Editing Charos

{{External|os}}
{{Otheruses|def=no}}
{{References needed}}
{{Infobox NPC
|version1 = Standard
|version2 = Wounded
|version3 = End of Desperate Times
|version4 = Thok's saga
|version5 = Dinosaur invasion
|version6 = Frost Cannon (off)
|version7 = Frost Cannon (on)
|version8 = Succession
|name1 = Charos
|name2 = Charos
|name3 = Charos
|name4 = Scrawny Charos
|name5 = Charos
|name6 = Charos (Frost Cannon)
|name7 = Charos (Frost Cannon)
|name8 = Charos
|aka = [[Reldo]], Mr Giggly{{CiteNPC |npc= Charos |quote= So I tried my hand at being a circus clown. I called myself Mr. Giggly|loc= Desperate Times|}}
|image1 = Charos.png
|image2 = Charos (wounded).png
|image3 = Charos.png
|image4 = Scrawny Charos.png
|image5 = Charos (Dinosaur invasion).png
|image6 = Charos (Frost Cannon).png
|image7 = Charos.png
|image8 = Charos.png
|release1 = [[13 May]] [[2019]]
|release2 = [[13 May]] [[2019]]
|release3 = [[13 May]] [[2019]]
|release4 = [[27 July]] [[2020]]
|release5 = [[27 July]] [[2020]]
|release6 = [[31 August]] [[2021]]
|release7 = [[31 August]] [[2021]]
|release8 = [[5 December]] [[2022]]
|update1 = Quest: Desperate Times
|update2 = Quest: Desperate Times
|update3 = Quest: Desperate Times
|update4 = This Week In RuneScape - 27/07/20
|update5 = This Week In RuneScape - 27/07/20
|update6 = This Week In RuneScape: The Glacor Front & Leonard's Lucky Dip
|update7 = This Week In RuneScape: The Glacor Front & Leonard's Lucky Dip
|update8 = 'Succession' Quest & Winter Trials Yak Track! - This Week In RuneScape
|level = N/A
|level4 = 1
|level5 = 114
|race = Human
|members = Yes
|quest1 = [[Desperate Times]], [[Desperate Measures]], [[Desperate Creatures]], [[City of Senntisten]]
|quest2 = [[Desperate Times]]
|quest3 = [[Desperate Times]]
|quest4 = [[Desperate Measures]]
|quest5 = [[Desperate Measures]]
|quest6 = No
|quest7 = No
|quest8 = [[Succession]]
|location1 = [[Varrock Palace]] library, west of [[Piscatoris Fishing Colony]], [[Varrock]], [[Anachronia]], [[Elder Halls#Gielinor|Gielinor's Elder Halls]]
|location2 = West of [[Piscatoris Fishing Colony]]
|location3 = [[Burthorpe Castle]]
|location4 = [[Anachronia]]
|location5 = [[Anachronia base camp]]
|location6 = [[Glacor Front]]
|location7 = [[Glacor Front]]
|location8 = [[Falador]]
|options1 = Talk to, Examine
|options2 = Examine
|options3 = Examine
|options4 = Examine
|options5 = Move, Target settings, Examine
|options6 = Talk to, Toggle mechanic, Examine
|options7 = Talk to, Toggle mechanic, Examine
|options8 = Examine
|examine1 = A legendary enchanter and rogue.
|examine2 = A legendary enchanter and rogue.
|examine3 = A legendary enchanter and rogue.
|examine4 = He mewls like a baby kitten...a bunny kitten. Thok likes bunnies.
|examine6 = A legendary enchanter and rogue.<br><br>(Charos can toggle the Frost Cannon boss mechanic)
|examine7 = A legendary enchanter and rogue.<br><br>(Charos can toggle the Frost Cannon boss mechanic)
|examine8 = 
|gender = Male
|map1 = {{NPC map|npcname=Charos|npcid=26321|x=3240|y=3450}}
|map6 = {{NPC map|npcname=Charos (Frost Cannon)|npcid=28261|mapID=735|plane=0|x=1759|y=1107}}
|map7 = {{NPC map|npcname=Charos (Frost Cannon)|npcid=28260|mapID=735|plane=0|x=1759|y=1107}}
|map8 = 
|id = 26321,26322,26323,27160,2761,27181,27202,27207
|id4 = 27162
|id6 = 28261
|id7 = 28260
|id8 = 29760
}}
[[File:Charos chathead.png|left|70px]]
'''Charos''' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|k|@|ˈ|r|O|s}} {{Respell-en|ka|ROSS}}) is a diplomatic [[human]] who lived in [[Morytania]]. He was a human whose life is mostly shrouded in mystery, mostly because true sources from Morytania are hard to come by, as the [[Vampyre]] lords of the region heavily censor and control what information passes in and out of the land. He can be found in the house south of the [[estate agent]] in [[Varrock]] or the [[Varrock Palace]] Library (as [[Reldo]]) after the [[Desperate Measures]] quest.
{{clear|left}}

