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fangsandfeels · 6 months

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The vagueness of Astarion sleeping mechanics drives me mad sometimes

So, the game says that elves don't sleep - to the point where it's ironically stated that the only way for them to experience sleeping is to either drink a potion of Angelic Slumber or "get hit really hard with a chair".

Instead, they enter a semi-aware meditative state (Revery) where they experience memories from their past lives (usually most positive and emotional parts). Or they just sorting through their current memories.

Now, we've seen Astarion meditating if his way of lying on a bedroll is anything to go by. He is also immune to sleeping spells. We could also see him sleeping (in a Durge run). I know that devs technically recycle the same sleeping pose for all romanced companions, but still. Also, Astarion has nightmares, which is not typical for elves.

Of course, when I was going through the lore, I scratched the surface, but from what I understood, Revery is supposed to be a controlled state, and nightmares aren't exactly controlled.

But, I've found a very interesting bit that (so far) is still considered part of the official canon:

Elves can sleep and dream just like any human, but almost all surface elves avoid doing so. Dreams, as humans know them, are strange and confusing to elves. Unlike the actual memories of one’s primal soul, present life, or past lives, dreams are uncontrolled products of the subconscious, and perhaps the subconscious minds of those past lives or primal souls as well. An elf who dreams must always wonder whose mind these thoughts first arose from, and why. Priests of Sehanine Moonbow are an exception: they sleep and dream to receive signs from their god, and elves consult such priests to interpret their own dreams."

From: Mordenkainrn's Tome Of Foes, Chapter 2: Elves

And not only does this little bit explain a lot, but it also provides some food for your fic writing purposes.

Now, I'm entering the headcanon territory, so be warned.

Astarion's access to Revery got horribly fucked up after he had been Turned. Not only does he no longer have access to his previous lives since he is technically dead and plucked from the cycle, but he also can't even have his happy or good memories before he became a spawn. Even if they are still there, somewhere in the memory palace, getting to them requires going through the catalog of traumatic and painful memories he acquired after being enslaved by Cazador. It's like running through a burning house trying to rescue your family photo - and the hall gets longer each time. So, entering a trance means confronting the worst memories of his life over and over because there is nothing else there.

Due to this Astarion may resort to sleeping, which elves don't usually do. Elves don't like dreams because dreams are subconscious, and they can't be controlled, which scares them. For Astarion, however, it means there is a chance of him subconsciously dreaming of something nice or just being blissfully empty. However, it doesn't safeguard him from nightmares which (because they are the product of his unconsciousness) get even more twisted than simple memories.

Additionally, there can be a possibility that after becoming a spawn he got cut off from meditation and trances completely, relying on sleeping only: at least, the cut spawn epilogue by Withers mentions how while Astarion needs to sleep again, he doesn't sleep alone. While we don't know what that means exactly (and whether it will ever be implemented in the game), I assume that the tadpole gave him the ability to meditate back, but it was a small improvement because his memory headspace no longer holds happy memories capable of offering solace or refuge.

So, my personal headcanon is that he switches between meditating and sleeping depending on how aware he needs to be, and whatever option feels less torturous at the moment.

For instance, in his Origin run, when he remembers the moment of Cazador carving scars into him, he is in a trance. Which is why the memory is so horribly vivid, as if he is reliving it anew.

However, when he has a nightmare where Cazador finds him, he is sleeping and experiencing a memory affected by his subconsciousness. Which is why he jolts himself awake and desperate to know the limits of his freedom.

So, yes, the man literally can't catch a break.

On a happier note (and for your hurt/comfort fanfiction purposes), once Astarion starts traveling with Tav and the group, his memory bank gets updated with memories that are actually fun and nice, so he has something to linger upon when he is meditating. Sleeping gradually becomes a bit more pleasant experience because his subconsciousness got more material to work with, so the quality of his non-controlled dreams has to gradually improve.

