and roll into a shooting stance. You fire off several shots which ricochet off the robes of the killer. “It’s amazing what you can buy on eBay” Quinn retorts “Someone sold out the tactical tech.“ you huff. She drives her knife towards you. Quickly rolling again, you pull out your own bowie knife and swipe at her, landing a few jabs at her left knee and elbow.

She screams before driving a knife into your right calf. You grit your teeth to muffle any scream. “Funny” she retorts, “I always was hoping you’d stab me. Over and over again” She gets real close, removing her mask. She licks your face, a sign of mockery, or maybe that was just her sex positive attitude leaking through. She slips her mask back on and readies the knife over your heart. “We’re in the endgame now” Quinn whispers, readying to run you through with the knife. “You know what I love about a franchise’s endgame?” you smirk as your hand reaches into your duffle. “What?”

“It always ends in fireworks” BLAM! You fire off the dragon’s breath attachment. Quinn’s robes catch fire and ignite. She screams, trying her best to dampen the flames. BLAM! BLAM! Two shots ring out, bouncing off her robes. The masked Quinn slams into the railing and tumbles down the staircase. And with that, she disappears. “Chasing ghosts, kid?” A gruff voice rings over you. “More like being hunted by them” you respond as a hand reaches down to help you to your feet. “Apparently one’s helping me now” You get pulled up to your feet by John Wick, who offers you a weary smile and a hug. “It’s good seeing you again” he says, rubbing your shoulders reassuringly.

“Good seeing you’re still kicking, Dad” you respond, “I thought you died in a duel in Paris with Caine” “It’s the city of love, not death” Wick responds. “let’s go” Your dad guides you out to a jet black Mustang. Sam jumps out with her own shotgun a second later. “I thought i lost you for a second” Sam runs up and hugs you. “Wicks are hard to kill” you retort. “And even easier at resurrecting” John finishes as he shakes your girlfriend’s hand. “Come on” Sam smirks “lets kill a ghost”

[half-deadmagicperson]

How Danny Broke His Favorite Star Projector

Hey y'all!!! This is my fic for @ecto-implosion on art by @midnightectosnack ! (WHO DID AN AMAZING JOB!)

Crossover: Danny Phantom, Hades (Videogame)

Rating: Teen (To Be Safe)

Characters: Danny Phantom, Zagreus (Hades), Cerberus (Hades), Cujo (Danny Phantom), Clockwork, Persephone (Hades), Charon (Hades)

Tags: Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Psychopomp AU

Warnings: Temporary Character Death, Death Mentioned, Cannon-typical Violence

Summary: It's been a long time since Danny became a half-ghost. After the fights in Amity ended, he began a new job: guiding souls to their respective afterlives. One day, Danny stumbled upon a strange soul he's never seen before, a soul from the House of Hades.

Link to AO3

Next Chapter

Link to Midnight's Artwork!!!

   It was a pretty normal day in the Infinite Realms, well as normal as it can be. Danny had just finished up his day at work and was making his way back home. He floated in the Zone for what felt like forever. His fatigue caused his surroundings to blur. Islands, doors, staircases, a bluish spirit looking thing, more islands. Danny stopped in his tracks. He must've forgotten one.

   About seventy years ago or so, before Danny left Amity, Clockwork showed up to Danny's house with a new job. He asked Danny to help guide souls to their respective afterlives. The boy accepted the offer and began shortly after. 

   Danny walked with thousands of spirits. Some were strangers, others were a little close to home. It started with Sam's grandma, then Tucker's parents, then Sam's, then his own mother and father, then Tucker, then Sam, then Valerie, then Jazz. Eventually, everyone he ever knew passed away. Amity Park moved on, and so did Danny, well he's trying to.

    Now Danny was staring at the Blue spirit in front of him. It was definitely a soul, but it looked different than the ones he's seen before. Its face was a dark void with yellow eyes and kind of reminded him of a blob ghost, but more sentient. He should probably go to Clockwork. 

   The ghost boy floated around, soul in tow, until he approached a large clocktower.

