Astarion: Difference between revisions

However, while out in a city tavern seducing a young noble to bring back to Cazador, Astarion was abducted by the rogue [[Nautiloid]] and was tadpoled alongside other victims.

Astarion begins the story in Act One on the ravaged beach by the crashed nautiloid, where he beckons the player character over to assist him in fighting an [[Intellect Devourer]] that is in the bushes. It however becomes apparent that there is no intellect devourer, just a [[Boar]]. And depending on the player character's perception, Astarion will either pull a knife on the player or tackle them down to the ground with the knife at their throat while they are distracted, believing that the player character was in league with the mind flayers on the ship as he saw them walking freely and speaking with the mind flayers while he was tadpoled and trapped in a pod. Astarion will demand answers about what happened on the ship from the player character, who can explain the reality of the situation to him, and Astarion will then back off, apologize for the interaction, and introduce himself. It is after this where he can be recruited as a party member and his companion quest, {{Quest|The Pale Elf}}, is added to the journal.

In the [[Sunlit Wetlands]] (or [[Putrid Bog]],) the party can encounter a Gur monster hunter named {{CharLink|Gandrel}}. If it has been revealed that Astarion is a vampire already, Gandrel will explain that he is looking for a vampire spawn named Astarion on behalf of his tribe, which will make Astarion visibly paranoid. He will argue with Gandrel and insult him, and will want to kill him in an act of self-preservation. The player can either let Astarion reveal himself and attack Gandrel or encourage Astarion to let it go, leaving Gandrel alive. If it has not been revealed to the party that Astarion is a vampire, Gandrel will not mention Astarion by name and will instead simply say he is looking for a vampire spawn. Astarion may kill Gandrel unprompted in this scenario if he is not talked down while agitated. The player character can also turn Astarion in to Gandrel, which will result in him leaving the party permanently.  

In Act Two, Astarion will begin to ponder the meaning of the markings carved into his back by Cazador long ago. If his approval with the player character is high enough or if he is romanced, he will reveal the scars to them and the player character can possibly identify them as Infernal markings. If the player character does not identify them, Astarion will eventually come to the conclusion on his own that the scars are written in Infernal by feeling them. Either way, he will say that he wants to discuss the subject with {{CharLink|Raphael}}, as he believes he would be able to explain the scars to him.

On the road to Baldur's Gate, Astarion will ponder his options that he has after arriving in the city. He will tell the player character that if they are to find Cazador, they should try and find his "siblings, aka Cazador's other vampiric spawn. He states that they will likely be found in the taverns and flophouses of the city, looking for prey for Cazador as per their orders. Astarion will also speculate about his ability to possibly usurp the rite of profane ascension, so that he may gain the power from the ritual instead of Cazador.  

In [[Rivington]], Astarion and the party may encounter {{CharLink|Ulma}} and the other members of the local Gur tribe. Ulma will recognize Astarion and reveal him as one of the vampire spawn who stole their children away in the night under Cazador's orders. She will offer Astarion a chance at redemption, asking him to help save their children from Cazador's clutches and bring them back home. If Astarion and the party agree to help, this will open the quest {{Quest|Investigate Cazador's Palace}}. If Astarion and the party refuse to help, Ulma and the other members of the Gur tribe will become hostile.

=== Endings ===

If he was given to the [[Gur]] in Act One ''or'' the party failed to free him during the Cazador fight, Astarion is transformed into a [[zombie]] with red skin, exposed bones, and all of his defining physical traits gone. Carrying Zombie Astarion back to camp and casting {{SAI|Revivify}} on him turns him into a [[Camp followers|camp follower]] with the same tent and idle animations as his living self; however, he cannot be talked to or re-recruited, and he will not appear in the [[Epilogue]].

If the party stopped the ritual peacefully by persuading him to be better than Cazador or by euthanizing his trapped "siblings" during the battle, Astarion's sunlight vulnerability spontaneously returns to him a few minutes after defeating the Netherbrain, ending the hope that his immunity from the tadpole might be permanent. After quickly saying goodbye he is forced to run away and find shade as another companion calls out to him, but the narrator reassures the player character that he will be safe. Back to a normal vampire spawn, Astarion continues adventuring on his own as a nighttime assassin but a heroic one who only kills "the right people" that deserve it. Instead of grieving over his inability to be in the sun, he develops a renewed sense of self, accepting the dark as a part of him and being driven by his newfound inspiration of hope rather than fear.

Astarion can also become a vampire spawn leader alone and without the player character, though this requires the player character to suggest that they find the spawn in the Underdark but then break up shortly after. Astarion then goes to the Underdark alone and acts as a leader for the vampire spawn.

If the party allowed Astarion to complete the ritual, Astarion takes over the [[Szarr Palace]] as his own and becomes an ascended vampire lord, rising in status and power in Baldur's Gate. When spoken to at the Reunion Party, Astarion brags about his rising status as the city's "puppet-master" and generally looks down upon the player character. He can be challenged on his new behavior and compared to Cazador, but Astarion brushes off these callouts.