#baldur's gate 3 #bg3 astarion #astarion #astarion brainrot #dnd elves are strange #feel free to correct me if i goofed up #because it's quite likely i goofed up

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y-rhywbeth2 · 5 months

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Assorted thoughts about Astarion's epilogue that I have only seen in video because patch 4 broke my save files and I have to replay the whole thing to get there.

From what I've seen everyone's good endings seem a little... overly good and free of consequence? But at the same time I haven't seen everything with my own eyes and everyone deserves to be happy, so whatever. If I want angst, there's fic.

Sooo... is it that unromanced Astarion disappeared after the scene at the docks and nobody could find him, or did you assholes just not try? I will be generous and assume the former.

Stop stabbing the table you little gremlin. ...although I'd probably enjoy doing that, if I could get away with it.

I still hate that outfit with the ruff.

Not surprised Larian is doubling down on the "no cure" angle. I don't really care if Astarion remains a vampire or if he goes the cure route, so long as he's happy - although I do think in his shoes I'd look for some way to day-walk anyway, on practical grounds alone.

Hiding a knife behind his back while asking an unromanced Durge if they're showing any signs of being under Bhaal's control... I adore a pragmatic bastard.

---"I could've told you that [you can kill people in a socially acceptable manner]" ---"You realise I don't actually pay attention when you talk, right?" ^This is why I both love him with all my soul and also want to push him off a roof.^

Delighted and validated by Astarion feeding by taking jobs as a bounty hunter or something like that. That was 100% what Vel was suggesting to him post game. Like "Hey, have you considered bounty hunting? if my memories of killing people for fun and profit, and the last month or two of everyone suddenly celebrating instead of getting mad when I murder has taught me anything; if you eat the people the majority want dead, you can have all the blood and money you can get your teeth into and nobody will have a problem with it."

And then there's Ascended Astarion... who I will put under a read more to save space and for those who'd like to avoid the uglier side of endings.

So I don't think Larian read the supplement Van RIchten's Guide to Vampires (it's from 1992, but as far as I know it's also still the most comprehensive write up of D&D vampire lore, and some of it still looks to apply here (or at least, it can).)

But the first thing I thought of, watching him constantly turn into a bat, is that it reminded me of the vampire psychological development stages. Stage one is where a vampire is drunk on their shiny new powers and just will not stop showing them off. (Stage two is the "find out" stage of the fuck around process, where the vampire discovers they're not as invincible as they believed and descends into full blown, paranoid monstrosity.)

Then "I will be watching." "I/We need to eavesdrop on everybody."... Oh, the paranoia. How's that thing where the curse of vampirism is twisting the trauma and fear going for you, my dude?

"I'll never forget the time we spent together, though. And I know you'll never forget about me. Until next time, darling." ...might be his expression or the datamined epilogues where he still wants his ex, but that feels like a threat to me? Might just be a jab after being dumped...

And, oh yeah, we're definitely looking at vampire bride/groom tier stuff here: Just sit on the decorative pedestal I built for you and look pretty until I'm in the mood to take you down and play with you. Stop complaining about how you're bored and want freedom!

The PC isn't weak by any measure, they could become a rival.. AA isn't my ending of choice, but I am morbidly fascinated with the concept of Tav and Astarion as toxic vampire divorcees: Two angry, powerful "lovers to enemies" vampire lords "sharing" territory; passing the centuries obsessing over each other; fighting each other; sometimes maybe hate-fucking, and generally making their bad relationship everyone's problem.

#AA isn't my ending (it's an angsty AU “what could've been” for me) but I'd love to put him in a jar and shake it.#more vampire lore babbling; and I thought I'd exorcised it all...#Somebody should probably take the knife off of Astarion but it's not going to be Vel #Who did not learn the lessons he was supposed to over the course of this adventure #bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #astarion #astarion ancunin #...I may regret putting this into the tag system #bg3 spoilers

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whathebeep · 5 months

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The New Durge Epilogue (Spoilers OBVI cause I need to write a different ending for that) (this is super self indulgent but also if it's well received maybe I'll make a fic of it??) Astarion Romance centered!

Explanation of the dark urge route I have in mind under the cut- I'll probably do a true evil one another time but this is more chaotic good so all the companions are there!