  “Hello? Clockwork?” Danny called out into the dark entryway. He glanced around until his eyes landed on a familiar purple cloak. The boy’s mentor, currently in the form of a baby, turned around to greet his pupil. The baby’s form shifted into a frail, old man.

  “Hello, Daniel, what have you come to ask?”

  “Ok, so I was on my way back home when I came across this soul, and I don’t know which afterlife it belongs to,” Danny pointed to the blue creature next to him.

  “Ah, yes, I haven’t seen one of those souls in a very long time. This soul belongs to the House of Hades,” Clockwork moved to inspect the soul, “ Usually these souls are sent directly to Hades, but it appears this one got lost. Would you mind, Young Daniel, escorting it back to the Underworld?”

   Danny looked up at his mentor, now in the form of a young adult, and nodded. The Ghost of Time passed the boy a scroll with directions as well as a giant sack of meat. It was time to go to the Underworld.

    

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    

     In the darkness of the Underworld, the young prince prepares food for the fiercest of protectors, Cerberus the three headed hound.

  “Oh, you’re back, Old Man.” 

  Zagreus, Son of Hades, grabbed the sack of meat he prepared to feed his favorite guard dog. He walked down the cold, dry halls of the House of Hades until he reached the back of the Temple.

    The Prince wanders the halls of the House. He does not know what he shall find further ahead. Will it be a great ally? Or a deadly foe? Either way the Fates have something in store.

   “You know I can still hear you, Right?” 

   Zagreus sighed. There must be something, other than Cerberus ahead. Slowly, Zagreus crept down the hall, preparing for battle if necessary. He couldn’t believe what he saw next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Danny just finished returning the soul. He decided not to venture too deep into the Underworld, totally not out of fear, and dropped the prodigal off at the main entrance. 

   When he first arrived at the House, he heard a large growl. Cerberus, the massive three-headed hound, showed three sets of fangs to the unsuspecting ghost boy.

   Danny, not having any concept of danger, decided to treat the giant beast like he would any dog, and allowed it to give him sniffs. He floated up closer to the middle head. The creature’s giant noses created gusts of wind as it took in Danny’s scent. Danny braced himself for rejection, but instead felt a large nose bump into him, more specifically, into the bag of meat. The boy mentally thanked Clockwork, and presented Cerberus with the meat.

   In an instant, the ferocious hell-hound turned into an oversized puppy. Danny smiled as he offered the dog pets. He kind of reminded Danny of Cujo. The boy continued scratching under one of the dog's ears. He didn't hear the incoming footsteps.

  "Who the hell are you?"

   Danny whipped his head around. On the opposite side of the hallway stood a rather imposing figure. A guy, who looked just a tad older than Danny, crossed his arms and glared. He was dressed like a Greek god, and was built like one too. This was gonna be interesting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   Zagreus didn't know what he was expecting, maybe some monster or a demigod or something, but it definitely wasn't a flying boy in a strange outfit. The weirdest part was that Cerberus had not attacked the intruder, in fact, the intruder was petting him? It was then that Zagreus noticed the sack of meat on the floor. Ah, bribery. Welp time to get this party started.

   "Who the hell are you?"

   The boy jolted into a defensive position. Zagreus noticed him analyzing his opponent. He was definitely a seasoned fighter, and not to be underestimated. The boy put on a nervous expression and responded:

  "I was…just leaving! Nice place you got here, uh, sir! I'll just be, uh, scooting out this gateway here."

  The culprit was trying to escape. Zagreus sighed. He may be new here, but he still must face the same justice. 

   "You are not allowed to intrude into the House of Hades, for that you must pay."

   He drew out Stygius, Blade of the Underworld.

   Danny eyed the blade carefully. It looks like there's gonna be a fight. Maybe he can talk the guy with the sword out of it?

  “We, we don't really have to fight! I can just lea-”

  Zagreus charged full-force at the stranger. The prince only had a few moments to process the glowing blue in his opponent's hand before he was met with another sword.

   Danny used his newly crafted ice sword to ward off his attacker. He eventually was able to get a lucky hit in and knock the weapon out of Zagreus's hand.

