#vampires before vellioth

[thenightgangcometh]

“Donnela Szarr the Architect” Unknown artist, mid-1450s. (By order of lord Cazador Szarr of Baldur's Gate) ◤━━━━━━━━━━━◥ The beloved and never witnessed grandmother Donnela is depicted wearing anachronically modern clothing, adorned with (possibly) tourmaline jewelry and a golden star anise brooch.

Besides opening the Tourmaline Depths, Donnela Szarr is known for her introduction of a notable refinement to the family recipe of mulled bloodwine. She was the first Szarr to ever suggest adding star anise (distinctively different in appearance and taste from the Athkatlan regular anise) to the brew.

Vellioth the Martinet would later reject this addendum, either out of classism, spite or being picky-picky.

[michanvalentine]

Who was Cazador?

What I mean is, who was he, before he killed Vellioth & took his place?

What was his personality like as a Spawn & as a mortal?

I can't help but think he used to be very different from the sadistic monster Astarion speaks of, the monster we meet in the crypt

And, is it wrong to feel for who Cazador used to be?

Whoever that was?

Even if we despise the person he goes on to become?

Wow, what a beautiful question. Truly deep and difficult. And precisely because of that, it's worth taking the time to reflect on it carefully.

Let’s start with the assumption that Cazador is a villain — yes, absolutely. But at the same time, he’s a fascinating and beautifully crafted character. In fact, I mourn the content that wasn’t fully developed by Larian when it comes to the characterization of this vampire lord who, in my humble opinion, had so much more to say.

Do I hate him? Yes. Did he harm Astarion and all the others? Absolutely. Does he deserve forgiveness? No.

But… BUT! There’s always a but.

He can still be analyzed, and we can even understand him — maybe even feel sadness for him, especially when we think about the path that led him to become the Cazador we all know.

A path that, in some ways, mirrors that of his own beloved and hated spawn, Astarion. But let’s take it step by step.

We have very little information about Cazador, especially regarding his past. Some details are merely hints—suggestions that wet the lips but do not quench the thirst, leaving space for imagination. In fact, they only sharpen the hunger for more. So, let’s start with what we do know.

Cazador is the vampire lord of Baldur's Gate, and his palace is located in the Tumbledown district. He was once a vampire spawn under Vellioth the Martinet, whom he succeeded through the Rite of the Perfect Slaughter. In turn, he sired seven vampire spawn of his own, including Astarion. Just as he once did under Vellioth, these spawn must follow strict rules with no possibility of disobedience.

He entered into a demonic pact with Mephistopheles — the Profane Ascension Ritual — which, once completed, would grant him the benefits of a mortal life and an increase in his vampiric powers, at the cost of a considerable number of souls.

Now let’s take a closer look at the clues we have. Cazador appears to be originally from Baldur’s Gate, and the Szarr family was seemingly once a powerful dynasty of merchants and landowners in the city — at least according to official Dungeons & Dragons lore, particularly from the sourcebooks Murder in Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate: Descent into Avernus. However, in those texts, the family was said to have been wiped out by a rival house, leaving Cazador as the sole survivor — a detail that contradicts what we learn in-game.

In Baldur’s Gate 3, the Szarr family appears to still have multiple members, including the named Amanita Szarr, Cazador’s niece, and Vellioth’s predecessor, Donnela Szarr. There are likely several other members whose true nature — whether mortal or vampiric — is unknown to us, such as Amanita’s parents. However, it is assumed that both of them are mortal, since they gave birth to a child. For this reason, I’m inclined to believe that the Szarr family is actually composed of mortals, and that only a select few are transformed into vampires. In this case, not vampire spawn, but true vampires—just like Amanita.

612-698 - Eravask the Forebear 698-713 - Zholtan Farr the Eviscerator 713-888 - Madame Tallon the Well-Preserved 888-955 - The Interregnum (temporary suppression by Lathanderians) 955-998 - Blaiseuse the Coryphee, who led her spawn in ecstatic blood dances 998-1019 - Dyckson Nightbinder 1019-1019 - Faibleur the Fleeting 1019-1138 - Hideous Gathwycke 'Who Knew Not Satiety' 1138-1204 - Donnela Szarr the Architect, who opened the Tourmaline Depths 1204-1276 - Vellioth the Martinet 1276-present - Cazador Szarr 'The Avid'

From this list compiled by Lady Incognita (aka Amanita Szarr), we can deduce that the vampire lords have succeeded one another with an average reign of 80–85 years, with Cazador at the top, having ruled for 216 years. Likewise, we can observe that not all the vampire lords who inhabited the Crimson Palace of Baldur’s Gate were members of the Szarr family, which suggests that power may have been usurped from time to time by outsiders. We are not given Vellioth’s surname—Cazador’s sire—so it remains uncertain whether he was a direct descendant of the Szarr line or a spawn who overthrew Donnela. We may never know.

We know that Cazador used the Kozakuran language to magically seal the ballroom door in his mansion during the Rite of Profane Ascension (and that he possesses a dictionary to decipher it). The Kozakuran language is associated with the region of Kozakura, which is inspired by feudal Japan within the world of the Forgotten Realms. Cazador’s use of this language appears to be a deliberate choice to add an additional layer of secrecy and protection to his domain.

Interestingly, Cazador’s facial features could also, depending on interpretation, evoke certain “Eastern” traits: high cheekbones, narrow and slightly elongated eyes, a sharp and symmetrical facial structure. This might suggest a subtle, almost invisible thread connecting the Szarr family to the region of Kozakura.

According to the description of the weapon Rhapsody, we know that Cazador’s attraction to poetry was born after he read a verse carved into the body of a dead child from his homeland. The child was hanging from the lowest branch of a tree, naked, with the poem etched into his stomach. Cazador read the poem, looked at the child, and realized that was the kind of art meant for him.

However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that his passion for art hadn’t existed prior to that moment — rather, it suggests that his perspective, already twisted by vampirism, found a form of artistic expression that better suited his nature.

It’s hard to believe that a centuries-old being would suddenly discover poetry just like that, as if he’d had no prior exposure to it. It seems more plausible that the scene struck a dark chord within something already in him — and that this gruesome encounter became a turning point, a moment of new artistic "awakening" shaped by horror and beauty all togheter. In his own prospective, of course.

We know that it was Vellioth who taught Cazador the rules of vampiric existence — and in my opinion, this is one of the most interesting aspects to consider when analyzing his character. It’s precisely here that some of the traits that once defined Cazador as a vampire spawn begin to surface.

First lesson: “Is to always dominate. Allow none to be your equal.”

“Vellioth recalls when Cazador reached out to a former friend. His punishment was to watch as Vellioth drained his friend dry.”

Second lesson: “Power comes from solitude. To share with others is to be weak, and to be weak is to fail… and die.”

"Vellioth recalls when Cazador rebelled against him. Cazador suffered eleven years of impalement… because he failed."

Third lesson: “Act not in haste. A near immortal has time to plan, time to act when others will pay the price of action.”

“Vellioth recalls Cazador, his lesson learned, killing him in the Rite of Perfect Slaughter. How they both laughed! Vellioth recalls Cazador boiling the flesh from his skull and then, to mock him, clamping his Schooling Scroll in Vellioth's jaws.”

These rules weren’t merely practical guidelines — they were mechanisms of control, identity, and survival, rooted first and foremost in paranoia, and second in narcissism. And the way Cazador internalized them, only to later impose them on his own spawn, reveals a disturbing cycle of abuse and domination.

But understanding that Cazador was himself once shaped by these very constraints allows us to see him not only as a villain, but as someone who, before becoming the tyrant we meet in the game, was himself a product of someone else’s system. And while this doesn’t excuse his actions, it certainly deepens the tragedy of what he ultimately chose to become.

But there are a couple of things that have always struck me whenever I interacted with Vellioth’s skull. The first is the way the narrator describes the interaction. The skull invites the player to witness its memories—and it does so with urgency. What it has to say—or rather, to show—is of vital importance.

The fact that one feels invited to observe its memories—and that the sensation is urgent—suggests that Vellioth wants to be seen, understood, remembered. Even in death, he still exerts a certain charisma, a certain authority. It’s as if his legacy itself demands attention, as if there’s something unfinished, a message to be delivered. Not just to Cazador, but to anyone who steps into his domain.

This urgent “invitation” can also be read as a call to bear witness to a cycle of violence and dominance that repeats itself—almost as if Vellioth wanted to leave a final mark, or perhaps even justify himself. The urgency might indicate that his story is essential to understanding what Cazador has become—and, by extension, what Astarion is on the verge of facing.

One could speak in terms of narrative foreshadowing, and it’s an incredibly powerful storytelling signal. It tells us that Vellioth’s story is key to understanding what it means to be a spawn, to be a vampire, to be part of a chain of power. It marks the beginning of a true confrontation with the past—not just for Cazador, but for whoever faces him… and for Astarion, who is the next generation.

The second thing that has always felt off to me is how Vellioth laughed together with Cazador at the moment of his own death. Every time I’ve thought: “What the hell are you laughing at, you idiot? He just killed you! What the fuck is so funny—are you stupid or what?!” But that thought, spontaneous as it may be, always leads me to deeper reflection.

Why does Vellioth laugh? Let’s try to hypothesize a few possibilities.

The Laugh of Approval Vellioth laughs because he wanted this to happen. In vampiric societies, the idea that a spawn kills their sire is part of the natural cycle of power—brutal, predatory, but also "meritocratic." In this sense, the laughter is a sign of satisfaction: Cazador has learned the lesson. He has shown strength, determination, ambition. Vellioth laughs like a master watching his pupil surpass him with pride.

The Laugh of Cruel Irony Alternatively, Vellioth laughs at the cruel irony of fate. Cazador spent years trying to escape the oppression of his sire—only to become exactly like him. The cycle repeats. The oppressor was once the victim. The laughter, in this reading, is a bitter realization: “You thought you were freeing yourself from me, but I will live on inside you forever.”

The Laugh of Relief Another possibility is that Vellioth had been waiting for this moment. Perhaps his long existence had become unbearable. Perhaps he could no longer evolve, no longer feel pleasure, no longer find purpose. In this sense, Cazador liberates him—and the laughter is an act of relief, almost cathartic: finally.

The Laugh of Madness Lastly, we could interpret it as an act of pure madness. Ancient vampires, corrupted and centuries-old, often develop extreme psychological traits. The laughter may be a symptom of delirium, of a mind shattered by time and power. A senseless laugh, not governed by logic, but embodying the chaos of the moment and the collapse of an identity disintegrating under the final blow.

Of course, to truly understand Cazador (and Astarion as well), I believe it's essential to understand who came before him. They all share vampirism and everything that comes with it, and at the same time, they are entangled in the machinery of vampiric society—a ruthless, cruel hierarchy that has deeply transformed them.

So, if we consider what can be read in Cazador’s mind while he lies in his sarcophagus, we can reasonably assume that Vellioth’s laughter was both an act of liberation for himself and a mocking gesture toward Cazador. And his urgency to tell his story might very well take on the tone of a genuine warning—directed at Astarion, who is about to walk down the very same path.

“These deathless dreams hold memories of a mortal life once-forgotten. Of the boy I was, the man I became, the monster that will not end. I sleep, but cannot rest. I live, but cannot die. I’m eternal, and I grieve.”

At this point, I’d like to sum things up a bit, stepping into headcanon territory. Cazador belonged to the Szarr family and was born and raised in Baldur's Gate. I like to think that the family’s origins actually lie in the region of Kozakura, which would explain the eastern features he inherited and his choice to use that language to reinforce the security of his palace.As a direct descendant of Donnela Szarr—Vellioth’s mistress—he would have eventually been summoned by her to become a true vampire, just as happened to Amanita.

However, Vellioth, who did not belong to the family, seized power and overthrew his mistress. In this context, it’s easy for me to imagine that turning Cazador into his spawn was Vellioth’s way of delivering one final insult to his creator. A way to further crush the family that had damned him.

It’s not hard for me to believe that Vellioth was especially cruel to Cazador for this very reason—as if Cazador were paying the price for Donnela’s sins.

Up to that point, the Cazador I imagine is a man who loves art, poetry, sculpture. Perhaps a sort of patron who welcomes and funds those who demonstrate talent, completely unaware of what awaits him. A man with a personality entirely different from Astarion’s: more reserved, more introspective, slightly introverted. And yet someone with a vast inner world and emotional depth—someone capable of recognizing and appreciating the beauty inherent in everything: in music, in nature, in the brushstrokes of a painting, in the verses written on parchment. Before poetry and music became that faint undertone woven into Astarion’s screams of agony — as if the spawn were a finely tuned instrument made of flesh and bone.

And I believe Cazador was a man who deeply desired a family. Or, even worse, that he had one—and it was torn away from him the moment Vellioth claimed him for himself. We know for sure he had a friend who was drained of life by Vellioth personally. A warning, yes, but also a way to keep his spawn bound to him. It's common for abusers to burn everything around their victims so they become the sole point of reference. And it's telling how Cazador does the same with Astarion the very moment he discovers the existence of Tav/Durge.

In fact, if you go talk to Cazador without Astarion, the vampire lord states that once his spawn sees Tav/Durge never return, he’ll be forced to come back to him. Which also implies that emotional bonds and attachments are dangerous—an obstacle, if you will. That’s why one must be alone and superior to others. But I digress…

It’s always struck me as strange that Cazador wanted to “play family” with his spawn. Some might say it’s just one of his many sadistic games, aimed at stripping Astarion and the others of their dignity. And in part, that’s true—they are robbed of the autonomy and competence of adults. But on the other hand, Cazador genuinely seems to believe in this charade. Even if his vampirism distorts all his feelings, pushing him to pursue his goals without true empathy for those he sees as extensions of himself.

Still, I think this whole “happy family” idea is actually a twisted echo of the mortal Cazador, who either once longed for a family or mourns the one he lost. Astarion points this out, saying his master insisted they were a family even as he carved runes into their backs. And during the ritual, there are dialogues that refer directly to this dynamic. Cazador tells Astarion to straighten his spine, like an authoritarian father, claiming he has no respect for himself—not for Cazador, the master of the manor—but for himself. As if he truly cared about his “child’s” posture.

He also protests that Astarion should be begging the family for forgiveness—not him, the master—but the family, spawn included. These are the final moments; there would be no point in keeping up an act. Cazador genuinely believes it. And, after all, vampire spawn are the only "children" a vampire can ever have.

It's interesting, moreover, how even this was something Astarion internalized from his former master. In fact, although as a spawn he recognized how absurd and twisted it all was, as an ascendant vampire he goes on to refer to the vampire spawn he plans to create in the future as “his children.”

Naturally, the loving father Cazador either wished to be or may once have been is fully embodied, in his true vampire form, by the figure of the narcissistic parent. Let’s break down the traits:

Egocentrism and Need for Control The narcissistic parent sees the child as an extension of themselves, not as an autonomous individual. They want to control the child's choices, thoughts, emotions, and even identity.

Lack of Empathy They struggle or are outright unable to understand and validate the child’s feelings. The child’s emotions are often ignored, minimized, or mocked.

Constant Need for Admiration They expect the child to praise them, reassure them, and emotionally “feed” them. If the child succeeds, the parent takes credit; if the child fails, the parent blames them.

