The Pale Elf: Difference between revisions

Astarion (X:174, Y:287) can be recruited immediately after the [[Prologue]] by moving northwest of the [[Nautiloid]] wreckage to the [[Ravaged Beach]]. Astarion is by the cliffs and shouts out to the party for help as they approach. He states that one of the "brain things" is nearby and he needs help killing it. The party can either agree to help him, to which they'll realize it was just a boar, or turn away and tell him he seems strong enough to handle himself. Either way - Astarion pulls a knife on the player. If a Perception check is failed, then Astarion sneaks behind the player and pulls them to the ground, holding a knife to them. If the Perception check is passed, then he simply holds the knife out in a defensive stance.  

During a Long Rest at camp, the player can notice Astarion can slinking off somewhere in the night, though is unable to question him on this. After this event occurs, a boar drained of blood appears before the bridge to the [[Blighted Village]]. With a Medicine check (DC 10), the party can learn it has two puncture wounds in its neck. If Astarion is in the party, he can be Persuaded or Intimidated (DC 10) into revealing that it seems to have been drained of blood by a vampire. Astarion apparently didn't want to say anything as he didn't want to frighten the party.

There are two ways that the party can learn about Astarion's condition. The first is a scene at Long Rest where the player awakens to Astarion crouching over them. He comes clean that he's a vampire spawn who is weak from hunger, and asks the player if he could drink some of their blood. The player can either hear him out, or drive a stake through his chest. If the player hears him out, they can either agree to let him drink their blood or tell him to go elsewhere. If they agree to it, Astarion has to either be Persuaded (DC 5) or shoved off with a Strength check (DC 7) to get him to stop. Letting him drink a little more instead requires a more difficult Persuasion check (DC 15). If this check is failed, the player dies and must be resurrected. Astarion pretends not to know what happened, but can be confronted by the player after the fact.

If the player has high approval with Astarion, a scene occurs at camp during a Long Rest. Both romanced and unromanced players can witness this scene, although romanced players can see this as early as [[Act One]], while it triggers in [[Act Two]] for unromanced players. Astarion is shirtless and tracing his fingers against his back, while holding a mirror. The player can ask him what he's doing, to which he can be coaxed to explain that he's trying to figure out what the words on his back mean. With an Arcana check (DC 10), the player can attempt to decipher the runes and ascertain that they are Infernal in nature. Characters who can understand Infernal, such as tieflings, can read the sigils as a bunch of jumbled Infernal legalese that's part of a contract.

The second place that Astarion can trigger a deal is the entrance to the [[Grand Mausoleum]] (X:-191, Y:112). Raphael appears to warn the party of a threat within the depths of the Mausoleum, an old enemy of his, as part of [[Kill Raphael's Old Enemy]]. Regardless of if Astarion has told the party or not about his scars, he asks Raphael if he can decipher them. Raphael agrees, but only if the party slays the beast he was speaking about. If the party calls him out about keeping secrets, then Raphael reveals his own surprise at Astarion "keeping his clothes on" for so long and magically takes them off so that the party can see the scars in question.

The enemy in question is an orthon named [[Yurgir]], who is trapped deep within the [[Gauntlet of Shar]] located under the Mausoleum. If Astarion is in the party, then he disapproves of anything other than immediately killing Yurgir, even if the player plans to trick Yurgir into killing himself. Additionally, if the party attempts to help Yurgir as part of [[Break Yurgir's Contract]], Astarion becomes upset that they haven't killed him and questions the player. If the player breaks Yurgir's contract instead of killing him, Astarion is furious and asks why he should remain in the party at all. He requires either a Persuasion or Deception Check (DC 14) to remain in the party.

Two of Cazador's spawn, [[Petras]] and [[Dalyria]], can be found chatting about the Black Mass in [[Fraygo's Flophouse]] on the upper floor (X:-21, Y:76). Astarion immediately threatens them for information, but can be persuaded to hold back. Unfortunately, the spawn know little, beyond that preparations for the Black Mass are well underway. It's also clear that the spawn believe they too will become ascended if the ritual is successful.

There is a [[Gur Camp]] in [[Rivington]] (X:102, Y:-12), lead by [[Ulma]]. Ulma tells the party that Astarion has done immense damage to her tribe and even stolen their children. She wishes to have them back, or at least revenge taken if the children are already dead. If Astarion is in the party, he can be told that it's the least he can do to get vengeance for the Gur, which he will agree to. Ulma states that the Gur have tried and failed to infiltrate [[Cazador's Palace]], but that a spawn could do it.

Cazador's Palace can be accessed via the Central Watch Tower (X:-53, Y:-64), near the Lower City Central Wall Waypoint, by climbing up the stairs. There are a number of charmed guards who try to stop the party, but can be persuaded or intimidated into standing down. Follow the way north to get to the door to Cazador's Palace. Once inside, the palace will be surprisingly empty of vampires, but holds a conspicuously large ballroom door that is locked. The way forward is by getting into that ballroom.

Speaking to [[Vilhelm]], he can be persuaded or deceived into revealing that Godey has the signet ring that can unlock the door. Godey is in the kennels in the lower floor. Godey is waiting in ambush (X:-1289, Y:982), but a perception check reveals him and he can be called out. If Astarion is in the party, Godey asks what he has brought him:

A note upstairs on the Chamberlain's desk (X:-1243, Y:976) suggests that one of the spawn has misplaced the dictionary used to decipher the passphrases. The dictionary is downstairs in a room full of necrotic magic (X:-1299, Y:967). A cursed corpse gives the life drain status to anyone who walks in, but it can be ended using [[Remove Curse]], or simply flying past it. The dictionary is in a mahogany wardrobe to the east of the bed (X:-1291, Y:957). Reading the book gives the phrase to enter the ballroom.

Within Cazador's dungeon is the [[Pelorsun Blade]]. It can be found by using [[Misty Step]] or [[Fly]] to jump down the hallway to the northwest of the elevator. The Pelorsun Blade is in the room to the east, in a rosewood casket (X:-1927, Y:851). There is a button in the room to the west (X:-1964, Y:842) that will summon a lantern, which can be used as an elevator to get the rest of the team down. Or, there is a door in the room that connects to the [[Lower City Sewers]] - Gloomy Ascent. This weapon deals radiant damage, which is highly effective against Cazador.