More or less this will be based on a good Durge who took Bhaal's blessing and became an undead assassin in order to stop the netherbrain. Did this from the perspective of " We're not strong enough to stop the brain but if I submit myself to the urge and take the power we have a better chance." Sacrifice for the greater good type idea, with the goal of fixing it somehow after the brain is gone.

Six months ago, they disappeared. 6 months ago they had transformed into the slayer as Bhaal's chosen and destroyed the nether brain, goring it with its claws and teeth to ensure the grand design would never come to pass. When everyone regrouped on the docks, those who remained were off to celebrate. But at some point the group realized their bhaalspawn friend was gone, nowhere to be found.

It was easy to tell that the murders in the city were of someone's doing- murders that stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the dead who fell from the ilithid attacks and toppled buildings- but despite those who remained in Baldur's Gate trying to find you, it was to no avail.

And then came a letter in the mail.

All gathered at the original campsite to celebrate- Wyll and Karlach returned from the hells, Astarion from the Underdark. Gale from his prestigious teaching position, Halsin from the now former shadowlands, Shadowheart from her wandering adventures. Lae'zel's projection was there too, as were Minsc and Jaheira, two grand heroes who were more than proud to see the next generation of heroes gathered.

Yet there was still a missing presence at the camp. Friends reminisced about you, others kept silent and masked their sorrows about your missing presence in a bottle of wine. Withers gave his toast and praised everyone for their parts in saving the world and everyone drank to that. Mirth and good tidings were in the air as everyone drank to their victories...it was Astarion who spotted them. He dropped the bottle he had and it shattered on the ground as he stared, and the others turned to look too. The music stopped and all was silent.

Lumbering over the log was you. It was you! Shadowheart called out for you but was stopped short by Halsin, a firm hand on her shoulder.

In your hand you held a blade- one just like Orin's. Dried blood and dirty stained your old camp clothes, and your otherwise cheery bright eyes glowed red. You lumbered forward, white knuckling your dagger.

It wasn't one of your companions who broke the silence, no- it was Withers.

" You're foolish to have brought them here, Bhaal."

The way Durge twitched, it was clear more than ever as they came into the light what had happened. You had been consumed by your urge, a far greater mad dog than Orin had ever been. Orin at least had her wits about her, but you, here and now? All that you were now was a puppet for Bhaal.

Tears seared from Karlach as they singed away the second they fell. " Soldier..."

Withers approached first, if not slowly.

" Here they are amongst friends. Among memories of goodness and mirth. While here they were free from you, free from their birth right as bhaalspawn. Bhaal, you are but a fool for bringing them here. They may have made their choice and sacrificed everything to be your chosen, to be gifted the power to end the netherbrain...but by bringing them here, there is but a chance to save them. Their destiny is not yours to stitch, god of murder...but their own. That much they are owed. I, however, cannot intervene. These comrades, friends, fellow heroes...they can."

It took the strength of the whole group to bring you down - to stop the slayer form you had changed into and force you into bindings strong enough to keep you still.

While recovering and healing from their injuries, the mood throughout the camp was somber. Seeing you like this, a shell of your former self, it hurt. It hurt so many that cared and loved you.

Withers helped keep you restrained and brought you to his workshop while the others discussed options- discussed how to save you from this unforgiving fate. Jaheira, Halsin and even Gale spoke of magical means- how to potentially ask Silvanus to aid you or even find a magical means to remove Bhaal's hold over you. Shadowheart suggested potentially reaching out to Dame Alin and Isobel to see about intervention from Selune.

Wyll comforted Karlach, who was still rather injured and still overwhelmed by what had happened.

Astarion was the one who spoke up that until an answer was found, that you would need to be kept under watch and key, perhaps even by one of them. No jail held by mere guards in any city would be well fortified enough. That's when Withers returned, Scratch by his side.

" I believe our furry friend has found a solution for that." In his hand he raised the astral prism. The very device that imprisoned Orpheus, that housed the Emperor and kept the party safe from the tadpoles in their brains.