Destructive Criticism and Perfectionism They can be hypercritical and demand unattainable standards. Their criticisms are never constructive — they’re tools to belittle and maintain control.

Manipulative Behavior They use guilt, the silent treatment, victim-playing, or gaslighting. They shift the narrative to confuse the child and make them doubt their own perception.

Disregard for Boundaries They violate privacy, make decisions on the child’s behalf, and interfere in everything. They may also use emotional boundaries to foster dependency or guilt.

Flawless Public Image To outsiders, they may appear to be the perfect parent: charismatic, accomplished, involved. At home, however, they reveal a crueler, more demanding, or emotionally absent self.

Competition with the Child They may feel envious of the child’s success and attempt to outshine them. Sometimes, they even actively sabotage their relationships or achievements.

One could say these traits describe quite well Cazador’s behavior toward his vampire progeny — and especially toward Astarion. And here, I want to dwell further on the idea of Cazador as a former vampire spawn.

I’ve read theories suggesting that Cazador is so obsessed with Astarion because he might remind him of Vellioth. But personally, I think the opposite is true: Cazador sees in Astarion his former self — the person he once was — now fighting against the very incarnation of Vellioth, which is Cazador himself.

I believe that, for Cazador, this thought — however unconscious — is simply intolerable. Because not only has he become what he once despised, but Astarion acts as a mirror that reflects back at him everything he used to be, everything that once drove him despite what he has now become. And that hurts. It makes him ache. It makes him grieve for what he lost — something we already know from reading his mind, where he’s tormented by memories of the boy he once was.

And the only solution is to shatter that mirror. To erase the reflection. Just as Vellioth once shattered him.

If we go back to Vellioth’s “lessons,” we can clearly see how Cazador tries to eliminate Tav/Durge in the same way Vellioth eliminated Cazador’s friend. Or how Cazador locked Astarion in a tomb for a year — just as Vellioth impaled him for eleven. Both punishments came in response to the same offense: rebellion.

It’s a powerful parallel.

So yes, I do believe that Cazador — even though he had a different personality — faced his relationship with Vellioth in much the same way Astarion now faces his relationship with him. And in that, I think there’s also a thread of paranoia, because Cazador is perfectly aware of which of his spawn might one day try to overthrow him.

Perhaps it’s precisely the one who, like Cazador once did, may no longer carry a living flame — but still holds embers smoldering within, just waiting to reignite.

And there lies the root of his obsession: the constant monitoring, the watching, the controlling, the punishing, and so on.

So, to conclude and return to the beginning — to the fundamental question: Is it wrong to feel for who Cazador used to be? Whoever that was? Even if we despise the person he goes on to become?

No, it’s not wrong. On the contrary, it’s profoundly human.

Feeling something — sorrow, compassion, even a flicker of empathy — for who Cazador was or could have been doesn’t mean justifying what he became. It simply means recognizing that monsters aren’t always born; sometimes, they’re made. And sometimes, before the cruelty, before the power, before the hunger… there was simply a person, with all the complexities and shades that make someone human. The same ones we all share.

Astarion himself is living proof of that. He stands at the edge of the very same abyss Cazador once fell into. Feeling something for the man Cazador used to be is, in a way, a way of honoring the struggle of those who don’t become like him — who fight to remain themselves in spite of fear, pain, and hardship.

And beyond that — even a monster can suffer. Empathy isn’t weakness. It’s the refusal to look away — even when the story hurts.

So no — it’s not wrong. It’s necessary, if we truly want to understand the weight of what was lost.

I apologize if I completely went off on a tangent with all my thoughts and reflections — I may have written a bunch of nonsense, but I swear, the more I thought about the question, the more my brain kept making connections left and right. I hope I’ve managed to meet your expectations about who Cazador was before the monster… and that I wrote everything in language that was clear and (hopefully) correct! Thank you again for giving me something so meaningful to reflect on... <3

[wellen-katze]

Part 2 Masterpost for all my BG3 fanart

Part 1 here (If you can't find specific works, I probably deleted them.)

Comics:(last update 26/11/24)

Charmed - bg3 comic Astarion, MonkDurgeTav

I love pumpkin - bg3 comic + Doodles (spoiler!) D&D Baldur's Gate | What We Do in The Shadow-Cursed Lands

Tieflings Family - bg3 comic Rolan, Cal, Lia

Vampire Portrait - bg3 comic, Astarion,Cazador

Wyll Ravengard Cyberpunk2077 AU

companions at the healer

Curse of the Sired - bg3 comic S. Astarion, Sebastian

To share the sun - bg3 comic Spawn Astarion, DurgeMonkTav

A Druid's Sorrow - bg3 Halsin comic

Astarion, the Decadent Descendant - bg3 Spawn Astarion comic

Loviatar's blessing -bg3 Abdirak comic

Bestes Boy in all Faerûn - bg3 comic

Vampiric doll -bg3 comic Vellioth, Donnela Szarr

Ways to go - bg3 comic Astarion, MonkDurgeTav

Books of solitude - bg3 comic Astarion, Gale part 1 , part2 , part 3

Beware Scratch the dog! (+Astarion)

Forgotten child - bg3 Shadowheart comic

Family marks - bg3 comic, Cazador, Vellioth, Astarion

Vampire lullaby - bg3 comic, S.Astarion

One with the weave - bg3 comic Gale (Astarion)

Steps - bg3 comic darkUrgeTav, Haarlep Astarion

Dreams in red - bg3 DarkUrge, A.Astarion

Granite And Shadows -bg3 comic Shadowheart, Lae'zel

Secret phantasies - bg3 comic, Astarion, DurgeTav [!TW durge necrophilia stuff!]

DeadpoolxAstarion comic

Sweet night - R-18 Shadowheart Fancomic

Lost passions - bg3 comic ascended Astarion / spawn Astarion, darkUrgeTav

Just a nightmare - bg3 comic, Astarion

Honestly - bg3 Astarion, DurgeMonkTav

The Chosen of Bane - bg3 Gortash comic

Who would trust a vampire - bg3 comic, Astarion, Gale

Bg3 companions as Dungeon Masters

Promises - bg3 comic Astarion, Sebastian

Astarion as Snow-White comic

Circle of degradation - bg3 comic astarion, cazador

Other:(last update 26/11/24)

weak vampires death

Astarion arts

Astarion doodle faces

gortash tutorial

Astarion doodle

durge/astarion before patch7

Astarion and child on playground doodles

swimming lessons - Karlach, Shadowheart, Astarion Fanart

Gold, Blood and Darkness - Astarion Szarr family Fanart

[meanbossart]

re: Vellioth as the stepfather its interesting bc stepfathers n media (and irl but limiting myself to tropes here) hav the practical role and obligations we tend to ascribe to fathers ie providing money and protection and being the head of the household, but do not share a blood tie to the child in question. and it is seen as magnanimous for a man to "take on the duty" of providing ofr the children of the woman he's with, rather than duty. This shifts also means that implicitly the stepchild should be grateful for this new patriarch in their life, which is complicated because most often this stepfather occupies a place of control. In cazador's caze i feel like bc there was no father to speak of, his resentment of vellioth as The Stepfather had more to do with intruding and vying for attention from the woman they both love, rather than usurping the OG father. Come to think of it, having no experience with a father figure before vellioth probably made the shift to a patriarch that more jarring. And considering that he positions himself s the Father of his spawns, he probably modelled a lot on Vellioth (or in antithesis of).

ultimately velloith did what stepchildren often fear secretly most: intruding, appropriating, and evnetually the destruction of the family unit as it was

I might not have expressed myself super well in that reply- I was comparing Vellioth to a step father in the same way people loosely compare Cazador to a patriarch/abusive partner. I certainly didn't mean it to be literal - neither in the comic I referenced or in my personal headcanon (which are functionally identical) does Vellioth ever actually inhabit the role of a surrogate dad in Cazador's life. Rather, that is the perception that he's vaguely trying to sell to others to maintain the ruse.

I clear this up because I am (personally) not of the belief that Vellioth and Cazador ever had a relationship outside of the dynamics of master and slave, which might be a little more simple than you were hoping for, based on this ask (unless I'm misreading, in that case ignore me LOL)

But if we're speaking strictly in allegory - yes. Vellioth makes for a specially juicy satire of a step-father who intrudes, disrupts, and yet overvalues themselves for doing the least on the basis of being there by choice rather than obligation (keeping Cazador alive as a spawn when he could have just killed him off) but I don't think any part of him is doing that under the false pretense of charity - he only wants to keep Cazador around to hurt him, because that would hurt his mother.

(Something I also neglected to say is that in De Rerum Natura ((not spelled out in the comic explicitly, but stated so as a headcanon of the very smart and handsome author)) Cazador was never meant to become a vampire. That was a fate his mother very much did not want for him.)

And, perhaps, every vampire lord harbors a little self-destructive desire. If you don't invest a non-negligible amount of time and energy into making ONE particular guy super mad at you, who is ever going to finally put you out of your misery after all!

EITHER WAY this image you sent me is still very good and thank you for sending it LOL (art by @barbatusart)

[reno-korino]

A complete analysis of Cazador Szarr, his palace, and spawn

A week ago, I posted a Reddit thread analyzing everything to do with Cazador Szarr. I wanted to bring it here! THIS IS A VERY LONG POST, THIS IS YOUR WARNING BEFORE CLICKING. Here is the Reddit link.

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Who is Cazador Szarr?

According to the Forgotten Realms wiki for Cazador Szarr, The Szarr family was a family of Baldur's Gate who were once wealthy merchants and farmers.

I couldn’t find any information on what year the actual Szarr family was attacked, but the information I do have is, “Long before the 15th century DR, the land that would encompass Tumbledown held a grand estate that belonged to the mercantile Szarr family. Unfortunately, every member of the Szarrs was murdered by a rival house, and their holdings were burnt to the ground.” It was unknown how Cazador survived. Maybe he organized this? After the tragic incident, Tumbledown was filled with fog. In addition, the Outer City expanded over the area, and it would become a large cemetery.

Decades prior to 1482 DR, a portion of the cliffs that surrounded the area fell away. Because of this, part of the family crypts were revealed; graverobbers seized the opportunity to plunder the tombs.

Cazador is known as Cazador Szarr 'The Avid', according to a scroll titled “Vampires before Vellioth” From this information, we can see that Cazador turned from Vampire spawn, to Vampire Lord the year 1276, and about 20 years later give or take, is when he turns Astarion into a vampire spawn. Considering the game is set in 1492, this means Cazador has been a vampire lord in Baldur Gate for about 216 years. One of Cazador's slaves, Astarion reported that he was turned into a vampire spawn almost two centuries prior to 1492 DR(1292).

Cazador is the patriarch of the Szarr family, (The head of the family) he apparently didn’t want military or political power, He likes power over people. So when he speaks, Astarion (or vampire spawn) body has to react. He apparently made vampire spawn torture themselves and each other for fun. You can interact with a bust in his palace which reads to be 'Mordic SeLanmere', the most powerful vampire king. It suggests that this might be Cazador's ancestor?

After talking/killing the Gur Gandrel, Tav can talk about the night Astarion met Cazador, and you’re able to call out that it was convenient Cazador just happened to find him. Astarion will deflect and claim he probably was found because of the smell of blood. When you do ask Astarion if you should be worried about Cazador hunting you down, he says you should always be aware, but Cazador was never one to actually leave the city ever. (get a life, Cazador.)

Astarion only assumes Gandral works for Cazador, which is false. If you give Astarion up, he'll be held at the Gur camp, where everyone will be slaughtered in Act 3 by Cazador, and Astarion will go back to the Palace as a zombie.

If you don't kill the Gur Gandrel, you actually find out that his two children were part of the 7,000 spawn trapped by Cazador. Sparing Gandrel, and the rest of the 7,000 spawn will let you briefly talk to him, and his two now vampire spawn children,

Cazador has some beef with the Gur (Obviously since he steals their children) because the werewolves that fight you are ‘Fallen Gur Hunters’. At the party, we can also see the werewolves that fight you are from the Hhune family. There’s a ‘Chatterteeth’ that fights alongside Cazador, who is, like Godey, a pair of bones. I’m not sure what Cazadors affinity is for werewolves, maybe its his twilight fantasy of Edward x Jacob?

On Astarion Ancunín

Astarion's age of death is 39, rather young for elves. His grave reads: 229 - 268 DR 498 DR. This Reddit thread gives good information.

Astarion was turned into a vampire by Cazador Szarr in the year 1292DR. Before he was a vampire, Astarion was a magistrate. A magistrate judge is a judicial officer of the district court and is appointed by majority vote of the active district judges of the court. A group of vagrants, a group called the Gur beat Astarion to deaths door when they took issue of a ruling Astarion made. It is there Cazador 'saved' him with the choice of 'life' or 'bleeding to death in the street'.

It isn’t said if Cazador made/let/stopped Astarion from continuing to be a magistrate. Since Cazador saved Astarion from the Gur, he ‘chased them off’ and turned Astarion into a vampire. I think it would be interesting if there was some sort of political move since a large opinion is that Cazador organized the attack. Perhaps there was an issue with Cazador's status?

-- My theory about Astarions family

In another comment, someone suggested Astarion might be from elsewhere instead of being born in the city. The idea he came to Baldur Gate because he wanted to pursue bigger things and become a Magistrate seems in character without having to add in his family, but you'd think he'd be concerned about his family and vise versa? Unless Astarion had bad blood with them.

At the end of the day, for his main 7 spawn, it doesn't make complete sense to have them be born and raised in Baldur Gate with a full family, since that's way too many connections. Too many distractions when they're out getting marks, and too many opportunities for Cazador to be exposed. Since there are 7,000 spawn created by Cazador, but only 7 that he 'keeps', so there has to be some sort of reason.

Were they the most beautiful? Alluring in his eyes? Or perhaps, the most charismatic, or did they have the least amount of connections that could come back to bite him? Surely, there has to have been one incident. Wouldn't that be interesting if there was at least one spawn we don't know, that used to be of the original 7, but was 'taken out' because a family kept asking too many questions?

*-- *

Cazador, on making Astarion vampire, also made him crawl out of his own grave.

“Nearly two hundred years and I never came back. Not since the night I woke up down there. I had to punch a hole in the coffin and clew my way through six feet of dirt. Then when I finally broke the surface, retching up first and congealed blood, Cazador was waiting.”

It's unclear if Cazador gave all the spawns the same treatment, but my opinion is he did this to send a direct message to Astarion. Astarions grave is in the Thorass alphabet, Showing that his last name is Ancunín. The only way to get to this grave is during a dialogue scene at the end of "The Pale Elf" quest, widely considered the 'good ending' in which the player does not let Astarion ascend. Asended Astarion will not bring you to the grave, and can not be found when in the cemetery in the city.

Astarion also mentions when talking about being turned into a vampire about how painful it was, saying, "I remember how it hurt when I turned into a vampire. My body writhed and warped while I was utterly helpless, the grip of death owned my heart as it beat its last."

In earlier patches, Astarion mentions how he begged Cazador to be turned instead. This is old though, so I wouldn’t say this is reliable.

Astarion does also say in a voiceline that:

"The mindflayers weren't my first kidnapping. A long time ago, I crossed Cazador, a powerful man in Baldur's Gate."

