Charon (Fallout 3)

Charon is a possible ghoul companion NPC in Fallout 3.

Background
Charon resides in the Underworld as a bouncer in The Ninth Circle. The player can purchase his contract for 2,000 caps from Ahzrukhal, or, with a Barter skill of 50 or more, for 1,000 caps. It is also possible to receive Charon's contract for free by completing the unmarked quest Hired Help.

He is noticeably larger than other human or ghoul characters, standing a full head taller than a normal NPC. Brainwashed as a child, he is blindly loyal to the holder of his contract. This loyalty could have been the key factor in him becoming a ghoul.

Charon is the only NPC (along with Dogmeat) who will join the player regardless of karma. His very first act as your new employee will be to have a "chat" with his former employer, ending with Charon blasting Ahzrukhal's head off. Or more likely is he will glitch slightly like Amata can when in a scripted shooting and fire upon Ahzrukhal's shins, then shoot his head to pieces.

Occupation and activities
At The Ninth Circle, he is the bouncer. He stands in the corner until needed.

Interactions with the player character
After acquiring his contract, he will become a follower.

Quotes

 * General
 * "Talk. To. Ahzrukhal." -- when the player attempts to make conversation with Charon before getting the contract.
 * "I don't care, talk to Ahzrukhal." -- rarely when the player says "I Just..." in reply to his rudeness.
 * "This place is not safe."
 * "I don't like the look of this place."
 * "There may be danger here."
 * "Be cautious."
 * "Well whatever it was, it's gone now." -- when giving up searching for an enemy.
 * "Oh well, I've got better things to do anyway." -- when giving up searching for an enemy.
 * "Stand down." -- when giving up searching for an enemy.
 * "No. Go talk to Ahzrukhal." -- when the player initiates a conversation with Charon before getting his contract.


 * Combat
 * "What's the matter, can't stand the sight of your own blood?"
 * "That's it! That's it!"
 * "You want some of this?"
 * "You like that? You Bastard!"
 * "Did I hit him?"
 * "I've got your back."
 * "What do we have here?"
 * "No!" said rather softly if some protected female slaves are killed in Paradise Fall by the player


 * "Physical violence on your part invalidates our contract." -- After turning Charon hostile and trying to initiate dialogue
 * "Fire in hole!" -- When throwing a grenade.
 * "Duck" -- when throwing a grenade
 * "Come out, come out, wherever you are ..." -- when searching for enemies.
 * "I am sure I heard something." -- when searching for enemies.
 * "Hello, anybody there?" -- when searching for enemies.
 * "Better him than me." -- when you performed one-shot kill (snipe without being detected).
 * "Good riddance." -- when you performed one-shot kill (snipe without being detected).
 * "Holy shit!" -- when you shoot a grenade in the air, causing it to explode (that was thrown at Charon, though it might not matter).
 * "It's gonna blow!" -- grenade that's been thrown at him(or you),and Derelict vehicles that are going to explode.
 * "maybe i'm just jumpy" -- when giving up searching for enemies


 * End of fight
 * "Good enough?"
 * "Phew...that's end of that."
 * "Glad that's over."
 * "Better him than me."
 * "Murdering Bastard" or "Coward" if you kill any good or neutral NPC in his presence.
 * "She's dead!" in a soft dramatic tone when the player kill some slave girl and... an obvious signal that the player can't let Charon take a leave in Underworld because Charon will kill a slave murderer.
 * "Murderer!" -- when player kills Greta on her smoke break outside Underworld. This probably applies to all the ghouls in Underworld.
 * "You're going to pay for that." -- when player kills Greta.
 * "Now there was no call for that!"

Appearances
Charon only appears in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes

 * In Greek mythology, Charon was the ferryman of Hades who carried souls of the newly deceased across the river that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. Charon is also the name of the ferryman of the river Acheron in Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy". He is the first named character Dante meets in the underworld, in the third Canto of Inferno. In these instances, the name is pronounced "Kare-on".


 * Charon will tell you a thing that makes him happy if you tell him to switch his combat strategy to melee, then back to ranged weaponry. He tells you that he "Finds happiness in a warm gun", an allusion to the Beatles song "Happiness is a warm gun", itself a reference to the Charlie Brown quote, "Happiness is a warm puppy".


 * If you look closely at the image of Charon's Employment Contract in the Pip-Boy, you can read what is written on it: "Note - A piece of paper with some writing on it." This is probably placeholder text, and not meant to be canon.


 * Although your early interactions with Charon in The Ninth Circle lead your character to refer to him as "quiet," after recruiting him he is quite chatty, if not a bit cantankerous. (He will occasionally mutter incoherently while following you around the Wastes.)


 * Charon's speech can be rather humorous at times. Initiating dialogue with him in your Megaton house will almost always cause him to say "I don't like the look of this place." He will also seemingly talk to himself on occasion when starting combat: "Over here! Where?"


 * Charon is the name of the largest dwarf planet, Pluto, moon.


 * During the 'Aiding the Outcasts' quest, Charon can be found on the highway west of the Alexandria Arms fighting a group of Raiders that have set up camp here. When you approach him he asks if he should rejoin you again.

Bugs

 * After the PC performs a one-hit kill sneak attack on an enemy, Charon will call the enemy the opposite gender while commenting. (Confirmed on Xbox 360)


 * If you attack Charon in V.A.T.S. and get a visit from The Mysterious Stranger, The Mysterious Stranger will not attack Charon. (confirmed Xbox 360)