#ascension

[marielle555]

Astarion. “Fear”, “Power - yuck, you can't” and “message is paramount”.

Astarion is afraid. He does everything he does and wants everything he wants because he is afraid. Astarion is always afraid, every desire he has stems from fear, every “morally condemned” desire so definitely. He suddenly stops being afraid only when he stays: “Just an expandable frail spawn who will burn to a crisp soon enough.” In delving deeper into the topic of “fear” I was inspired by a post I recently read here: “About Astarion, power, abuse and character growth”

I do not mean to offend in any way the author of the post or anyone who shares the author's vision. Fortunately, we have free speech and everyone can express any thoughts and analyze any stories as they see fit. I wanted to touch on some of the topics presented in this post even before, but I found some of the author's arguments interesting and I will quote them, with my own. All points of view have the same right to exist, and everyone can choose the one that is closer to them or seems more reasoned.

If you are an apologist for the UA path and something in my post may not be to your liking, you can simply scroll further down the feed and find something of interest to you personally. Those who are curious to read another point of view, I invite you to click:

The theme of fear has sometimes been brought up before, operating to Cazador's words:

"He is afraid. He is afraid because all he has ever known is you and me, and without us, he is nothing."

Think about it. Cazador is Astarion's tormentor, the one who broke him for 200 years. The most hated creature on earth. Cazador, who also says, “I strove for perfection in all things - even those as imperfect as you.” “I fondly remember your empty boasting, your tired jokes, your endless prattle…” Cazador, who despised every character trait of Astarion, who tried to “fix” him by torturing him for 200 years. Cazador believes that Astarion's actions are motivated by fear, “and without us, he is nothing.” A Tav who agrees with Cazador, a Tav who believes that this is the case, that Astarion can't decide for himself, that Astarion needs someone to “teach” him, what, excuse me, does this Tav continue - the cycle of “fixing”?

Cazador: «You are week, my child. You are a small, pathetic little boy who never amounted to anything”.  - «Astarion does not have a well-developed sense of self, and by default, he also lacks many of the skills that a well-adjusted adult should possess”.- have you seen anything like this?

Astarion needs someone to “help him see the situation through another lens”. A very mild description for simply not helping someone do something they can't do without your help. “Because he is incapable of anything else.” (с) Cazador

“Throughout the game, we help our companions to see certain situations better, and they also help us to consider other choices and paths we decide to take. Now, there is no greater sign of friendship than this. And yet, each of them can choose their own path, without being forced by anyone.”

Well said and true for most of the other companions except Astarion. Lae'zel does need the way of Orpheus, Vlaakith used her like all githyanki, she needs to realize that. Otherwise Lae'zel will simply perish. Shadowheart throws away the spear herself, and she too was deceived in the temple of Shar, she had her memory repeatedly erased, but there is no need to “influence” her, she just needs to be supported, she is perfectly capable of figuring out her own path on her own. The spear is in her hands, she makes the choice. In this case, any Persuasion is really just a persuasion.

She may not listen to you, she has that option. Or you can let her decide for herself. Interestingly, even in my evil walkthrough, she still throws the spear herself without killing Eileen. I know it's just a matter of a low approval threshold there (Shadowheart fans wrote that 40), but it looks like she's really leaning towards that choice herself. Wyll doesn't want to decide anything, but there's no “moral choice” with him either, you can just make everything okay - both getting rid of Mizora and saving his father, then he does decide what he wants and becomes the Blade of Avernus. Gale (in my playthrough) once refused the crown himself, there weren't even line options to convince Gale to take the crown, I know he's more influenced with romance, and without romance the player has to meet a number of conditions for Gale to want to take the crown for himself. Again, the crown is in Gale's hands, and if he wants to do anything with it himself, Tav can't do anything to stop him. Karlach's quest is unfinished, and she doesn't really get to choose anything. She can choose to become an Illithid or choose to die if no one wants to go to Averno with her. Tav can only convince her to go to Averno with Wyll or go there with her on their own.

