#vampire lord astarion

[rielmayer]

I'm about to sin again 😩🔥

[avenananana]

Savage beast

[cheekylittlepupp]

Astarion seeing his reflection for the first time in 200 years

that voice crack tho..

[justporo]

Ascended Astarion would let himself get painted nude and then obnoxiously send these paintings to Tav, who left him - like the medieval fantasy version of an unsolicited dickpic.

[preciouslittle-bhaalbabe]

He's a fucking dork your honour. Ascended or not.

[calqmity]

A vampire with all the arousals and appetites of man

[bardic-inspo]

Shared this rambling with some server friends the other day, but I was rewatching some Ascended Astarion dialogue (swimming in the brainrot, as one does), and was struck by one of the dialogue options in the conversation after he turns Tav. I hadn't really given it much focus/attention previously.

You can say something like "You've seemed distant since the ritual" and when he responds, he owns it, saying something like "huh, maybe you're right," before going on to wax about how everything seems so much slower because his new instincts are kicking in, and he's still riding the tide of that change.

I thought it was sweet and sort of telling that while he doesn't apologize for it, he acknowledges his SO's feelings/assessment of it as a fair one, and offers them insight into his own current feelings of acclimating to this monumental change he's going through.

And I think this gets glossed over because yes, he's a bit arrogant here, he's still Astarion after all, but he doesn't rebuke his partner for pointing this out. There's a level of care and responsibility he shows his partner by accepting their assessment, offering his own feelings on the matter, and clarifying that any distancing between them isn't intentional or out of lack of love. It's in his own Astarion sort of way, but I see it as an attempt to reassure his partner all the same.

And, as a friend pointed out to me, his insistence that his powers will come with time could be out of want to reassure his SO they made the right decision, and that Astarion will be their protector here on out instead of the other way around (see also: "You need not fear anything.")

It might not be the most popular interpretation, but interactions like this make me feel like if his consort was like "hey you seem upset" or distant or angry or anything like that in the future, he would listen earnestly and attempt to assuage those concerns/admit to his role in them.

It's the implications that his SO is being deprived or left wanting for something (like freedom for example) that provoke the angry reactions from him, as he feels very strongly that he's providing everything for them and sees himself in that provider role, I think he takes that as more of an insult than an observation.

[marielle555]

“The sexualization of vampires” and what does Oblodra have to do with it?

I remember with sweet nostalgia how in the first playthrough my hands itched on the hilt of the blade, when my sunshine expressed this wish, and I thought that Oblodra had already played her role in the story, and I didn't bother, and just chose the “Attack” button. How the city guards actively expressed their weighty “ay-yay-yay, bad girl” until I managed to do it more or less neatly without upsetting the officers of the law. How I dragged her corpse around looking for a suitable ditch and found a good place for that drow in the sewers of the city. And how Astarion and I kissed (this was in patch 5) afterward, standing knee-deep in mud… Romantic. Really, things can be easier if you just have a little patience (and see how Astarion protects you):

Oblodra attacks on her own as part of the plot and the fight is calmer. Of course, this character has her own importance in the story, the scene of Astarion's confession in Act 2 after meeting her is deeply touching and leaves a mark on the soul in the first playthrough. The only unpleasant surprise is the lack of opportunity for “evil” roleplay when meeting her, when you have to refuse too, just impossible too politely (while the game has plenty of opportunities to outright insult and intimidate other NPCs, even in cases where these unfortunate NPCs do not give the slightest reason for it), but this is leveled in Act 3 by the opportunity to destroy her life's work and kill her. But the fact that Oblodra manages to “surprise” and wonder even after playing through the game is something I didn't expect from her. No, the character herself has nothing to do with it, but the perception of this character�� It turns out that haters think that fans of Ascended Astarion are just like Oblodra.