" Are you...are you really suggesting we cage them in there until we find an answer?" Astarion asked in disbelief, and he nodded.

"It is the strongest prison we all know of...and we would have the time we need to find an answer." Gale frowned as he spoke up. This situation wasn't to anyone's likings, but it was better than leaving you out and at risk of killing more.

" And what are we to do if there is no saving them?" Jaheira spoke up, arms crossed. " What if we are delaying the inevitable for them? Would it not be best to end their suffering?" She motioned to you on the ground, and Minsc spoke immediately.

" Are they not worth the attempt? Did they not save each and every one of us?" He motioned amongst the group. " Astarion, Minsc is sure they helped you be free of Cazador. And Minsc is sure they saved bear Halsin from a cage! And did they not do everything they could to save our fire hearted friend from burning to crisp?"

Words of agreement rose from the others in the group. " They sacrificed everything...even succumbing to their birthright as Bhaalspawn to save Baldur's Gate- to save the world from the Absolute and the Brain. We will do everything we can to save them, as they had done for us." Halsin spoke to the group, and all were in agreement. Even Karlach spoke up.

" I might not be of much help in the hells, but we'll help as soon as we can. That much I can promise."

"I will come assist as soon as possible. The war against the Lich Queen will be concluded as fast as possible- but if my direct aid is ever needed, do not hesitate to call on me." Lae'zel spoke- even she had showed up as soon as the fighting started.

Wyll agreed with a nod. " They helped save me from my contract and my father...many of us wouldn't have our freedom without them. It's only right we help fight for theirs." With the overall agreement, Withers stepped forward and his hands glowed once more. A light green hue filled the astral prism and then enveloped you, your bound body turning to mist and being sent inside. After a few moments his hands stopped glowing, but the glow of the prism remained- this time a deep red.

" They are healed and bound inside now. They will not be able to leave, but if needed to any of you may travel inside if not to check on their condition. However...one of you must carry the prism with you. I cannot be the keeper of it." Those in the group looked uncertain. Discussions rose amongst the group of what to do, how to proceed- some outright couldn't. Halsin couldn't due to the children- Lae'zel, Wyll and Karlach couldn't - bringing you and potentially losing the prism in another plane would be disastrous.

It was then that Astarion finally spoke again. He had been the closest to you, your nearest and dearest friend and lover. He had been keeping his feelings all under wraps but there was no denying the remorse painted on the vampire's face. He had missed you- he still misses you.

" I will. I'll keep them with me in the Underdark. There's more than enough vampire spawn down there who I trust are strong enough to help guard it- not that I would let it leave my person." Withers nods, handing over the prism to Astarion. The pale vampire stares down at it, running his thumb over the runes on it. He bites back his tears. " We...we should all get some rest and discuss this in the morning. Please."

Everyone turns to their cots that night, and Astarion retreats to his tent to sleep as well- he'll get up with the others, but will need to be mindful of the sun as it rises. The prism is kept close to his chest as he curls up to sleep, tears falling from his face.

They have to save you- they WILL save you, if it's the last thing he ever does.

#bg3 #baldurs gate 3 #baldur's gate 3 #durge #the dark urge #bg3 drabble #durge x astarion #astarion #halsin #karlach #wyll ravengard #gale #jaheira #minsc and boo #Shadowheart

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avelera · 5 months

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I went back to my first truly harrowingly Evil Dark Urge playthrough to grab some screenshots and... got sucked back into playing lol. But the thing is, the most evilest ending has no epilogue and the "reject Bhaal at the last minute instead of at the temple" epilogue is ALSO fascinating and gut-wrenching and harrowing but what I really missed from both runs was getting to see the fruits of her egging everyone on to be their worst possible self, so...

I went back and decided to play it a little differently. I gave Aylin to Ketheric the first time (and then to Larroakan when we defeated him but she was seriously side-eying my evil Durge after, rightfully so, and Durge couldn't leave a powerful threat like that lying around obvs), which sadly loses you Shadowheart so this time I'm going with Dark Justiciar Shadowheart.

