#how many spawn did he go through before perfecting the schedules and techniques and target sites?

[constantvariations]

I always found it interesting that Cazador didn't simply replace Astarion in order to complete the ritual. At first, I thought it was his obsession with Astarion that prevented him from doing so, or perhaps his pride wouldn't allow even a single spawn to escape the fate he created for them

Then I watched Origin Astarion confront Cazador, and the latter said the following:

All those souls you brought me, all linked through the lines I carved on your back. All linked through your blood.

Somehow, every single one of Astarion’s conquests is connected through him to the ritual. The line about blood makes me think there's more to it than just the scars

Perhaps all those tortures Astarion endured weren't entirely on sadistic whims, and the blood collected from those torments was embedded in the carvings of each of his victims. Going by the description of Scarlet Feast, Rhapsody seems to have a container, so it would be easy to carry Astarion’s blood inside the carving weapon itself. Quite convenient, really

Anyway, that's just a theory. I'd love to know y'all's thoughts