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preciouslittlebhaalbabe3 · 28 days

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Thoughts about Ascended Astarion! (This is a long one, and I'm not trying to change anyones opinion, just highlighting the fact that the player is in complete control of the situation at all times. This game is about choices.) First off, I don't usually prefer to ascend him. But I love all versions of Astarion. His character is so well written and all of his arcs deserve praise and attention no matter what your personal opinion of them are. The devs did an incredible job. If any parts of his arc (ascended or spawn) make you uncomfortable, then romancing him isn't for you. If the dynamic between AA and your character makes you feel scared or upset, don't ascend him. That dynamic is supposed to be 100% consentual. He's a tough nut to crack and his story can be very triggering. I myself broke down a few times hearing him talk about what he went through. There are other companions with lovely character development that you can choose. When people go "ugh he's ruined I didn't want this" My dear, with all due respect. This is the dark fantasy romance option. Emphasis on the fantasy. You didn’t get his approval by being nice. It's not like he's the only option. You chose to romance the vampire. The game warns you of what exactly you're about to do multiple times. You willingly help him murder thousands of people for freedom. A vampire who was a literal slave for longer than he was even alive for just got a MASSIVE amount of power. Were you expecting he was gonna just be a good guy now? He has had NOTHING for so long. His entire life trajectory changed within moments. He’s still figuring himself out. You as the player are still completely in charge. He owes everything to you and he knows that. You can walk away at literally any point. He asks you to kneel and obey to establish trust and a dynamic. To confirm this is what you want. YOU CAN SAY NO. Then, he gets right down on the floor with you. He's either gentle or rough based on your choice. If you don't like the vibe just break up with him at that point like he literally lets you do. Or, even just reload the save. But just remember. "That's what you want, isn't it?". When Astarion ascends, Neil says it best. His mask is off and he's allowed to be at his most terrible with no fear. He doesn't have to perform or be aloof as a distraction from the pain anymore. He was never good aligned. But now, he has the power and ability to give himself and his favourite person the life he thinks they wanted. Otherwise why would you ascend him? His love language becomes acts of service and gifts. He ADORES tav to almost obsession. He's always doting on them and calling them his. The ritual only amplifies that. "but what about what he says if you convince him not to go through with it?"

He’s not lying. He knows tav saved him from himself. It is technically the “good” ending. But that’s not what matters here. The ascension is for characters who are not good aligned. It is for characters that are just as much of a power hungry monster as ascended Astarion is. They want to be a monarch that rules the world over. It’s a role playing thing. Is it wrong? That’s for you to decide for yourself. Not others.

"but what about karlach? He's a massive jackass to her when he ascends" ...Yes. He's not a good guy. Karlach is basically the goodest character in the game. It won't work. And if you do break up with him, he lashes out and says some extremely hurtful things. Because you just broke his heart. It's a perfectly normal response from someone being completely blindsided. He thought you wanted this. You said you wanted this. After everything you both did you get here, he feels betrayed. Not even to mention ascended Astarion does not make you just a regular spawn. You quite literally become his vampire spouse. He thanks you for putting your trust in him. Then eventually you become a true vampire with time. He wants to make sure tav doesn't go insane after being turned. If you wanna learn more about vampire spouses in DnD I highly reccomend doing some google searches. It's fascinating. Is ascending him the right thing to do? No, but it's not "wrong". The game doesn't work that way. Is keeping him a spawn the right thing to do? Maybe, if your character thinks it is. Either route has their sets of pros and cons. It's up to you which ones you think work for your playthrough.

I almost always convince him not to go through with the ritual. But ascended Astarion + durge is a power couple and the vibes are immaculate for evil runs. Just have fun with the game! The devs made all these character arcs for you to explore! Thanks for reading <3

#baldurs gate #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #astarion #bg3 astarion #astarion baldurs gate #ascended astarion #spawn astarion #vampire spawn #dark consort #dark romance #astarion analysis #ascended astarion analysis #let people enjoy things

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dmbakura · 3 months

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Would you say AA has this sense of thinking he /needs/ to be like Cazador, because that's "what works" and what's "safe"? Like this is who he has to be, and nothing else is viable? That's how I interpreted AA's masking (especially during his sex scene, it seems very insincere and more like what he thinks he needs to be than what he wants) and I can't really make it work with Neil's statements honestly.