   “Could we maybe, I don't know, talk about things instead of fighting?”

   “No,” was the prince’s curt reply before drawing another weapon, a spear. Where the hell did that even come from?

   Zagreus spun the Eternal Spear into the intruder's sword. The ice shattered like glass. Looks like it was time for a new plan. 

   Danny summoned some ectoblasts and started shooting at the prince from a distance. Despite his efforts, Zagreus persisted and started backing Danny into a corner.

   Danny sighed.

   “I didn't want to have to do this, but you gave me no choice.” 

   The Underworld shook with the echoes of ghostly screaming. Stalactites cracked and crumbled onto the ground. Cerberus whined from the loud noise. Zagreus cupped his ears, yet still persisted. 

    Danny continued his Ghostly Wail until his throat was raw. Exhaustion waved over him. It's been a while since he's used that, he forgot how draining it was.

   Seeing the prince disoriented, he allowed himself to meet the floor. He couldn't fight more if he tried.

   Zagreus's ears were ringing, but he noticed his opponent was down. He did not hesitate to take the opportunity to trap the boy.

    Danny looked up at the two-pronged spear aimed at his throat.

 "WAIT!!!.....please," Danny croaked out. The prince stared down at him, refusing to let down his guard. Nevertheless, he let him continue.

  "I was sent here by my mentor to return a soul. I'm a psychopomp. I guide souls to their respective afterlives. I was on my way home when I found one of yours. I promise I never meant to intrude!"

   Zagreus looked down at the young ghost. He could be telling the truth, but he also could be lying. He scanned the boy for any indication of falsehood. He found none.

   Slowly, he let up on the ghost, refusing to break eye contact. The boy breathed a sigh of relief. 

  "Well, now that that's settled, my name is Danny, Danny Phantom, what's yours?"

[yuurei20]

Leona Info Compilation part 31: Leona, Book 6 and Jamil

Book 6 begins with Leona being the only Housewarden to surrender voluntarily to Charon instead of fighting (Azul makes the attempt, but is stopped by Idia).

When Ortho explains his plan to “reset” the world, Leona’s reason for standing against him is that, however much he may dislike their current world, whatever new world Ortho is planning probably wouldn’t be any more to his taste.

Jamil begins Book 6 being extremely unimpressed with Leona, who seems to ignore him, call him a snake and a schemer who uses others as a shield and throws one of his hair accessories into Tartarus.

Their descent to the Underworld begins with Jamil adopting his usual fake-smiling, bodyguard persona, which Leona says he doesn’t buy for a second.

Jamil spends most of the time trying to defend Leona and even getting underfoot, at one point accidentally compromising Leona’s plan to lure Phantoms into a passage and off a narrow staircase and getting injured in the process.

Leona compares Azul favorably to Jamil, who reacts poorly to the insult, insisting that Leona will “be in for a very rude awakening if he keeps acting like this. And then he’ll rue the day he ignored my advice.”

Jamil starts to worry about burning through his magic reserves, but still scolds Leona for taking over. Leona saves Jamil from a Phantom attack, leading him to acquiesce that it is “tactically sound to keep working with Leona.”

Leona sends Jamil to find the thunder spear and he comes close to registering himself as its user, but fetches Leona instead.

Leona wipes out the titan using the thunder spear all on his own, without assistance (unlike the other two teams) and Jamil seems to become less resistant to following Leona’s orders.

Jamil still insists on trying to serve Leona like he does Kalim, however, and his attempts to carry the thunder spear on his own lead to Leona calling him out on it.

Jamil gets targeted by Phantoms aiming for the injury he incurred by disrupting Leona’s earlier plan, and Leona rescues him again.

Jamil says he will formulate a plan to ensure he is more useful next time and Leona cautions him for his arrogance, saying that he is well aware that Jamil is convinced he is better than everyone else—he’s just “never gotten a chance to shine…and so you always look down on those around you.”

When Jamil calls Leona out on looking down on others himself Leona responds, “Sure I do. But see, I AM better than you.”

