#astarion bg3

[fourraccoonsinacoat]

Yes! Also, as much as I love the hug and the emotion of that scene, I'm always a tad uncomfortable with the fact that you don't ask to hug him, and just do. Especially with how integral the concept of consent is to Astarion's storyline.

I also love that this option explicitly outlines the boundaries of the relationship, and you can see how relieved and happy Astarion is to have those boundaries set. It's especially meaningful when you consider that, at this point, Astarion still very much struggles to set his own boundaries. So, having his partner willingly clarify that sex will be removed from the equation - and that they're okay with that - has to relieve a fuckton of weight and angst from Astarion.

I think that response gives Astarion the reassurance he needs to feel safe in a relationship. Which, in turn, gives him the space he needs to figure out what he wants and what he's comfortable with.

It's a great little scene and bit of dialog.

I think the hardest decision to make when romancing Astarion isn't whether or not you allow him to ascend. It's the choice in his Act 2 confession where you can decide between hugging him or telling him you can continue your romantic relationship together without having sex.

Because of course the hug is super meaningful and lovely and wonderfully cinematic, and I do love it, BUT his reaction when you tell him you can stay together without sex?

He looks so relieved but also happy. Like genuinely happy and even hopeful for like, the first time in the whole game. And he doesn't really look this happy again until after his personal quest. I just think it's such an underrated moment. It's so sweet and beautiful.

[swordsbardkat]

Me when I eat ice cream too fast

[anendtopursuit]

not to gush too much abt neil newbon's performance as astarion (and stephen rooney's writing for him) but like. he's discussed on streams before how conscious the decision to make him feel like he's constantly performing is (regardless of outcome; theatrical spawn astarion & operatic ascended astarion), and how stephen rooney leaned more into the whimsy and fun of the character based on things he saw in his portrayal (hence astarion progressively getting funnier and more charismatic through game development). but the thing that drives me absolutely mad tbh is the moments where all of it drops and he's suddenly so sincere, because it hits you like a truck to the face.

his voice going all soft and quiet and brittle when he describes cazador instructing his spawn to torture themselves. his mannerisms shifting from seductive and playful to a little more nervous. but the one that always gets me is in the graveyard romance scene, talking about what cazador has taken from him, how it was taken by force; "but he did take it," in this voice that's so full of sorrow that it almost sounds hollow, muffled by none of his usual pomp and theatricality, when even in cazador's palace his admissions of upset were sandwiched between attempts to brush it all off. dear god.

[casualya]

[mercymaker]

“Our lives will never be the same again. Everything will be ours. Everything.”

[madam-irene]

The commission for a very interesting reference - I love this character myself 😔 (reference in the comments)

[iizven]

I will never get tired of this smile 🖤

[nesvann]

!not canon!

That artwork is born from my brain going: what if evil Durge/spawn Astarion, so there you gooo 🩸

My lovely Durge sure is evil at first but he changes progressively (even tho he's far from being a good aligned character, even by the end of their journey), he would never harm Astarion in any way

[doodl3ynoodl3]

“Another Century Goes By”

RAA I LOVE BBY BOI SO MUCH! He didn’t deserve the trauma he endured🥺 wish i could give him a hug and tell him itll be okay

(I made two versions, a light and dark)

[catherynne-e]

Once upon a time in the Shadow-Cursed Lands...

[the-mind-of-emma]

you have become your own master. deny him.

[dasharau]

Creativity has gone on the beautiful and the beautiful lord

[tigerlyla-of-metinna]

Thirsty Thursday: Astarion

Astarion in a scandalous gith smallclothes (I'm using a mod: Bhaal gear).

My PS5 photo edited shot.

Im a bit under the weather so I lazy on the photo edit.

[vanimation]

Astarion

[sadzane]