I also think he's very much capable of cruelty but the way AA acts is something else entirely to me because it's so goofily a Stereotypical Cartoon Villain Big Bad Sexy Vampire which doesn't really come across as honest in the way, let's say, Gortash's antics seem honest from what we know of the character. Maybe I'm misinterpreting what masking means, idk. I'm definitely not saying it's not honest that he wants to do all that power-hungry shit and that he's secretly a pure tortured soul because that's a lame ass reading that contradicts canon but everything about how he carries himself is so uncanny and all those underlying themes of being really fucking afraid and unable to face what happened/running away from it don't lead me to believe he's living an authentic life, more like he's trapped inside himself.

I don't really see how this contradicts anything Neil said. He never says AA is Astarion's most authentic self at all, or even that he's healthy and confident, only that he stops masking with theatrical deflections.

You also have to account for the supernatural element here too. In dnd lore, most true vampires basically succumb to personality rot and become paranoid and obsessive scheming freaks. I know the 'vampire ascendant' is a new thing and bg3 plays with the lore a bit more but considering this is alluded to by Astarion AND Cazador and heavily reflected in AAs behavior, I'm willing to believe that the vampire ascendant is literally just that but on steroids. Hence the cartoonish behavior lol

Astarion's a complex character. A lot of his arc is a question about how trauma can shape a person and what remains (if anything) after they've gone through something inconceivable, and if they can move past it and reclaim an identity for themself. I don't think it's a coincidence that his background is mostly vague and we don't actually know the kind of person he was before he was turned (unlike *those* fans, I also don't believe 'corrupt magistrate' means he was 'always destined to be evil' or some nonsense like that.) So much of his character is informed by the choices made in the game and how the experiences shape his worldview. He's by far the most dynamic character in the game and people want there to be a simple answer to his character (whether that be 'he's a poor uwu baby who did nothing wrong' or 'he's always been irredeemably evil and is incapable of change') when the reality is there just isn't one.

All this to say, same as what I've been saying from the beginning, both endings for him serve a purpose. They're two sides of the same coin for his character. They are both true to Astarion and his development and they're meant to contrast in ways that make you think deeper about him and his story. They absolutely cannot be taken in a vacuum and I am just so annoyed with people not engaging with the story on this level and wanting there to be simple moral platitudes to everything because they're uncomfortable with complexity.

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suicidalgamergirl · 2 months

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Lovely Admiration for Astarion from FangGirls

So I purchased a new Bluetooth Keyboard for my iPad. It lights up and has 7 different colors to choose from. Normally, I want to continue my fic as my OC runs up to the Vampire Ascendant and lives in his lavish castle with him.

But I am distraught by terrible writer’s block and lacking a chance to play the game cause I’m not dropping 600$CAD for a PS5 system. I bought two books of the D&D lore based on vampires, one of them will come this Tuesday. Also picked up a book based on Critical Role.

I’m kinda am confused with my admiration of said vampire. I find he’s quite the attractive bad boy and I see AliExpress selling art that claims “I Can Fix Him.”

Seen in the beginning of his origin run, he wants to take everything from Cazador. He wants to become the Vampire Ascendant. He wants complete control of himself and never fall to become a vampire pawn.

Then people say as Tav should not let him ascend. He should not continue the cycle that his sick sad abusive master had on him. Staying as a spawn is the good ending for him.

Did they actually play the game?

When you first meet him, he’s caught you in a bind, ready to slash your throat in wanting the scarlet liquid for himself. Once he understands the situation, he is reluctant to join your party.

I’m not saying Ascendant Astarion is a bloody bastard. Then again, Spawn Astarion was a new awakening for him, thanks to the tadpole implanted in him. He’s eager to do anything he wants, like finally walking into the sun and salivating on other creatures for their blood. No more rats for now on.

He was never a lawful good character at the start. Becoming the Ascendant Vampire is true to his coy nature.

Then there are fans who reflected that Astarion is a survivor. For defying the abuse from Cazador, fanggirls reflect themselves onto him. And that’s OK.

If I ever do purchase a cameo by Neil, I was hoping to use it for mental health reflection. Yeah, I got the letters off Etsy. I used them to read and cheer myself up, knowing a fictional vampire will always have my back.

I know he’s quite a busy man. So I know he won’t do it. Under these scars I pray, like a shooting star in the rain.