Astarion would bring the people for Cazador, he’d tease Astarion by asking him if he’d like to dine with him, and if Astarion said yes, he’d get a rat(girl dinner). If he said no, he’d have Astarin flayed.

There is also Astarions worst memory, when he was sealed, buried alive for a year. If you ask him about it in Act 3, he talks about how in his first decade, he found a darling boy that he couldn’t bring back to Cazador. So Astarion ran and disobeyed. Cazador caught him and sealed him up, starved him inside a dusty tomb for a year. He claims,

“A year of silence. Months of scratching my hands raw, trying to carve my way out. More months of not moving at all. Months wishing only for death.”

Astarions Brothers and Sisters, the Seven Spawn

It seems Cazador has his main seven spawn, Astarions ‘brothers and sisters’. Seems like Cazador had a real, manager-in retail type mentality and claimed they were ‘all a family’ even while he was carving scars into their flesh. To note, I’m not sure why the only scars Astarion DOES have are the ones on his back. Apparently, Astarion was ‘one of his firsts’ which signals that Astarion might be the second spawn? The rest came years later, but took a special interest in Astarion for his ‘sweet sounds’. Astartion does seem to have some sort of survivor's guilt for them. It isn't ever specified who came first, or who was the most recent.

The respective spawn names are: Leon, Aureila, Yousen, Violet, Dalyria and Pale Petras

They all have the same stats. The demographic is:

Female (3/7) - 43 %

Male (4/7) - 57 %

With 1 Tiefling(Aurelia), 1 Halfling(Yousen), 3 elves(Violet, Astarion,Dalyria), and 2 humans(Pale Petras, Leon) - This is based on observation, I could be wrong!

Their eyes will be glowing red, which means they are under the influence of Cazador. This applies to all the spawn. Once Cazador is dead, their eyes stop glowing.

When Leon and Aurelia confront you at the inn (and attack you), Aurelia claims Cazador knew where Astarion was the entire time, likely watching us from the shadows.

Cazador apparently promised the 6 vampire spawn that he’d set them free. You can learn more about Pale Petras, where he wants to bring back one more person so when he is ‘free’, he will have someone to drink dry right off the bat. Dalyria doesn’t seem to humor the idea and instead wants to leave in fear of angering Cazador by being late, BUT interestingly enough, the vampire spawn are out in the day in a tavern, which means they are hunting day AND night? Considering how Astarion talks to Pale Petras, it's clear that they don’t really get along too well.

When you meet the spawn slave, after succeeding on a perception check, you notice on all 7,000 spawns, "Beneath the first and blood, you notice that every prisoner has a rune carved into their flesh." What is interesting, is it only looks like Sebastian is the only one with these marks. I looked at all the other spawn NPCS and couldn't find anything visible. The runes marked into Sebastian also look kind of fresh, so this perhaps was a recent thing? Unless I'm reading the scars wrong, but from how Astarion talked about his scars, it doesn't sound like he was given them as soon as he was turned into a vampire spawn.

As for the appearance of the other spawn, I can chalk it up to the models not being completely finished with the runes, I suppose… Either that or Tav can see under people's clothes…. kinda weird!

More on Cazador and Baldur Gate

According to Astarion, Cazador is just another ordinary noble in Baldur City. He says that Cazador is a little reclusive perhaps, but just another ‘the great and good’ of Baldur’s Gate. He apparently has a grand palace on the hills of the Gate, where he hosts the city’s high society. This makes me wonder, since there is a ballroom in Cazador’s palace if he hosts all these large high society balls. Astarion wonders if Cazador would risk exposure by doing it at the palace, signaling that Cazador at least, does care for his image.

When your character is a Baldurian, you can ask, “That giant gothic monstrosity has been inhabited by vampires this entire time?” So at least the citizens of Baldur Gate can see how out of place it is.

The Szarr Palace has a palace south tower and ramparts. He has city guards charmed guarding the entrance. It also has a garden and beautiful architecture. The Szarr palace colors are teal and red. My analysis of the building is linked.

The dialogue from Astarions origin character playthrough when he has a nightmare about Cazador:

Spoken like a true old bitch:

“First, thou shelf not drink of the blood of thinking creatures.”

“Second, thou shalt obey me in all things.”

“Third, thou shalt not leave my side unless directed.”

“Fourth, thou shalt know that thou art mine.”

Cazador keeps all the spawn underground in cages. When meeting Sebastion in the cages, you tell Sebastion he’d been down there for “One hundred and seventy years. You were one of my first, too.” This means either the “200” years is more 175 years, or he might not have gone out to get spawn for around ~15 years. It could also mean Astarion sees the 15 years as a short period of time, which would make sense.

Astarion thinks that Cazador hired the Gur to find Astarion in Act 1, and the Gur does not know what Cazador really is. If you give Astarion up and go to Cazador in the future, he will ask you if you’re the one who “took my poor Astarion under your wing, only to abandon him so cruelly?”

What’s really interesting, if you interact with Astarion in the ritual, he’s a zombie, unlike his other spawn. Could this be because he was tortured by Cazador, flayed?

When you read Cazadors mind after killing him without Astarion, it seems Cazador has nightmares of “The boy I was, the man I became, the monster that will not end. I sleep, but cannot rest, I live, but cannot die. I am eternal, and I grieve.” I say shut the fuck up, Cazador.

Obviously, Astarion meeting Cazador in the current up to date patch(9/7/2023) , he’s very demeaning. Man rolls his r’s like he’s still in the fucking renaissance. He claims Astarion is still his even if he can resist his words. He waves around his stupid little staff, but his magic is still strong enough to grab Astarion into the ascension ritual even if you roll a nat 20 to resist.

On talking to Astarion about coming home :

Cazador seems to have mortal servants walking around the palace. The Servants aren’t charmed, but they are ‘fanatics’ as Astarion claims, “Here of their own free will, and utterly devoted to Cazador.” He says, “Each one came to our door and begged to be given his ‘eternal gift’. They’re sure he’ll turn them if they serve him well enough” whatever the fuck that means.

What I can gather from this information is, that people do know that Cazador is a vampire lord, but obviously not everyone. It's like the well-kept secret that isn’t a secret because Astarion claims earlier that Cazador wouldn’t want to do the ritual at the Palace for fear of exposing himself. If anyone else has any clarification that Cazador is a known vampire, please, I'm all ears.

The servants seem to be obsessed with keeping the place clean, making sure it's ‘pure’. But that’s kind of hard considering there are BATS flying around everywhere in this palace. I can't tell if they are paid at all, either, they are just there freaked out trying to be the best they can so they can be the next vampire spawn. It also makes me wonder, why doesn't Cazador just turn these people into spawn? Is he afraid to scare staff away when they vanish because they begged at Cazadors door for vampirism? How on earth did they find this out? What on earth is Cazadors title to these people, is he a lord even if the public doesn't know he's a vampire lord?

All the text in Cazadors Palace Explained, and rooms explained

[ALL THE TEXT FOUND IN CAZADORS PALACE]

Chamberlain Dufey

In the Chaimberlain's private quarters, we find Chamberlain Dufey’s dead body in a casket. The Chamberlain is responsible for managing the household of nobles, so Dufey would have managed the household for Cazador. It's suggested by a private note left by Dufey’s Werewolf GF that he killed himself via poison, and so she Romeo and Juliet herself and killed herself as well.

You can find his diary on the bed on the floor, and we find out that Dufey killed himself because he found out about Cazador's ritual, because Cazador wanted Dufey to be the stand-in for the missing Asterion. He even calls Astarion a brat! Ironically enough, his poison is just enough to slow his heart and he isn’t actually dead, so his lover found him and killed herself in return. True poetry. Dufey hopes that once Cazador ascends, he can leave since Cazador won’t need his management anymore. This suggests that Dufey is a prisoner in one way or another. He is, a vampire spawn interestingly enough.

Godey

Cazador would throw the spawn into a ‘kennel’ when he was displeased with the vampire spawn. This is hidden by an illusion, that Astarion claims is one of his regular, cheap tricks.

Godey is a pair of bones that is under Cazador's control. He claims to be doing his job and to ‘keep him(astarion) in line.” He apparently tortured the spawn for days at a time, and Godey seemed to enjoy the screaming.

Spawn sleeping quarters

The vampire spawn seemed to live in a ‘dormitory style’ living, inside the dormitory wing. He has two rooms, “spawn dormitory” and “favorite spawn”

You can find Violet's diary, where she says the ‘garlic in Yousen's bed gave him a nasty rash’ which signals that vampires can’t handle garlic. It also shows that Violet is a little shit and makes life hell for the other spawn… a true sibling. Leon has a daughter named Victoria, but Cazador seems to ‘have a little plan for her.’

There is also a blood ledger from Dufey, who states the rules of what type of people Cazador wants to be picked up. Most notably, to focus on the lower class. He chastises them for picking up three people from wealthy families because their families of course are wondering where the as fuck they went. The goal is not to attract unwanted attention and to avoid aristocrats, even if they are out slumming in the lower city.

Favorite Spawn

The ‘favored spawn’ room is a lot more grand, with nice beds that don’t stack on a bunk bed. I wonder if Astarion was a bottom or top bunk?

It turns out when looking at the favorited spawn list, it mostly is Leon, with Violet taking only one year. When you read Leon's diary though, we find out he’s working so hard because he has a daughter named Victoria. Leon writes, “I've had to be his best hunter just so I could stay here with my daughter and keep her away from the other spawn. I don’t like the way Violet looks at her, not at all!”

So it seems that Cazador let the other spawn family stay with them unless Victoria is an outlier… But while they are ‘siblings’, they still do not get along. Either that or Violet is just a bitch. That being said, Leon also writes, “When I ask the master what he plans to do with Victoria, Cazador just gives me that wicked smile.” He writes that he is working together on a plan to disguise Victoria so she can escape. She’s a human girl running around, and her father even writes her a note to learn the ancient language book that is in the guest room so she can move around freely in the mansion. This means there was a KID running around the palace. A HUMAN KID.

You can also find a list that Victoria made, which seems focused on the number '17' for some reason.

What I’m gathering is, that Cazador is wicked and sick- of course, we knew that. But poor Leon, protecting his daughter? All of this is to say- Victoria is dead in the guest room. She’s covered by necrotic magic.

Astarion claims he has brought people to this guest room before.

Dalyria

In the guest room, we get to find Dalyria’s diary. It claims she was a Doctor, and Physician General to the Parliment of Baldur Gate. She claims she will always be a Doctor, despite what Cazador did to her.

She says that a “massive infusion of fresh, youthful blood may overwhelm the vampirism infection and enable my body to heal” and points out that Victoria is the pureblooded daughter of Leon. This seems to indicate that she thinks that vampirism is a blood-affected thing, and can be cured one way or another.

Leon was apparently a sorcerer before he became spawn, and warned everyone to not bite her since he booby-trapper her blood in case of an attack. So… considering she is letting out necrotic energy, I assume that Dalyria tried to bite her because she assumed Leon was lying.

When you try to Speak with Dead on her, it seems her answers don’t line up too well with the actual journal entries. She says that Dalyria lured her with the promise of food and shelter and she was bit by her, and then Dal was dragged away by Cazador, and Victoria was eventually killed by him.

A question I have is, with a daughter so young, and Leon has been on the favorite spawn list for so many years, did he have this kid when he was a vampire? She looks like she’s only 10 or younger, so he either had to have her at the Palace when she was a baby or he somehow got someone pregnant.

The Ballroom

When you enter the ballroom, the people on the floor are called guests. So I can assume there was some party, and then the werewolves were called to rip everyone up. On the body of a woman named Sanseverina, she’s carrying a note that says. *“Sansy, I've been invited to a party at the Szarr Palace tonight in their ballroom. Show the chamberlain at the door this note and he’ll let you in to join me. Wear your best dress!” - Callira (*Sansy was not indeed, wearing a dress at all.)

Callira can be found in what I assume is the cigar room dead on the floor. She holds a note from Dufay that she is requested by Cazador to play music at the party.

Using "Speak to Dead" on one of the dead party members on the floor, we find out that one of them is named "Sterlac", a Senior Clerk in the Counting House. He was invited to the party, and claims he was enjoying the party, drinking and talking. When you ask him what he was talking about, he says,

"Work… Counting House… Who controls what. Wanted names of senior staff… families… any scandals, secrets…"

He also says that at the party, the guests were politicians, minor nobles, fist officers, 'all sorts'. Cazador wanted information, he apparently asked them all a lot of questions about the power structures in the city, the weaknesses, and the type of people Cazador should look at controlling.

Cazador apparently took the most beautiful people away from the party, and they were never seen again. According to Sterlac, after Cazador left, werewolves came to the party and made the guests their little afternoon snack. From what I can gather, it does seem that Cazador has his foot in the door pretty heavily in politics, if he's using clerks for their information about staff and…. scandals.

I'm assuming this random attack of wolves is in reference to the 'grand feast' Dufay writes about in his party planner diary you'll find in Cazador's office.

What my takeaway is, that people in political power, at least of use to Cazador, know he is a vampire. But it isn't generally common knowledge, even when Tav comments on the vampire-filled manor, and Astarion jokes back that its "subtle, isn't it?"

Dufay also orders the guards on the wall to make sure they're vigilant and that the staff are silent and never speak. This shows that Cazador’s reach goes all the way to the guards. Dufay does note that “If you encounter the mater, stand still and cast down your eyes with dereference. The master likes to be respected.”

Oh. and no whistling, of course.

What is the puzzle under Cazadors Palace?

The puzzle under Cazador Palace can be entered via the cigar room. Me, and so many people have concluded this is simply an unfinished room since I tried to do just about everything to get this to work.

I back my theory up because this is the only location in Cazadors Palace that isn't marked as dangerous and allows the player to long rest and travel by waypoint etc.

Venturing further, we can find a confession from one of Cazador's captives, where they confess their transgressions. This is from someone named Dawson Kiltmaker, who claims they cheated on the city accountants' certification test. Since Dawson suspects he is going to die, he is using the journal to rid himself of sins so he can die with his soul a little lighter. He also claims that Cazador gloats, so it's confirmed that Cazador at least, fucks with the prisoners mentally. There are a lot of dead bodies so it can be assumed sometimes, Cazador just keeps people / kills them instead of turning them.

Cazadors Office Area / Family / Attic

Cazador's office is directly linked to the ballroom named the “Office Hall”

There’s a party planner on the desk that Dufay used to plan Cazador's gatherings. The ballroom functions are divided into two categories - Invited guests and involuntary guests, which are the entertainment for the latter category being considerably more sinister than the former.

So what I can assume is … There are other vampires invited or others invited of different types of morality that use or torture the second category? Thats wild. Cazedor also planned a ‘final feast’ that Dufey had to organize, which involved invited and involuntary guests…

Cazadors desk has Starbrt Shandy, a Carafe of wine, and Cagulated blood. He also seems to keep up with the news since articles are on his desk and a book about Baldur City's history. Cazador's entire office is just… blood and wine. Dude parties non fucking stop. There is also a book on the upper city and the lower city.

The Dais is the elevator down into the dungeon, Astarion had no idea it was there. He said Cazador brought his victims there, so it can be assumed that Astartion at least dragged the person to Cazador's office before they were brought to the second room down the elevator… Imagine how scary that would be.

