You level to two in about 15 minutes and three in maybe 45 minutes without rushing it.
Astarion is centuries old.
I do wish the mechanics would support the narrative a bit better. It would be enough to offer a small prologue adventure just for the main PC to level to 3. And when you meet the companions they are lvl 3+, except for Astarion who you could meet later in Baldur's Gate where he'd be level 5+.
Everyone shouldn't always be exactly the same level either. Have room for some dynamics.