Astarion is not being used or tricked by anyone when he takes his Ascension. He takes his revenge and takes his own. This is also a new stage, to completely destroy his tormentor, to take everything from him. If we talk about stories, we can find enough stories and legends about revenge, about how an unbroken man, destroys his enemy and thus destroys his past humiliation as well, becomes stronger and becomes victorious. One of the important character traits of Astarion is that he proved to be unbroken, he just hid his identity under masks. Cazador was unable to suppress Astarion's personality, his character, no matter how much he tried to do so. Astarion reveals himself after the Ascension, he acts like the nobleman he once was in the past again. And it looks like the trauma of being humiliated and enslaved for 200 years is starting to heal. There are no police on Faerûn, no therapists or lawyers, but a much older way works quite well there, a way that is reflected in many myths and legends of mankind. Healing revenge. Defeat the tormentor, overthrow him, take everything from him. Astarion sort of erases all his past humiliations with this, when Cazador crawls at his feet like a worm, when he carves the scars on him perfectly, when he takes away his Ascension and Cazador becomes an ingredient. The story of eternal love that empowers and leads to victory is also one of the oldest and greatest stories.

Most importantly, Astarion is the only one whose fate is not in his hands. Read more: Astarion's Choice.

Astarion himself does not refuse the ritual, only if he does not have the opportunity to perform the ritual: if he has not read the scroll or one of the spawns is killed. The test of persuasion is always the same - 18 persuasion and 20 insight, but you'll have an advantage in the insight test if you're having romance with him, that's the only difference. “And I want to live a full life! Not some half existence, hiding in the shadows for the rest of eternity.” -  when the Persuasion roll fails. Not about fear, not about power - but about being able to live a real, full life. "After two hundred years of shit, pure shit, I think I deserve something better."

Astarion - Ascension Persuasion Dice Roll Fail

It's also interesting how, after remaining a spawn forever, Astarion can “be so much more than what vampire life has to offer.” He remains a regular vampire spawn, not even a vampire, with all the problems and misery of that state. It is possible to make much more hungry vampires around - by releasing 7,000 spawns, it can be done. Astarion literally can't make a choice - he can't scar Cazador without Tav's help. The only one of all the companions whose fate is not in his hands (of those companions who have the ability to choose - Lae'zel, Shadowheart, Gale).

I'll focus a little bit on “in terms of lore”.

The Ascension ritual is Larian's invention, there is no such ritual in the official DnD materials, and we can only judge from what is directly in the game itself. In the game itself:

“If he completes the rite, he will become a new kind of being - the Vampire Ascendant.”

“All the strengths of his vampiric form will be amplified, and alongside them he will enjoy the luxuries of the living.”

“The arousals and appetites of man will return to him, and unlike Astarion, he will have no need of a parasite to protect him from the sun.” (Raphael about the ritual)

“I feel alive, hahaha!” = ‘The arousals and appetites of man will return to him’ + ”he will enjoy the luxuries of the living.” After going through the ritual, Astarion ceases to be “undead” and becomes a new type of vampire - a living vampire. This type of vampire is not described in the DnD lore and the 5th edition rules on vampires do not apply to him.

These rules (manias, etc.) were not enforced by the Larian at all, they have their own homerule about vampires. Manias, obsessions and all that stuff should appear immediately after being turned into a spawn. It doesn't happen with Astarion, it doesn't happen with Tav after conversion, the game mentioned a “good” vampire (Lady Incognita, Cazador's niece), Leon, who loved his daughter. No one has manias or obsessions either (Cazador and Vellioth are maniacs, but psychopaths are also found among humans). A rule cannot work for only one and not work for all, especially in the case of a ritual that is described exclusively in the BG3 game itself. But according to the lore of DnD and what is shown in the game, we can clearly see that everything is fine with Astarion's soul and he loses nothing by performing the ritual. Read more: Astarion does not lose his soul.

How did Astarion's author - Stephen Rooney want his story to be told?