There's a bust of Shyressa Runemaster as well, a vampire in 1360 DR. It should be noted, there's so many bottles of wine in this fucking estate. Does NOBODY drink water???

Cazador's Niece

In the attic, we actually get entries from Cazador's family from the year 1477. Amanita Szarr, Cazadors ‘niece’ claims she didn’t know that Cazador was a vampire. She claims she had no idea that her family were vampires, so it confirms that the Szarr family at least has some nonvampires and a long line of vampires.

She grew up on the country estate near Anga Vled was raised by servants, and hardly ever visited the city palace in Baldurs Gate. It noted she hated visiting, and that the Palace straddles the wall between the Upper and Lower City. In the year 1477 when she was 13, Cazador personally summoned her, and she was brought by carriage. Dufey greets her and brings her to the ballroom, and It is here that Cazador forcibly turns her into a vampire in the torture room above the ballroom. She was imprisoned in the attic by someone named Bolvart for trying to resist being a vampire, and she eventually succumbed and drank human blood. They kept her in the attic starving for an entire year and eventually sent up a bound captive, which she killed. So Amanita decided to stay up in the attic for the rest of her life calling herself Lady Incognita.

Amanita later wrote a book describing blood diseases claiming that there is something that can infect vampires with a brief illness. It's called “Red Thrombosis and Thandals Paroxsym”. Vampires should be able to recognize this before they even bite people if they are trained. Do you hear that, Astarion lovers? It's time to write Astarion is sick fanfiction. Or.. maybe, Cazador is fucking ill and everyone points and laughs.

So even those who survived the Szarr massacre still get hunted down by Cazador to become vampires it seems. Cazador leaves no stone unturned, but it makes me wonder how many other surviving members there had to have been. Obviously, Cazador has siblings if he has a niece.

Cazadors Corner

Going down into Cazador’s dungeon, there is a list with thousands of names from Baldur City, which can be assumed the sibling's victims.

There is Cazador's journal, which records the movements and actions of his spawn. He seems REALLY interested in Astarions, noting his every order, failure, and punishment.

He says, “Astarion failed to return from his hunt this night. Godey Informed. He will have the pliers ready when the boy shows himself again.”

Cazador starts to say how upset he is that Astarion is missing and that he wants to make Astarion scream. So then, Cazador starts to torture his siblings to find Astarion since he’s been missing for days. He then notes that when Astarion interacts with his siblings in Wyrms Crossing, Astarion is able to stand in the sunlight and bolds that he’s able to disobey Cazador. Dude is fucking upset writing in his diary. This obviously won't appear if you don't ever interact with Pale Petras and Dal.

In another book, Cazador writes about how he’s concerned about Lord Gortash because of his new steel watch, wondering if they’d mess with his vampire spawn and how he operates….

Cazador has a letter he writes to Mrel Alkam, who I suppose leads their own vampire circle in another region called “Athkatla” which is apparently more homogeneous than Baldurs Gate. He tells Alkam to enjoy his success while he has it because he plans to surpass him. He also says that he’s been long content with being a major city’s vampire lord. This signals that Cazador is not the only vampire lord out there, of course, but he’s feeling inferior.

Cazador essentially is writing this hatemail like, You might think you’re so cool and special with your vampires, but just you wait, I'm about to become cooler AND more popular. (For the record, Cazador slept in a twin-sized bed, so he was getting NO bitches.)

Looking into Athkatla further, we can find that this is the "City of Coin" , a location in BG2. There is a whole vampire coven in Athkatla, which players are able to interact with in BG2.

Under Cazadors corner, you can also find a scroll written by Lady Incognita that it was Donnela Szarr, Vellioth's original Vampire master, explaining how she was the one that opened the halls that Cazador uses as his dungeon. Apparently, they were built by mining dwarves who were exiles from Bhaerynden and seemed to be more of an outpost abandoned with time. Donnela questions, what was being mined here? It's questioned by Lady Incognita that it's unusual the halls were never discovered under Baldur's Gate, and they could have been deliberately hidden.

Cazadors previous vampire master, Vellioth

Vellioth - A skull with a scroll clamped in its teeth. This is Cazador's previous master, a cruel man.

His first lesson: “Is to always dominate. Allow none to be your equal.”

“Vellioth recalls when Cazador reached out to a former friend. His punishment was to watch as Vellioth drained his friend dry.”

His second lesson: “Power comes from solitude. To share with others is to be weak, and to be weak is to fail… and die.”

"Vellioth recalls when Cazador rebelled against him. Cazador suffered eleven years of impalement… because he failed."

(For the record, this is fucking horrific. It's such a hard juxtaposition AND parallel between him and Astarion.)

His third lesson: “Act not in haste. A near immortal has time to plan, time to act when others will pay the price of action.”

“Vellioth recalls Cazador, his lesson learned, killing him in the Rite of Perfect Slaughter. How they both laughed! Vellioth recalls Cazador boiling the flesh from his skull and then, to mock him, clamping his Schooling Scroll in Vellioth's jaws.”

(I couldn't find any information about the Rite of Perfect Slaughter)

Vellioth

As for Vellioth, he is known as Vellioth the Martinet. A Martinet is a strict disciplinarian, especially in the armed forces. He ruled from 1204 - 1276(72 years). A lot shorter run than most, but overall rather average considering. Vellioth’s master was Donnela Szarr the Architect, which makes me wonder if Vellioth was actually his family. There are only two Szarr names on the list of vampire lords, including Cazador and Donnela.

Here are the recent 5 stats:

Cazador Szarr - 216 years

Vellioth - 72 years

Donnela Szarr - 66 years

Hideous Gathwycke - 119 years

Failbleur the Fleeting - 0 years

The average amount of years in Cazador's recent 5 history of Vampire Lords is about 94.6 hours, with Cazador holding the highest number. When calculating the numbers for all listed, the average is 80 years, with Cazador taking the gold medal for longest in ruling.

My general opinion on why Cazador is most obsessed with Astarion is not only looks, but because I wonder if he also sees himself in Astarion- Cazador rebelled and pulled against Vellioth, so maybe he punished Astarion as Vellioth punished him for being bad.

Astarion will note that Cazador can’t be original for once and stole his own rules from Vellioth.

I think it's really interesting to see this side of the story, because when you ascend Astarion it feels like he kind of becomes the next Cazador, and this shows that Cazador was also in the same vicious cycle of abuse. Not that anything Cazador did was ever acceptable, but it's an interesting angle.

You do have choices to break this cycle or continue it. If you convince Astarion to not go through with it, he will thank you for believing in him.

On letting Astarion Ascend, he will sadly continue the cycle of abuse it kind of feels, not letting you break up with him at the end of the game. He laughs and calls you stupid, and says,

“You’re mine, remember?”

It's a sad reminder- Cazador is a cruel, vicious, and unredeemable person, but was also once a person, likely with some sort of light in his eyes… only to be shut down by abuse from his master, which makes his character so interesting.

Astarions Victims

From the four older captives that Astarion has brought, there is Sebastian, Wensleydale, Hapdim, and Gondlemead. Only Sebastion can speak. For…. research purposes, they do not react to being attacked.

For the children, it seems Cazador specifically ordered Astarion to capture them. This can only be assumed because they are the children of the Gur. When you kill Cazador, before leaving, you'll be confronted by Ulma, a leader of the Gur tribe. They are upset that Astarion stole their children, but seeked Astarion out when they find out he fled and somehow betrayed Cazador in hopes they could recruit Astartion.

There also does seem to be a back entrance to the dungeon from the sewer. Who knows how often that was used since there is a scene with a girl who was meeting up with a ‘silver-haired’ man who told her there was going to be a party when you reach Act 3.

Why didn't Astarion bite Cazador?

I wish I had a good theory for this, but I really don't. So, the only thing I have that could be something is Astarion mentions:

"In theory, the next step is to drink their blood. Once you've done that, you're free and a true vampire."

But he follows up by saying that it doesn't happen because vampires are the true natural enemies of another vampire. I read something someone said that maybe the vampire has to be willing to let the spawn bite him, but that doesn't make sense since Cazador didn't seem all that willing to be stabbed to death. If the tadpole can protect him from Cazador's grip, it should be able to allow him to bypass that stipulation.

So, at the end of the day, I think we can assume this is some plot hole. Either that or Astarion is thinking about it the next day after he rejected ascension and realizes, 'Wait fuck!' ​

My questions about Cazador…

I would love to know more about his Palace and why it was built/bought in such a weird spot?

How long Cazador has been a vampire?

Do the citizens of Baldur City know Cazador is a vampire lord? Or is it, if you know you know?

How long ago was the Szarr family massacred, and how many really survived? What was his family like?

How did Cazador meet Vellioth?

What is his fucking problem with Astarion?

What is his title? Is he referred to as 'my lord'?

Is he seen as a Patron to his spawn by the public?

What was the most surprising fact you learned?

[shadow-fell]

Notes on Cazador's Spawn

Mostly for my own reference but hey, someone else might find it useful.

Cazador Szarr becomes the Master Vampire of Baldur's Gate in 1276 (list of master vampires) completing the Rite of Perfect Slaughter on his master, Vellioth.

Astarion's gravestone gives his years as 229-268 DR. There are two assumptions we can make here: the first is that this is just being written without the 1, so he's turned in 1268 DR. The second is that it isn't DR, but instead meant to be Northreckoning - which would make the dates 1261-1300 DR.

We have a few choices here: if it is in DR, either the 1276 date is wrong, or Astarion was somehow turned before Vellioth was killed. Because of that, I think it's a bit easier to assume NR, especially since he's "one of the first" and not "the first". But this is a bit nitpicky.

For the rest of the spawn:

Petras is around ~1390 ("one hundred years eating rats and dogs" from the Flophouse convo)

Yousen is around ~1430 ("only sixty years" after Cazador's defeat)

Dalyria was Physician General to the Parliament of Baldur's Gate (journal). The Parliament of Peers was founded in the mid-1400s, so she would have been turned after this point ~1450

Leon is at least from 1486 (6 years of favored spawn) maximum ~1480 (turned while Victoria is alive based on diary)

Violet and Aurelia have nothing that concrete. However, Violet does offer a prayer to Kelemvor after Cazador's defeat, so I'm going to assume she didn't pick up worship of a new god as a vampire, which makes her turning after Kelemvor's ascension in 1358.

This leaves us with like a century gap, with Astarion (and maybe Aurelia) being turned around 1300 and everyone else in the 1400s. But there's an answer to that as well...Jaheira and Astarion have a party banter

Astarion: Cazador always warned us to stay clear of this neighbourhood. Never said why, though. Jaheira: The last spawn who tried was sunk into the cobblestones and left for the sun to find. I had an unfortunate taste for theatrics, in my youth. Astarion: Ah. Yes, that was probably it.

The original BG games are set 1368/69 - so probably around then or shortly after is when Jaheira killed at least one of the spawn; we can assume there's a few more that got killed and replaced in the 1400s to get back up to magic number seven.

(more on the Szarrs below the cut)

The Szarrs were a merchant family. In 1479, they had been wiped out in an attack that destroyed their home in Tumbledown in the Outer City, leaving only Cliffside Cemetery within large caverns, and which were home to strange lights that could be seen from the river. Rumors about the Szarrs being seen as ghosts were commonplace.

The crypts under the Szarr Mansion we see in BG3 are the Tourmaline Depths, discovered by Donnela Szarr the architect - based on the article while she was Master Vampire in 1138-1204, but potentially earlier. I think it is reasonable to assume that the Depths are connected to the Cliffside Cemetery and Szarr family crypts underground (deeper than the Sewers or Undercity).

Amanita Szarr, or Lady Incognita, has a series of journals dated to 1477 recounting her turning.

Alturiak: describes that she was raised near Anga Vled, and rarely visited her 'Uncle' Cazador

Tarsakh: summoned on her thirteenth birthday

Mirtul: references every living (well, vampire) Szarr as Uncle Cazador, Granddam Fistula, Great-Aunt Dralia, and Cousin Blovart.

Kythorn: describes being turned, imprisoned in the attic. for refusing to participate. Then she drank human blood, and at least a year later, sent up a captive.

Flamerule: "succumbed" and declares herself Lady Incognita.

These span over 6 months (skips Ches after Alturiak). Reasonably, I think these were written during the period of the "captive" sent up, which puts her turning proper probably in 1476, born ~1462. We can probably date the death of her parents to be the killing of the Szarrs, while she was very young. About 15 years before 1479 is perfect time for a ghost story to develop while gangs to take over.

(Anga Vled is a gnomish village between Baldur's Gate and Elturel, along the Risen Road - so not far at all from where Act1/2 are set)

If we assume that the relations Amanita describes are accurate, the tree would look like this. Given that they're an elven family (or at least, Cazador is elven) that means we have a lot of space to work with, timeline wise, but the quotes around 'uncle' might mean he's actually Dralia's son or Amanita's great uncle, to give a bit more space.

??? (Donella Szarr?) |-------| Dralia Fistula |-------|--------| Cazador ??? ??? | | Blovart Amanita

The question is: if the Szarr family are all vampires, then what does it mean that they haven't shown up? And that Vellioth was apparently not a Szarr but was still the Master Vampire (and definitely in charge over Cazador?) Who turned them?

My personal theory goes something like this:

Donnela Szarr, wealthy (but not Patriar) elven merchant has at least two children, Dralia and Fistula (probably not real name because come on)

some time from 1019-1138, Donnela Szarr, while investigating the tombs below her family's estate, encounters Hideous Gathwycke and is turned as his spawn.

1138, Donnela Szarr kills him and becomes Master Vampire

Donnela turns Vellioth

Donnela potentially turns her children to grant them immortal life

1204, Vellioth kills Donnela, becomes Master Vampire

Vellioth takes control of the Szarr family (intimidation, magic, or potentially turning Dralia/Fistula, if they're his spawn and not Donnela's)

Cazador is turned by Vellioth (at least 1260, probably earlier)

1276, Cazador completes the Right of Perfect Slaughter

~1460, other Szarrs die; Amanita sent to the countryside.

~1475 Amanita turned

I imagine that Cazador was fairly young when Donnela was killed (young enough to not be turned yet), and knew Vellioth already, even if it might have been some time before he was turned. I'd put him at no more than 100 when Vellioth becomes Master Vampire; their relationship (and "martinet") feels very 'strict teacher' which makes me wonder if he was a tutor beforehand.

The debate is whether the Szarrs were killed for mundane reasons (rival merchants), by vampire hunters, or by Cazador himself. If he killed them, it might be for refusal to let him turn them into vampires (Blovart as the exception), or some level of sibling rivalry? Amanita's parents are presumably not vampires since she was turned, but that doesn't remove the chance of monster hunters.

Based on the timeline, Blovart may have died sometime after Lady Incognita's entries, placing Leon as his replacement for the seven spawn (maybe the Favoured Spawn room was his by default, and became a competition after? The fact it only goes back 6 years is interesting). Perhaps related to how she left or died herself.

Dralia and Fistula's absence might be that they don't live with him, but I could also see if they discovered the Rite of Ascension and tried to usurp him and got killed for it. Cazador is fascinated by the idea of family, and I could see him very much wanting to keep his family intact but also has no qualms about killing his own mother / aunt if they actually posed a threat to his real goals.

