#ascended astarion vs spawn astarion

[random-introverted-blog]

It's back, and so am I

Hi, tumblr.

Been a hot minute, hasn't it?

A lot has happened since I broke my foot. But let's start with what we're all ultimately here for.

Hot vampire elf husband man 🙌

There he is.

Hello, hot vampire elf husband man.

Long time no talk.

I'm re-outlining the plot for HS-HQ and going over where I left off and where I'm going again to make sure I can maintain quality and consistency after how long I've been away. And we'll be focusing only on HS-HQ and Astarion from here on until... whenever. More on that toward the end.

HS-HQ Chapter 11 Teaser:

I'm fully committing to getting HS-HQ started again and tidying up my outline. Unfortunately, while I'm good with notes and outlines when I'm actively working on a story, if I set one aside for too long, the senile goldfish brain gets the better of me. And I'm one of those writers that goes "pshh, I don't need to write it down!"

Will I ever learn from this? Yes Maybe Probably not, I'll be honest.

Regardless, I am working on it. Hoping to have something out before the end of April. I'll have something narrowed down maybe this week or next.

With that squared away...

Oh, Shadowheart fandom. How blessed to feel you so near. So while I haven't been active on tumblr or in the Astarion fandom, I have been active in the Shadowheart fandom. There have been two whole updates to Flickers of Loss while I've been inactive here. They'll get cross posted soon for those of you who don't have or use AO3.

Flickers of Loss is over for the foreseeable future. Not going to say forever, I do still love the story. But some things are just too close to other things that are very raw.

To those of you that followed me for Shadowheart content, however many there are of you, I'm sorry. This was never my plan or intention. And whether or not I return to the fandom, know that I value and appreciate all the support and love.

Never say never. I had at least one other big Shadowheart story I was excited to work on and maybe I'll find it in me to return to her character and her stories. But for now, let me just say thank you. To the readers, to my writer friends, to my writer acquaintances and the writers I never met, but inspired me so damn much.

I did a big thank you message to all my fellow writers in the Shadowheart fandom already at the end of FoL on AO3 so I'll just screenshot it and post it here.

All that aside, if you knew me from AO3, from the server or just feel like reaching out, my DM's, my inbox and my door are always open. Except Cylinderarts, they are stinky salad (absolutely kidding, I adore them they are wonderful and talented)

Hell, if you have my Discord username from the server, send me a friend request. I will talk to literally anyone from there. You are all very missed. I've had time to evaluate what I can and can't handle, and friends, best friends, new friends, casual friends and acquaintances are all very fine😊. Just don't expect original Shadowheart content from me. Reblogs? Absolutely, love and support, forever and always.

I'm not opposed to discussing Shadowheart or FoL. But writing Shadowheart content is off the table for a while. She is still one of my favorite characters of all time.

P.S um, some of those asks in my inbox are... very old... You know what, fuck it I'll answer them anyway.

P.P.S THAT TUMBLR NAME FOR THAT GIF?

5 STARS—NO 10, 11 STARS FUCKING APPLAUSE APPLAUD 👏

If you ever check the notification for me using the gif, know that I follow none of your fandoms and I know nothing else about you. But your username is amazing and I love you and I would touch grass for you.

[onlyancunin]

"He's only being mean because you antagonize him"

(Ascendant vs Spawn)

[graveyardcuddles]

Spawn fans: arguing with Ascended fans.

Ascended fans: arguing with Spawn fans.

Me, a true Astarion Enjoyer:

[thechaoticdruid]

Me brainstorming the next chapter of The Spawn vs the Ascendant:

Me actually trying to write it:

[snowberry-pie]

thinking abt the theme of wanting in astarion’s romance.

[baldursgateanon]

I just read an anon ask here on Tumblr. The gist of it is: it’s their first run, and they got the feeling that Astarion doesn’t really want to ascend; but at the same time, they don’t know what to do because they want him to be happy. The thing is, they asked this to a hardcore AA fan. Which is kind of like asking a water vendor if the water’s any good. That already makes me question the honesty of the ask itself, because let’s be real, there was no way you were going to get an unbiased answer. So what’s the point? Just ascend him already at that point. And of course, the reply was all about how the spawn ending is the worst possible option, completely omitting all the ways the ascended ending can be deeply problematic, naturally. The thing is, an ethically sound answer would be: play whatever the fuck you want. It’s your experience. You’re the one who needs to feel and live the choices you make. If it’s hard to choose, even better! That means you’re fully immersed, and that’s what makes the game so rewarding. Both endings are valid. There are pros and cons to each of them. So go ahead: experiment, have fun, create your own custom adventure and explore the full range of emotions the game has to offer. A long-winded speech about how ascension is amazing and staying a spawn is just pathetic? That, to me, is deeply unfair. This applies in general to anyone who's uncertain—because frankly, I think that anon just wanted someone to validate a decision they’d already made. But to everyone else: think for yourself. Whatever you choose, it’s valid. Also? You don’t need to shit on one ending to make the other feel meaningful. Seriously.

.

[toxicshipsincorporated]

evil ascended!astarion is hot. I don't care if a writer thinks its a bad ending (I actually love a lot of bad endings lol) and I don't care if people think its sad. it is hot to me and I enjoy it. that doesn't mean I don't "get" the character or the character arc or that there is something wrong with me (listen...my fictional preferences is the least of my problems) because of it. I just like it.

Astarion is a 200 year old, sometimes-evil, extremely fictional vampire. I assure you, he does not need you to defend his character arc okay? Some people like shit that you don't care for. It's not the end of the world you fucking assholes.