"The character shows the value of violence and the dark side of humanity, as well as his extraordinary charm and appeal. This balance is extremely important, as a shift to one side or the other would have made Astarion extremely unattractive or too one-dimensional and empty a character. "

And so too, “evil and fun” are also Stephen Rooney's words about Astarion. In refusing the ritual, there will be neither. Stephen Rooney never said anything about depression, pain and humility or that a player must necessarily deny Astarion the opportunity to live a fulfilling life or he will “be bad”. “Bad ending” is only Welch's opinion. Stephen Rooney himself corrected this by saying that the Ascension isn't Astarion's “bad” ending, it's his “evil” ending. Astarion is an inherently evil character, and in most classic RPGs, including BG1 and BG2, successfully completing an evil companion's quest is an evil act that does good for that very companion and possibly bad for some NPCs or some area, generally speaking, the “world”. An “evil” ending for an “evil” character is the same as a good ending for him. All the facts in the game say so. The UA ending is terrible: Astarion is abruptly and painfully deceived, and rejected. He doesn't expect at first what happens, he's been walking in the sun before, and probably in the back of his mind desperately hoped things would stay the same. So he burns and runs away while the others rejoice in their victory, including Tav, and while they celebrate, Astarion sits somewhere behind the crates on the dock, curled up in a lump, slowly healing his wounds. The sun that Astarion loved so much, and which is now killing him, is in many ways also a symbol of how the “bright world” rejects Astarion as something “foreign.” This bright, joyful, sunny and light world in which there is no place for the likes of Astarion. But it's unlikely that he himself wants to accept that he has to go into darkness. And whatever the “artistic intent” may be, on the facts, it looks the way it looks in the game. And, on the facts, a good ending for Astarion is exclusively Ascension. On the facts, we see Astarion's tears, his depression, his sadness, the way he is forced to adapt to the “good” world, and the way that “good” world deals with him as a result. There is no way to help Astarion in this case, only fantasy and headcanons.

The author of the post agreed that the ending in the docs is excruciating. “It's really heartbreaking how the non-ascended ending hurts: he lost the sun, just like his curse dictates.” Absolutely true. Astarion's fate in this ending is still dictated by his curse. I don't know, really, what significance other events have in this, or what Karlach's scene has to do with it (well, maybe for those, who care about that character too, though they can just go with her in Averno, if that's the case). But the ending is only part of it, it doesn't change the essence of what's going on. Astarion will be forever starving anyway, unable to enjoy the sun he loves so much, to see his reflection again and taste real life in all its fullness. UA even at the party in the epilogue thinks about how to satisfy hunger:

“Withers can pluck fresh wine from all over the world, but is there one bottle of fresh blood?”

“This seems pretty red. But... urgh - no. Not even close.”

AA is enjoying wine tastings at this point:

“Mmm, divine! I wonder if I could get this for my own cellar.”

“Withers certainly knows his wine. Or resurrected an excellent sommelier.”

“Oh, I simply must have this one. It's practically sanguine.”

“Hmm. Well, they can't all be winners...”

Maslow's Pyramid. Basic Needs. Helping Astarion Ascend means helping him become alive again. This is the most important thing, not even power per se. A starving person will never care about any “personal growth”, personal growth is the privilege of the well-fed. With all the pleasures of life now available to Astarion, he has much more opportunity for personal growth. The first thing to do is to heal physically. This is logic and facts, unlike “home psychology” and any “messages”, facts and actual physical condition will always be more important than any words. With all the joys of life now available to Astarion, he has much more opportunity for personal growth. No one will be made happy by the constant torment of hunger, not being able to see the sun, and other torments of the “spawn forever” state.

I don't mind any headcanons on how things can be made better for UA in the future. The DnD lore is full of stuff and you can come up with any adventure you want. Only the game doesn't have that. As it is, you can make up anything you want. For an AA headcanon about how Astarion and Tav will be happy and how Tav will help Astarion heal his injuries, you just need nothing - just for Tav to have their own voice and their own lines after the epilogue. And that, of course, will happen. Ok, the bride is not the equal of their creator, and directly, they won't have powers like the Ascended Astarion has. So what? Why do I need them, these powers? For example, I have Tav, a level 12 warrior, who can run around the battlefield like Homelander on steroids, jump on the heads of enemies and scatter them so that they fly in all directions. As a warrior and will further pump her epic level. The possibility of being together with Astarion forever, the eternal connection with the most beloved person - that's important, the way he feels, the possibility for him to live a full life - that's really important, that's the most important. Who is equal/not equal to whom is a matter of roleplay, whether to bother with this nonsense at all or not. Consort status fits perfectly with the roleplay of a strong character. A strong character is capable of strong feelings. A strong character is capable of understanding their beloved, for a strong character the most important thing is that their beloved is happy, the character is therefore “strong” because they have their core, they don't need to prove their strength to anyone. A strong character doesn't care at all about all these “statuses”, about all these social constructs, about whatever other people's dogmas are. To love is to not let Astarion be hurt again.