All of this + the Lady Incognita stuff is very rough, presumably a lot of it having been cut with the Upper City/shift in direction for Cazador's story. For more links/information, there's also this masterlist.

[profnicsnort]

Why Astarion has different fangs from his other siblings - fan theory.

So I have a fan theory that has been kicking around in my head for a while about Astarion's fangs looking different than his other siblings. To set it up, Astarion fangs look like this:

Whereas all of his other siblings have fangs like this:

So why does Astarion have nice normal vampire fangs while his siblings have all sharp teeth/fangs? Why not just give all of the spawn the same set of fangs?

I posit that all of the vampire spawn do have the same vampire fangs, but that Astarion is not a vampire spawn - he is a full vampire.

Now, you might think I am crazy, but I have some pretty solid evidence based on Forgotten Realms lore and the game itself.

Astarion has the same fangs as Cazador.

I will admit that this is the weakest evidence, but it is a starting point from which I will grow my argument. The point here is that we see six vampire spawn with rows of shark teeth, but the one full vampire in-game has teeth like Astarion, who is, supposedly, a spawn. Why, apart from aesthetics, would the developers do that? But then, why not just give all the vampires the same fangs?

If Astarion and Cazador share the same fangs, do they have anything else in common?

Era of transformation.

Astarion was turned into a vampire in 1268 DR we know this for sure. Cazador became the vampire lord of Baldur's Gate in 1276 DR, and we know he was kept by Vellioth for over a decade (his impalement punishment was 11 years). The precise date doesn't matter, though. What matters is that both were transformed before 1372 DR.

What happened in 1372 DR? That is the Forgotten Realms date in which the 3rd edition starts. Why does that matter? Before the 3rd edition, Vampire Spawn were not a monster in D&D*.

Before the 3rd edition, when a vampire bit and killed a humanoid, that humanoid would arise as a vampire - a full vampire, not a spawn. The differences between vampires came from their age. For their first century, vampires were called Fledglings, and as their age increased, the more powerful the vampire became.

So, if Astarion was transformed before vampire spawn were technically a creature in the Forgotten Realms, then how could he be a vampire spawn? Should he not be a Fledgling vampire? (and with his age, an Old vampire to boot?)

Now, I know what you are thinking - if Astarion isn't a spawn, why does he think of himself like that, and why has he followed Cazador for so many years?

Let's go back to his similarities with Cazador.

Both Cazador and Astarion disobey their Sires.

"When Cazador rebelled against Vellioth..." - Vellioth's skull. Rebelled here is the keyword - Cazador went against Vellioth's wishes and, of course, eventually, Cazador killed Vellioth with the "Rite of Perfect Slaughter" (whatever that is). Now, if Cazador was created by Vellioth, that would mean that Cazador was a spawn, too. After all, Vellioth wouldn't share his power with Cazador; that was one of his rules.

So, how could a spawn kill their sire? Maybe it was this "Rite of Perfect Slaughter," but we don't know what that is. And there is a better explanation for the multiple infractions.

Cazador was a fledgling vampire because vampire spawn were not a creature when he was created. (This also explains how Cazador can create more vampires even if he was never allowed to drink Vellioth's blood.) Fledgling vampires are not dominated by the sires the same way that spawn are in later years - Sires do have magical influence over their Fledglings, but that control can be fought against (Will/Wisdom save), and it lasts a few years. That control is the same as the vampire's innate ability to control undead, which grows as they age.

Astarion also disobeys his Sire before the game begins. Astarion disobeys Cazador when he ran rather than let that sweet man die to Cazador and was punished by being locked in a tomb for a year. When did this take place? In the first decade of being a vampire, right when Cazador's influence over him would have weakened. What happened after that? Astarion always followed Cazador's orders.

Cazador used Astarion's broken state, thanks to that punishment (and all the rest), to control him long after his magical influence would have otherwise faded.

Remember that Astarion constantly annoyed Cazador with his talking. If Cazador could truly control him, wouldn't Cazador just tell Astarion to shut up completely? Cazador could have also used his vampiric ability to control the undead as a means of dominating Astarion to emulate the experience of being a "puppet". Or - even more likely - as soon as Astarion had the sigil on his back, Cazador could use his staff to puppet him around like he does in Act 3. [edit: We see that the staff can manipulate Astarion physically, even with the tadpole, and (if he is taken by his siblings from camp) Doty uses that same red staff/sigil magic to try and compel Astarion, but can't because of the Emperor/tadpole. So, it stands to reason that without the tadpole Astarion would still fall victim to its complusions.]

But what about the other spawn?

The other spawn were created after 1372 DR.

It is never clear when they are made, but we know at the very least that Leon was a recent transformation because he has his young mortal daughter still with him. This indicates that the spawn chosen to be the primary sacrifices did not need to be confirmed all at once.

Even if there were six other vampires present to have the sigils carved into their backs alongside Astarion, we know they are replaceable, in the same way Cazador can replace Astarion in the ritual. So, if there were seven original fledgling vampires, they may have been replaced with the spawn we see later on for various reasons.

Also, remember, Astarion was "one of the first," not the first vampire Cazador sires, so there may have been others around before the spawn we see in-game.

You might also be wondering if Astarion is a Fledgling vampire (or now an Old vampire), where are his powers?

Astarion was being starved.

Now, there isn't much lore on what happens if a vampire doesn't feed. But from what little information there is (from the 2nd edition), vampires do grow weaker if they do not feed. They can be destroyed if they do not feed, but Cazador seems to keep his spawn, and Astarion, fed juuuust enough that they don't die.

Theoretically, if Astarion has been starved since his creation and he never knew or was able to test the extent of his powers, Astarion would not be able to tell that he was a true vampire. Additionally, with the tadpole, he loses all of his vampiric powers except for the bite, so if he did have any when he starts properly feeding, they may have been lost in exchange for the tadpole's benefits.

Conclusion

While I know the evidence isn't perfect, and Larian themselves say Astarion is a spawn. I think there is a compelling argument to be made that Astarion is not a spawn but a full vampire.

And - most importantly - this could be a great inclusion for a fanfiction set after BG3 ends! With spawn!Astarion finding out he isn't really a spawn and now having a chance to live with his lover forever (but oh, he would have to turn them into a spawn, and can he really do that after all of this personal growth, etc.)