I was a little stumped on the RP for it at first, because Zenobia (my Dark Urge) was all about, "Jumping right back into the Dead Three plot from the moment she got even a smidge of memory back," which lent to her siding with Ketheric loyally and basically working with the bad guys at almost every opportunity (except for the very beginning where she was wrong-footed and out of her element so she built up allies by helping the tieflings while she got the lay of the land. She's a big believer in long-term pay off over short-term murderizing. Also, the sadistic pay-off for betrayal is so much greater than that of simply attacking right away.)

But then I decided... heck, let's groundhog day it. Let's go with the time loop or foreknowledge plot, everything I know, my Durge knows now.

Say she had a vision, or was reborn to this moment. She saw all the variations of what's to come. Saw what happens if she sides with her father. Sees what happens if she betrays him at the last moment to destroy the brain, which was a humiliation piled upon humiliation despite her long and faithful years of service.

And she is pissed.

It's starts when she gets chewed out for giving Isobel to Ketheric. She knows she's going to kill the priestess later but for now, this is a valuable tool in showing her trustworthiness to Ketheric, and Bhaal is mad at her?? Because she decided to delay her gratification in pursuit of the larger goal?? And then, then, Bhaal has the audacity to force her to try to kill her friend and former lover, Astarion, as punishment for using her intelligence to pursue the larger goal of the Dead Three plot with some level of cunning and forethought?

She was fucking outraged. Here she's been Bhaal's faithful child, chosen, general, and mortal mastermind for years and her father can't even trust her enough to allow her to exercise the bare minimum of strategy?

And from there, as I see it, Zenobia sees more and more instances of Bhaal just not fucking trusting her with carrying out this plot, which she knows in another lifetime she pulled of spectacularly, but which offered an empty, hollow victory of handing dancing puppets over to Bhaal, ruling in his name instead of her own.

And then, then while confronting Ketheric, Ketheric admits he always planned to betray his allies.

Oh she is seeing red now. Granted, all the Dead Three chosen were planning to betray each other, that's probably a given, except... Gortash wasn't. Gortash was faithful to the end if she was faithful to him. Minthara is faithful to the end. Her companions were.

So it's less that her new chance at life is making her "good" and more that it's showing her the valuable allies she tossed away, the more interesting world she could reside in, in favor of creating a world of mindless murder targets for her equally mindless, idiot father Bhaal. What an imbecile. What an insult that he doesn't give her the barest modicum of trust. What an insult that Ketheric bald-faced tells her that he would throw all of this aside for his own ends, because he's following his own idiot god.

Zenobia is seeing absolute red. Her plan still remains. She will help Gale ascend to godhood and leave the last of his soft-hearted scruples behind. She will help her former lover and friend, perhaps her first true friend, Astarion destroy his master and rise to become a powerful ally. She will deny her lover Minthara the easy win of a kingdom of thralls in favor of the more challenging but satisfying bloody return to the Underdark together. She will aid Shadowheart in becoming a Dark Justiciar. She will tear down each of Lae'zel's gods one by one, from helping to reveal Vlaakith's faithlessness to showing her even Orpheus can become what he despises most, a mindflayer. But now it is not to show them the supremacy of Bhaal but to show them they should cast down all gods. And this time, she will not hold herself separate, no, she will cast Bhaal from her life as well to pursue her own bloody ambitions in a world of true adversaries, not one populated by mindless thralls as he directed her but did not trust her to execute according to her own vision.

#the dark urge #long post #bg3 #rambling my own silly story about my own silly character #i've always had a soft spot for video game fics #where the character is in the time loop that out of game is like when the player starts a new save and knows everyone #and it's the character changing their decisions based on new knowledge #it's a silly conceit but I adore it #it works well for games like BG3 and Mass Effect in particular #like how did you know how this puzzle worked Tav?#don't worry about it guys I got this also don't trust that guy over there #like it's just so satisfying to imagine your character also has seen the other possible lifetimes just as you have #and their companions are watching in fearful confusion and awe

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