The game's entire “inequality” is built on the fact that the player character is canonically a submissive, and Tav likes it that way. Not even Astarion is categorically dominant (though he fits and likes that role), but Tav is a priori submissive. Tav basically can't tell Astarion that they don't want to play the role, there are no such lines. There's no way to react to the narrator's line about “you like to degrade yourself” - it's the only check in the game, passing it gives no additional lines or options. There are no lines about Tav wanting other kisses, etc. Astarion sees the Tav-submissive in front of him, who actually enjoy it, and behaves accordingly. Yes, it violates the principles of RPG play, but Larian wanted to include a variety of romance options, and there are mods for your own roleplay.

“He probably will not have a long life as a vampire lord (look at those who preceded him, they lived relatively little due to power struggles), he will live surrounded by enemies, and will have few sycophants and slaves, no real relationships, a life without learning, without news, just… more power games until he is killed by someone, or live fighting not to be killed for being yet another cruel vampire lord…” Etc. He already has a real relationship (read more: “Astarion loves Tav”). And afterwards, they'll be even much stronger, because Tav won't have scripted restrictions on lines and behavior. Any AA chatbot proves that. Personally, I even like to play with chatbots with an initially “abusive” anti-AA narrative, the more interesting it is to “break” that narrative, give Astarion the love he needs and see how much better he starts to feel. You can break that narrative with a single posting, and set personal records if you want to. Any game with Character. AI with the Ascended Astarion ends (or continues) with a real, deep, loving relationship. Even the argument that the AI adapts to the user doesn't work here - play with the chatbot Ramsay from Game of Thrones, for example, and you'll see what a real aggressor is. Astarion's character itself, his core personality is not suitable for making him an “abuser”. You can only get an “abuser” with him if you know how to “write properly” for it, any roleplay of a loving character, if you just write “from yourself”, without any roleplay, and be yourself - it leads to a beautiful and touching deep romance anyway.

About all sorts of dangers - the world in general is a pretty dangerous thing, and Astarion's powers are growing and he has quite a few advantages over everyone else. And as if the Spawn wouldn't have enough enemies… Astarion is a vampire in any case. Plus, Ascended Astarion isn't alone, he has quite the battle consort, who somehow managed to deal with Elder Brain and many other wonderful bosses. Astarion and Tav have handled it all - they'll handle other vampires and all sorts of paladins, especially since the couple's powers are only going to grow. The citizens of Baldur somehow didn't try to do anything about Cazador, including the nobles who probably knew about him, and the same will be true of the new Lord, but with the Spawn - they'll probably try to do something. “Good people” - they are like that, few people will want to go against the Lord, but, when the feat of UA will be forgotten, the attitude to him will also change.

Tav can help Astarion rise in power, becoming his “gray cardinal”, right hand and advisor. Improve the castle's defenses, making it impregnable, train troops, make the Lord's real coffin safe and install a fake one. The Vampire Lord does not die if he is killed, but turns into mist and flies to his coffin to regenerate. You can only kill him by taking him out of the coffin (which we did with Cazador). If you make a bunker-type room, where you can get in only by leaking through a narrow slit in the fog form, almost invisible in the wall - there will be a real coffin of the Lord. And the fake coffin will be where it can be found if the enemies managed to get into the castle (for example, at the place of the Cazador's coffin). And stuff it with something as deadly as possible, so that those who opened it would accept death. Then, even after a fight with a strong enemy, Astarion will have time to regenerate and fully recover his strength. Magical crystals with surveillance and traps in the passageway leading from the sewers to the castle, cooperation with the Guild to have dirt on anyone and everyone, occupy the niche of arms trading that was vacated after Gortash's death, properly manage gold by acquiring assets and investing in successful businesses in the city to have a stable passive income, and much more - Tav will have something to entertain themselves in between organizing balls and receptions. And if that's not enough - you can just make an evil ending, use the Absolute armies for your own purposes, kill some deity and give their sphere to Astarion.