Leona proceeds to compliment Vil’s, Riddle’s and even Azul’s abilities, pointing out that Jamil is actually a far cry from the two second-year housewardens, for all that he might think he is better.

[daisychainsandbowties]

hello my friend I hope you are well. noticed you haven’t been very active lately and just wanted to check in ❤️

i’m doing good anon thank you for asking 🥺💖 i have nonverbal times both for aloud speech and *gestures* whatever this is. so it’s just been a lilith-style 😐 kind of week. and it’s also the anniversary of something which makes me feel a bit sad whenever i’m on here 😔

i fell in a really deep hole in minecraft though 🥰 i dug straight down which in hindsight i have maybe been told not to but it’s okay i landed in water! look how deep this cavern is 😳

that’s me at the top of the staircase i had to build to get back up 🥰 i found diamonds down there i actually think i have a talent for finding diamonds in minecraft i found SO MANY in the short time i’ve played it (power of gay i think 🤔😳😌❤️❤️) i’m now building a house on top of the staircase into hell so once i have sunglasses you can call me Charon 😘 or Cerberus i suppose 🧐 but i’m not gatekeep girlboss so… hmm.

anyway yeah i’ve been a bit not here but i’m doing good 🥺💖 i appreciate you checking in though that’s so sweet 😭💖🥹

[onehourgameplay]

Charons Staircase #shorts - 4k Gameplay PC 2160p, Walkthrough. ▲One Hour Gameplay #CharonsStaircase #shorts #Gameplay #Walkthrough #OneHourGameplay #gaming #games #horror

[raidgamer-gameplay]

[Gameplay][Aventure] Charon's Staircase 😱👻

Dans les années 70, un régime totalitaire appelé le Ministère régnait d'une main de fer. Pendant cette période, ils ont commis de nombreux actes inhumains et abjects, mais ce temps est révolu. Désormais, ils veulent intégrer l'Union européenne. Vous incarnez un agent répondant au nom de code "Desmond". Le Ministère vous envoie récupérer et détruire des documents secrets dans le domaine d'Oack Grove, documents compromettants sur les horribles activités du passé. Lors de ce voyage, vous ferez une découverte plutôt déplaisante et affreuse : le projet Alpha.

[cress-meadowforge]

Cress scoffed at the implication, at the notion that Slate -- that anyone -- could experience District Zero and feel unmoved. It offered unique trials, designed to subvert the expectations of the elite in order to reveal great personal truths. And if he could not enjoy the spoils that came after, or the journey itself, he would at least enjoy watching the infliction of suffering upon Capitolites in the form of forced self examination. And if he really couldn't bring himself to feel awe-struck or amused by either, Slate surely couldn't deny the beauty or magnitude of the craft. An arena was a magnificent thing, in the way a deadly, colorful creature was.

She glanced over her shoulder once as they descended, just to make sure he was still there, despite being tethered at the hands. But as they neared the foot of the staircase, Cress paused, brow furrowing as she looked out at the opaque blackness of water beneath them. The catacomb's center was flooded several feet deep, with no path or place to continue on. For a moment, she stood still and confused. Had something happened here? Something wrong? But the water's surface rippled, and from the torch-lined depths of passageway, a small ferry appeared, piloted by a cloaked figure. A representation of Charon, emerging from one of the tunnels, where gates hung haphazardly from the walls on either side. Above, in rough-cut metal, lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate glimmered, and Cress admired the flame-light as it illuminate each word. The ferry glided toward them, until the wooden bow met the stone stair, and Cress stepped down into it, turning back once more to make sure Slate wasn't far behind.

"My viper," he said, lacing his arm around Cress's waist, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her cheek as they continued to walk. The streets were darkened, offering some anonymity, and he felt a bit emboldened. "I'll try to have fun," he promised. "Because then if I have no fun at all, at least it wasn't my fault." He was game for this, though, open to it because Cress wanted him to be. That meant that he'd do it, he'd even try to put a smile on his face a few times, unless of course the vibe was very serious. In that case he'd frown along with the rest of the rich people whose plastic surgery meant they couldn't do anything else with their cheeks.

