The Boatman

The Boatman is the keeper of a boat on the fountain of blood, who appears in Efink's vision of the past, read from the book: young Zaul'nazh weeps at a fountain of blood in the depths of the Bloodkeep, and the hooded boatman rises from it BK E5·00:54:09 BK E5·00:57:02. He croaks that Gogmoth is gone and that there must always be a vessel to lead the forces of evil in the world BK E5·00:57:06. He tells Zaul'nazh that he must sacrifice everything to claim what he needs BK E5·00:57:06. He then extends his hand, Zaul'nazh trades his own soul for a flaming crown, and the boat and boatman sink back into the fountain of blood BK E5·00:57:29.

The Boatman, also called the boatkeeper and the keeper of the tomb, is the boatman of pure evil who waits in the fountain of blood in the Tomb of Ultimate Evil BK E5·00:57:06 BK E6·00:01:26. In Efink's vision of the past he tells Zaul'nazh that there must always be a vessel to lead the forces of evil, and Zaul'nazh trades his own soul for a flaming crown BK E5·00:57:06 BK E5·00:57:29. When the heroes arrive at the tomb, he complains that the last generals of darkness are hugging each other, and says he will grant the child power over the forces of darkness only if all the spirits of the room give it a blessing BK E5·01:53:03 BK E5·01:54:12.

In the final battle he is rude to the heroes and cries at Efink to get off his boat as she casts a divination from it, saying he has dwelled there forever BK E6·01:06:05 BK E6·01:09:34. He says he is the boat guy, and Brennan confirms he is undead, with a vulnerability to radiant BK E6·01:31:07 BK E6·01:45:10 BK E6·01:47:43. He saves against Efink's Turn Undead, and he takes 34 radiant damage when she dispels the holiness from her weapon BK E6·01:46:05 BK E6·01:47:31. Lilith pulls him from the boat and severs the cord, and he asks what is wrong with these people before falling BK E6·01:58:01 BK E6·01:59:24 BK E6·01:59:34. Brennan says the boatman is no more and Efink stands in the center of the boat in his place BK E6·02:01:16.