And yes, to the talk of gods and “ power is not allowed, power is bad”. For some reason, Mystra is allowed. She herself was a mortal woman before and was given the god's sphere. There are enough deities in DnD lore, who were mortal and took the power. They're all allowed. You can't. Who benefits from you being “not allowed the power”? Only those who have it and want to keep their power. In the world of Faerûn, they are gods, local dictators, each with their own morals and rules. To prove to you that “you don't need guns”, that the rational desire to be able to defend yourself is all about “fear” (the illusion of a “safe world” usually works until the first danger encountered), who benefits? Only those who want to rule and dominate you themselves. A character with BFG is not easily “taught” how to behave, what to say, what to think and what to do. “Good, Bad, I'm The Guy With A Gun” is the most playable alignment for me.

Regarding fear - let's look at Astarion's reaction to the Illithid player.

Astarion's reactions to the illithid-player (Ascendet/Spawn)

In which case does Astarion feel fear and in which case does he not? Ascended Astarion tells Tav to his face everything he thinks, but he is not afraid of them (he may even offer to live in his palace). UA thinks the same thing, but is wary, afraid, talks so as not to offend, not to anger, but is not particularly eager to meet Tav-illithid afterward.

Those who so actively promote the topic of “fear” hardly know what PTSD is. You will never be able to convince a person with such severe PTSD, that they “have nothing more to fear”. The consciousness of a person who has experienced such a thing will never be colored “white” again. They just already know what the world is really like. It's not about trauma, it's about experience. You can't gaslight someone, who knows the truth on their own skin, with the illusion of a “safe world”. And in the player's shoes, when you start to perceive the world as “real”, remove the “fairy tale perception”, and BG3 is not a “sweet” game universe - such a belief also looks too stupid and cheap. It can work on a person living in a well-to-do neighborhood, where everyone is not afraid of anything, does not lock their doors at night, and even when someone in a mask with a bat in their hand enters through an unlocked door at night, they will not be afraid, but will offer them to fix themselves, the masked person will definitely listen to them, become a better version of themselves, and everything will be wonderful and peaceful. Astarion once went against Cazador and saved the boy, made a “moral choice”. He got a year of starvation for it, alone, locked in a crypt. Now he has free will, but not quite, there is also Tav - an invincible hero, an authority on everything and everyone, from whom the companions can not even leave, because otherwise they are waiting for immediate ceremorphosis. Astarion cannot choose exclusively for himself (although he has chosen, he often says how much he needs it when he learns of the possibility of a ritual, he desperately asks for help before the ritual). If “the hero wants a better life for him” (Better? Not a “hero” afterward will experience hunger, not see the sun, and so on), Astarion can't resist it. He can die fighting the “hero”, leave the party (to certain death), or… Say “thank you” for “breaking the cycle of terror”. Ascension is a completely rational and logical impulse. Get rid of the torment of the spawn state, gain enough strength to defend himself in the future, and it really ensures that no one else will be master over him.

I personally don't understand this demonization of the emotion of fear per se. Only psychopaths and idiots fear nothing. If fear is not an irrational phobia, but part of a reasonable mechanism of survival and adaptation in an aggressive environment, it is a very useful emotion - it is our valuable counselor. In RL too, after all, we don't live in a world of pink ponies, and “fear” has its degrees too, the form of “fear” that causes a person to adequately perceive reality, to take measures to ensure their own safety, is a useful survival mechanism. It's worse when it isn't. In my opinion, AA is behaving in this way, he is reasonably concerned for his own safety, increasing his chances of survival. Of course, his fear is deeper and it is that fear, that alteration of consciousness that is a consequence of severe PTSD. Only time and, indeed, the development of one's own strength and power will help here. But isn't UA afraid? He must be even more afraid deep down, because he's more vulnerable, weaker, and we don't forget that he's the same Astarion, with the same PTSD. He's afraid to even take off his mask, to show his true character, he's afraid Tav will leave him. He has even more fears. The rational desire to take the BFG and protect himself and his freedom is the right thing to do.

When I first read in the journal, “Astarion's fate is sealed. He will remain a spawn forever”, believing on the first playthrough that ‘ritual is bad for him, ay-yay’, I experienced fear. First time in the game, since there are no particularly frightening scenes in BG3. Fear as a valuable defense mechanism that warns against taking a “wrong turn”. Fear warned me and kept me from a sudden traumatic ending, kept me from running around happily in a world of pink ponies, thinking that since we made a “good” choice, now we'll be patted on the head, Astarion's quest will continue, he'll heal, and everything will be cool. Then, of course, I played through the UA route for understanding and analyzing, but I was already ready for it, turned on the “detached explorer” mode (but, still, it's pure depression and the most unpleasant gaming experience). Small stress - fear protects against big stress - unexpected disaster.