What surprised me in this comparison was not so much the attempt to insult by comparing me to one of the most vile (to me) NPCs in the game, but the lack of any semblance of logic in this comparison. What is this nonsense even based on? Any, even the most insane inferences should, in theory, have at least some basis. The clue, as it turns out, lies in the “sexualization of vampires” and Welch's “message” (from the perspective of their fans, I can't say anything about the author). It turns out that Araj is not just a brazen bitch, who humiliates Astarion, behaves with him as if he were a slave and someone's property, and you see this vulnerability on his face, the change in the tone of his voice and you can't, categorically can't smash her face or at least say who she is, what she is, and what is about to happen to her… That's how this scene is perceived the first time playing through, to then be struck by the evening scene of Astarion's confession, when after his first line at first you really don't understand what he's going to thank you for, and then…

Yeah, the confession scene is brought to tears and you realize it's about PTSD, how much it depressed him, how much abuse he endured. And why that even a little support from Tav at that moment (really, just a little support, just to confirm that “He said it all,” just to show that you, well, you're not a shit, that's all, you didn't take advantage of his vulnerability and his PTSD for some f**king potion) meant so much to him and was so important in prompting such a revelation. But no, the fans of Welch's work (who is the author of Oblodra and the Act 2 confession scene), “decode the message” of the author in such a way, that no critics would never have thought that it is so bad. For there is no hint in the game itself, in the story and in the script that Oblodra is such a “symbol of the sexualization of vampires”, except that her manner of speech and voice are somewhat lecherous (well, or “sexy”, if one considers this manner as such). But some feel that Astarion's line to Oblodra, “I'm sorry? You want to be bitten?” sounds like the character, along with the writers, are ‘’throwing in the face‘’ something unkind to those with a ‘’fetish for vampire power‘’. Because of the word WANT. In a world where vampires are hated and feared, where all the companions are terribly unwilling to be bitten by Astarion, where the general attitude towards vampire bites is far from positive, to be surprised that someone wants to be bitten? Is that strange? Astarion, at the very beginning of the dialog, utters: “Don't worry, we're all friends under the Absolute. I won't bite.” To avoid unnecessary paranoia and suspicion from someone who recognized him as a vampire. Yes, Oblodra's blood is vile and Astarion can smell it, but it is logical to be surprised that she wants to be bitten. It must be hard to perceive any works and play any games, and to communicate with people in general, if the word want in any sentence is perceived as a hint of sexualization or a reproach for the presence of such urges. Do you want to drink a cup of coffee or tea while you read, by the way, hmm?

In order to realize their “sins and vices”, uninformed and unsophisticated in all kinds of nonsense that still exists in various corners of the Internet, fans of the Ascended Astarion must realize two things. First, there are a few people in the world who are piously convinced that vampires cannot be sexualized.

Well, we'll keep that in mind, but something tells me that in the global perspective, fanged handsome men are not in danger of lonely existence and lack of loving fans. Though in general, this “they want a hot vampire” story would probably work in some other game, where there would be some elf with a tragic fate (not a vampire spawn, by no means, well, you can remember the story of Fenris from DA2 or Sebille from DOS 2). And this elf would be persuaded to suddenly become a “hot vampire” through some violent and bloody ritual, making him the unquestioned fanged deity of all vampire sexualizers. And without the ritual, he would never have known the taste of his lover's blood, or the taste of anyone else's blood, nothing of this vampire existence. So he would have remained a good elf and a hero, and not a gram of intimacy. And he would have expressed his harsh “ew” to any elf sexualizer, who would have tried to induce him to debauch over the graves of the dead.

It's also worth knowing that Baudelaire Welch, author of Oblodra and the idea that anyone who wishes to see their beloved character in the game healthy and well and (oh, horror!) has no problem with annihilating 7,000 NPCs, can so wish solely due to a very high degree of sexual arousal, is also the author of a game in which you can't sexualize a vampire. “Don't Wake Me Up.”

