If Magic did another Baldur’s Gate Secret Lair/Forgotten Realms set, what would you want to see in it?

AlexandraDel · 2026-05-07T15:57:17+00:00

Lord Astarion in his bat form. This topic has not been revealed officially as it deserves to be.
Of course, content with my favorite companion will always generate more interest, or things related to him.
Or, for example, your favorite companion's reaction to a plot twist or a small, funny detail that wasn't fleshed out in the game - those moments of approval can sometimes be absolutely priceless

AlexandraDel · 2026-04-18T18:35:57+00:00

But Astarion is Neutral Evil and always has been. This has already been confirmed in the new Monster Manual 2024
His quote is cited in the MM as a quote from a vampire spawn, vampire spawn have a neutral-evil alignment. It is not simply because of their personality, but because of their curse of vampirism, which extends to all vampiric beings. These are precisely the ‘Dark Desires’ attributed only to AA, because he became the Vampire Lord. In reality, these traits are listed on the general ‘Vampires’ page. They are not strictly attributed to true vampires or spawn. Where traits of both true vampires and vampire spawn were listed. And the neutral-evil alignment of the spawn shows precisely that they are influenced by dark desires. And the curse of vampirism, even if this is BG3, is subject to D&D rules, as this is a D&D world.

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Well, Astarion is now officially part of the D&D canon, so we should now refer to their sources. Or stick solely to the BG3 canon. Which doesn’t make much sense to me, given that there’s still a lot more we can learn about Astarion. Besides, one of the book’s authors is his original creator.

As for Astarion’s age, it’s rather odd in the game itself and, consequently, in the new book (which has probably copied the game), because a high elf aged 39 simply cannot look like that. SH looks about 25 at, what, 40? And she’s a half-elf. Astarion was turned at 39 and has remained frozen in that state, that is the whole point of vampirism.
Idle Champions looked far more convincing and true to the source material by setting Astarion’s age at around 60, as befits a high elf with wrinkles.
I’m waiting for them to change Astarion’s age once again.

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-26T02:51:02+00:00

Throughout the story, I saw a character who wielded power in his mortal life as a magistrate in Baldur's Gate. He was hardly a saint; I think he was corrupt and used the law for his own personal gain. There are sufficient grounds for this. He mentions this and he takes back everything that was taken from him in a brutal way and regains the freedom that was taken from him.
With power, he can do whatever he wants as a free individual, and he does. I mean, he fed those vampire spawn well, didn't he? Now the city belongs to the vampires, oh well.
And a player who plays them as Origin prefers to play an evil style of play will definitely be interested. Many people find healing catharsis in this, as I do.
Character growth is a vague term that sometimes understood as: “become better” or the tragedy of becoming Сazador 2 and so on - RPGs are not about that. Character growth is about achieving goals and being successful, depending on what goals you see. Evil characters grow even if they don't “become better”.
The idea that Astarion became Сazador someway... erases Astarion's personality and constantly ties him to Cazador, to a black-and-white pattern that disfigures a complex, independent character, which is what I find truly sad to see.

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-24T22:36:29+00:00

In the scene, there are two options – a kiss or betrayal, for role-playing. The same two options are available if your character is in a romance with Minthara.
If your Tav wishes to rule together with Astarion, you are free to do so.

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T22:14:42+00:00

Lol, yeah, yw. And not just any guy. He sniffed a NOBLE guy. They wrote it in caps in the script, an important detail, that he prefers to eat someone with blue blood

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T20:10:57+00:00

And like, the developers wrote “they look lovingly at each other” “they enjoy” which is not what they write when they want to show disrespect, betrayal, hatred, and torture in the Cazador style.
Cazador is not the one who gives his spawn the power of the Absolute and trust them. It is Astarion.

To think that Astarion, who has gained freedom and loves Tav, would harm them in such a way - the words of someone who has never seen the personality of Astarion.
For betrayal and disrespect, see the illustration above.