==History==
===Early life===
Charos grew up in the slums of Meiyerditch. His parent died young so he had to fend for himself. His life on the streets taught him the art of manipulation, and eventually he managed to gain favour with the Vampyres by acting as an informant, telling them about suspect individuals in Meiyerditch. The Vampyres, in return, taught and provided for him. Acting as the assistant to a haemalchemist, Charos learned of magic and invention, and was eventually able to craft the [[ring of charos]]. With the aid of the ring, his position in vampyre society grew until he had the ear of [[Lord Drakan]] himself. {{CiteNPC |npc= Charos |quote= But... yes. I grew up in Morytania, in the slums of Meiyerditch. My parents died young so I had to look after myself. I learned fast in those days. Learned who's opinions mattered and who's ears were easily coerced with honeyed words. I quickly learned that if I was to get anywhere in life, it would be at the whims of the vampyres, not my fellow humans. (...) I started as an informant. Telling our Vyre masters about the seditious people, the suspicious people, the dangerous people. In exchange they gave me food. They gave me shelter and I learned from them. I was taken in by a haemalchemist at first. I worked as her lab assistant. I mopped the floors, cleaned the equipment. Drudge work. But while I cleaned, I read. (...) I learned about magic and I learned about the arts of artifice, of invention and enchantment. (...) In what little free time I had, I tinkered. (...) I made the ring there. (...) With that one ring, that simple device, I climbed the ladders of vyre society. (...) Then I drew the attention of Lord Drakan himself. |loc= Desperate Times |name= Backstory }}

===Work for Drakan===
[[File:Frenkenstrain Castle.png|thumb|left|The castle where Charos stayed, briefly, while planning his flight from Morytania.]]
Charos was a man of great importance, a proficient [[invention|inventor]], and an advisor to [[Lord Drakan]], the long-time ruler of Morytania. Charos was charming and clever, and had the ability to bend the wills and thoughts of weak-minded individuals. Because of this, he was used by Drakan to interrogate human insurgents in and around the human ghetto of [[Meiyerditch]]. This is thought to be the reason Drakan kept him as an advisor, a position which would usually have gone to a Vampyre. 

According to Charos' journal, his various inventions were also employed by Drakan as part of his obsessive quest to find the [[Stone of Jas]], although Charos himself seemed to have had little interest in it. Drakan also regularly visited him in his workshop in order to commission curiosities to entertain himself and his supporters. Charos' proficiency with invention seems to have been mostly forgotten in the years since his disappearance, however; in the late Fifth and early Sixth Age, he was remembered mostly for his charm and his interrogations.

In addition to possessing basic charisma and charm, Charos' famous abilities were enhanced by a piece of jewellery, the [[ring of charos]]. This trinket enhances the charisma of the user, giving them control over victims' thoughts; by suggesting something to a sufficiently weak-willed target, they can make the victim do their bidding, to an extent, but only if the user is already somewhat charismatic. With mental training, people become able to overcome the compulsion to obey the ring's owner, and several individuals (most notably those who have received religious training, for example [[Brother Althric]] and monks on [[Entrana]], and vampyres such as [[Malak]]) are immune to its charms.

