#Astarion EA

[moetartart]

Watching BG3 EA content while I work on an Astarion commission and omg I didn't expect to be hit so hard 😭 ⚠️ TW-Astarion abuse truma ⚠️

Like omg it's so upsetting 😭

Tav is talking to him about dreams and you can say it was an erotic dream, and he will say his was aswell. But you can do an insight and see that his expression tells he's lieing. He'll admit it was a nightmare he had about Cazador and he'll get all distant and say "I don't want to talk about it" and Tav tries to reach out to touch his shoulder and he recoils and asks you to leave him alone.

Then another night you can see him having a nightmare, his hands on his chest almost like something is on him and begging his master to stop.

When you talk about it Tav can pick the very messed up option of asking if he said master in the bedroom and obviously he gets extremely angry and threatened Tav

Just when I thought I was over this story I'm not.

Obviously I know EA is no longer cannon, and in a way I can understand why it was cut. If they were going for hiding his true intentions for longer it does give a lot away quickly. They changed the charecters a great deal and some changes I think worked really well. Such I felt his corrupt past kinda removed some of his complexity and I personally prefer it ambiguous. But some changes in my opinion watered the charecters down (don't get he started and Wyll and Halsin), especially removing lines that don't alter the charecter or story but instead add context. it does add even more context and I can't help but feel having that so early in the game would stop a lot of people dismissing his character as just an arsshole for no reason like they do because omg does it hammer home why he's struggling

[rodatirhaalo]

I think my favorite little parallel between Ascended vs Spawn Astarion has to be this little, probably even unintentional, detail in the epilogue:

Mr Vampire Ascendant, when confronted about freedom, asking the pc if they'd prefer sleeping in the dirt over "living" in his prescribed decadence.

Meanwhile, if left as a spawn Astarion is like

*Passes several chairs, rugs, a pile of pillows, and two log benches to plant his pretty little ass in the dirt*

"THIS DIRT'S THE BEST! I LOVE DIRT!!"

[lirotation]

Somehow I went from "smitten lover" to "overprotective mother-in-law"… Character development?🤣

[archonfurina]

"You- you're right. I can be better than him."

[wetsocksinbed]

I’m really out here snorting “I Can Save Him” tropes like it’s crack cocaine

[thunderboltfire]

Ah yes, the night-prowling, mean and eternally hungry dude, who enjoys killing a little too much.

Happy National Cat Day!

[spacemonkeysalsa]

Whenever someone refers to Astarion as a corrupt magistrate (or mentions anything else from EA that was taken out like it's still canon) I lose a little more hope for our collective media literacy.

And it's not because I don't think he was a corrupt magistrate, because he totally could've been, it's consistent with his character. I mean everything is consistent with his character that's a big part of his point but that is a whole other...

I think the reason it bothers me is because there is something so clear and intentional about the editing process at work here:

"Astarion was a corrupt magistrate"

vs

"Astarion was a magistrate"

Removing content is the simplest part of the editing process.

What could the intent possibly be???

WDYM? They intended for it not to be there, mystery solved.

Like I think the only bit that survived the purge of Astarion's backstory is from the digital extras, which are a) not part of the primary text and b) developmental materials that have loads of other bits of removed content, like old stats, character concept art left in the cutting room etc. Is that where Minthara is still an elven cleric? I can't remember where I saw that, but the font and art style looks the same in my brain and to force myself to move on here's a mostly unrelated anecdote:

I've been in a writing group for like 10+ years and in that time there's another member who has submitted draft 1 & draft 2 of a manuscript in which I began to casually refer to one character as "the cannibal" because I thought that this character had eaten another character.

I turned out to be wrong about the cannibalism, not because they hadn't eaten anyone but because they weren't human, so it wouldn't be cannibalism.

On draft two, she had reworked large sections of the story, and the character never eats anyone, but my entire writing group still refers to him as "the cannibal" including members who are new, never read draft 1 and she sighs every time and in fairness, it's really really funny.

[thechaoticdruid]

I know we love to dress Astarion up in red and black cause it's so vampire core and he looks damn good in it, but have any of you thought about purple? I mean his default armor is purple. Purple is the color of nobility, it's expensive, it's vibrant, it's fancy.

Dress this man up in purple!

[yaoiconnoisseur]

talk about a mood whiplash lmao

[waterdeep-weavemoss]

ok so like. if tav is dating gale. or dating astarion. how do you think the other one would try to lure them away. like i'm just. curious.

[swordmaid]

this face with that dialogue line is sending me

[aboxofcereales]

me: I’m playing Baldur’s Gate 3 for the plot

the said plot:

[shrieksatmidnight]

Don’t you be judging me Shart

Aaaand the disapproval intensifies on my iPad

[rielzero]

Original by for-tymora's blog, altering this slightly and removing some bits to prevent overly spoiling my oc.

30 Questions for Your Tav! [ Ask Meme ]

Your Tav as a Companion

1. What would your Tav’s greetings be (at different levels of approval)?

Negative (<0):

He stares just at you, Clicking his tongue in an annoyed tone.

"Got nobody else?"

"I would prefer if you'd find a better source of entertainment."

Neutral (0 - 19):

"Seems like you've got something to say."

He stares at you, just raising a brow and cocking his head sideways.

“This better be important.”

Medium and up (20+):

"Hmm? Sorry, you caught me off guard."

"Feeling chatty? I don't mind."

"I'm all ears." Gestures to his ears.