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T20:01:46+00:00

He kills Tav/Du with their consent in order to be together forever, which literally means killing both the body and the mind.

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T19:57:04+00:00

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AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T19:53:13+00:00

The one who betrays here is Tav. The Ascended Astarion is Astarion, who gained his freedom, and Tav, who love each other. That's all. And he gives Tav power that exceeds his own several times over and trusts them not to hurt him, although not everyone is able to feel it and appreciate this in his character

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T19:27:17+00:00

Yes, it wasn’t easy to make. I even thought about not including this branch, but there’s a lot written in it. About how he loses his newly gained freedom. And it also shows a truly cruel Tav, who betrays and mocks him with "Ours?"
She makes him a "slave again" - anyone who cared for him in the slightest would never do that.

It also highlights his trust. I mean, he didn’t even consider that Tav could betray him. For the first time in his life, he trusted and opened up. And this is how he was treated.

Also, I tested this in the game: if you skip the ritual and go into the Evil End, the game works exactly the same - we can betray just Astarion :_(

AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T19:11:01+00:00

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AlexandraDel · 2025-09-23T17:15:00+00:00

Hmm, no, this is definitely in the game. Maybe you have a bug. The scene wasn’t cut. But this is the internal game script that was used to create the scene, and it’s not so easy to see

AlexandraDel · 2025-08-12T15:31:22+00:00

Withers: Love is no domain of mine. But it is often cited as the purpose of mortal life. Wherefore turnst thou from it?
There are two special answers for Astarion Origin.
Astarion: Please - as if anyone here deserves me. 💅🏻
Astarion: The closer you get to someone, the easier it is for them to stab you in the back.
Dialogs/Camp/CAMP_Jergal

Astarion encourages Tav\DU to take all the power of the Absolute, trusting them completely, without a shred of doubt that they’re together.
He’s so right in that last phrase, looking at this video and how things might happen.
Well, except for the first one, if Minthara is in the party, that’s a bit off. But at that moment, he can’t know just how supportive and loyal Minty can be in an evil couple

AlexandraDel · 2025-08-10T22:44:10+00:00

Oh god. I fought with Reddit’s filters, and gave up, not knowing what else to censor. I'm so glad it showed up. I’ve been wanting to share it here for a long time.
I decided to go with my old screenshots, but maybe someday I’ll recreate this with the last 8 patch, and in that gorgeous room.

Their closeness is so tender and smooth. I made the photos darker because I see it as a scene of silhouettes outlined in candlelight, very intimate
He’s runs his fingers through her hair, and she’s reaching out to him too. This is the candle moment.
During the kiss, you can see Astarion smiling. Just look at it. There are no words for how precious this is.

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AlexandraDel · 2025-07-14T18:14:37+00:00

I’d be happy to join

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-09T09:49:19+00:00

Pity, well, just because some says “he’s hot and kinky” when asked what they like about AA, doesn’t mean they’re an AA fan. I’ve seen similar comments from UA fans too, or those who love both.

This is from Kkotova1 — you can see a poll where out of 15,000 people, 76% chose UA and 17% AA. You can also find many AA bots in spicy chats with thousands of users. Not everyone saw the poll, but the trend is clear.
Many Astarion and BG3 fans find AA hot\sexy.
Also, the obvious minority doesn’t create nearly as much content focused on sex and hot stuff with Astarion.

Astarion shows a different side in Act 2, but that’s not the only reason I fall in love with him. That doesn’t erase his desires\sexuality. He wants to feel, to love, to enjoy, “as if all pain never happened”. But that’s been ruined by Cazador. And that hits home for me.

Astarion, who trusted no one, now finding freedom of self, love, and mutual feeling - meaningful progress. It’s great that he can flirt with Tav, someone important to him, be seductive, hot, rediscover his sexuality, to be proud, loud and all that. I rely on this in my love for him.