Anyways, I’m ranting again. I dunno why I read this. I am using my fic to escape reality at times. I must sound really pathetic for voicing my opinion of the Ascendant Vampire. I just hate when fanggirls say he’s evil. As in he kicks puppies for a living.

Sure, you can call me out for being a n00b. I don’t know any better. That I’m using previous vampire encounters on my admiration for The Pale Elf.

But it stings that some people will think liking Ascendant Astarion means you suffer from a mental illness. I do like him and I have a mental illness for 20+ years. I find it insulting to be called “delulu”. It makes me want to defend a fictional character, despite I’ll never have an encounter with him.

So yeah. This is my rant. Don’t like it? Don’t follow me.

-V

#ascended astarion #Astarion #fangirls #it’s fiction for fuck’s sake

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vampireseftover · 1 month

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I had a weird dream tonight. Like there was a movie about Astarion. Not about his canonical story, something different. I don't remember everything, but i do remember that he was played by Neil, obviously, and BW (certain someone who we have to "thank" for "I want you. I want your body" line) worked on the script.

There were 3 main points in the plot:

1) him being himself, with all emotional baggage that he has, his snarls, seductivness, sassyness, puppy-dog-eyes: all different parts of his personality, everything you would expect from 3-dimensional character;

2) his fall into the metaphorical "hell", some place on another plane he falls into for some time;

3) his comeback.

He wasn't the main character of this movie. MC was a woman, some kind of a royalty, the crown princess. And she was a narrator as well. I remember the ending of that movie most clearly. Royal bedroom, late Baroque, Astarion's sitting on the bed, holding a 3yo-ish boy on his lap, playing with him and smiling, dressed up for some fancy event. In front of them - Main Character, also dressed up, heavilly pregnant, stroking her belly. And while camera moves around the room, narrator's voice says: "He became a good friend, caring father and excellent lover". And then: "He came back, but not entirely" or "He didn't actually came back". Camera moves on main character, smiling wholeheratedly, happy with her consort-husband.

I woke up and started to think what this dream could mean to me personally, as for loyal AA-enjoyer.

First point of the plot - Astarion's being himself. I love him a lot, more than anyone should love fictional character, many can relate, i believe. I love all of his sides. Snark comments, jokes, sassyness, seductivness, his pain, sorrows, greed for power, fears, everythig that makes him... well, him. There's much more I love about him, there's no point in writing it all down, i know why i fell for him, that's enough. For me this part of my dream kind of represents Act 1, maybe something from EA, haven't played it yet, but've seen a lot from it.

Second part - his fall - feels like a time, when BW put it's hands on his story, and more. It's about changes made on characterisation, reducing him to a plain "victim of abuse" and nothing much more. Simplifications. The way they made all of the characters "more likable". Washing away complicity for making the story easier to consume. Less questinable choices, more "progressive" and "on point", cheking boxes for representation etc. Sacrificing the quality of writing for commercial success.

Third part, i think, represents my personal trauma with not bg3's fandom, not Astarion's fandom, but Spawnstarion's fandom. For me it's like... He came back from "Hell", but left all of his "bad" traits there. All that left from him - pretty face and some funny jokes. He's likable, kind of good, obidient "consort-husband" for his queen-wife. He makes babies and happyly takes care of them, he doesn't bother anyone, like kind of a himbo? Something SHE can mold into anything SHE wants. I'm sure in that dream he was "cured" from his vampirism as well. And Main Character was so happy about everything. Like, she literally said "He didn't really came back, some part of him left there, in Hell, it's not him whole, only likable parts". And she was like "And that's good". She didn't care that he's lost parts of himseld. She was happy with her own personal domesticated Astarion. He didn't have any power or ambitions of his own, he was just some pretty prize for her, obidiend puppy eating from her hands.

Well, that's a lot to think about.

#Lord Astarion #Astarion #BG 3 Astarion #English is my second language #vampire's leftover: post

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iwritelmao · 5 months

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SO I HAD AN IDEA

as I normally do when I’m hyperfixating, I decided to write fanfiction bc sometimes the source material doesn’t/can’t give us anything and everything.

anyway I hear there’s a discussion about Astarion being a good dad vs Astarion being a bad dad. And apparently Neil Newbon himself declared the latter. I’m definitely inclined to agree.

