While Finishing Up The Piece With The Dragon Spawn I Made Studies To Catch Ascended Astarion Character

While finishing up the piece with the dragon spawn I made studies to catch ascended Astarion character essence ✍️ Here’s one of them:

Astarion the Ascended 🖤

#astarion #baldursgate3 #bg3 #larianstudios

The video of the process is in edit 💪

Ascended Astarion does what Tav wants to do after defeating Netherbrain because he doesn’t love Tav. He doesn’t like that the party is not hosted in the palace and doesn’t want to interact with other companions, but he went to the party with Tav because he doesn’t love Tav. Tav is well fed and wears expensive clothing because he doesn’t love Tav. Tav can be poly with Halsin because Ascended Astarion doesn’t love Tav. He says he missed Tav if Tav missed him in Avernus because he doesn’t love Tav.

THIS RIGHT HERE. ALL OF THIS.

It's wild how people think Ascension is some magic love off-switch that locks him out of ever feeling real love again and makes him see Tav/Durge as simply an object and nothing more.

I know many anti-AA players say that even with these examples given, it's all just a lie. That it's all a smoke screen manipulation to keep his clutches on Tav... and if you want to roleplay that, then that is canon for you and your Tav! That's perfectly okay!

But what AA says to Tav is just as true and untrue as what Spawn Astarion says to them in the spawn ending. Yet no one talks about that.

There is no singular "correct canon" for what happens and everything you said makes that very clear.

Another case of people not understanding what the RP in RPG stands for.

If Lord Astarion decides to make himself a harem, lol. Like an ancient Sultan. Tav will be the chief wife. Rather his lovers will control his smooth brains. He would ride a big elephant, among peacocks. And why should Lord Astarion's personality be dictated by Cazador and his worldview, necessarily? Because Tav has that answer out of 5. Tav's opinion. Although there's literally no way to prove that to anyone in the fandom. Either right and everything is good\er\ (Spawn) - or wrong and everything is only bad (Lord) B&W Astarion will be a terrible-terrible father, according to Neil's headcanon, but no one cares or is "heartbroken" - who does "Dadstarion". (because it's a good thing) But if Lord Astarion loves Tav and just rules Baldur's Gate from the shadows with a faithful wife and ally, that's impossible. (because it's bad). He must be terrible. (sooner or later, it's gonna be bad) u delulu and don't get it, your headcanon - ok.

Love is not dictated by equality. Inequality does not mean disrespect. "Degrade yourself by being with him" - thank you, Astarion knows he's not a fairy tale prince, and binds his love to him like an ancient barbarian. It's a phrase that everyone understands differently. But I don't think Astarion would share his bed, castle and life with someone he despises. Otherwise all women were not loved\ not respected by their husbands throughout the ages - they were not equal and could not leave. But men could go and fight in hell for them - Oh, what Lord Astarion literally does for Karlach - goes to hell with her and fixes the engine while he could drink wine by the fireplace in his castle (he refuses to do that in non-romantic relationships, for example, "swapping silk for rags")

What a dynamic with the Ascended Astarion I'm playing.

What dynamics are at play for Larian marketers

Tired Jokes Astarion, harsh and fun in character.

Disclaimer: I don't separate Astarion "before" and "after" the ritual - Asc it's still him, canonically confirmed. I sure that Astarion's personality is not dictated by anything other than Astarion, himself.

I thought about Neil's Mask-talk - Lord Astarion, and how Astarion had lost some of the fun, which was a "distraction anyway". I agree, that's exactly what I thought and felt. Then I remembered what Cazador said, "your tired jokes". Cazador Szarr: No, you always had a gift for words. Cazador Szarr: I fondly remember your empty boasting, your tired jokes, your endless prattle...

Casador didn't finish, by the way, Astarion interrupted him. Cazador surprisingly let him prattle on. Astarion reacts very sharply - he doesn't like to remember it. He's sick of the way he acted as a slave. (it dawned on me that perhaps "empty boasting" refers to his past before slavery - "always had" "always had" "always had" I don't let myself think about it yet, this game is still being worked on I'm talking about the time of slavery here) I don't think Astarion doesn't like, on the whole, to joke and lie about it. No, he loves it. Just not the way he did when he was a slave. But after all, he was a Magistrate (I'm sure he remembers that until Larian told otherwise) this is a man of power, and he had to be able to be formidable when required. I think he liked to be formidable early on. Narcissus (yes, always), racist (quite), from the Upper City, a Magistrate with power, harsh, given what he said about criminals, merciless. Lord hints at this a bit what a Magistrate he was. When he became Cazador's slave, he couldn't afford to be powerful, not in any way at all. He had to be mindful of his status as a slave. And all he could afford was to joke-prattle around, like a jester. Being a jester is the only way to express yourself without "subordinate status", jokes blurred that Master-slave distinction a bit.

When he became Master, he doesn't need jokes anymore. However, there's still a fun in him by his personality. That's why he's been talking so loudly since gaining Lord status, he was only allowed to jump around like a buffoon before. He wasn't taken seriously. Astarion revels in his voice, which is finally not slavish. The voice of the Lord and I think the voice of the Magistrate. Now having paid the price, he can do what the hell he wants. Speaking of romance that's why: it's time to dominate Tav\Dark Urge. He can allow himself to do that, finally, openly. (Unless of course it's a bdsm-s\d-fanservice dropped from the sky, yes, patch 6?) In my humble opinion, given that his self-esteem has been humiliated for 200 years, someone who obeys him willingly, with trust and respect, will be very precious and loved, but he would clutch a person like a dragon in his clutches.