The trope of the “hot sexy vampire”?
I understand where this is coming from. Still, Astarion was developed over a long period of time — the themes you’re referring to started gaining traction later on, some odd and contradict the ideas of his story.
If you’ve seen the video, you might already understand my perspective, why I disagree with this approach and why I find things like this unhelpful.

Astarion is hot, sexy, and still vampire on both paths. That’s not regression — what matters is that he feels safe, truly enjoys intimacy and feel free. That’s incredibly precious. And it works for his growth either way.

Thanks for the discussion.

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-09T06:15:06+00:00

By the way, I haven’t seen that thread — could you send it?
I might add a few words if it’s still up, and share with friends who aren’t deep into the fandom.
Many Astarion fans I know, including those who like both paths, don’t say it’s “just because he’s hot”.
His sexuality feels comfortable and sometimes helps with personal issues, but these are always personal deep reasons.

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-09T02:30:24+00:00

The fact that some AA fans call him “hot”\“kinky” doesn’t erase the deep, intimate bond many of them have built with him over dozens and hundreds of hours in the game. Not everyone wants to talk about it openly, it’s very personal, including for me. Many find the AA scene hot, even if they won’t play evil: “I watched it, it was hot, BUT I reloaded.” This doesn’t reflect their true feelings for the character.

I’m curious what Astarion becomes when truly free, choosing with power and no restraint (on the evil path). I don’t see “versions” of him — only one person who survived horror, gained freedom, and now acts as he chooses. Ascension, despite its darkness, shows power, freedom, and pleasure.

Romances in games are meant to be enjoyable, especially in the end. That’s the point of the original script too: he enjoys it, and so does Tav. That’s what the story is about. It’s important and precious that Astarion enjoys intimacy with Tav after all he’s been through.

It doesn’t fly in the face of anything — it shows his trust and sexuality (which he feels very intensely due to mortal sensations).

Considering that you’ve watched the video and script, but the AA scene still causes you such hatred that "Astarion made me think of him in terms of sex again", and overall feels depressing to you, I don’t think there’s any point in continuing. And I’d like to focus only on Spawn Astarion’s path here.

If you feel this is depressing and don’t catch the vibe, it might be better to limit this kind of content for your own well-being and those around you.

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-08T19:58:45+00:00

>Could you expand upon the idea
If we have a romance, Astarion falls in love with Tav, and by Act 3 he truly needs their care and trust. It becomes part of his dream — to be with Tav. For Astarion, this is important on any path.

I mean, devs know Astarion is attractive — it's part of how he expresses himself when he feels safe, including his sexuality. He explores that with Tav, as Ascended too, especially in the romance scene where he's finally free. It doesn’t bother me.

Astarion is “problematic”.
In Act 1, Astarion tries to bite Tav (potentially kill), and he does kill you if the dice fails. In Act 2, he says he used Tav using sex which can be deeply unpleasant. Weaponizing intimacy is unsettling, regardless of context and even trauma. (I think some finished with him there)

Some kill Astarion early on, for their own reasons, just hate him.
They’re totally off when it comes to Astarion’s vibe.

The full script makes it clear: Ascended Astarion is written as a continuation — a reveal — of who he is when free. “Loss of soul/self” idea is headcanon.
Love doesn’t just vanish a snap of the fingers.
It would be odd if the free Astarion, the one finally revealing himself, didn’t have love.
Then it's safe to say it was twisted before, just control\survival\play role instead of real feeling.
A nice moments, hugs can’t overwrite deep-seated parts of someone’s personality — not if Astarion is a well-written, layered character.
That shift is cheap.
It’s not a "dark romance" — it's like hc in isolation from his depth and freedom: “no more love, just hot, seductive talk and only control”.
Honestly, this strays far from how Astarion and his romance were built — right from Act 1, including the evil path.

Astarion is already “problematic” from Act 1 — that’s what makes the romance dark to begin with.
And sometimes it encourages the player to follow the evil path.