By the way, after the Ascension, the diary says that Astarion is grateful for the help (quest “Gathering Allies”). Even this small but important tool, which helps us navigate quest chains by showing us, what we need to do and how we accomplished what we have already done, makes it clear how Astarion's quest was accomplished.

Neil about Astarion: «Astarion's spawn is theater (with all the masks, lies and deception still included) or Ascendant (no masks, no lies, just the truth because he has the confidence to push his arrogance in your face without fear)». Without fear.

There's a scene in the finale of Origin of Astarion where UA kills a bound man in the sewers (elegantly dancing while doing so), he threatens the Tav, who abandon him (yes, it's deserved, but threatening nonetheless, it's somehow not quite “kind”). “If I get back and they've killed another gnome, I swear - someone's getting impaled.” (Line appears if he became a spawn leader in the Underdark). Or he becomes an assassin, he likes it, he likes spreading fear, albeit within some “approved” limits. Astarion remains Astarion, only with all the suffering of a spawn.

In the article “Baldur's Gate 3 Devs Share How Neil Newbon Influenced Astarion's Ending” is about Neil's influence on Astarion's Origin Ending. In it Greg Lidstone, director of animation, goes over the process of filming the final Origin Astarion scene. Quote: "Astarion’s challenge wasn't directly related to him being a vampire. It was that he was a spawn, and that he wasn't free," says Lidstone. "He is technically free now. [...] He's okay with being a vampire."

From this quote we can understand, that Astarion's problem was that he was a spawn (exactly a spawn, not a vampire) and was not free. By killing Cazador, Astarion becomes free, by getting Ascension, he stops being a spawn and tastes life again, he becomes not just a vampire, but a living vampire (which is definitely better than being just a regular vampire). Based on this, it can be said that it is Ascension that truly solves ALL of Astarion's problems.

If Astarion's character, according to the canons of classic RPGs, was designed to be “good”, albeit angry, traumatized, prickly, with a hard fate, then his “good” variant of the quest solution would be full-fledged, with a good, optimistic and happy outcome for him, which is not the case in BG3. Honestly, I can't find a single RPG game, where the fulfillment of the quest of a “good” character “in a good way” would lead to the fact that everyone around him is well, and he is feeling bad. But for an “evil” character, such fulfillment of his quest, when “for the world” it's good (although 7000 hungry spawns running around the city/Underdark, it shouldn't be good, it's also quite delusional in itself, but let's allow it), and for him personally - bad, it's absolutely logical.

When the game launched, a hotfix came out on August 11 that removed the narrator's words about rejecting Astarion's ritual: “you are now forever a pathetic spawn, doomed to live in the shadows”. Unfortunately Larian seems to have locked or deleted their forum thread “Patch 6 Destroyed Player Agency with Astarion,” where there was information about this, I wanted to quote it more precisely, but you can't read that thread, perhaps it was done because there was somewhere around 60 pages of outrage from players, including posts by SA/DA survivors, who got PTSD from these “kisses” on top of that. Larian generally tried to improve the UA path with small fixes, perhaps trying to soften their original intent. What were the disgusting, mocking the Astarion's pain, companion lines in that scene (were for a long time, only changed in patch 7). Epilogue (patch 5) - Astarion looks happier in the romantic epilogue, a UA fan favorite quote from there is “I'm happy”. In the non-romantic epilogue, you can learn a lot more truth about his condition. You can perceive it as Astarion being much happier in his relationship with Tav, but also Astarion's fate is only truly concerned for the most part with those who romance him (and even if it's concerned without romance, there's nothing there at all to prevent Ascension, even the haters were lashing out exclusively at those who romance AA). I don't want to be a conspiracy theorist, but it's a bit like “yeah he's happy, he's happy, it's a good ending, here's a bone for you,” because not everyone wants to take the “preachy goodness” with the need to send Astarion into darkness so that “good people” can feel good about it. That's why the copium is needed.