===Fleeing===
The story of Charos' fall from grace within Darkmeyer society is recounted in his journal. Although Charos was very influential within Drakan's court, especially for a human, his inventiveness and absentmindedness eventually became his downfall. During one of his visits to Charos' workshop, Drakan requested that he provide something interesting for the next Great Hunt; as he left, he asked Charos whether he'd made any progress on the problem of the Stone of Jas. Apparently inspired by this, Charos dressed up a bloodveld in Drakan heraldry and tied a ball and chain to it; the ball was shaped like the Stone of Jas, and when it was released the bloodveld used it to smash its way through the forest. He claimed in his journal that this idea began as a whim and quickly turned into a compulsion, and that he couldn't have stopped himself from following through with it. Drakan viewed the spectacle as an insult, with [[Tenebra]] suggesting that he run; Charos quickly agreed, and he was soon a wanted man, with Drakan personally hunting him down with the [[Sunspear]].

Charos managed to escape immediate danger by disguising himself as a low-ranking juvinate using his brooch, but he knew that Drakan had a knack for sniffing out both blood and memory, and that he had to escape Morytania. Charos managed to get Lady Rolobrae's aid, who sheltered and fed him. Whenever search parties came, she would hide him in one of her iron maidens, his brooch making him look like an exsanguinated corpse. The searches gradually increased over time, as Drakan suspected her of helping Charos. In gratitude for helping him, he gave her his charm-ring before running again.

When he arrived at the Paterdomus temple, however, he was soundly rejected by its keeper, who appeared to know of him. Charos returned to Rolobrae's stores and stole some scrap to fashion himself a crude grapple, which damaged the wall and still exists to this day. Charos was now safe from Drakan's werewolves and vampyres, but knew that he would not give up the hunt so easily.

===Supposed death===
As expected, Drakan immediately had a bounty on Charos's head as soon as he realised that he had crossed the Salve, and now mercenaries and adventurers were eager to take the reward for themselves. He remembered a childhood friend, Ino, and found that she was still there after all those years. To ensure safety, he used his brooch and picked a random male face before entering the hovel. Ino greeted him, before holding a [[Necklace of Charos|necklace]] which revealed his true identity. He had alienated her in his childhood, and the face he had chosen was in fact her father's face. Charos was forced to flee yet again after she pulled a crossbow on him, but was able to take the necklace.

Though Charos knew that he was safe with his brooch, as none of the people were able to detect him, the mercenaries and adventurers began killing craftsmen over the age of fifty, which began to wear his conscience out. Charos knew that his name had to be passed on to history, managing to create a sloppy but acceptable simulacrum with his knowledge from both golems and gnomes. He then sent it running around [[Catherby]], where it was killed within an hour. He then disguised himself as his own widow, and commissioned an undertaker and compulsive gambler named [[Uri]] to bury the simulacrum in a secret tomb underneath [[McGrubor's Wood]]. Charos also used the tomb to hide some of his more dangerous possessions: his necklace, some carvings and a few malicious [[wishbringer]]s, should someone try to grave-rob him. This proved to be a smart move, as Uri soon came back to rob the tomb, and was cursed by a wishbringer, splitting him into the [[Double agent]] and an ethereal version of his former self.

The incident in general caused Charos to avoid death at all costs, and continue researching the wishbringers. He was able to construct a contraption that would greatly extend his life.

Charos took on many disguises and lives with his inventions, being a sheep farmer, clown, assassin, knight, wizard, bar mistress and a goblin. He was excited to take on various lives, though he was unable to make the most out of them due to various complications associated with the life he was trying, especially when he tried being a goblin. Eventually, Charos took on the form of [[Reldo]] and resided in Varrock for the time being, no one being aware of who he actually was. Charos greatly enjoyed being Reldo, commenting that he had the ears of King Roald, the protection of the castle and massive amounts of knowledge flowing to his grasp.