When spoken to by someone other than the player character:

"I'd prefer to be in touch with someone better suited for important conversations. No small talk."

Flirting:

Pretends he wasn't intensely eyeballing your back earlier, winks.

"Something wrong, love?"

"Hey, caught you staring.''

"I was hoping you'd talk to me."

"You're looking dreamy today."

"Hello, love."

"..Hmm? Hmm.." He seems happy.

"I was wondering when you'd need me again."

Partnered:

"Hello, partner in crime." Mischief on his face.

"Say what you need, I'm here to listen."

Act 3 Vampire - Partnered:

"You look hungry, or maybe I'm... Heh."

"Ask me anything, anything, anything.."

"I'd kill if it'd make you happy."

"My love, we are so close to victory, I can almost touch it." (To Astarion Origin)

''You're looking splendid and magical today.'' (To Gale Origin)

"Yes, my sun?" (To Astarion Origin)

''Yes, my love?''

Broken up:

He Just looks at you emptily, and disappointed. Dead eyed.

2. Describe their tent setup! What’s on the outside? The inside?

It's the most put-together you've even seen. Stitched to the brim, looks like it can collapse and barely covers the bedroll. Has a bunch of bags surrounding it and crates to support the rest, kind of like a pillow-fort situation.

3. What would their character quest be titled? Why?

I personally haven't decided on this yet. Rat-themed perhaps, or something to do with him looking sickly.

4. What would your Tav’s romance scenes look like? How many would they have?

Probably depends on the Origin character, I can't picture him being romanced by anyone other than Gale or Astarion at this time. There would be romance and bonding scenes.

5. Describe their idle animations!

Cracking neck, cracking bones, stretching uncomfortably.

Pondering, tapping his foot on the ground with arms folded.

Wiping his face and looking at his hand for a moment before wiping it off his pants.

Tightening his arm wraps (would look like he's rubbing his lower arms.)

Casting Shocking Grasp, just to look at the sparks in his hands, then waves it off.

Pulling out his journal and browsing through it or jotting something down.

Sitting down and drawing (Stops upon approach.)

Act 3 idle Animations would be conditional adittions.

Poking his teeth, then stare at his finger..

Observe his wrist scars, turning it around and stroking it.

Scratch his neck scars, stretch.

Looks like he's smelling something, clearly bothered by it.

Pull out a bottle of blood and sip from it excessively.

Sitting down and drawing (doesn't stop when approached.)

6. How would the player go about meeting them in Act 1? What is their introduction?

I've done a post on this before I think, but it would be in the location near the intellect devourers, hunched over and trying to keep himself from hurling.

8. After Act 3, What are they talking about at the reunion party?

Probably about the change of appearance and hairstyle, and how he's doing better than he was after the defeat of the netherbrain. He's still settling down and getting used to things, 6 months wasn't enough.

Back to Basics

9. What’s the significance behind your Tav’s name?

Locke misspells his name, because he came up with it when he was sixteen. In his mind, Loki is written Locke at first because it sounds like ''Lock-i'' to him, he was the lockpicker in a gang of orphans.

10. Does your Tav have a last name? Is there a meaning behind it?

He comes up with it on the spot, it means ''Trick'' and its very much meant to be a trick.

12. Does your Tav have any tattoos or scars? Why?

Locke's facial tattoo is magic ink, its a protective ward of sorts. Won't elaborate. His scars are all from abuse, different people.

13. What is your Tav’s main color palette? Why do they choose those colors?

Has a strong attachment to purple because of his dead childhood friend, who was a purple tiefling.

14. Where are they from? What was home like?

Baldurian sewers. Not much of a home, more like a nightmare.

15. Is your Tav more likely to fight/flight/freeze/fawn?

He fights in most cases.

17. Do they have any enemies outside of the main plot? Any friends?

He has acquaintances, his closest being a fatherly figure, The Undertaker, Jermaine.

Deep Dives

20. What is their relationship to touch? Do they shy away from it? Do they need it to feel present?

Very much touch-starved, but dislikes casual friendly touch because he's afraid of affection at first.

21. Describe a defining moment from their past, which makes them who they are today!

He has CPTSD, it wouldn't be a singularity, though I'd say the moment he became a warlock is pretty big.

22. How is your Tav’s relationship with their family? Their parents?

The woman who raised him thoroughly abused him, so did the other orphans he was raised with. As adults, their relationship is strained and reduced to just being familiar with one another. He doesn't view them as family. He simply can't.

24. What does your Tav consider to be their own biggest character flaw?

He desires to have something of his own, but fails to give it a place. He feels like everything that he does have will never be completely his own, at times. (I'm being vague on purpose.)

25. What is something they would die on a hill over?

Wizards being prone to explosiveness. He will not accept the reality that some wizards never blow themselves up in any capacity. They're all one wrong step away from exploding themselves.

27. What is the worst thing they think they’ve ever done/said to someone they loved?

Say no to his ex-boyfriend.

28. Describe a smell that reminds your Tav of childhood.

..Cooked Dwarf roast.

29. What fears keep them up at night?

Sleeping in the dark.

30. What does your Tav want more than anything?

Power, or to feel like he's worth something.

[regrettablemeasure]

honestly i guess it's a good thing larian "toned down" the more "disagreeable' parts of the companions personalities from EA (even though I really liked that aspect) bc some of yall are so brainpoisoned on things being Correct and Good all the time that if it's not fucking blues clues you lose your shit

[fenharel-archived]

I'm not sure what we expected, really. It was never going to be 'happy ever after' with a hag involved.