#Cazador Szarr

[miraculan-draws]

Something I find. VERY fascinating—like a lot of this is just vibe reads verging on hc but bear with me—

Cazador Szarr is very like...buttoned up? We hear him described as a very powerful monster by Astarion through the whole game and when you finally meet him he's like so PRIM. He's not unhinged or rabid. His body language is very upright and rigid. He's buttoned up to the neck, not a hair out of place. He has an objectively handsome symmetry to his face, but not moreso than any other elves we see in-game really. There is a strange sort of like. Sexless read I get on him that feels intentional—theres none of the classic "Dracula" appeal with him, despite the fact that THATS the role he pushed the spawn into. There's nothing to be drawn to. He's a possessed mannequin. There's nothing left to pick away at or gnaw on until youve killed him.

And so much of the violence described in this quest line is psychosexual in nature, but its orchestral conductor, its engineer, does not wear that nature in his appearance or posture or speech. You almost picture a smarmy Gortash type to be our master vampire, but no. It's a neat and tidy Cazador Szarr. It is fascinating design and writing.

[kirain]

I saw a comment of yours about Ascended Astarion and I just wanted to say him sacrificing 7000 bloodthirsty vampires that can't control their bloodlust isn't a bad thing. If anything it's a mercy killing. People enjoy Ascended Astarion because it's cathartic for a lot of people who've suffered similar abuse. You lack empathy.

I think you may have the wrong person, because I've never commented on ascended Astarion. The only time I've come relatively close was when I discussed Neil Newbon's stance on him in the comments of a viral post, where a Tumblr user got mad at him for saying, "Meh. He's not for me." And even then, I made it abundantly clear that I don't have a problem with people who enjoy ascended Astarion. I was more so defending Neil for having a preference, which he's allowed to have. Is that what you're talking about? Because I haven't discussed ascended Astarion anywhere else. 😅

As for your comment ... what? First of all, an unconsensual sacrifice isn't a mercy killing, it's murder. They didn't want to die. Those innocent people—and yes, they are innocent; Cazador captured and enslaved them—don't simply die. As per the infernal contract, they go to hell. Specifically to Mephistopheles, the second most powerful and cruel archdevil in the hells. They will suffer for all eternity. That's not merciful. Personally, I'd rather be an undead spawn who has to drink rat blood every now and then.

Second, if you feel that way about all those spawn, then you should keep the same energy for Astarion, because he's the same as them. The only difference is they haven't had a chance to live in the real world or learn to control their hunger. Now, I do agree setting thousands of spawn loose on the Sword Coast is a lot, and potentially dangerous for the living, but the Gur will keep an eye on them, as is their oath. If you let them go, you give them a choice. They're still slaves to their hunger, and they likely always will be, but they get to choose how to satisfy it. If they truly can't resist harming others, then the Gur (and paladins) will surely kill them; which sounds horrible, but at least they'll be spared a gruesome afterlife.

Cazador took their choice away, as he did with Astarion. If they deserve to die, if they don't deserve a chance to prove they can live peacefully in Faerûn, then the same goes for Astarion. That's part of what makes his ascension so hypocritical. He's no better than Cazador, in the sense that he takes their agency away and uses them for the exact same purpose. Those spawn even could've been Astarion. He just so happened to be the "lucky" one who had a parasite crawl into his head. He's special to the player because we know him, but he could've been any of his siblings. He is all 7,006 of those spawn.

I will admit I didn't ascend Astarion, as I personally think it's the worst path for him, but you have it backwards. I didn't deny him ascension because I lack empathy. I denied him ascension because all I have is empathy, and that extends to characters who aren't the main focus of the game. You do what makes you happy, but I don't think becoming the worst version of yourself is healing, and I care about Astarion (and the people around him) too much to watch him continue the cycle. Sebastian, Dalyria, Chessa, all the others trapped in the cages—they have names and they're victims, too. For me, the most cathartic moment of Astarion's quest was when he realised it and set them free.

[rolyleritae]

[velvolktra]

Commission from Ulyana

[reinwinters]

I felt like we needed something cute as we round the corner of finality of Perfect Slaughter by @imagineitdearies

Tyrus and Astarian live rent free in my brain and heart.

I also wanted to try different techniques and colors with this piece as well as work on my backgrounds to make a complete picture.

[sadist69]

Ooopss~~

[dandydanthelion]

raphael's theme sure does bang but not enough ppl appreciate cazador's theme, that shit is FIRE

i urge u to listen to his whole combat theme, its so good

[naughtybg3confessions]

I want to fuck Cazador Szarr until he can't walk. I want to make this man cry. I want to take him apart slowly, piece by piece, for hours, for days, until he's weeping and begging, and then whispering "Good boy" into his ear as I finally let him come.

[olivertaylr]

every time i fight cazador for bae

[leilah-durge]

nescio___ on Instagram

[clownsecret]

"i do not need to start writing another fucked up bg3 fic," i whisper to myself as i definitely don't start daydreaming about a really messed up bluebeard-type au

cazador fails to kill vellioth and gets cask of amontillado'd in the basement for it

like ~20 years later, vellioth turns astarion and canon continues as normal

astarion is still the runt, still always starving, but he's also vellioth's babygirl when vell isn't torturing him for funsies

except as it turns out, regularly being tortured for funsies is actually integral to being vellioth's babygirl because that guy is FUCKED UUUUUUP

UNTIL 40-ish years into being vell's favorite little guy, astarion finds cazador while exploring the dungeon after being tortured

what if we were two really fucked up vampires both being tortured by the same guy and we met in the dungeons and we kissed through the gap in the wall that our master drops live rats through to feed you???

[miraculan-draws]

It is a cool nod to the monster manual that Cazador's staff "Woe" has the spell "Blight" on it, beCAUSE!! Each race does not receive vampirism the same way and powerful elven vampires CAN IN FACT drain the life from the environment. The REAL QUESTION IS!! Does the curse of vampirism adapt to its host, or does it have strains? Like is Petras infected with elven vampirism??

[tastysemochka]

from that day on I was his

[mutualcombat]

i never should have bought this game now youre all going to suffer for it

[tinytonestar]

Astarion vs Cazador animation I did for fun!! 🩸

[namespara]

If Cazador ever commented on Astarions companions (instead of just ignoring them which ultimately leads to his downfall) he'd be pretty flabbergasted to see the durge he definitly has heard of innit