===Charos' artefacts===
[[File:Dr Fenkenstrain.png|right|thumb|130px|Dr Fenkenstrain stole the [[ring of charos]].]]
The [[Player character|Adventurer]] (or World Guardian) can currently obtain two of the items Charos built: the [[Ring of charos]], and the [[Necklace of Charos]]. 

Generations after Charos gifted his ring to Lady Rolobrae, the castle passed to [[Lord Rologarth|Rologarth]], 15th Lord of the North Coast, whose court doctor was a man by the name of [[Dr Fenkenstrain|Doctor Fenkenstrain]]. A [[Letter (Creature of Fenkenstrain)|letter]] from Lord Rologarth to his brother Rologarric details how the devious Fenkenstrain convinced him to slowly sacrifice his subjects to the vampyres in exchange for peace, until only he and Fenkenstrain were left. Fenkenstrain then killed Lord Rologarth, stole his ring, and sold [[Pickled brain|his brain]] to the werewolves in Canifis. He used the ring's charm to make werewolves perceive him as one of their own, essentially masking any human presence in the castle. This also let him avoid the [[blood tithe]], as vampyres prefer human blood.

During the events of the [[Creature of Fenkenstrain]] quest, Fenkenstrain recruited an adventurer to help him build a creature from assorted body parts. The adventurer retrieved the required body parts, including a pickled brain from the [[Hair of the Dog]] Tavern in Canifis. When the creature was brought to life, it tried to kill Fenkenstrain, but was trapped in in the tower. The adventurer was sent to destroy the creature, and discovered that the still-slightly-pickled brain in the creature originally belonged to Rologarth. After managing to sober up, the re-animated Lord Rologarth convinced the adventurer of his identity, and the adventurer took the ring from Fenkenstrain, making him once again detectable to the werewolves. Lord Rologarth regained control of the castle, and gifted the troublesome ring to the adventurer, stranding Fenkenstrain in the castle tower where he had locked himself to escape the werewolves.

The [[Ring of charos]] made the werewolves of Canifis much friendlier toward the adventurer, and also granted access to the [[Werewolf Agility Course]]. The [[Wise Old Man]] would eventually restore the ring to its original power, allowing the adventurer to more easily persuade certain weak-willed individuals. See [[Ring of charos (a)]] for more information.

After Uri was split and cursed by Charos' wishbringer, the side of him that was not the Double Agent tried to find a way to lift the curse. Uri recruited many people to find Charos' tomb by way of a special clue scroll, directing the recipient to seek out Reldo at the [[Varrock Palace#Library|Varrock Library]]. According to Reldo, however, anyone who approached him about the first clue would turn up dead soon after. During the events of [[You Are It]], the Adventurer found one of these special clue scrolls, and followed the clues all the way to the tomb. In the course of following the clues, the Adventurer came into possession of an old necklace that was revealed to have once belonged to Charos. After tracking down five necklace fragments, the Adventurer combined everything to restore a Necklace of Charos. The necklace did not appear able to disguise the user, so was likely not the necklace Charos used to flee Morytania. Uri suggested that it might instead be able to dispel illusions, and stated his intent to research ways to amplify the necklace's power. He hoped to use it to find Charos, should he be alive and hiding in plain sight.
{{clear|both}}

===Reappearance===
{{OccDur|Desperate Times}}
[[Kerapac]] tasked the World Guardian to track down Charos. A series of riddles and puzzles left by him led the World Guardian to [[Reldo]], who revealed himself to have been a disguised Charos the entire time. Charos had expected their arrival, and was quite interested in how their story would play out. Though he was still rather infamous, he believed he could drop Reldo temporarily, since the World Guardian had unintentionally solved most of his problems by killing Lowerniel.

