rocky41_7

In a grim finale to yesterday evening, Tav helped Astarion complete the ascendance ritual only to hear his unhinged monologue afterwards and then side with the Gur to off him.

Really fascinating to see the cycles at play here: knowing how Cazador abused and tortured Astarion, hearing the memories of how Vellioth abused and tortured Cazador...seeing the horror that Cazador wrought on his spawn, seeing Astarion bend Cazador over and carve the ritual symbols into his back (and they do not skimp on that scene, it goes on a while with Cazador screaming as Astarion does to him what he did to Astarion - I wonder if Cazador's screams sound sweet to Astarion?) I can only assume how this moment with Astarion throws Cazador back to being helpless at Vellioth's hands, and it's easy to imagine even at his age how his pursuit of power felt like a pursuit of control over his own life, of freedom from fear...so to hear Astarion claim as soon as the ritual is over that he'll never have to fear anyone again...boy the cycles do cycle.

Interestingly, Lae'zel opposes this course enough to interrupt the cut scene pleading with Astarion not to do it, and after she seems genuinely sad that he succumbed to desire for personal power (which she contrasts with power for the collective). Minthara, predictably, supports Astsrion's ascension, although she has nothing to say afterwards. After killing him with the Gur, she's frustrated we offed a powerful ally. Lae'zel continues to be disappointed, but seems to believe we had to do it. From a monster-hunter perspective, we aced the day by ending with zero vampires.

I heard murmurs online that ascendant Astarion is just as bad if not worse than Cazador and even the brief glimpse I got of him does resonate with that. Makes me wonder who Cazador was before Vellioth got to him. Someday I'll do a Durge playthrough and let Astarion live out his ascendant vampire dreams.

Astarion was inspired by our betrayal.