"And no. I won't write about it." He crossed his heart with his free hand, though her saying that did make him second-guess a bit. Was this something worth writing about? Should he be promising not to if it would be for the best if he did?

[abyx]

Charon’s Staircase

No te pierdas el análisis de Charon’s Staircase, @abyx_es @StudiosIndigo @SOEDESCO_ES #abyx_es #CharonStaircase #StudiosIndigo #SOEDESCO_ES #indiegame #review #analisis

Los títulos de terror son uno de los géneros mejor valorados entre las desarrolladoras independientes. Un género que además ha crecido gracias a ellos, cuando parecía el gran olvidado por las grandes compañías. Como no podía ser menos, los estudios independientes españoles han seguido esta tendencia con propuestas realmente interesantes. Entre ellos encontramos títulos como Oxide Room 104 o TAPE:…

[gametainmentnet]

Charon’s Staircase: Veröffentlichungstermin wurde bekanntgegeben

Charon’s Staircase: Veröffentlichungstermin wurde bekanntgegeben

SOEDESCO® bestätigt das Veröffentlichungsdatum für das First-Person-Horror-Krimispiel Charon’s Staircase. Am 28. Oktober 2022 wird das Spiel auf Steam und im Epic Games Store erscheinen. Außerdem wird es für PS4™, PS5™, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S und Nintendo Switch™ sowohl digital als auch physisch erhältlich sein. In Charon’s Staircase schlüpfen die Spieler in die Rolle des Agenten „Desmond“ und…

[gebo4482]

Charon's Staircase - Teaser Trailer | PS4 Games

Website

[originlist]

hello yes come buy his wares, now accepting qp and mana prism as currency alongside gold. (do not ask his purposes or his supply chain, simply purchase his wares.)

[thegamerstationn]

Birinci şahıs korku gizem oyunu "Charon's Staircase", Ekim ayında PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch ve PC'ye geliyor.

Birinci şahıs korku gizem oyunu "Charon's Staircase", Ekim ayında PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch ve PC'ye geliyor. #thegamerstation #charonsstaircase #steam #epicgames #ps5 #playstation #xbox #korku #macera #horror

Yayıncı SOEDESCO ve geliştirici Indigo Studios, birinci şahıs korku gizem oyunu Charon’s Staircase‘i Ekim ayında Epic Games Store  ve Steam üzerinden PC’ye ve diğer oyun platformlardaki korku oyunu severler için yayınlanacağını duyuruldu. Bu birinci şahıs korku oyununda zorba bir hükûmetin korkunç geçmişini gömmek için yola çıkacağız. Oack Grove mülkünden gizli belgeleri almak ve yok etmekle…

[smolsirensongs]

arcade.

Written in July 2020, originally posted on Twitter.

You instantly hear the clacking of buttons and overly enthusiastic voice lines emanating from old machines as you enter Acheron Arcade.  What a flurry of audio, light, and play.

People said you could find Charon here, and they weren’t wrong.

You go to say hi.

They’re standing right behind the counter, bored, waiting to offer the cheapest of prizes for the most valiant of efforts.  Their hands have calluses from centuries of rowing people across to Hades.  Either that, or they’re really good at the games here.  Probably both.

---

Charon never liked small talk, so they were very relieved when you asked them bluntly about how many tickets were required to win an obol and get to Hades.  You came prepared with a few hundred bucks just in case.

“1000 tickets,” they respond.

---

“An obol is worth at most a few dollars,” you point out, though you expected this.  “I’ll have to spend much more than that to win 1000 tickets.” A half-assed shrug.  “Inflation.”

You pay for fifty tokens and get to work. ---

There are several people at the tables, all with slices of mediocre pizza and sticky cups of soda in front of them.  Figures; winning all these tickets is tiring.  Even in purgatory, people need breaks.  The cheese pizza seems slightly less sad than the pepperoni.

---

Children are running around, and you both envy and pity them.  They trade in their tickets for the stuff in the glass counter--pencils, erasers, candy, bracelets…  You wonder who is going to tell them about the obol, and how many tickets they’ve got to save up for it.