Either way, have fun with this fan theory!

~~~

*You might be wondering why the 3rd edition suddenly has vampire spawn, and why I think we can say spawn didn't exist before the 3rd edition, even in the overall lore. Well, between the 2nd and 3rd editions, D&D switched from TSR to WotC (though before WotC was owned by Hasbro). Technically, there is a TSR module called 'Die, Vecna, Die' which explains why magic changes between 2nd and 3rd edition - however, it has never been confirmed as Forgotten Realms lore. Though I think a "change in magic" is a good enough explanation, as that is what happens with the Spellplague between 3rd and 4th editions and the Second Sundering between 4th and 5th.

[astarions-wife]

Amanita Szarr, theory and history:

-We know that she was the niece of Cazador, summoned to him at 13 and forcibly turned into a vampire (vampire spawn? It’s never confirmed if she’s a true vampire or a spawn).

-It’s said her entire extended family was there, watching as he summoned and turned her. It’s mentioned somewhere that she lived out of the city in a country estate, raised by her servants. Her parentage is unknown, though clearly one of them was the sibling of Cazador, since Amanita is his niece by blood.

-She resisted at first, being locked away in the attic for a year before she eventually gave in to drinking human blood out of starvation, resulting in her killing and drinking a captive that was sent up there.

-This is when she rejected the Szarr name, and declared herself “Lady Incognita”, hiding her past likely out of guilt, and disgust for what they’d made her.

-She stayed in the attic by choice after this, and wrote her “little histories” as she called them.

-Amanita/Incognita was turned in 1477, the game takes place in 1492. It’s been 15 years since she was turned, though considering vampires don’t age—she’s still a 13 year old.

-She’s responsible for the books “Diseses of the Blood”, “The Tourmaline Depths”, and “Vampires before Vellioth”.

-These books are about diseases that vampires can get, ancient tunnels below the city, and a list of vampires that came before Vellioth (Cazador’s former Master).

-Bonus fun fact, there is in fact a random ring called “Tourmaline Ring” in BG3. The ring doesn’t have any function, and I was able to locate it for sale at a vendor in act 1, but it’s still an interesting coincidence.

-Her book “diseases of the blood” can be located in the House of Hope, though she’s very clearly not among the souls there, so it’s unknown how it arrived to such a place.

Potential Theories on what happened to her:

-In the ballroom of the palace, there are two doors. The door to the kitchen is open, and the ladder here leads to the attic where you can find the multiple hidden doors that contain the rooms Amanita stayed in (for at least most of her years), as well as the torture room she was turned(?) or at least kept in for awhile.

-The dining room is closed off. The only way to access this is to send a companion into the kitchen to hit a button. This button closes off the kitchen door, and opens the dining room.

-Considering there aren’t any bodies in the kitchen, and the only servants in the house are in other rooms nowhere near the ballroom, it’s clear that someone had to open/close the door.

-There are bodies in the dining room, all of which were guests summoned to the party that evening. One of them was “hired” to play music, but Cazador’s werewolves brutally murdered all the party guests.

-It was definitely not Cazador or the other spawn responsible for opening/closing doors. By the time you get to the palace, it’s ritual night—and all the other spawn are captive in the basement with Cazador, awaiting the final piece (Astarion) to complete it.

-It’s possible that Amanita is the one responsible for controlling the doors at the party, though unconfirmed if she killed anyone (it seems more likely the job of the werewolves).

-Could Amanita have been sent down to be the “host” of the party, since Cazador obviously wasn’t around to play fake-noble for the day? It’s unclear, but I do suspect she (might) have been connected.

-In the dining room you can move the fancy chest to find a hatch to another part of the basement. Noticeable here is that Astarion doesn’t have any voice lines about this as he does the other one, though it’s safe to assume he also doesn’t know this existed (and when were the Spawn ever allowed in the dining room anyway?)

-The basement here leads to a very famously broken puzzle, that no one has solved (supposedly support says it’s broken, hoping it’s fixed one day soon).

-The key to this hatch is found in the attic, so it’s safe to assume Amanita was connected to this too? However without confirmation, it’s hard to say for sure. And would you really go through a puzzle that hard just to find her corpse if she was dead? Doubtful, in my opinion.

-It doesn’t seem that she’s one of the spawn connected to the ritual. She never mentions any of it in her writings, and some of her earlier attic notes very clearly detest Cazador, so she’s not holding back her emotions/thoughts at all.

-She was also allowed, and given human blood. None of the seven original spawn were fed human blood, and none of the seven thousand spawn were fed at all. She was likely only given this treatment because she was his niece.

-I don’t believe she escaped the palace in general, even with her book in the House of Hope. I feel like Raphael would’ve said something about knowing a Szarr, or we would’ve found more than a book tossed in a pile.

-Talks of escape were usually noted in the palace, with Leon (one of the spawn) having been plotting in a journal to have his daughter escape, but she was inevitably killed before this could happen.

-Amanita never discusses leaving. She seems like she feels as though she can’t be normal ever again with what was done to her, and chooses to stay there so she doesn’t have to face the world.

-I believe (perhaps in delusion) that Amanita is still alive. Perhaps she’s hidden away in the basement. Perhaps she’s hiding in an unknown part of the castle, truly we don’t know—but I do believe she’s alive.

-Side Note: It was a theory that she could’ve been turned into a scroll, as there’s a scroll in the palace that mentions “for my sins, I’m ink on this page until you free me”, however it’s not signed. Amanita/Incognita was very clear on signing her work, and the scroll isn’t anything you can use/interact with, so this theory is largely since debunked.

-Feel free to add onto this if I’m missing anything! Amanita is one of my favorite unknown characters, and I really want to know more about her!!! :)

[kawareo]

How did the encounter with Cazador go with Strike in the party? Do you think it brought up any unwanted memories for him after everything he's heard from Astarion?

Well... Strike and Cazador did actually know eachother before the tadpoling, i've written about their first encounter in both Unsaved and in Familiarity. (I am going to continue with that fic btw, just gotta get in the mood to bully Cazador more!)

Essentially Strike reminded Caz of Vellioth and then proceeded to pay him to roleplay with him because being an evil vampire lord is lonely and sometimes you just need an evil drow to blow out your back while calling you his worthless spawn, yknow?

Strike doesn't remember and Cazador doesn't recognize him during the encounter in bg3, so that isn't the issue - the bigger problem would be the fact that Astarion was never told about any of it, so if he does find out in the game, that might be a bit of a problem. Mostly though, the encounter is incredibly fast and urgent so they dont actually have time to think about much while its happening

[redcloaklynx]

I think it's insane that the two things we know about Vellioth are so contradictory and that contradiction makes him so compelling. Ok I can't explain this concisely.

...there we go.

[THAT INITIAL COMPELLING CONTRADICTION]

So Vellioth's epithet was "the Martinet" - meaning he was strict and enforced discipline, and yeah that makes sense. We learn of two punishments that Cazador suffered through, and "seeing your friend drained dry because you reached out to them" is pretty standard for what I expect a vampire to do, while the second, "getting impaled for 11 years for executing a failed plan, I don't even care that you were trying to rebel" is, I assume, the harshest punishment Vellioth meted out (Vellioth only lived 72 years! That was at least 1/7th of Cazador's spawnhood!).

On the other hand he was madly laughing when Cazador killed him, when he was melted to his bones and his soul was made into ink and trapped in the palace - how do you reconcile this behaviour with that of a 'strict disciplinarian'? Especially one who got everything to go the way he planned, which included his own very painful death? I can totally accept that his personality was not the stereotype I originally assumed (emotionless militaristic sergeant); that he was plenty expressive, that's awesome and I'm far more interested in his character now actually, but the other part?

If he is a meticulous and successful planner, why did he dedicate his life's work, as an immortal vampire, towards making a successor that carries his legacy but hates him?

Because I do believe Vellioth got everything he wanted, unlike Cazador. So that we're on the same page, here's an entire section to explain why.

[WHY I THINK VELLIOTH SUCCEEDED AT WHATEVER THE HELL HE WAS TRYING TO DO]

Mainly, my reasons are that Vellioth laughed and willingly gave his blood in the rite where he died, that Cazador follows Vellioth's lessons to the letter, and that Vellioth's presence leaves the palace when he feels like it.

For reference, here are Vellioth's lessons:

First lesson: "always to dominate. Allow none to be your equal." The example provided is of Vellioth draining a friend of Cazador dry, after Cazador reached out to them

Second lesson: "power comes from solitude. To share with others is to be weak, and to be weak is to fail... and die." And the juicy part, where Cazador was impaled for 11 years, not because he rebelled, but because he failed at the attempt

Third lesson: "to act not in haste. A near immortal has time to plan, time to act only when others will pay the price of action." Then, when Vellioth deemed Cazador learned his lessons, letting him become a true vampire in a rite where they both laughed

Notice that Cazador follows these better than Vellioth: he doesn't allow any of his spawn to be his equal - to become a true vampire, he's lonely, and he reigns for longer.

Also, in the game, once the player learns these lessons, "Vellioth is no more." After haunting the palace for two centuries. What.

Like in the same room there's a scroll that reads "For my sins, my soul was made ink and written onto this parchment, where its scrawl crawls sleeplessly for eternity - unless you free it." which implies Vellioth was trapped by Cazador, but I don't see why Cazador would make the freeing mechanism "tell some high-wisdom stranger about my past as a slave." That part felt like Vellioth giving one last middle finger to Caz, and choosing to ditch before he witnesses his spawn fail and die to the player. Which means Vellioth had chosen to stay "trapped" in the painful/humiliating display Cazador mounted entirely willingly.

Cazador objectively seems like the more successful vampire, reaching the Ascension that is every vampires' wet dream, but he ends up unhappy (I'm referencing that Detect Thoughts on Cazador in his coffin that reveals he thinks of himself as a monster that will not end, and eternal unlife as a curse). Vellioth, meanwhile; all signs point towards him executing his plans flawlessly, and without regrets. I can only conclude, for some reason, that this is the future he wanted.

[CONCLUSION]

What I'm saying is that Vellioth got what he wanted, but what he wanted doesn't makes any sense. His priorities are out of whack.

Why? Certainly the easy answer, in my opinion, is that he went mad, possibly through Cazador's machinations (how else do you get a vampire lord to willingly give you his blood?). I don't have a better answer - I don't really care about that question, actually. Rather, in conclusion, can I invite you to consider my attempt to compile canon-compliant Vellioth traits?

-> Vellioth doesn't fear death. He doesn't want to live forever. He never liked the benefits of vampirism (never thought of it as a gift), 70 years of unlife was long enough for him, or did Donnella ruin it for him?

-> Vellioth is selfless? Humble? Cautious? According to Astarion, vampires are power-hungry creatures who see all other vampires as competitors. Vellioth doesn't try to make himself known, doesn't try for world domination (as far as we know), and the legacy he leaves is purely in Cazador's name. He is, for some reason, not vain or power-hungry, at least not for himself. (I do doubt that a vampire can be selfless or humble though.)

-> Maybe he sees Cazador's accomplishments as an extension of his own? His lessons sure don't prime Cazador to perpetuate the cycle; he doesn't expect Cazador to have a successor. Maybe he thought Cazador was more likely to complete the Rite of Profane Ascension, and stuck around to see it happen?

okay thanks for reading please don't be too mean if I said something stupid. and a disclaimer: i do not care if your vellioth is not canon compliant. i love reading vellioths that do not at all follow what i have in mind. i analyze canon for fun, i am not trying to police anybody

[thenightgangcometh]

Our illustrious predecessors, vampires before Vellioth: Blaiseuse the Coryphee, who led her spawn in ecstatic blood dances (955-998)

всегда-то настолько вовремя рядом сильная женщина-мать

[michanvalentine]

What are the chances that Godey, the skeleton torturer in the Kennels, was the friend Cazador had to watch Vellioth drain dry?

It's also a popular headcanon that Vellioth bore physical resemblance to Astarion (most artist impressions of him tend to be Astarion with longer hair). What's your take on that?

Fascinating question — and a truly chilling hypothesis.

Let me start by saying: personally, I believe the chances that Godey is that friend are quite slim. That friend, in Cazador’s backstory as a vampire spawn, represents hope — a link to what he once was, to a life left behind. A source of help, comfort. Something good. And that’s exactly what makes Vellioth’s gesture — killing him before Cazador’s eyes — all the more powerful. It signifies the complete loss of hope, of any last trace of innocence, the death of the boy Cazador used to be and of the life he once had.

That friend was human, a fragile thread still connecting the vampire spawn to the mortal world. Vellioth severed that thread and delivered his lesson in the most horrific way imaginable — redefining himself as the sole and undisputed center of Cazador’s existence. There is nothing beyond him. No bonds, no place to go, no refuge, no comfort. There is no more humanity for those who’ve crossed the threshold into undeath. There is only the master and his rules. There is only the monster — and it never ends.

This is a dynamic we also find in the relationship between Cazador and Astarion. In this case, the friend — the bridge between mortality and vampirism — is Tav/Durge, who, depending on the player’s choices, can represent hope, reconnection, something beyond the cruel vampire society. And indeed, in the confrontation with Cazador without Astarion, the vampire lord threatens to kill Tav/Durge to force Astarion to return. Exactly the same method Vellioth used — and a powerful lesson Cazador clearly internalized from his old master: bonds are dangerous, they make you vulnerable, and there is nothing for you out there.

However, starting from this very premise — if we were to suppose that Godey is that friend — the tragedy becomes even greater and more profound.

Normally, skeletons are undead servants raised by necromancers, devoid of will. Of course, a vampire lord has a deep connection to undeath, and I’d imagine Cazador has the ability to raise the dead and that he personally oversaw Godey’s "creation." We know Godey has retained a certain will and personality — or at least some semblance of both. We can’t say for sure what he was like in life, but in death, he’s a sadist who delights in torturing Astarion and the others. Cazador fully trusts him and his methods, letting him indulge whenever he can't do so himself.

Now, if we accept the idea that Cazador’s friend once represented an anchor of hope and salvation — and that in undeath he has become twisted, completely transformed, even disfigured by this new state (not unlike what happens to vampires themselves) — we begin to see just how dark and deep the abyss of Cazador’s condition truly is. How even his one positive figure — the one he turned to in an attempt to escape Vellioth, to reconnect with his lost mortal identity — has now become just a grotesque, distorted, unrecognizable being. Just as Cazador himself has become, through vampirism.

Everything around him is now a sick, warped version of what it once was. And that is truly tragic.

As a headcanon, I admit it’s very compelling — even if, to be honest, I personally believe that Godey served Cazador in life, like many others who willingly came to his palace. And that, given his remarkable talent for cruelty and torture, Cazador decided to grant him immortality… just not the kind Godey had imagined.

As for the resemblance between Astarion and Vellioth, I see it differently. I’ve already discussed this elsewhere, but I believe Astarion is more similar to Cazador than to his former vampire master. Naturally, I’m not talking about physical resemblance, but about the dynamic between master and vampire spawn.

I’ll just quote what I wrote elsewhere because I’m lazy as hell:

“I’ve read theories suggesting that Cazador is so obsessed with Astarion because he might remind him of Vellioth. But personally, I think the opposite is true: Cazador sees in Astarion his former self — the person he once was — now fighting against the very incarnation of Vellioth, which is Cazador himself. I believe that, for Cazador, this thought — however unconscious — is simply intolerable. Because not only has he become what he once despised, but Astarion acts as a mirror that reflects back at him everything he used to be, everything that once drove him despite what he has now become. And that hurts. It makes him ache. It makes him grieve for what he lost — something we already know from reading his mind, where he’s tormented by memories of the boy he once was. And the only solution is to shatter that mirror. To erase the reflection. Just as Vellioth once shattered him. If we go back to Vellioth’s “lessons,” we can clearly see how Cazador tries to eliminate Tav/Durge in the same way Vellioth eliminated Cazador’s friend. Or how Cazador locked Astarion in a tomb for a year — just as Vellioth impaled him for eleven. Both punishments came in response to the same offense: rebellion. It’s a powerful parallel. So yes, I do believe that Cazador — even though he had a different personality — faced his relationship with Vellioth in much the same way Astarion now faces his relationship with him. And in that, I think there’s also a thread of paranoia, because Cazador is perfectly aware of which of his spawn might one day try to overthrow him. Perhaps it’s precisely the one who, like Cazador once did, may no longer carry a living flame — but still holds embers smoldering within, just waiting to reignite. And there lies the root of his obsession: the constant monitoring, the watching, the controlling, the punishing, and so on.”

That said, this is just my interpretation — so as a headcanon, it’s absolutely plausible that Astarion and Vellioth share a resemblance that leads Cazador to be especially cruel toward him, as a sort of vengeance against the one who condemned him, perpetuated endlessly. It’s a fascinating idea.

Moreover, this perspective opens the door to other compelling interpretations: perhaps that resemblance was what drew Cazador’s attention from the very beginning, when Astarion was just a magistrate administering justice in Baldur’s Gate. Or worse: perhaps Astarion was chosen because of that resemblance. That would make his suffering not just a matter of domination and abuse, but of being forced into the role of a dead man — a walking reminder of someone else’s trauma and fantasy.

And just imagine the psychological weight of all this: Being punished and tormented not for who you are, but for who you appear to be. Which means — for who you’re not.

It’s a core theme in Astarion’s arc and how he defines himself — between lies, truth, and appearance, never quite touching the core of who he really is. A thread that ties directly into his deep discomfort with objectification, sexualization, and being treated like an interchangeable fantasy.

In this case, even by his own master, Cazador.

Okay, maybe my view of things doesn’t exactly reflect the general opinion of the fandom, but I have to admit that thinking about different possibilities is always really interesting. As always, thank you for the reflections you inspire in me! It’s wonderful to be able to broaden my perspective!

[stolenglow]

data gathered 17 jun 2025

link for cazstar works updated after 2025-01-01 cazstar works updated before 2023-12-31

The most common characters in cazstar works, aside from Cazador and Astarion:

character (% occurrence pre-2024 / % occurrence in 2025) [rank change] Gale (8% → 13%) [+2] Wyll (6% → 13%) [+2] Cazador Szarr's Vampire Spawn (?% → 11%) [NA] Shadowheart (5% → 10%) [+2] Petras (5% → 10%) [+1] Shadowheart (6% → 9%) [-2] Godey (8% → 8%) [-5] Tav (16% → <8%) [NA]

and ships

Astarion/Gale (7% → 10%) [+3] Astarion/Tav (16% → 7%) [-2] Astarion & Cazador (9% → 7%) [=] Astarion/Wyll (4% → 6%) [=] Astarion/Halsin (4% → 3%) [-1] - Newly ranked in 2025 fic: Gale/Mystra; Cazador/Vellioth (both 4%) - Only present in pre-2024 fic, unranked in 2025: Astarion/Dark Urge

[inquisitornocturn]

⊱─ 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 & 𝕡𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕠𝕞𝕤 - 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙 ─⊰

➺ 𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘: Cazador Szarr/f!reader the dhampir/spawn!Astarion

➺ 𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕤: no y/n is used, rating - E, dead dove do not eat, incest (father/daughter), POV second person, grooming, smut, loss of virginity (in a memory), light bondage, praise kink, fingering, vaginal fingering, spanking, semi-public sex, PiV, vampiric bites, asphyxiation, biting, creampies, threatening, Astarion is very pissed in chapter 1, canon-typical violence, hair pulling, throat fucking, cock worship, cum swallowing

➺ 𝕡𝕝𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪: You think you have everything you want, a loving father, one of his spawn to entertain you and protection of a vampire coven, but a master and his spawn have you caught in a middle, their jealousy, desire for control and possessiveness influencing their actions. Yet you don't want to be a doll pulled by strings, you want to be the Lady of the House, Lady Szarr, respected just like your father, Cazador, is. But that might not be what Cazador himself has planned for you, and maybe not what Astarion has in mind either. Can you stand against them - only time will tell.

➺ 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕕 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕥: 7,506

𝕒𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕖: some months ago, on my old tumblr account, people wanted more to shades & shadows, and with encouragement (and people enabling me lol) i have promised to write it. well, here it is at long last! i am quite proud of this one and it took me a while to figure out in what direction i wanted to take these three chapters, but i'm glad to finally share this as it is all done and dusted, in the manner of speaking. the dove is so dead it's just bones, guys, so buckle up and, as always, enjoy♡~

➺ 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥: [link] | [on AO3] |

You stand by the sarcophagus of Donnela the Architect. You know she’s your great great aunt or something along those lines, but you feel nothing when you gaze upon the flat surface of the tomb. It doesn’t even bear her image, it’s just a smooth slab of stone that is meant to represent the vampire that once was. You never asked your father if her body is there, or well, anything that can remain after a vampire is destroyed.

Yes, you remind yourself, you’re all monsters, yourself included. You don’t get to be murdered, you are destroyed. And you stand here, wondering what happened to this woman that was taken out of this life many years before you were even born and you are left with solemn questions. Your father does not speak about Donnela, he doesn’t speak about Vellioth either. Whoever came before Cazador Szarr are being erased from the history of your family. You only know their names because you found a list of previous Vampire Masters stashed away in some crook within the palace walls. You don’t even know who wrote the list or if it’s reliable at all, but you remember the skull in the room where your father took your virginity, in the dungeons beneath the mansion, you remember the scroll, clamped within the fanged jaw of someone who was alive once.

Who was it – you do not know, but they seemed of great importance to Cazador, considering he placed the skull in such honored spot, on a cushion, as if to prevent it from crumbling apart. But rest of the memories are blurred by flashes of pain and then pleasure. Your father’s whispered words of praise, his sweaty body moving on top of you. You were smaller back then, shorter, slimmer. You felt so tiny under Cazador’s towering form as he took you three times that night, leaving you sore, but a woman at last. His daughter, his bride.

You press your lips into a thin line at these memories, your arousal stirs in the center of your body and you try not to remember that night, try not to indulge yourself in the memory of your father loving you so tenderly, so protectively. He touched you in a way one touches a wounded bird – with so much care, you have never forgotten it. You exhale with a blush, unable to stop your mind from washing over you with beautiful memories and the sarcophagus in front of you fades from your focus as you relive the touches and grazes of his fingertips, when you heard Cazador’s whispers against your ear promising eternity together, just you and him. How he filled your virgin body with his length and how he inhaled when he smelled blood the moment he took what was rightfully his. Your sigh is strained and you snap out of your thoughts when you begin feeling wetness between your thighs, soaking your underwear.

“Ah.” You exclaim and resist the urge to lift your skirts and inspect it with your fingers, you know already that you got aroused. Right in front of this tomb.

“What are you doing here, daughter?” Cazador’s voice makes you flinch because you didn’t even hear him approach and with a loud swish of your dress you turn to face a man who you love so deeply it makes your very soul ache.

“Father.” You bow your head to him and the Vampire Lord walks closer. He stops in front of you for a moment, then walks past and places a hand on the sarcophagus.

When you look at him you see him gazing down on it with an expression you can’t quite read but that looks close to reminiscence. The Szarr family ring on his finger seems to glint in the moonlight that’s coming through the trees but you’re not sure if it isn’t your mind just tricking you, adding to the beautiful live portrait of your father that you’re observing. He doesn’t come here often, to the family graves sequestered in the far corner of the garden and hidden under the trees. Just as he doesn’t speak about the Vampire Masters before him, so does Cazador avoid this part of his domain.

“You haven’t answered me.” Your father says and his eyes flick to you, making you freeze in spot for a moment, scared that he might get angry at you for being here. Your mind reels, trying to find an answer that would satisfy him.

“I come here to think, to escape the busyness of the palace if it gets too much.” You try to sound calm and not to start stammering, but your throat clenches at Cazador’s bloodstained icy glare that seems to look into your very soul.

“Is that so?” He asks silently and offers you his hand while still resting the other on the lid of the sarcophagus. “Come, my daughter.”

You take his hand without hesitation because if you hesitated – he would notice and he would punish you for it. You were always meant to do everything he tells you to, no matter what is it. But for now Cazador does not seem to be in one of his foul moods, so you let him pull you closer without fear. He holds your hand and taps the sarcophagus lid with the other, drawing your eyes to the action.

“Do you know who’s supposed to be here?” Vampire Lord asks and you pause, again trying to think of an appropriate answer, yet the cooling wetness between your legs is distracting you. Your desire may have passed but remnants of it still linger, making you want to rush this conversation and change your underwear.

“Is it Donnela?” You ask and you know there’s no point lying because he will catch you in your deceit. And you don’t want to experience what happens if he catches you lying, it happened once before and you ended up being suspended in ropes for a week while-

“You are correct.” Cazador’s voice interrupts the horrific memory and you raise your eyes to him looking up, and feeling so small in front of him once more. Previous memories, of your first night together, return, and you feel passion stir in you once again. This face that you love, this face that looks so beautiful when he’s panting while on top of you with his cock stroking your inner walls, you try to focus but it’s hard. Your dearest father, all yours.

“Why she doesn’t have her name carved?” You ask, doing your best to focus on anything else but your cunt that is becoming wetter once again.

“She doesn’t deserve it.” Cazador’s fingers absentmindedly lace with yours and he holds your hand firmly, but without pain. He looks down at the sarcophagus and frowns. “Some should never be remembered once they perish, my child.” With fingertips of his other hand he traces the stone, feeling notches and tiny crevices on the surface. It looks like your father has something on his mind.

His features look calm, almost tinged with a hint of nostalgia and you have a fleeting thought that this is a perfect chance to ask about Donnella, to ask about Vellioth, to perhaps at last learn a bit more about those who came before you, but before you can make up your mind if you should dare to speak the questions, Cazador’s gaze turns to you and his fingers leave the tomb lid, raising to your face. When you look down you see the Szarr crest ring clearly before your eyes as if he’s showing it to you.

“You will have one of your own soon enough.” Vampire Lord says while watching your expression with a small but proud smile on his face. “And when you do, my dear daughter, you will stand by my side instead of being hidden away like a precious jewel that you are.” He squeezes your fingers with his, subtly reminding you that everything he does is for you and you take his other hand with yours, holding it as if you’re a squire to a king, then lean your head kissing the ring, feeling cold metal and the edge of the gem under your lips. “You’re perfect.” Cazador whispers as he pulls his hand from your fingers and your lips, then cups the side of your face, the coldness of his touch makes you feel safe.

You raise your eyes to his and find him looking at you with smirk. The sharp edge always remains in his eyes, that cruel threat of horrors to come if you upset him, but right now he looks almost gentle as he gazes down on you. Horrible and beautiful. Breath catches in your throat and your eyes widen with adoration.

“You’re mine, aren’t you, dear?” Cazador asks in a quiet voice and his fingers work to caress your warm skin. You lean into it and smile softly, he can see the love you carry for him in your eyes. Despite allowing one of his wretched spawn to entertain you, Cazador knows that you belong to him and always will. Still, he likes seeing it in your eyes, in your face, to hear it in your words, to feel it in your body when he’s fucking you. Everything about you belongs to him.

“Of course, dad.” You smile and Cazador’s fingers slip from your cheek to your chin, gripping it and tilting your head higher, then he bends over you, pressing his lips against yours.

“You’re mine and will be mine, forever.” He whispers against your lips and you barely manage to stop a mewl escaping your mouth. The stirrings of your lust increase and you squeeze his fingers tighter. He knows what he’s doing to you and you’re sure he’s doing it on purpose. He trained you so well to be truly his and you never fail him.

Cazador’s lips press against yours once more and his fingers leave your chin before his palm rests against the small of your back and draws your body against his. With free hand you reach up and press your warm palm against his neck as you kiss him back. When his tongue nudges against your lips you part them, letting him in, and moan into the kiss, letting it wash away all the worries or questions you might’ve happened just moments ago. Your father’s tongue grazes over your fangs, a constant reminder of his legacy, and you feel him grip your fingers tighter.

You open your eyes when you feel father pulling away from the kiss and your eyes meet his. You’re gently panting, filled with need, your panties soak it all up and it’s as if he knows. He always does know.

“Even here you’re so ready for me, aren’t you? I can smell your arousal, my dear.” Cazador comments, making you blush despite wanting nothing more than to be filled by his cock until you can’t speak anymore. There’s no other man that fucks you the way he does, he knows all the tricks and games of your body, everything that there is to know about you, and he uses that knowledge against you in most beautiful, merciless ways.

“We could return to our chambers.” You suggest carefully and he lifts an eyebrow at you, feigning surprise.

“Turn around.” Cazador’s voice is a command and you pause, processing it, then let go of both his neck and his hand before you turn around. Your sopping cunt makes movement uncomfortable but you don’t betray it, just clench your fists into your skirts with anticipation. Next moment you feel your father’s hands on your waist, then on your stomach, sliding down your hips. “Lift them up, dear.” He whispers against your ear and a shiver runs down your spine. You begin lifting the skirts of your dress until they are all bunched up against your stomach and chest.

Cazador’s hands leave your hips and you watch him caress your thighs before he grips at them and moves you to face the sarcophagus. Your face flushes and you swallow hard, wondering what he has in mind yet when his fingers grip at your panties and begin moving them down your legs you know exactly what he has in mind – to take you here, on top of this tomb. Whether his reason is to defile the resting place of Donnela or just because he simply wants to fuck you – you don’t know neither do you care. You just bite on your lower lip and step out of your underwear when Cazador moves the garment down to your ankles. For a moment you stand still but then gasp when you feel his face press between your thighs from the back and inhale deeply through the fabric of your dress making you squirm slightly, blushing even harder.

“You smell so sweet, my daughter.” The Vampire Lord mutters against the skirts and you nearly break the skin of your bottom lip from how hard you’re biting on it. Your desire to have him immediately is palpable.

Yet your father seems to have half a mind to torture you in the sweetest way possible – by taking it slow. You sense him moving his face away and hear him stand up once more.

“Your hands behind you.” He commands and you pause, not sure if you should let go of your bunched up dress but decide that you should, then you move your hands behind you. A second later Cazador is tying your wrists together and from weird wet feeling on your skin you know he’s using your soaked panties to do that. “Leg up.” Vampire instructs and you inhale sharply, then lift one leg, resting your foot on the edge of the sarcophagus. “Such a good, obedient girl.” Cazador comments with a grin you can hear in his voice and you open your mouth to respond but a sudden grip on your throat makes you pause. He’s not squeezing to cut off your airflow but it’s a firm, commanding grip nonetheless.

Your father presses himself against your back and makes you lean your head back against his chest while he moves one hand, pulling your dress up again. Cold air of the night caressed your pussy that’s pulsating with need and warm blood. And Cazador is not unaware. When his long fingers begin caressing your plump from arousal folds, he exhales with satisfaction.

“You’re perfect.” He hums while his fingers play with your cunt, spreading your folds widely and letting your arousal begin to drip down your leg unobstructed.

You shiver and mewl at his touch, trying not to move your hips against his fingers, because you know you will be punished if you don’t remain still, as always, but it’s extremely hard to obey tonight. You’ve been wanting for your father even before he showed up at the cemetery part of the garden and now it’s near impossible when his fingertips are grazing your entrance and then moving onto your clit.

“You’re so wet for me.” Cazador comments with a tone that betrays his pride, he’s always proud when you’re easy for him. “You want me to fuck you, don’t you?” You nod before he even finishes his question and that makes him chuckle. “So so eager, my darling daughter. I guess that spawn of mine is incapable of doing even as little as keeping my precious girl satisfied sufficiently. Or is it that you truly don’t want any other man other than me, hm?” Cazador taunts and you lick your lips slowly, your eyelids become heavy because while he speaks he rubs lazy circles on your swollen clit, making you whimper and your propped leg tremble.

Yet you wonder if this is the right place to be touched like this, taken like this, it feels almost sinful. You feel like you can almost sense Donnela’s eyes on you, piercing through the stone lid of her tomb. And this split moment of doubt, a second of mild discomfort doesn’t go unnoticed by Cazador. His fingers do not pause but you feel his lips against your ear and his grip around your throat tightens.

“What is it, my dear?” He whispers and you swallow dryly.

“Dad… should we be doing this here?” You dare to speak but Cazador doesn’t seem phased by your question nor does it seem to upset him.

“Yes, I’m doing this here.” Your father replies in his most casual manner and you gasp because he pushes a finger into your cunt, making your body shiver in response. “Do you think I’m scared of ghosts?” He asks as he pushes another finger in then begins pumping them slowly, drawing out the sensation of your hot flesh suffocating his digits.

You moan and shake your head slightly, knowing that you wouldn’t have a say in this in the first place. You hear your body make squelching sounds as Cazador fucks you with his fingers and you whine louder now, your body slowly but steadily beginning to prepare for the orgasm, sending shivers down your spine and making your cunt occasionally clench around your father’s fingers. Cazador knows this and he pulls them out of you, then without a warning he thrusts them into your open mouth, making you gasp around his fingers. Yet you don’t protest, you move your tongue, lapping up your own arousal and hear him chuckle against your ear, a low rumble that you feel against your back too.

“Not yet, my dear, you will get yours, but only after I get mine.” His teeth nip at your ear and you whine with despair, your body craving for release.

Then he removes his fingers from your mouth and with a firm grip on your thigh he lowers your leg, pushing you forwards and bending you over the sarcophagus, his grip on your neck vanishing with your repositioning. Your right cheek presses against the cold stone and you feel your father lift your skirts, pilling them up on your back.

Smack.

You flinch when his palm connects with the skin of your ass and you moan again. You wring your arms but the improvised bonds made from your panties hold tight, Cazador, after all, is well versed in subduing his prey and right now – that’s you.

“Tell me you want me.” He demands, his words hard and cold, and you whine when you feel his thumb circle your back entrance and push against it gently, not quite breaching it but putting enough pressure as if he has half a mind to do so.

“I want you dad.” You reply in a hurry and resist the urge to rub your thighs together, impatient and eager to feel him inside of you, no matter the hole he chooses.

“Oh how I like hearing that, my dear.” Cazador chuckles and his hand leaves you, letting your stinging skin cool in the night’s air. “I met Donnela once, you know.” He proceeds to speak while you remain still, your mind barely registering what he’s talking about. All you hear is the sound of fabric being handled as he undoes his pants. “She was a woman of grace but she was weak.”

A palm returns to your rear and he rubs the cheek that he smacked before, you feel the tip of his cock aligning himself to your entrance and you wait patiently, saying nothing. Your cunt aches to be filled, your folds are drenched with your arousal and Cazador seems to be teasing the juices with his length.

“You won’t be weak, will you?” He asks in a voice that’s more curious than demanding and you slightly shake your head. It’s taking everything in you not to move, not to buck your hips against his dick in hopes to be pierced by it. Your body is screaming with desire and you nearly salivate at the thought of him claiming you. Yes, he trained you well. “No, of course you won’t. You’re incapable of being weak.” Cazador chuckles and begins to slide his cock in, slowly, savoring every inch. It makes you moan with despair, because you want him fast and hard yet he’s still torturing you in his own, caring way.

You want to beg but you know better than that so you just wait until his length is buried in you fully, coldness of it nearly making your eyes roll to the back of your head and you exhale with relief. Even when he’s torturing you like this, Cazador never keeps it up for long once his dick is inside you. For a moment he just keeps himself unmoving, enjoying the squeezing heat around his cock but then his fingers grip your hip and he begins thrusting. Slowly, almost carefully, taking himself nearly all the way out and sliding back in with ease.

“You’re such a wonderful creature.” Cazador muses and with a corner of your eye you see him watching his dick disappear in you and then come out again, and then disappear again. Your body reacts with a tremble but he doesn’t address it, seemingly lost in thought. “If only you knew how important you are.”

“I know dad, I know.” You whine, hoping that it will urge him and it seems to work as the Vampire Lord snaps out of his thoughts and shoves his cock deep before leaning over you.

You don’t know what to expect but when you feel one of his arms slide under your stomach in a possessive embrace and his other hand find your throat once more, all while he presses his chest against your back, pinning you to the sarcophagus you realize just how much he wants you right now. A second of movement and his left knee is now on the sarcophagus, giving him proper angle to begin thrusting once more.

His grip on your body makes you incapable of moving even the tiniest bit so you just close your eyes and let him fuck you, feeling his icy length moving faster and faster. You hear Cazador’s breath becoming labored the longer this continues and you feel his tongue against the back of your neck, tasting you. You hear his subdued groans and sounds of his skin slapping against yours with every thrust, the most beautiful symphony. You begin feeling yourself come close, the perch of your father’s knee on the sarcophagus giving him the ability to really use his power to slam into you with as much force as he wants to. And in a few wonderful moments he wants to give you it all.