The character, who is a vampire - Len, and there are sexualization scores in the game, which, when certain actions and dialogues are chosen, lead the player to “good” and “bad” endings. There's also the character Asterius, who is in love with you, and any romance with Asterius is bad. To get the good ending the game requires you to have an romance specifically with Len. Len was created as a character who cannot experience positive emotions, he was constantly tortured to make him the perfect villain, and he was sexualized so that players would want to have romance with him and he was forced to have sex with players against his will. The game has a hidden point system that calculates how much you objectify Len rather than show attention to him. Essentially, any romantic or sexual feelings from the player towards Len are objectification. Well, okay, it's an author's game with its own elaborate plot and story (although my inner skeptic can't find any logical explanation for how it's possible for such a world to exist where, with such technology available, some evil creators or programmers would actually torture some character in some romance game, making him a “villain,” instead of just prescribing a core AI with the character traits desired by the public). Author's game with any unusual plot is good, for those who like such things, but attempts to fulfill their fantasies using an already existing, written by another author character - not so good. Especially with the attitude to the audience, when players, on the one hand, are perceived as fools, who need to be “taught,” and who perform companion quests solely for the sake of sleeping with them and do not know what RPGs and roleplaying is at all, and on the other hand - as some “enlightened connoisseurs” of all sermons and messages, who in no way want to dive into the magical world from the inside and play with pleasure, and consider the game as some kind of literary work, in no way sympathizing with the “pixel man”. Well, if Oblodra is a kind of symbol of sexualization of vampires at Welch's, then I don't mind at all if such “messages for their own” will be in games, when they are invisible and don't interfere in any way with the play of common players. As in the case of Raphael's House of Hope and Haarlep - a knowledgeable person explained to me that this location is written largely for those who like the non-con genre. In ordinary perception, it doesn't interfere in any way - if someone wants to rape their Tav with Haarlep, “give themselves up for a key” or whatever, it doesn't make the fight with an unusually brash mini-boss any worse, nor does it prevent you from taking off his boots to collect a set of armor. It's just pretty funny, when a certain small party of “sexualization” fans start globally perceiving everyone around them through the prism of their own perception.

By the way, when we meet Z'rell after Oblodra and try to hide our true intentions from her by thinking of something more important than those true intentions - I always think about Astarion in that situation. Who else can push any other intentions out of my mind? Astarion gives his approval. The game describes Tav's thoughts as “To think of your attraction to Astarion.” You can think about attraction, you can't think about pure platonic love. Astarion approves of this attraction. Does he like that Tav sexualizes him or what?

Putting aside the whole “hot vampire daddy” bullshit (why they call him “daddy” I'm not aware of, but it's a regular thing), and looking at the really serious aspect - the fact that Astarion was a victim of sexual abuse - even then, understanding how helping him through the ritual could make the Tav looks like Oblodra is all the more impossible. In this case, only the dialog after the ritual with the line “I want your body” deserves to be placed in screenwriting textbooks as an example of the worst lines writing for a player in the game. Larian themselves have unfortunately treated such a heavy and sensitive topic without proper respect and understanding - using Astarion for dirty promotion of disgusting “bear sex”. And all the opportunities that are in the game for “good” Tav (the video from the brothel with UA in a “threesome” with Halsin is just painful to watch, if you have a heart, but this kind of shitty behavior by Tav using a traumatized person for their own perverted pleasure is acceptable and quite “good” here and doesn't even result in “lecturing” the player).

If we talk about what the developers wanted to show that Astarion cannot be sexualized, then it is extremely strange not to give at the same time the opportunity for platonic love, and it is not in the game. There is an option to refuse sex after the Ascension, but that's a line about nothing, it's just a scene refusal, and that line doesn't affect anything at all and is present in the game just “for the sake of being”. Well, okay, not “just to be”, but for the unique, rare opportunity to be a “sexualizer” without having sex. It's truly groundbreaking, it's never been done before.

