What the Styx is...

	"When I blinked again, the elevator wasn’t an elevator anymore. We were standing in a wooden
barge. Charon was poling us across a dark, oily river, swirling with bones, dead fish, and other, stranger
things—plastic dolls, crushed carnations, soggy diplomas with gilt edges.
	“The River Styx,” Annabeth murmured. “It’s so . . .”
	“Polluted,” Charon said. “For thousands of years, you humans have been throwing in everything as
you come across—hopes, dreams, wishes that never came true. Irresponsible waste management, if you
ask me.”

 - The Lightning Thief, Chapter 18, Pg. 140

	"My father will be coming soon," he said. "We should hurry."
	The River Styx's current swirled with strange objects — broken toys, ripped-up college diplomas,
wilted homecoming corsages — all the dreams people had thrown away as they'd passed from life into
death. Looking at the black water, I could think of about three million places I'd rather swim.
	"So . . . I just jump in?"
	"You have to prepare yourself first," Nico said, "or the river will destroy you. It will bum away your
body and soul."

- The Last Olympian, Chapter 8, Pg. 66