I just played through this part of Astarion’s quest last night and danggg, the palace does feel empty doesn’t it! I thought that Astarion was so popular because his questline culminates in a choice between breaking a cycle of generational trauma, versus embracing it and carrying it on to destructive effect. But I feel like that theme was pretty underdeveloped? Like it was there, and you can see it when you talk to the skull of Cazador’s previous master for example, but… it seemed rushed and not developed explicitly enough, to me at least?
It's very rushed. But I think if you relate to his experiences enough, you kinda forget about the palace as you watch him deal with Cazador and what happens after.
I did like the cutscene and everything after the Cazador fight, that was satisfying,
Though how quickly the 7,000 spawn managed to shuffle into the sewers was.... astonishing, I was hoping for one more chance to talk to Sebastian,
and there were small things littered throughout- like the skull of Vellioth I just really expected the level of attention to detail and rich background storytelling I had gotten used to in Acts 1 and 2. I know Act 3 was rushed, and it certainly shows, but I just thought they'd have made Cazador's place a priority given the importance of him to one of your Companions as well as how much they built him up throughout the game. I mean, I'm not saying a Vampire can't be a minimalist, but damn. Not even anything in the super off-limits study of his, and his super secret elevator was just sitting there all primed and convenient. I didn't even need to have a perception check to find a lever or button for it or nothing. It really felt like I just waltzed into this vampire's house whistling, completely unobstructed, on his most important day ever, and just casually strolled my way to this 'hidden from everyone for centuries' shrine or whatever to start the boss fight. Given how paranoid they constantly said vampires are, Cazador's security was worse than a suburban mall's. Between that, the sad amount of twitchy servants, and complete lack of personal items to find I'm starting to headcanon that Cazador might have been going broke and just not telling anyone while he desperately sold off his personal effects to pay this years property tax.
