#Also there's some argument to be made that Durge isn't humanoid or subject to such spells

[y-rhywbeth2]

Apparently mental health care in Faerûn, when it isn't horrifically ableist (the asylums are fucking fantastic/s), mostly consists of priests using enchantment spells to help out with medication. Calm emotions, maybe feeblemind in dire emergencies, etc. I'm going to have to dig that lore out at some point and finish the medicine lore draft *laughs in unfinished WIPs*

And that could work for most of the characters with mental health issues* but 5e's version of calm emotions comes with this annoying caveat that it specifically targets humanoids, as do most enchantment spells iirc, which means that there's no way to help Astarion that way if he wanted it. Can't take herbal remedies/medication; no metabolism. Can't be affected with benevolent spells; not humanoid (undead). Also, by older editions, the undead are fully immune to all mind affecting spells anyway (no brain chemistry to manipulate!)

Of course I'm also not sure how exactly trauma is going to effect him in some ways. A lot of trauma and stress is physical, and he completely lacks biology. Like a lot of the basics will be there, I assume, but... a little off in expression?

Strictly speaking vampires, in canon, express trauma and stress through two specific avenues: bloody raging violence, and asserting dominance and ruthless control (usually related to paranoia and hypervigilance). Temper issues, lashing out and hypervigilance are real trauma responses, but vampires being creatures of the gothic horror tradition that of course gets multiplied. To levels like blacking out and slaughtering everyone within reach in your disassociated grief/rage until you come back to yourself soaked through in blood and surrounded by corpses with no memory of the act (as per Vampire of the Mists). (Also crushing depression where they just go into centuries long naps).

That is actually kinda in-game, or was in EA anyway, since if you push his triggers you get this line:

'You know what separates us from animals? Choice. I choose to travel with you. A dog would do it on instinct. To fulfil a need. Disrespect me again and I won't choose to kill you… I'll do it on instinct. To fulfil my need to hear you scream.'

(I love this line.) Haven't heard it spoken for a long time, but I'm pretty sure his voice audibly starts to slip into something more guttural/inhuman at some point.

The bad days are going to get messy.

On the other hand I'm sure some priesthood somewhere has to have come up with a spell that soothes the undead at times like this (seing as they are almost universally linked to/consumed by negative emotion and trauma). I'll have to look harder, I guess.