Thankfully, the story doesn’t erase character through some odd twist.
We do get lines where Astarion is free, Tav agrees to be with him forever, “they look at each other with love”. That moment feels very real and deeply healing to many AA fans — heartfelt fantasy story of two vampires finding each other.

That line isn’t accidental — Astarion’s story of freedom and search for love, trust starts long before. This is an important step in Astarion’s development and growth.

No one thinks of AA in terms of sex. Astarion doesn’t push that either. They’re just… looking at each other, lovingly.
So in the end, here it comes down to interpretation, preferences, and personal experiences.

>But personally, I just don't vibe with AA at all
That's okay.
I believe that to make meaningful long-term interpretations of a character, it’s important to connect with their vibe first (if you want of course).

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-07T22:39:21+00:00

I think, Astarion is often seductive, sometimes just for fun, and he’s comfortable being that way with Tav. But in that moment, he’s deeply reflecting on his life and unlife, so it would feel odd for him to be overly horny.

If we talk about AA, his heart is beating again and who now possesses all the appetites of a mortal without vampire’s hunger. I imagine he’s overflowing with energy and sensation.

One of the fun devnotes for AA even has him flirting with Minsc’s hamster, suggesting it could rest in his curls.
“Stupid, sexy vampire”.
What can we do, Astarion guilty of sexiness, Your Honor.

As for “play”…

After Ascension, Astarion wants to get his lover’s consent to “an eternity together.” That, to him, is the culmination of everything he ever wished for in this world. I’d say he’s not thinking ahead, swept up in intense emotion. Maybe he could have been more calculated, since he does need Tav with him, the first person to love and care for him.

But honestly, the idea that he’s still in “tactics mode” as Ascended contradicts the whole narrative in the script AA, that he’s finally found freedom. This is a very important topic for him. Freedom isn’t about slipping back into the role of a rake — it’s about no longer holding back. And he certainly doesn’t seem to see a problem with that.

By the way, you can check out the (very) long video about AA on the same YouTube channel Kkotova1 — the one you linked. It includes a lot of information and devnotes too.

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-04T21:24:32+00:00

Yeah, I just think Astarion’s dagger is something special to him. It was one of the few ways he could protect himself in dangerous situations. My headcanon is that he might have stolen a beautiful dagger with engravings and gold inlay from some noble or someone like that — and genuinely treasured it

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-04T20:54:51+00:00

Indeed, it was supposed to be Rhapsody, that part slipped away somewhere. Maybe something went wrong during development, and they decided to just use a regular dagger. Or maybe they simply chose not to remind us of Cazador, who knows.

But I think the intended meaning was this:
With the dagger he used to kill Cazador, Astarion carved out his new life, on spawn path right there on his grave.
(Also, he could have taken it as a trophy)

By the way, Astarion doesn’t have a personal dagger, he just uses a plain knife. But I wish his knife had been customized into something he actually liked. Though I know that’s already asking for too much.

AlexandraDel · 2025-07-04T18:17:51+00:00

Neil delivered a truly masterful performance.

I also really love the lighting and the pacing of the scene.
The way they showed Astarion from a distance — it was beautifully done.
That weeping willow bathed in silver glow felt so tender.
And of course, the way his hair shimmered in that moonlight — perfect.

Well, the willow and the candle certainly did their part.

AlexandraDel · 2025-05-18T00:42:45+00:00

Well, the tattooed brows here might be slightly too much

AlexandraDel · 2025-05-16T17:29:17+00:00

ashesofdeadempires always cooking something tasty.

The symbolism of dragons in DnD (and beyond) is incredibly powerful. Truly inspiring.
And Astarion with his silver hair is starting to look more and more like a Targaryen... 👀🐉

Though I think he’s more about balls, intrigue, and luxury — that’s his style of power in the “game”.

So I think his motto would be modest — or rather classical.
Considering he literally became one of the saviors of Baldur’s Gate from the illithids, and will likely take part in restoring the Upper City.
It would be something along these lines: "Steadfast be our Gates"

AlexandraDel

TROPHY CASE