Astarion: Difference between revisions

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(Previous description was an apt summary of the evident, stated-in-the-game themes of Astarion's story and how it can change him as a person, especially in the personality section. Also removed speculation.)
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== Personality ==
== Personality ==
Astarion has the demeanour of a charming and confident nobleman with a biting wit. He enjoys making sarcastic remarks and japes at other people's expense, all the while acting smug and haughty. His decades of being a vampire have left him with a lack of moral scruples compared to the more upstanding members of the party, making him come off as ruthless at best or outright sadistic at worst. While he does attempt to suck the player’s blood non-consensually during one of the first long rests after recruiting him, he does respect the player’s decision regardless of whether it is to allow him to drink or forbid him from drinking their blood. This may be related to his initial desire to sleep with the player as a form of protection—that he respects the player’s boundaries as a form of self-preservation.
Astarion has the demeanour of a charming and confident nobleman with a biting wit. He enjoys making sarcastic remarks and japes at other people's expense, all the while acting smug and haughty. His decades of being a vampire have left him with a lack of moral scruples compared to the more upstanding members of the party, making him come off as ruthless at best or outright sadistic at worst. While he does attempt to suck the player’s blood non-consensually during one of the first long rests after recruiting him, he does respect the player’s decision regardless of whether it is to allow him to drink or forbid him from drinking their blood.


At the beginning of the game's story, Astarion has recently escaped his abuser and discovered that sunlight no longer hurts him. As such, he comes off as reckless and hedonistic at times, wishing to enjoy his newfound freedom as much as possible. He shares this outlook with fellow party member [[Karlach]]. Once it is discovered that his immunity to sunlight is due to the [[Tadpole]], Astarion is less excited than the rest of the party at the prospect of destroying the tadpoles, instead wishing to find a way to wield their power instead.  
At the beginning of the game's story, Astarion has recently escaped his abuser and discovered that sunlight no longer hurts him. As such, he comes off as reckless and hedonistic at times, wishing to enjoy his newfound freedom as much as possible. He shares this outlook with fellow party member [[Karlach]]. Once it is discovered that his immunity to sunlight is due to the [[Tadpole]], Astarion is less excited than the rest of the party at the prospect of destroying the tadpoles, instead wishing to find a way to wield their power instead.  


Tragically, his demeanour belies the trauma of decades of abuse. Astarion's sire, the vampire lord [[Cazador]], performed horrifically depraved acts on Astarion that left both physical and psychological scars. He is utterly ruthless in his pursuit of revenge on Cazador and is not afraid to commit acts of cruelty or deception in the pursuit of that quest, being one of the few party members enthusiastic about making a pact with [[Raphael]]. The crux of his [[The Pale Elf|personal quest]] is whether Astarion will steal the power of the Vampire Ascendent for himself, making him the most powerful vampire to ever live, or sacrifice it all in order to set free the 7,000 souls Cazador bound to Mephistopheles.
Tragically, his demeanour belies the trauma of decades of abuse. Astarion's sire, the vampire lord [[Cazador]], performed horrifically depraved acts on Astarion that left both physical and psychological scars. He is utterly ruthless in his pursuit of revenge on Cazador and is not afraid to commit acts of cruelty or deception in the pursuit of that quest, being one of the few party members enthusiastic about making a pact with [[Raphael]]. The crux of his [[The Pale Elf|personal quest]] is whether Astarion will become as cruel and monstrous as Cazador, or if the player can convince him to ultimately become a better person than his abuser.  


== Gameplay ==
== Gameplay ==