---

You’re not half-bad at the multiplayer driving games, and you’re surprisingly good at the dancing games.  The claw machines are tempting, but you avoid them for the most part. Too bad you can’t win tickets from these games.  You buy more tokens.

---

There’s a man who has been here for years.  You’ve only been here for a few weeks, but you already have several hundred tickets.  There can’t be more than a hundred in his hands.

“I get obols for the children here,” he says distantly, “while I wait for my own son to join us.”

---

Big Bass Wheel is oddly addictive.  You get so, so close to the Jackpot every single time.  The day it breaks down distresses you--even without the Jackpot, it was the only consistent way to win tickets in bulk around here.  Charon isn’t sure when they can get it fixed.

---

Whac-A-Mole gives you a headache, but it’s also a really great way to vent your frustrations with the machines in this place.  It’s better than Down the Clown, at least, even if it gives you less tickets.  The line behind you indicates you’re not the only one who feels this way.

---

One day, a woman gives her tickets to a person eating a devastatingly dry piece of pizza, and they finally go to Hades.

“This restless arcade is a better resting place than being in my husband’s arms again,” she explains, fear in her eyes.

---

You go to play Bubble Bobble, but Charon is moving the machine.  They gesture to the front of the arcade, where a kid in a wheelchair waits. “Built this place in the 80’s, so we’re not up to ADA standards, but the newer place closed down.” You help them rearrange the arcade.

---

A little over a month later, you finally win the Jackpot at Quick Drop.  It’s enough to leave, but you notice that the man who gives obols to children is arguing with another man who looks quite a lot like him.  You give both of them all your tickets so they can leave together.

---

Finally, about three months after you first arrived, you have enough tickets.  You trade them all in and Charon hands you an obol.  You hand it right back.  They lead you to the back room, labeled “Employees Only”.  You can’t help but feel wrong about entering.

---

The back room leads to a long series of hallways and staircases that Charon escorts you through.  Those who enter without paying would surely get lost.

“Interesting take on the River Styx,” you say.

“It’s the Acheron, and I don’t like small talk,” Charon replies.

Noted.  

---

You get to the end of the series of hallways and you see a rather big indoor play area with places to climb and slides that lead to a ball pit.  Charon tells you to have fun and starts walking back towards the arcade. 

The ball pit looks inviting!

---

Sliding into the ball pit gives you a nice sort of childish rush as you fall right through onto a mat in front of a very curious Cerberus. You use your Down the Clown skills to distract Cerberus with some balls that followed you from the pit above.

---

You finally enter Hades, and what a journey it’s been.  Some people are waiting excitedly by the entrance, but upon seeing it’s just you, they get disappointed again.  There are parents, a bloody husband, and several others.  No one for you.

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You walk deeper.  Finally, no more endless loops of 32-bit music or disappointing robotic chirps of loss.  No more stuffing tickets into your pockets and buying slice after slice of old pizza.  No more machines that break down in the middle of giving you tickets.

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You didn’t realize how tired your legs were or how strained your eyes have become.  You follow the signs until you finally arrive at the Asphodel Meadows.  Here, you’re given a blanket and a bottle of water labeled “Lethe” to drink.  You down it quickly.

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You go to place the blanket on a grassy patch away from several others who are here.  You lay upon it and watch the clouds drift lazily above you. Strange… why does the faint smell of old pizza and the sound of clacking buttons linger on your mind…? 

[etherealredd]

Happy #FrightDay! This throwback was a collaboration between myself and the amazing @nathanweitzman! Definitely check his page out! Photographer and Props/Horns: Weitzman Photography Model/MUA: Myself . . . . . . . #halloween #horror #weitzman #mua #horns #blackrobe #charon #styx #haunt #window #redhead #redhair #ginger #horrorphotography #paranormal #staircase #paleskin #cac #lantern

[onehourgameplay]

Charons Staircase - 4k Gameplay PC 2160p, Walkthrough. ▲One Hour Gameplay #CharonsStaircase #Gameplay #Walkthrough #OneHourGameplay #games #gaming