[ID: A black and white illustration of Wyll from BG3 sitting by a window. He is younger than in the game with longer braided hair and reading a letter in his hand. Out the window is a sketchy view of Baldur's Gate. END ID]
Wyll Week Day 2 : Upper City / Exile
I have a migraine today but I did manage to do this for the guy <3
Something I find. VERY fascinating—like a lot of this is just vibe reads verging on hc but bear with me—
Cazador Szarr is very like...buttoned up? We hear him described as a very powerful monster by Astarion through the whole game and when you finally meet him he's like so PRIM. He's not unhinged or rabid. His body language is very upright and rigid. He's buttoned up to the neck, not a hair out of place. He has an objectively handsome symmetry to his face, but not moreso than any other elves we see in-game really. There is a strange sort of like. Sexless read I get on him that feels intentional—theres none of the classic "Dracula" appeal with him, despite the fact that THATS the role he pushed the spawn into. There's nothing to be drawn to. He's a possessed mannequin. There's nothing left to pick away at or gnaw on until youve killed him.
And so much of the violence described in this quest line is psychosexual in nature, but its orchestral conductor, its engineer, does not wear that nature in his appearance or posture or speech. You almost picture a smarmy Gortash type to be our master vampire, but no. It's a neat and tidy Cazador Szarr. It is fascinating design and writing.
Astarion is still fluent in elvish you guys are just scared of the comedy potential that is having to put absolute faith in ASTARION!!! to be your translator in de-escalation scenarios.
Tavyth and Astarion post-game on a high-stake elfy adventure (Star remembered he used to have a very cool longbow and they are breaking in to his family's estate to steal it) (stay tuned there will be fic)