He then built a device designed by Kerapac using materials brought by the World Guardian in order to help siphon power from [[the Needle]], only to be enraged when Kerapac betrayed the group for his own agenda.

When spoken to, Charos reveals that he intends to get his revenge on Kerapac, as he does not like being tricked himself.
{{OccDur|Desperate Measures}}
Charos accompanied [[Thok of Daemonheim|Thok]] to [[Anachronia]], although he was constantly irritated by Thok's lack of intelligence. He helped the World Guardian put an end to Kerapac's plans. He was also impressed with the World Guardian, as they were such a unique outlier due to their unique soul, theorising that [[shadow anima]] might be why they were unique. Although he pointed out to them that it could be potentially dangerous in the future, he told them not to worry either, as they would most likely be dead before any particularly dangerous incidents could happen. 
{{OccDur|Desperate Creatures}}
A while after stopping Kerapac, Charos was seen talking to Thok over his obsession over [[Laniakea]]. He called him insane for trying to give her a bouquet of [[liverworts]], even though he rationalized that she was a [[Slayer Master]] and would appreciate a good fight. He tried to persuade him not to rush over her, seeing that it would be unlikely someone else would get to her, but failed to do so.

Charos also wrote a book, [[Colossi & the time of colossi]], theorising how they came to such sizes by believing that they had taken in the flow of [[anima]] during the [[First Age]], before the gods and humans came to Gielinor. He believed that there were still examples of [[Colossus|colossi]] still roaming Gielinor during the [[Sixth Age]], such as the Araxytes [[Araxxor]] and [[Araxxi]], and the [[Wushanko]] Guardian Beasts.
{{clear|both}}

===Prelude to war===
{{OccDur|City of Senntisten}}
[[File:Meeting in Gielinor Elder Halls.png|thumb|Ariane, Charos and Azzanadra within the Elder Halls.]]
Some time after [[Ariane]] helped the World Guardian and [[Azzanadra]] find the [[Elder Halls]], she reached out to Reldo for help, due to the World Guardian assuring her he can be trusted. She found out his true identity and both started to work together to figure out how to stop the eggs from hatching and the Elder Gods from touching them. The threat had been made even more dire due to outpouring of shadow anima following the [[Battle of the Monolith]], in the course of which [[Zaros]] opened the [[mysterious monolith]] and with it the [[Shadow Breach]] leading to [[Erebus]]. Charos and Ariane were soon joined by the World Guardian. Charos explained that [[Thok of Daemonheim|Thok]] didn't join them this time, as the issue required more intellect than brawn, complimenting Ariane, who resisted his charm. The trio discussed possible solutions and their drawbacks. Charos has learned that [[Guthix]] had been starving the eggs by controlling the flow of anima, however that solution would be impossible for them to achieve in the [[Heart of Gielinor]]. The enchanter strongly advised against trying to destroy the eggs, doubted any attempts to hide them and laughed at the thought of fighting the [[Elder Gods|Elders]]. On the suggestion of moving the eggs, he offered to provide a safety measure in the form of abyssal stabilisers, which he had created for a nasty prank he didn't want to elaborate on. They agreed that moving and then draining the eggs could buy them time, but that the task would require a god willing to sacrifice a portion of their power to teleport the eggs, and that this action would provoke the Elders. While discussing possible locations for the eggs, they decided it needed to be away from major cities, not out in the open and possible to defend.

