#It's the Astarion/Shadowheart part of the OT3 I struggle with

[y-rhywbeth2]

I still don't know exactly how it would work but Shadowheart/Durge/Astarion still calls to me, and one of their dynamics is going to be Astarion fighting the urge to bash their heads together until sense gets through.

The other spawn are on a 'Cazador needs us,' 'He hurts us to make us better,' kind of cope. Astarion is Not, and if you play as Lae'zel and remain loyal to Vlaakith he calls it 'falling in love with your chains' (and it's 'painful to watch.')

And then there's Shadowheart desperately insisting Shar loves her and hurts her to make her stronger. We - potentially -seem have finally gotten over that! Just yesterday! And then Act 3 rolls around and now the Dark Urge is potentially on the 'Daddy loves me!' kick.

That or you have a Bhaalist and Sharran zealot knocking heads and a vampire spawn with a migraine whose secondary concern to gaining power and keeping himself safe is using that power to keep his lover/s safe and willing to stay with him ('this world made Cazador so is clearly inherently dangerous and evil', and he does think he has nothing to offer after all.) Which later potentially translates (or is admitted as) to 'I'd like to lock you in a room somewhere, but alas.' Shame they're so brainwashed. And that's assuming we haven't got Ascended Astarion and his blind belief that he's untouchable. Yeah, sell your soul to your evil deities. More power for us/me! This totally won't affect him negatively.

Both the potential for healing and the potential for dysfunction is so delightful.