Summary
The Tibia Mariner are mysterious characters inElden Ring. The skeletal figures float around in various locations inThe Lands Between, summoning the dead with their giant horns. But, while the bossesfeature frequently in the game, very little actual lore exists about them.
InShadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring’s DLC, a new Tibia Mariner is present, and afan theorysuggests that this is the missing piece of the puzzle to discovering who the boat-bound skeletons are.
This article contains minor spoilers for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. If you’ve not finished the DLC yet, bookmark this page and come back later.
An Ancient Greek Mythological Connection
The new theory is actually less about the Tibia Mariner and more about where the boss resides.
Heading down the new,giant, unnamed dragon’s wing, players will arrive at a hard-to-reach section of theCerulean Coastlinecalled Charo’s Hidden Grave. Here, the first major enemy players are likely to encounter is another Tibia Mariner.
It’s here that new connections can be drawn. Charo’s Hidden Grave is an area blighted by death. Unlike the Cerulean Coastline’s glowing blue flowers, Charo’s Hidden Grave is covered in red. The land is inhabited by creatures synonymous with death, including aDeath-Rite Bird, Gravebirds, and, of course, the Tibia Mariner itself. While it’s no secret that the Mariners are associated with the afterlife, being surrounded by so much death is the first hint.
The second hint, which is a bit more “on the nose”, is the name of the location.Charo’s Hidden Graveis likely a reference to Charon from Greek Mythology. Charon was a ferryman who carried the souls of the dead across the rivers Acheron and Styx in his boat to the afterlife, which fits the figure of the Tibia Mariner perfectly.
Occasionally, in-game, the Tibia Mariner’seyes will glow, adding another layer to the theory. The name Charon is theorized to come from the ancient Greek word χαρωπός orcharopós. Charopós, which contains the word Charo, like the hidden grave, is speculated to mean “fierce, flashing or feverish eyes”, something which the Mariner can and does display.
While these comparisons between the Tibia Mariner and Charonare nothing new, this idea gives credence to the theory that the Elden Ring boss is, in fact, the same mythological figure as that found in ancient Greece.
