#let me give astarion one good connection from the past he can't remember

[jadewing-realms]

one day, i will write an astarion origin novel.

it's in the universe, it is a goal for my future, I call dibs, look out wotc and larian, I'm coming for your boy.

aka my brain wouldn't shut up yesterday and now I have a vague plot concept and an imaginary trailer that won't leave my head.

the trailer opens with a fancy carriage with a personal entourage rumbling down the road. a shot of well-adorned wrists, pale hands turning the pages of a book, voice-over of Astarion describing a city, building up with a sense of intrigue until the footman goes "City ho, my lord!" and one poised hand parts the curtains over the windows to reveal a young Astarion with moon-green eyes peering out. his expression goes from curiosity to his signature smirk before there's a sweeping shot of the city itself, as the monologue culminates in its name.

Baldur's Gate.

we get a montage of shots of exciting things happening across the city, bright lights and bazaars and dances and clubs, then we watch the carriage stop in front of a grand manorhouse, where awaits an elf with longer silver curls and matching green eyes, who addresses Astarion with handsome head high and a familial grin. "Well, if it isn't our newest magistrate. Vianavia, baby brother."

"Solaire."

some glimpses of this guy in regalia, on a judge's seat, High Justice Solaire Ancunin. voiced over with something like "Mother thinks the city will ruin you. I, on the other hand, think you have what it takes to make it yours. Just follow my lead; I'll teach you everything you need to know."

the two brothers traversing the city, from business to leisure, ending at a gala, where solaire catches astarion by the shoulder to subtly murmur to him, naming the most crooked political figures in the room, ending with some big crime boss or something who he describes as someone who thinks himself Untouchable. then solaire gives stari a smirk. "And we're going to ruin him."

escalating montage of legal drama, noble finery, cloak and dagger shenanigans, glimpses of slums, solaire clapping astarion on the back, toasts with the crooked politicians, the two pouring over documents, solaire demonstrating a spell bc wizard, stari escaping out a window with someone in pursuit, a gur settlement in the city… ending with stari delivering a final, condemning statement in court. then a few more rapid-fire clips, including one of a group of gur with weapons drawn, before we cut to black and a dramatic pause.

then the darkness blinks groggily away before we get a shot from the ground, looking up at the city night sky, where an out-of-focus cazador leans over, looking smug. "poor little boy. i told you this city would eat you alive."

End.