Actual, canon information:
"Two hundred years ago, Astarion was a corrupt elite of Baldur�s Gate with a taste for power and a hunger for eternal life. It wasn�t long before these desires became a nightmarish reality. "
Baldurs Gate 3
Digital Deluxe Artbook
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He was definitely a magistrate once upon a time.
It's not much, but it's there! Remember this, too. That little drop that's so tempting.
I know: "the rat catcher that became a lord"? Isn't that what it is? During the battle with the brain? It's not clear without context.
Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
Nice theory, and his coming from a non-nobility background might explain why he was so desirous of more for himself.
Fandom now thinks that only 200 years of slavery plays a role in this character's story. Do they? Why?
Did Stephen Rooney write about it? The trauma is just part of his personality.
Maybe that's why there's such hatred for those who choose to ascend.
Because it's not just a circle of abuse.
It's also big line - this line of Astarion's Desire and Ambition. Which started before slavery - it's canon, he wanted power before slavery.
It's much interesting for me to watch a horrible man being tortured for 200 years and going through a difficult moral conflict. And how the flames want the freedom to do anything, more than they used to.
A horrible person - there is no clear definition.
A person is first a baby without a single sin. Why does he become terrible?
Let's see: Astarion sympathizes with Sebastian, the children, but he still hungers for power and thinks about doing the ritual.
It's one thing - Sebastian and the kids.
It's another - two thieves, one holding a knife to a woman's throat and the other taking everything of value in her house. Would you be a bloody monster if you rid the world of their kind? And get some reward from the vampire clan as a little bonus - what's the harm?
Maybe he'd helped slave traders with paper fraud, but hadn't done it himself, hadn't seen it, and was just 'pfft, some criminal thugs-gur was vampire food. Well? Are you gonna kill me now,
darling?" - just a thought.
And if I told that two thieves were cheated out of all their money and their little sister hadn't eaten for two days.
People with power killed the rebels, those who rose up against them and felt: bitterness, nothing, or the pleasure of victory.
Then they would go home to their families and love them so much that they would give their lives for them.
Layered onions. I love it so much.
I would even dare to say that: it's worth taking into account even the cut out\rewritten content and the conflict of the writers (?) and the cut out upper city. To trace the idea and reasoning of the author. And how the story changed, why and what idea remained.
It can be a punishment and a tragedy at the same time. I mean, that's cool!
Should Astarion be punished for such things, the way Cazador was punished? He never forgave him anything.
That's wrong. Or is it?
Should we judge for past actions or only for bad ones?
It's Scales
Astarion had some pretty wacky Scales, I think.
Well, some people kill him immediately and keep him in their pocket until act 3 to see "what happens?"
For me personally, the idea of "200 years of slavery and that's why he's like this" didn't work immediately. I saw that something was hidden here. The actual artbook showed me that. Astarion had ambition. Slavery had an impact, of course. But that's only part of it. One prism of trauma is not what the author intended.
A "new life" after Cazador makes sense, it's really important. His new life has pretty much begun with Act 1. It's not like Astarion is a big, evil vampire blob (Ascended by the way not blob too as I think). He doesn't mind being nice, but he sees power as freedom, he wants it. And in general, he enjoy power too, to influence someone's mind - he likes it. He has morals and a conscience. He understands that, he just chooses the easier path, and if it's let him be evil, so be it!
Maybe after his sins, he doesn't deserve power? Or maybe he doesn't deserve the full freedom because there is a seed of evil in his mind. Or not? (I'm 100% convinced by his charms, so long eternity to the King)
For me, this backstory will serve Astarion well, so it will shine even brighter. I'd read every line about his past. If he's terrible, bring it on. (that wine, get moOooOre)
It's Stephen Rooney and Larian's decision. And I hope nothing affects their decision.