SO I made an OC who’s father is Astarion. And drew up a character sheet for them. But the character sheet is rly messy and is drawn onto sketchbook paper so that won’t be shown till I can make it neat and legible lol

Anyway, read below the cut for more info (TW: mentions of suicide)

Dawn was born to Selene Windor, an elven poet and artist in a small port town. Her father, she never knew, only hearing stories artfully crafted by Selene.

Selene had lived on the Seaview Docks for a long time, a number of human generations. She was an elf after all. She knew the residents and in time would know the residents’ grandchildren. They knew her as well. The old, yet eternally young bard who lived on the edge of town.

But of course, this tended to get old. Hundreds of equinoxes and solstices blended together into beautiful and torturous monotony. She longed for excitement.

When an outsider visited, which rarely happened at the docks, save for fishers and merchants, everything changed. It was sparked by a mere few seconds of eye contact under the stars.

Selene had been shopping for fish at the night market—a familiar town tradition where lanterns and stalls decorated the moonlit street once every month—when she saw him. Pointed ears, a sharp jawline, and white curls that rivaled her own pin straight honey blonde. When their eyes met, he paused for a moment then flashed her a toothy grin.

They met in the middle of the market. She asked where he was from, he said “everywhere.” He asked the same, and she said “nowhere.” She asked his name. He said “whatever you want” with a smile that made Selene want to cry out in joy.

He stayed in town for months—the blink of an eye for an elf. She wrote of nothing but Him, painted Him, loved Him with everything she had, trying to guess a name that she knew would never amount to his beauty and the kindness he showed her.

So he called her his moon, and him her stars.

He offered to take her places, far-away places, more often than not. She politely declined. He even told her the truth about what he was, and she only loved him more for it.

He almost stayed. Almost.

The night before the stars faded he loved her like he had never loved anyone before. More truly than he had loved anyone before. He offered once more to take her away, to somewhere called Baldur’s Gate, a bustling city where her art could grow and travel beyond ports and docks. He even shed a tear of blood when at last he said that he’d take her to meet his family, his voice pleading and sorrowful.

She politely declined.

And he left in the morning. Before she could even tell him that she was with child.

Selene was driven mad with grief, destroying all of the paintings and locking away all of the poems.

When Dawn arrived, she cried. The little girl looked just like him, with wavy blonde hair only a shade away from white. Though she had her mother’s dark brown eyes, or so Selene thought.

Looking closer at the baby, she realized that her dark eyes had just a tint of scarlet over them.

Of course. The baby was a Dhampir.

Throughout Dawn’s childhood, she had to support her mother, who never left the house anymore. She worked when she could and stole when she couldn’t. And it was more often than not that she couldn’t due to the fact that everyone in the small town seemed to know what she was. The spawn of a vampire spawn.

It was one thing for a child to grow up without any friends. It was a complete other thing for a child to grow up being feared just because she had to drain chickens or raw cow meat from the market to survive.

When she was thirteen, a burglar came through the town. The body was found at the base of the docks after the third night of thievery, drained of blood.

When she was fifteen, it was a merchant’s son. The out of towner survived with a bite mark on his neck and some lightheadedness.

Dawn decided it was best to spend most of her time inside, taking care of her mother.

Selene had written little other than sorrowful poems about lost love, and could no longer remember the face of Dawn’s father to paint again. When she told Dawn the story, she told it with fondness, but would break down in a fit of tears and keening shortly after, if not right in the middle.

Dawn never saw the story as beautiful or fond. She did not see her father as someone who would ever come back and love them both despite her mother’s hysteric protests.

When she was eighteen, Dawn returned home to find her mother on the floor of the kitchen, dead. There was a bottle of poison in her hand and the everlasting look on her face was that of tear stained grief.

She knew this was coming. She knew it would happen eventually. For what elf would want to live for over six hundred years without the one they were convinced was their true love.

And so, the dhampir girl set out, her mind clouded with anger, yet sharp with a thirst for blood and revenge. She would go to Baldur’s Gate. She would find the man who killed her mother, whether it be indirectly or not. And she would kill Him.

Though she was not quite prepared for things to go as awry as they had.

PT2: https://www.tumblr.com/iwritelmao/738342079719178240/pt2?source=share

#I rly don’t plan to make this a long form thing #like maybe it’ll be a series of one shots #or something like that #you guys can request stuff too with this character #like i think my asks are open #bg3 #bg3 oc #baldur's gate 3 #dadstarion #astarion bg3 #astarion #oc #I love my family of tragic vampire rogues

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