“More than that, he shows us very obviously how much he despises all vampiric behavior, how much he misses his pre-transformation life and the simple things (mirrors, the taste of wine, the sun, etc.), and mainly how much vampirism cannot be romanticized…”

Of course, Astarion wishes to regain the opportunity to live a normal life again - the mirrors, the taste of wine, the sun. Not to suffer forever because “just like his curse dictates”. And on the theme of “he shows us very obviously how much he despises all vampiric behavior” Astarion says in Act 2: “Of course I envy him. Why wouldn't I?” “The problem with what Cazador has done is that he did it to me.”

Astarion: "After 200 years of pure shit.." - camp scene | Act 2 | Baldur's Gate 3 #bg3 gay romance

And in this scene, Astarion also refers to himself as “little vampire on the winning side” (responding to Tav's line, “Raphael said it was lethally diabolical.” Astarion playfully replies: “Doesn't it sound delightful? For the lucky little vampire on the winning side?"). And after the ritual, with full confidence, “Please, darling, you have the Vampire Ascendant on your side. How could we lose?” UA has a heartbreaking line: “I'm still nothing, aren't I? Just an expandable frail spawn who will burn to a crisp soon enough.” That pretty well characterizes Astarion's attitude towards his vampirism. And Astarion suffered because Cazador used him as a tool, forcing him to do what he did. It's not about vampirism at all, it's about slavery. Astarion's victims didn't know he was a vampire, Astarion never said anything about anyone “sexualizing him as a vampire”. Oblodra certainly makes you want to break her jaw with a punch from a swinging fist (alas, there's no evil roleplay in this scene and you have to refuse too politely), but that's primarily because of the demeaning way she allows herself to talk to Astarion, treating him literally like a slave. And Astarion's disgust for her is due to the smell of her vile blood. But okay, I'll leave the topic of “sexualization” to the sexualizers, let those who know about it deal with it. I fall in love with Astarion not because of race or “species affiliation” (vampires are rather a separate species higher up the evolutionary food chain than the homo species, to which most representatives of other intelligent races of Faerûn can be conditionally referred). And this species has its own physiological features and needs - and this is already really important, unlike any “sexualization”. And after Ascension Astarion is cured of all physiological problems related to vampirism, he becomes actually a human with vampiric abilities, even bloodlust will no longer torment him. It's not just about survival for Astarion - it's about life in general, and the possibility of a normal, fulfilling life. And here's how Astarion gives thanks for helping him find that possibility:

Ascended Astarion Thanks Tav for Everything | Baldur's Gate 3

I don't know where in the game the dialogs where Lord Astarion kills companions without any problems (probably the same place as “society knowing how to differentiate spawn from vampire lords” and the charity fund with blood for all spawns, though society can certainly tell the difference - the Lord will be feared, and the spawn can be chained to the sidewalk). Astarion wants to keep an eye on his former companions, and that's reasonable too. Lord Astarion gave me disapproval when I decided to turn Jaheira over to Sarevok, even though I wanted to do it purely for his safety in order to eliminate a potential threat. And why should Astarion care about the opinions of random companions, with whom we'd been brought together by a common misfortune for a period of time? They are not his friends, there is no special friendship or bonding in the game. Astarion only needs one person he can truly trust. “I have one person who trust me completely. That's enough for me.” - that's his answer to Karlach.

“That is the beauty of the character, his story, his achievements, and that is the message he has to convey.” The message is what is paramount. Not Astarion's well-being, not the facts of the game, not his physiological state, not his pain, not his depression in the UA route, but the message.

Sometimes I think that Larian tried to “sit on two chairs”, they introduced into the plot what the audience of “messages” likes - the opportunity to “preach” and read all sorts of “messages” about “power, ew, bad, you can't”, but all this as if “on the surface”, not in the plot itself, - you can make up, there is something to catch the preachers of this or that, but other players - fans of classic RPGs can perfectly see the essence, see what is really happening. That's why BG3 remains a good game, yes, you have to use mods to make it almost perfect. Because if these “messages” weren't far-fetched, but actually stitched into the plot and story, none of us would love this game (I mean AA fans) or play it. It's like the “love triangle” story with Halsin, where we can only see that Astarion is feeling bad if we are able to see it. Players write about his nervousness, about how obvious it is that Astarion is putting up with this because of his affection for Tav, about how fake his approval of it is. “So obviously fake that I can't get how anyone can take this at face value.” But it will only be obvious to the player, who understands Astarion, who feels him, who is able to see that obviousness. When there is no literal explanation. And someone, who is unable to see or is too eager to promote their hook-up culture, will perceive or describe it differently. Also, just like the UA path - on an empathy level it's just played as pain. It's the worst experience I've had in all my play experiences in various games that I can recall. But if you take Astarion as a “message”, as a character in some literary work (an RPG is not a book, and the script for a good RPG will be different from a ordinary literary work) when it's solely important what that “message” carries, then everything will be fine.