You moan and tremble, subdued by his hands that are like a straight-jacket and your head swims from pleasure, there’s no thoughts, just your Vampire Lord and you on this tomb, loving each other in a way only a father and a daughter can. At least to you - this is perfect, complete expression of love, and you let yourself sink into the feeling, allowing it to wash over you and take all your worries away. It’s you and him and it will be so forever.

Lost in your extasy you don’t notice a presence approaching, neither does your father. He fully expected to you have you all to himself in this lonesome corner of the garden and he’s completely lost in his lust for you, fangs now promisingly grazing your skin and you wish he would bite you already. Yet you dare not beg. Szarrs don’t beg, after all.

But the figure stops and watches you two tangled in this twisted expression of love. Astarion is nearly dumbfounded when he sees your face, your parted lips, witnesses your expression that speaks of nothing else but ultimate satisfaction. He hears your moans, sees the sweat on your face and then his eyes turn to his master when he makes you cry out once his fangs sink into your neck. The spawn never seen Cazador like this, his expression filled with sensuality he never imagined seeing on a face of a man who he only knows as cruel.

Astarion realizes he sees something he shouldn’t and nearly moves to walk away, maybe hide, but he can’t, because if his master sensed him approaching he would’ve ordered him away already. So he remains still, trying to turn his eyes away but being unable to, his gaze again focused on you and your moment of utter bliss as you very obviously begin approaching your orgasm. He recognizes it even if he never saw you to be this much into it when you’re with him. Astarion’s hands clench into fists and he frowns, jealous and angry. At you, at Cazador, but most importantly at himself. The only way he even manages to get you obey is when he repeats phrases his master does, when Astarion invokes your father’s name before you to remind you who you truly belong to. Spawn’s teeth grit but he can’t look away so he watches with boiling fury in his chest, not daring to look away but not daring to say anything either.

If only he had the power like Cazador he could have anyone he wanted, including you. But he can’t even have you to want Astarion as much as you want your father, spiritually and carnally. He’s reminded of his own powerless existence and hates it.

Astarion keeps watching as you moan louder and louder, hears how your voice echoes into the night and listens to Cazador groan against your neck, his thrusts becoming erratic and hurried, rushing to grant him release that he craves so badly.

“Say it.” Cazador growls with undisguised lust the moment his fangs leave your neck and you immediately know what he means.

“I’m yours, dad! I’m your good girl!” you whine with a shaky voice, you’re trying to hold on, not to come just yet, you know he likes it when he finishes first, but his body pinning yours against the tomb lid is becoming too heavy, you can barely inhale.

“That’s right.” Cazador hisses and his grip on your throat tightens as his lips push aside the dress and press against your shoulder. “You’re mine, now and forever.” He repeats and you can’t tell if it’s a reminder to you or himself, your mind is too dazed to think, too filled with bliss you’re trying to keep at bay.

Then your father’s teeth clamp onto your shoulder tighter, so tight it’s like he wants to take an actual bite out of you. With that he comes, milking his cock with your clenched walls while you try not to come yourself. But the moment he does you let go and cry out, shouting his name into the night while Cazador squeezes on your throat nearly taking your breath away. Your cunt spasms, pulling out last drops of his seed and he keeps thrusting until he knows that your peak is passing. His hips against your body slow, then stop entirely, and you both remain still for a long moment. You hear Cazador panting against your skin with your shoulder still caught between his teeth and you smile dreamily. You couldn’t be happier.

At last the Vampire Lord releases your flesh from his bite and lifts his head, looking at your sweaty face with pride and something too close to love, but you see none of it, because by the time you open your eyes, Cazador is pushing himself from you, his hands leaving your neck and waist, his perched leg finding footing on the ground, and he pulls out of you carefully, not spilling a single drop of his cum. You gasp when you feel him push in a thumb into your cunt, then move it as if he’s confirming just how fully he filled you and it looks like the conclusion satisfies him because you feel your wrists being unbound from the bondage of your panties.

You bring your wrists to yourself, your arms feel numb and weird, but you still push yourself up from the tomb and look back at Cazador, feeling the skirts of your dress drop around your legs the moment you straighten your back, but now you see that he’s not even looking at you.

When you follow your father’s haughty gaze you recognize the silver curls and the scowl. Astarion. How long he has been standing here? You have no clue. You look at Cazador and see an arrogant grin on his face while he tucks his softening cock back into his pants and makes himself presentable once more.

You find yourself mortified for some reason. Maybe because of how Astarion is glaring at his master. With so much hate that you are sure your father will want to punish it. So when he begins walking, not giving you even a glance, you realize you’re clenching the skirts of your dress so strongly your hands are shaking. You watch Cazador walk to Astarion and lean down to his spawn’s ear, whispering something that you cannot hear. Astarion doesn’t move, his gaze now shifted onto you, and then Cazador pats his shoulder with a wide smirk as he walks off, tall and proud. A conqueror.

When your father’s footsteps fade, you watch Astarion straighten his back, his lips pressed into a thin line but he’s not moving. You swallow dryly and feel your legs move before you consciously demand them to. You briefly notice your panties tossed on the ground but ignore them and walk down the path, knowing you’ll have to pass Astarion. Your breathing stops entirely when you get closer, seeing pure rage in spawn’s eyes but you don’t look at him, you command yourself not to as you try to keep your strolling pace, but when you’re about to think that you’re safe, as you think nothing will happen when you pass the pale elf, you feel your upper arm suddenly being gripped with such force that your knees buckle and you drop down on the hard stone.

You raise your face and see Astarion come into view, his gaze filled with fury when he gazes down upon you, his lips curled into a snarl while he holds your arm so painfully you wince with an unsaid plea to be released, but it looks like he enjoys seeing you kneeling and hurting.

“You see me just as he does, don’t you? A worthless spawn! A slave for you both!” He asks in a voice that’s nearly trembling with fury and you gasp, trying to wrench your arm from his fingers.

“What? Astarion, I have no idea-“ Your own voice is shaking from pain and panic that you’re feeling at witnessing spawn’s rage that you don’t even know why you deserve it.

“SHUT UP!” Astarion bellows and you flinch as if hit.

Your eyes are wide from shock and building terror as your lips quiver, trying to form words that could save you or doom you. But spawn ignores your evident fear and finally releases your arm, now grabbing your jaw as he leans over you, bringing his face close to yours. His nails dig into your skin and you wince but keep looking into his eyes, not daring to guess what’s coming next.

“You will never see me as anything but a slave for the rest of your existence, will you?” Astarion’s voice is low and dangerous and you swallow dryly, remaining silent. Your arm throbs but you can barely feel right now. “Tell me, little dhampir, do you think being allowed to fuck you is enough?” He smirks but there’s venom in his expression, poison that you haven’t seen in him before, something that you now realize has been festering in him for a long long time.

“Astarion, what’s gotten into you?” You manage a silent whisper and he squeezes your jaw so tightly you let out a pained moan, your arms gripping at his wrist, trying to pull his hand away but it’s like trying to move a statue – impossible.

“Nothing’s gotten into me, darling. I’ve just realized that no matter how sweetly you moan for me, you will never be truly mine. Is it because I’m not your father or is it because I’m not powerful enough to kill him?”

Your heart skips a beat from sheer terror.

Kill your father? What is he talking about? He can’t be serious. He’s a spawn, surely he can’t even if he wanted to? And for you? Would Astarion attempt that just to have you all to himself?

“You’re hurting me.” You whine, trying to pry his fingers off your face and with a scoff he releases your jaw.

“You like being taught lessons, don’t you?” Spawn says while you rub your jaw with trembling fingers.

“If you hurt me my father will-“

“I don’t care!” Astarion raises his voice again and you just glare at him from under your eyebrows. Who is he to lay his hands on you? “You will be mine.” Not a promise but a threat while you watch him begin to unlace his pants. “Keep kneeling or I will snap your neck.” Another threat spoken with a tone of voice telling you that he means every word. Your knees hurt already but remain on them, watching how he takes out his semi-flaccid cock and begins stroking it with a smirk blooming on his face. “I love how easily you submit, darling. Some things even Cazador does right.”

“Just because you feel powerless it doesn’t mean you have any right to take it out on me.” You can’t help but respond, your jaw still hurts and so does your arm, and you stare at Astarion with anger instead of fear but he just grins at you. There’s no fondness in those eyes, there rarely is, and you understand only now, realize that for him – you’re a conquest, a symbol of power. To Cazador and Astarion both, it seems that to have you – is to have power.

The thought itself stirs something in your body. A response that is so deeply ingrained in you that you weren’t even aware of it until now – you want to be treated this way. Not with roughness but as a reward for being powerful. Maybe it’s just one more of Cazador’s lessons that you internalized it so deeply until it became a part of you.

“I’m not taking my anger out of you, sweet little dhampir. I’m just remind you that Cazador is not the only one who has claim to your body.” Astarion’s grin is sharp and you notice him growing harder by the second. “Open your mouth.” He commands and you look into his eyes with a scowl.

“If you hurt me-“

He slaps you so hard you see only white for a long moment, the sound of it ringing through your ears and nearly deafening you if only temporarily. Your head swings so strongly to your left that you nearly fall to all fours but somehow remain on your knees. Your anger gets replaced by shock and fear once again as you look at the spawn looming over you.

“I said open your mouth.” Astarion repeats and his voice is full of danger so you just release a shaky breath and open your mouth obediently. His expression softens at your compliance and he even smiles, although it’s a smile of a victor and not of a lover, but has he ever been your lover or just another man who wanted your body but not your soul? “See, it’s easier when you simply obey.” Spawn croons in a voice that would sound alluring if you didn’t know what danger lurked just under the surface.

Astarion’s hand moves to tangle into your hair and he roughly yanks back on them, making you face upwards. You blink couple times at the pain but keep your lips parted while he looks down on you with a smug expression. Expression that tells you he doesn’t see you, not really, maybe never have. You’re something to be used, to satisfy himself with, to remind him that the only power he has right now is power over you. And you can’t help but be turned on. You haven’t noticed through the whole interaction how Cazador’s cum seeped out of your cunt and down your thighs but now that you’re getting aroused again you realize how wet your skin is from your father’s seed and your own juices flowing freely out of your entrance.

“You’ve been taught to obey your whole life, little dhampir.” Astarion’s voice is almost soothing as he releases his hard cock and his fingers brush lose hair from your eyes, tucking it behind your ear like a lover would, but you see the storming rage behind his eyes. It’s subdued now but still present, so much like your father. “Now don’t speak, I don’t want to hear another word from you, understood?”

You nod with a blush spreading across your face and Astarion is not blind to that. It gives him a feeling of satisfaction that no matter what he does to you – you will want him and become aroused by him. It gives him that desired feeling of power. If not over anything else in his miserable slave life, then at least power over you.

“I’m going to enjoy this.” He whispers more to himself than to you and you grip your skirts, trying not to show how aroused you are becoming but your salivating mouth betrays you.

Astarion grips the base of his dick and steps just a little closer, still holding your head firmly in place just before he shoves himself fully into your mouth. You feel the tip of his cock at the back of your throat, cutting off air and you make a pathetic whine before your mouth is full and your face is smashed against his pelvis. You didn’t even have time to notice when his fingers left his length.

“Take it, pet, take it all.” Spawn croons and you let go of your dress and grab onto his pants. At first you try to pull your face away but his grip on your hair is so tight you can’t move an inch.

Your eyes begin to water and your tongue moves in protest of your throat trying to gag around his cock. You forget your stinging cheek and forget Astarion’s rage, you’re in your element now and your pussy throbs with desire even while you struggle without air. His words only escalate your desire, you can’t resist what’s in your nature.

After a long moment, by the point your head begins to swim from lack of oxygen, Astarion finally pulls your head away from his cock. You gasp for air and look up at him, tears rolling down your face and his glistening dick is still connected to your mouth by heavy strings of saliva.

“Beautiful.” Vampire spawn comments with almost soothing affection and then shoves his length back into your mouth, beginning to thrust against your face. “Good obedient little pet, aren’t you? You don’t care who you submit to as long as you do.” His words are mocking but you don’t care.

With drooping eyelids you try to swirl your tongue against his hard cock, enjoying the texture and the sensation of veins, your mouth keeps salivating, covering your chin and dripping down his balls but you care for none of this, you just want to feel him come down your throat. How the tip of his length hits the back of your throat again and again makes your whole body ache with renewed desire.

“What a cock-hungry slut you are.” You hear Astarion chuckle but his breathing sounds increasingly labored and you lift your eyes to him, finally seeing his satisfied expression and lust in his gaze that replaced the rage from earlier. He wants you so much, you realize. “Worship me like you worship Cazador.” He suddenly demands and pulls his dick out of your mouth.

He slams your face against his cock, wetness of it staining your cheek and eyelid, but you stick out your tongue and begin licking. You hear his breathy chuckle and finally he releases your hair, giving you freedom which you immediately use to drag your tongue up and down his length. When you look up at him, you see that Astarion is consumed by pleasure, his eyes clouded and lips parted. You both are panting loudly but you notice it only now.

“Tell me you want me. Tell me you need me.” Astarion says with a degree of desperation in his voice and you hesitate before answering.

“I need you, Astarion. And I want you.” You say with your own voice coarse from the rough face-fucking you have been administered just earlier and a pleased smile appears on Astarion’s face.

“Keep going.”

So you do. Enthusiastically you resume licking his cock, tracing every vein and groove with the tip of your tongue, swirling it around the soft tip of his dick, making him moan now. You feel his hand return to your hair, both of them this time, but he’s not gripping it anymore, just cradling your head while you keep covering his length with saliva. For a moment you even dip your head lower, licking his balls, taking one of them into your mouth gently, sucking on it, then giving same attention to the other one.

“Oh gods, you’re so good…” Astarion struggles to speak and you smile proudly to yourself, you always love to be praised.

After a moment longer you return to his cock and take it into your mouth fully, your tongue pressing to the underside of it and you begin to bob your head, completely focused on the task at hand. You feel Astarion’s fingers tremble against your skull and you know he’s close.

“Fuck, your mouth feels so delicious.” Spawn moans and you feel his length twitch against your tongue just before Astarion shoves it deep into your mouth and begins spilling himself down your throat.

You gulp it down, listening to him moan as he uses your mouth to milk himself of every last drop and when he finally stops you hear him panting while still firmly cradling your head. After a moment Astarion pulls back and you release his already softening dick from your mouth, letting it drop. You open your eyes and look up, noticing his flushed face, beads of sweat on his forehead and his clouded eyes, but a satisfied smirk soon pulls at his lips and by your hair he yanks you back, letting go just before you drop-sit on your feet, finally getting some relief for your knees.

Without a word you use the back of your hand to wipe your chin and lips while Astarion quietly tucks himself back into his pants.

“I hope you won’t forget who you belong to, darling.” He coos again so sweetly it’s almost hard to believe he lost his composure so utterly just earlier. Your desire is still throbbing within your body like a drum but you realize that he’s done with you, at least for now.

“So that’s what this was all about?” You ask and with a silent grunt you get to your feet, looking into his eyes with a small frown. “You saw me with father and decided you needed to remind me that he’s not the only one who can have me?”

Astarion laughs and reaches out, caressing the same cheek he hit. It feels soothing, pleasantly cold against your sore skin and you lean into his touch before you can think against it.

“Maybe. Maybe not. In any case, I had a good time.” Spawn says and you can’t help but smile ever so slightly.

“You’re easy to please then, unlike my father.” You tease him and Astarion chuckles, removing his hand from your face, then he eyes you up and down slowly, as if trying to memorize exactly how you look in this moment, disheveled hair and all, your dress crumpled and stained.

“Maybe you should consider prioritizing me instead of him then. I would be a merciful master to you.” He says and your blink few times, trying to understand if you really heard what you just heard. Does Astarion really want you to choose?

“Astarion…” You begin, trying to pick your words but he just laughs again and starting to walk away, strutting with pride of a Vampire Lord himself.

“I’ll see you around, I’m sure, my little dhampir.” He says loudly and strolls back to the palace while you remain standing there, exhausted and dumbfounded.

Suddenly you feel like you’re between a hammer and an anvil and you dread to think what would happen if both Cazador and Astarion began getting increasingly jealous over you.

One thing you are sure of, if it ever came to that – someone wouldn’t survive.

The thought makes you shudder and you hope it will never come to that.

[barbatusart]

I don't know if it was intentional, but I liked the alternation between high pain and isolation as punishment.

Lady Szarr says that 20 years of isolation was a mercy,so was probally constaint pain her punishment,probably Velioth thinks 11 years in a pike with at least pain and not stay in solitary is way way better,and then later Cazador is like damn I'm way better Astarion just have to lay in a tomb for a year.

If you look at the notes of vampires before Velioth there are few who manages to live past 100 years lol,cazador managing to live 216 years is a miracle.And I think the spawns (at least donella,cazador and vellioth,nothing prevents the others from not having been killed by other true vampires or adventurers) are like yeah I am gonna be way more lenient cause of course my master was killed by one of his spawn,what he did expect.

But they are stuck in a cycle of abuse that will never stop, cause no matter how lenient you are in your punishments...you are still punishing them lol.

Astarion says that the biggest threat to a vampire is another vampire, not a bitch. The biggest threat is that spawn that hates you because you torture him 24/7 and have forever to think of a plan to kill you.

i adore this ask so much & im so happy that the little threads im weaving are getting noticed this early on hehehe. ascended astarion would probably flay his next guy alive & then make him walk around as darkman like an asshole for 30 years. and like come to think of it we have no idea what kinda wringer cazador put the other spawn through, and he did leave like 7k spawn in a 5’x5’ cell for 2 centuries so like. guy got some weird concepts of “better”

[grandmother-goblin]

Sometimes I wonder what Cazador was like before he was a vampire spawn, or even when he first became a True Vampire.

Was he like Astarion, a guy who just wanted freedom? Did Cazador consider himself good to his spawn (compared to how Vellioth treated him)? What kind of person was he before he became the monster we all love to hate?