Cazador Szarr

Overview

Combat

Cazador Szarr is a vampire in Baldur's Gate 3 and Astarion's former master. He is the primary antagonist of Astarion's personal quest, The Pale Elf.

“

First, thou shalt 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.

Four, thou shalt know that thou art mine.

„

— Cazador Szarr's four rules he enforces upon his vampire spawn, including Astarion

Overview

History

Cazador became a Vampire Lord in the year 1276, claiming the position of master vampire of Baldur's Gate from Vellioth the Martinet.

Involvement

Act One

While not making an appearance within Act One or Act Two, Cazador's influence is still felt. If Astarion is chosen as player character, they can encounter a dream sequence involving Cazador, where he recites four rules he enforces amongst his spawn. Astarion as a companion may also show the party the scars on his back, which is revealed to be part of an Infernal Pact. What this pact entails is unknown, but he assumes it is extremely important to Cazador.

Act Two

While still not appearing in Act Two, Astarion can decipher the meaning of the pact with the help of Raphael. His scars are part of a ritual imparted to Cazador by Mephistopheles. When performed, the recipient of the ritual becomes  Vampire Ascendant, a creature that retains all the power of a Vampire, but none of the weaknesses, including their weakness to sunlight and thirst for blood.

Act Three

Once in Baldur's Gate, the party can hunt down Cazador at Cazador's Palace. He is eventually found in his Dungeon, revealing that the ritual required not just the seven Vampire Spawn he sired, but also thousands of others. The "meals" Astarion brought Cazador were not for him to feed on, but rather prepared and turned into spawn for use in his ritual. Upon encountering Cazador, he will reclaim Astarion, and begin his attempt to use him for the ritual. Should the party free Astarion, and defeat Cazador, Astarion readies himself to take over the ritual, and absorb the power for himself - only for Cazador to reveal that if he were to continue the ritual himself, he would simply be consumed for it, as he has the marks of the pact on his back, and the ritual will still take his soul as a result, as it requires an exact amount of souls. The party must then make an important choice.

The Black Mass Ritual

Let Astarion finish the Ritual

Should the party allow Astarion to finish the ritual, he will connect to the player character's parasite, and copy the scars on his back onto Cazador's own flesh, therefore fulfilling the requirements for the ritual, while allowing himself to remain alive. Astarion will then consume Cazador's, and all of the thousands of Vampire Spawns' essence to successfully become the Vampire Ascendant.

Convince Astarion to kill Cazador and stop the Ritual

If the party succeeds on a Persuasion or Insight check, Astarion will choose not continue the ritual for himself, and instead stab Cazador to death, falling to his knees, and sobbing, finally free from Cazador's tyranny. If even one of the vampire spawn died during the fight, the Vampire Ascendent ritual cannot be conducted and Astarion will default to this option.

Refuse to help Astarion

If the party outright refuses to help Astarion without convincing him, or fails the skill checks above and still refuses to help him, Astarion will kill Cazador in the same sequence as above. But he will then destroy Cazador's Woe, leaving the Vampire Spawn to rot. After this, he will permanently leave the party, stating that he hopes they "die screaming."

Kill Cazador without Astarion in the party

The player character can stab Cazador while he is in his coffin if Astarion was not brought to the fight. Mentioning this to Astarion afterwards will infuriate him, and he will permanently leave the party unless the party convinces him not to do so.

Interrupt the ritual

The party can choose to interrupt Astarion partway through the ritual. If they do so, the player character will throw Cazador's Rhapsody at him, killing Cazador and making the ritual impossible to complete. Astarion will then destroy Cazador's staff and attack the party, forcing the party to kill him.

Break the ritual

Killing one or more of the sacrificial vampire spawn during the fight with Cazador will result in Astarion killing Cazador and staying with the party without complaint (even if he is in the fight and witnesses a vampire spawn dying). Astarion's remaining siblings will flee the scene, skipping their normal cutscene. Several NPCs, including the Gur party, will react as if Astarion voluntarily forfeited the ritual.

No matter which choice the party decides on, Cazador ultimately dies.

Combat

Main article: Cazador Szarr/Combat

Related literature

• Dawsen Kiltmaker's Confession
• Eternal Cruelty
• Favoured Spawn Ledger
• Ledger: Blood Donors
• Leon's Diary
• Letter to Mrel Alkam
• Meditations of a Vampire Lord
• Party Planner
• Power Structure of Baldur's Gate

Related quests

•  Investigate Cazador's Palace
•  The Pale Elf

Gallery

• 

  Cazador's model

• 

  Cazador's model during Early Access

• 

  Cazador's concept art

• 

  Cazador during the ritual

• 

  Character art by Edward Vanderghote

Notes

• During the Early Access, Cazador appeared with a beard. This is no longer the case, as Elves are unable to use Facial Hair options.
• The Release version of Cazador slightly resembles another unrelated vampire from Dungeons & Dragons - Strahd von Zarovich.

External Links

• Cazador Szarr on the Forgotten Realms Wiki