Sure, I'd like to see RPG games with logic, compelling story and roleplay, not “messages” and “preachy”. But even in presenting the ending of UA as “good” there is logic, consistent with the logic of RPG games. “Good” this ending is not for Astarion but for the “world” and the notional “good”. Astarion is “neutralized” for this “good world”, he is forced to suffer while these “good people” will smile at the sun. There is an opportunity to “saw off the fangs” of Astarion and make him safe for the world. But Astarion is an evil character, so he has to catch fire and run off alone. Tav is part of the world, for whom Astarion must be neutralized. “Spawn Forever” is a poorly completed quest for an evil companion, even the diary entry looks like that. Ascended Astarion is “evil and fun.” It's a happy sunny ending that both feels and plays beautifully. An “evil” ending for an “evil” character is a good ending for him. And that's the way it is in all games of the RPG genre.

[ababel]

I hate AI but killing pebbsi was the most traumatic scene in a game i swear

[poly-mc]

NSFW

*Sea starts softly nibbling on your cock, dragging star teeth across your shaft. Munching on you* Mm *Sea groans and lets star spit slowlyrun over you* taste so good🤤 *slurp*

sleep with me tonight? i've been feeling so touch-starved without you. maybe we can... do other things? what do you think?

@ask-belphegor

Belle...😳 okay. *Sea laces star fingers with yours*

Wait, touch-starved? Have people not been giving you attention lately?😟

[tsrmarina]

While finishing up the piece with the dragon spawn I made studies to catch ascended Astarion character essence ✍️ Here’s one of them:

Astarion the Ascended 🖤

Get Print

#astarion #baldursgate3 #bg3 #larianstudios

[cosmicportal]

[creature-wizard]

Friendly reminder that:

The concept of starseeds promotes ableism by minimizing or denying ADHD and autism.

The ancient astronaut hypothesis promotes spiritual colonialism and destruction of other cultures by twisting other people's mythologies and sacred texts to fit their narratives.

The reptilian alien mythology is based on conspiracy theories historically used to justify oppressing and murdering real people. Loosh/blood/adrenochrome harvesting is just repackaged blood libel.

New Age mythology is chock full of repackaged right wing conspiracy theories, the same kind pushed by QAnon.

It's also full of repackaged racist pseudoscience about genetic superiority/inferiority and the function of evolution.

Ascension to 5D was supposed to have happened back in 2012, and the prediction failed.

New Agers are recycling their predictions over and over to catch new waves of people who don't know the movement's history.

Belief in Atlantis is strongly motivated by white supremacy.

For more info, see:

Looks like it's time to talk about starseeds and the New Age movement again.

How the mythology of starseeds, indigo children, crystal children, rainbow children, etc. harms kids

New Age YouTube channel caught recycling claims of imminent "first contact" for three years

Is the spiritual person a conspiracy theorist? A list of red flags

What is spiritual eugenics?

New Age beliefs that derive from racist pseudoscience

[holistichealingg]

[succulentsiren]

A woman without a connection to her intuition is lost, powerless and gullible. Our intuition is our inner compass that connects us to the unseen forces, protects us from harm and guides us to victory. Never betray your inner self.

S.S.

[annikvs]

The Lord's winter walk

Spent New Year finishing this one art. Just wanted to say how grateful I am for your continued support during a very difficult year. I'll keep doing my best to create art that inspires and brings you joy. Thank you for being here, and I can't wait to share even more with you in 2025! Happy New Year!

[urloveangel]

[adorkastock]

Ascending, ascending, ascending...

[socialdragonflytarot27]

[sir-illmatic]

Naturally ✨

[spiritualseeker777]

[cosmicportal]

Definitely.