What i dont like about Astarion is that he is just way to much of a pansy. The way he speaks, his body language, his personality are all just so of putting its not funny.
I feel like there's a very obvious reason for the way this was worded...
I for one adore Astarion, he's a sweetie, he's funny, and he's jaded to the world as a result of being a literal slave for 200 years. He has a taste of freedom and wants more, so yes he's selfish. Of all the companions so far he's the only one I would say actually *deserves* to be selfish. He doesn't care about the 'little people' because until he was captured by mindflayers he WAS one of the little people, and no one cared about him. I like the idea of softening him over time, giving him security and nurturing him, because he deserves it.