[syn0vial]

so, i've been seeing a lot about the new BG3 epilogues, but i gotta ask: do you get a similar epilogue if you choose to become the absolute at the end? i know it's unlikely, but... i have thoughts about how that could go 👀

[bhaalsdeepbat]

i think astarion is going to always have a natural lust for power. like i think his vampiric nature will just forever cause certain desires, but spawn ending kinda reasserts that he has the power to resist AND shows he has people he can rely on to talk him down if he needs it.

[random-introverted-blog]

His Star-His Queen - Chapter 11 Update

Friday. A year to the day of the last update.

That is all.

I am very confident in that time, even a time of day (but only for Eastern Standard Time, sorry everyone else, you're going to have to convert it 😥)

Keep your eyes peeled around 8:00 P.M EST Friday, April 18th.

You may even see the Ascendant in this chapter... 👀 And a certain cleric...

After three weeks of shit

PUUURE

SHIT

...

I believe I deserve to feel better.

So.

I want you all to imagine this is me from here on. Now if you excuse me I'm going to go be absolutely okay, and listen to Fake Happy by Paramore.

[graveyardcuddles]

Some rambling personal thoughts on Astarion's endings since I can't sleep.

I find myself really loving Astarion's spawn endings and ALL of their variations even more the more I think about them (the exception ofc being the cursed af endings where you don't help him AT ALL and he either gets turned into a zombie or is still being hunted by cazador even after the game, but I'm obviously not talking about those).

I think I, like many others who grew very attached to his character, were left feeling very torn over his initial spawn ending before the added epilogue. Because Astarion being free from cazador and learning to truly relish in that freedom AND use it towards more positive ends is the entire point of his spawn endings. But we don't really get the chance to see that fully paid off in the narrative. One could argue that we do see the very beginnings of it with the graveyard scene and the morning after scene and how he makes several comments about never being a slave again after he kills cazador. But then we get a rather painful reminder of the fact that he's still been forced to give up something he's come to love and cherish so much over the course of your journey. And then we just kinda end on that note.

I definitely didn't regret keeping Astarion a spawn, even after that. But I will admit there was a part of me that still really wanted to see more for him. And that's why I really do adore the epilogue. I know people have their issues with it and say it's unrealistic for Astarion to be so "healed" after only 6 months but I disagree with this take because we're literally only seeing a glimpse of him on one really good, happy night, it's not necessarily a reflection of how he usually is. He could very well still be having days where he struggles, and he almost certainly does. But comparing his previous 200 years to his possible (good) spawn endings, it's not really surprising that he's thriving. Same with the "counterweight" comment. He's not saying the 6 months you've been together completely negates and erases the 200 years of torture. He's saying his freedom and your love have been such a HUGE contrast to what he's had to live through for so long that they feel like a counterweight to the horrors.

I think about how far he has to come for him to actually get to those endings. His bounty hunter/adventurer ending? Amazing! He's relishing in violence and living his best rouge life. Leading the spawn in the Underdark? Speaks so much to his character development that he actually cares enough about them to even attempt such a massive undertaking. Lots of potential for healing of course but also: Holy shit the potential for unhinged shenanigans as well. Going to the hells with Karlach? Incredible! He's not just getting to enjoy tearing up cambions all day he's devoted to Karlach and helping her it's literally so beautiful.

Something else I really adore about his spawn ending vs. his ascended ending is that he burns down cazador's palace in his spawn ending. Burns it to the ground and destroys it for good. Whereas ascended Astarion literally moves into the palace and like...sure you can headcanon that maybe he eventually has a new, even grander palace built. But the mental image of Astarion wandering those halls is just so fucking sad to think about. He could go anywhere and do anything but he's still physically occupying the space that hosted so many horrors and tortures for him. And it to me that just screams that he's still there mentally.

I'll always defend people who like the ascended ending because I understand the appeal of it. As a dark romance enjoyer, I very much understand the appeal of the dark consort ending. And I don't even think this is the "worst" ending for Astarion because there's at least still potential for him (as opposed to the endings where he dies or is still being hunted, which ARE the worst endings for him). But it does feel like a step backward for him. And I think the people who go "Well this is just NATURAL character progression for him he's selfish af of course he would want this" Think too little of him or at least underestimate his capacity to care for others.

Because he very obviously DOES care. And allowing him to get to a place where he can foster that sense of compassion for others is truly so beautiful and so profound to see. I'm someone who is easily moved by fiction already but Astarion's story really touches my heart just because of how rewarding it is to see how far he comes in those endings.

[awfuloldmen]

Once again I am begging people to be normal about Astarion.

PLEASE. PLEASE BE NORMAL.

[thechaoticdruid]

So like Ascended Vamp Daddy said I could make a taglist for The Spawn vs The Ascendant as long as the readers who want to be on it get on their knees.

So kneel I guess...

But like seriously comment below to be tagged when the next chapter drops 👇

Heart and reblog to help me escape this madman. 🏃‍♀️🙏

[baldursgateanon]

You chose the “good” ending because it’s the most standard behavior pattern, typical of most people who can’t separate themselves from the character and distinguish between fictional reality and the real world. You didn’t analyze or reflect — you simply made a moral choice by following a template.

are ascended astarion fans even aware of how funny rants like this sound to everyone else. yeah most people don't need to think very hard or long to decide if mass murdering 7000 people is a bad thing. it is actually not a complex or moral conundrum at all. "you don't even consider your options" no i did and it's still bad.

.

[oars]

eye twitch i hate (love) how much astarions tone changes after he's free from cazador and he's thanking you. how genuine and sincere he sounds it makes me sick. i feel like im hearing an entirely different person talk but in a good way yknow.

[beekitgraphics]

Character PSD:

Astarion-inspired Icons !