Of course, deep romantic relationships can be without sex, but in that case the authors should have implemented the possibility for deep platonic love if they introduced such trauma to Astarion. I really want to apologize to him in the act 2 scene if he felt bad around me before, even though I knew nothing. And tell him that I love him and will always be there for him, that I don't need any sex, that I care much more about how he feels. Nothing prevents in this case these two people from having a deep and strong connection, perhaps stronger than many couples who have sex but are superficial about the relationship itself. It doesn't prevent love. Of course, the same will be true after his Ascension. That's what love is, sex is not necessary, it's just that the possibility doesn't exist in the scenario.

But at the same time after Ascension Astarion himself offers to resume intimacy, all his facial expressions and active leading behavior during the scene of the night with him, indicate that he enjoys it. And the scene itself is beautiful, not for nothing, probably some of the “morally enlightened” personas in the UA camp, go through this scene separately and then restart to avoid getting down on their knees. Astarion is perfectly fine with intimacy after the ritual, not a single, even the slightest hint of feeling bad. Deep serious gaze, sincere gratitude, “You have given me everything. Thank you.” And the tenderness with which he kisses Tav's hand. This is confirmed by the developers' notes:

“Player and Astarion standing facing each other.

They gaze lovingly at one another”

“Tav kneels before Astarion. This should be covered by the kneeling attitude, Astarion stands proud before the Player.

He is powerful. He is free.”

“He gazes down at Player. He is savouring the moment.”   

No one uses anyone in an AA romance. It's a story of deep strong love and trust. Though, of course, I'm curious, if Welch really wrote Oblodra as some sort of symbol of the sexualization of vampires, or if this is already the fantasies of individual “sexualization fans”. How does this thinking work? It's a curious question, it's impossible to say for sure, but two factors seem to play a role here: the obsession with all sorts of intimacy in some individuals, and most prudes, funnily enough, are these very “gooners,” which they like to call players who want romantic fanservice. Second - perhaps they really attach such a high value to their own “sermons”, “messages” and believe that being on the side of some conditional game “good” (no matter what kind of harm is offered under the sauce of this “good”) is so valuable that only another “great pillar” of motivation - sex - can induce someone to reject their “preachings” and help their beloved character to get the opportunity for a happy life. It's true that the worst ending, when you can see with your own eyes how much worse that ending is, will never become good from being called that. No matter how many times it's called that. And it doesn't matter what the people who talk about how bad this finale is are called. And going back to the image of Oblodra and whoever resembles her - there can be completely opposite associations with that image. Oblodra is a bitch. If you give her character a brief characterization, you can fit into that word. What word can you call Astarion's haters, who claim that “kick” him is the right thing to do, that to bring him to his knees in an evil ending is also the right thing to do, and they ascended him for that purpose? Bitches. Well, here we are, finding where the Oblodras are in the fandom.

[alwachart]

Astarion & Tav

She's a bard lolth drow who romanced -obviously- Astarion and became a vampire.

This is another sketch idk if I'll ever colour completely. I'm happy with the results so far, pushing my comfort bubble with her body shape. The dress is a reference found on pinterest.

Also his shoes are horrendous to draw...and to look at.

I'm really tempted to just draw him in something else than his canon loafers.

[rielzero]

I LOVE YOU SO MUCCHHH

[littlelovelore]

watching you get undressed from across camp

and can't take his eyes off of you

[rielmayer]

[avenananana]

One little bite

[cheekylittlepupp]

This A Astarion video is for scientific research only, ok? ok.

The 3 ways he calls you bad depending on your oc's gender.

The way he says "yes" if you refuse to kneel the first time tho... gods the way this man purrs. If evil why hot?

[astarionformayor]

"I can't believe you would sacrifice 7000 spawn for me"

I am literally a child of Bhaal, god of murder.

[preciouslittle-bhaalbabe]

You guys had me so wary for NOTHING lol A!A is a blast wtf are you all on about lol

I guess it's a different experience when you rp as someone who's just as much of a little shit as he is. I've ascended him before but my oc took more of a neutral route and I never finished that run. I'm having so much fun with these two being chaos gremlins >:3