Astarion: Difference between revisions

Later on, in [[Fraygo's Flophouse]], Astarion will encounter two of his "siblings, {{CharLink|Dalyria}} and {{CharLink|Petras}}. They vanish if someone is wielding the [[Blood of Lathander]]. Otherwise, they are discussing Cazador's ritual, believing that it will set all of them free. Astarion will interrupt them and call them foolish for believing Cazador's lies, and he will demand to know where the ritual is occurring. Dalyria and Petras will then reveal that the ritual is happening in a secret defiled chapel underneath Cazador's Palace in the [[Upper City]] before returning back to Cazador. Astarion will then continue to ponder if he can usurp the ritual for himself.

Upon reaching the [[Lower City]], some of Astarion's other "siblings," {{CharLink|Leon}}, {{CharLink|Aurelia}}, {{CharLink|Violet}}, and {{CharLink|Yousen}}, will come to the party's camp in the night to try and capture Astarion. Astarion will attempt to sway them to his side, lying to them and saying that if he controls the ritual, they can all name him their new master and they will be set free. The player character can intervene and reveal the truth, but either way, Cazador's compulsion takes control of the spawn and they will become hostile. If Astarion is downed in combat, he will be taken to Cazador's Palace and will need to be rescued. But if the spawn are defeated, Astarion will remain with the party and will emphasize the need to find Cazador.

After finding and entering Cazador's Palace through a side entrance protected by charmed guards, Astarion finds out that the ritual is already underway, and he presumes that the way to the ritual will be through the ballroom. However, the ballroom is sealed by an [[Arcane Lock (Condition)]] spell that will only open if a key is inserted and a set of words are spoken to it. Astarion then concludes that {{CharLink|Godey}}, one of Cazador's servants, has the key, and he suggests that the party finds him along with something that will help the party discover the passphrase. After obtaining the {{MdRarityItem|Szarr Family Ring}} from Godey and the {{MdRarityItem|Kozakuran Dictionary}} from one of Cazador's guest rooms, Astarion and the party can proceed into the ballroom where they encounter a multitude of [[Werewolf|lycanthropes]], [[Wolf|wolves]], [[Bat|bats]], and [[Rat|rats]]. The creatures wish to turn Astarion into Cazador to gain favor with him and will become hostile. After defeating them, Astarion and the party can proceed to Cazador's study, where nearby they will find a lift.

Once Astarion and the party take the lift, it will descend into [[Cazador's Dungeon]], which was kept secret from all in the palace, including Astarion. It is in the dungeon that Astarion and the party will encounter a large number of people being held in prison cells. One of the prisoners, a man named {{CharLink|Sebastian}}, will recognize Astarion and speak up. He will say that he remembers Astarion luring him back to the palace, where he was then turned into a vampire spawn by Cazador alongside many others in the cells. In another cell, {{CharLink|Chessa}}, one of the Gur children, will also recognize Astarion and speak of how Astarion and the other spawn kidnapped them from their camp and brought them to the palace where Cazador turned them to spawn. Astarion will then recall that the people in the cells are his previous victims that he brought to Cazador, either through lure or capture, but he thought they were long dead as Cazador told them he was feeding on those they brought back. It is after meeting the people in the cells and seeing how they are marked with the same Infernal runes as himself that Astarion realizes that Cazador intends to sacrifice not just him and his siblings, but the 7,000 souls they brought back to him under his command. Astarion starts to understand the true scope of the Rite of Profane Ascension and begins to struggle with his previous plans of trying to usurp the ritual.

After leaving the main part of the dungeon, Astarion and the party will confront Cazador in his lair where the ritual is being prepared. Cazador will gain control of Astarion through blood magic during the confrontation and force him into the ritual, and combat will begin. If Astarion is not rescued, Cazador will ascend and Astarion will be killed. But if Astarion is saved from the ritual, he will join combat.  

When Cazador is eventually defeated and attempts to retreat to his sarcophagus to regenerate, Astarion will rip him away from it and confront him once and for all. It is here that the player character must either choose to talk Astarion down from usurping the Rite of Profane Ascension or choose to assist him in completing the Rite of Profane Ascension for himself. Either choice and its outcome will complete {{Quest|The Pale Elf}}.