They were unable to think of a solution, when Azzanadra, now a god, appeared in the Halls. He assured them he was there out of his own volition and was willing to make amends for his betrayal by helping with the eggs. The World Guardian unexpectedly yelled at the voices in [[Light Voice|their]] [[Shadow Voice|head]], confusing Charos. He then introduced himself to the [[Mahjarrat]], who returned the gesture, considering the player's friends his own. Azzanadra offered sacrificing a portion of his new power to move the eggs, to which Charos committed to calibrating his stabilisers. Azzanadra also explained that the Elder Gods wouldn't be able to attack them directly, else they risk harming the eggs, but they would send their forces; these would have to be stopped by the followers of other gods, who would drain the eggs of anima to keep them dormant. Finally, he offered a location to move the eggs: a recently uncovered intact part of [[Senntisten]], capital city of the [[Zarosian Empire]]. When the god left, Charos noted he seemed friendly for a Mahjarrat. Reasoning that the plan was solid and their own, with Azzanadra simply helping to fill in the blanks, the party agreed they should carry on with it, as they could not let the eggs remain in the Halls. When Ariane noted Azzanadra was willing to spare his own power and possibly felt shame, Charos acknowledged that he had detected no lies. When the World Guardian left to meet Azzanadra at the [[Archaeology Guild]], Charos and Ariane stayed behind to make preparations on their end. After the eggs were teleported to the [[Cathedral of Azzanadra]], Charos promised to join them in Senntisten shortly.
{{clear|both}}

===Elder God Wars===
{{OccDur|Elder God Wars}}
As the World Guardian and their allies defended the cathedral from [[Kerapac]]'s army of [[Nodon]] [[dragonkin]], a new army of [[glacors]] led by an [[Arch-Glacor]] from [[Leng]] began to attack from the south. Though the [[Cadarn]] and [[Iorwerth]] clans were able to hold the line with [[Helwyr]]'s assistance, the Arch-Glacor proved to be too powerful for the elves. Azzanadra, having restored the energy he expended teleporting the eggs, was able to stop its advance by the aqueduct. Recognising the threat posed by the Arch-Glacor, however, he recruited the assistance of five powerful mages from across Gielinor to help weaken it: [[Arianwyn]], [[Akthanakos]], [[Enakhra]], Ariane and Charos. Charos was tasked with stopping the Arch-Glacor from using its ice beam attack, which he accomplished by using a number of interdicting cantrips, misdirecting illusions and [[Fremennik]] rowing songs.

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="190">
Charos concept art.jpg|Concept art of Charos
City of Senntisten - Ariane and Charos listen to Azzanadra.png|Charos and Ariane in the Elder Halls
City of Senntisten - The battle to come will be apocalyptic.png|Charos and Ariane listen to Azzanadra
</gallery>

==Dialogue==
{{Hastranscript|npc}}

==Works==
{{Worksby}}

==Mentioned==
{{MentionedIn}}

==Update history==
{{UH|
* {{UL|type=hidden|update=TWIR: Construction Contracts & Premier Club|date=16 November 2020}}
** After completing [[Desperate Times]], Charos appears in the house he acquired in the quest opposite the [[Varrock Museum]].

* {{UL|type=patch|update=Patch Notes (4 November 2019)|date=4 November 2019}}
** Typo has been corrected, it now displays "whose" in Charos dialogue.

* {{UL|type=patch|update=Patch Notes (28 May 2019)|date=28 May 2019}}
** Fixed a blue glow issues with several NPC's who are using a new material system.

* {{UL|type=update|update=Quest: Desperate Times|date=13 May 2019}}
** Added to game.
}}

==Trivia==
* Charos is pansexual.{{CiteTwitter|author=Jagex|url=https://twitter.com/Jagex/status/1362378862240407554/photo/4|date=18 February 2021|archiveurl=https://archive.ph/1Ovlz|archivedate=18 February 2021|quote=Charos is long-lived and multi-loved and it was immediately clear when we were writing him that his loves and lusts could not be contained to a single gender, so we began writing him as pansexual.|notes=Full image archived [https://archive.ph/clrV9 here]}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Garden of Tranquillity}}
{{Succession}}
{{You Are It}}
{{Desperate Times}}
{{Desperate Measures}}
{{Desperate Creatures}}
{{City of Senntisten}}
{{Glacor Front}}
[[Category:Morytania]]
[[Category:Vampyre-aligned humans]]
[[Category:LGBT+ characters]]