Yeah I was trying to find another somewhat more oblique way into it, with a slightly different frame there, since I feel like the gothic version is the more familiar. When I'm at the carnival its a bit more classic Lost Boys with the sax playing too, but for the Ascension part, that's just where my brain went with it haha. I don't know maybe it's cause of all the runepowder floating around. I enjoy Hannibal as well, or the other Red Dragon angle, although that's sorta more Durge's turf than Astarion's. It does get pretty tough to just dart past all the cells and hand wave that part of the Ascended build up, but what he don't know on that one I suppose right. I just got a bit more out of it if when I leaned into it. Felt like a much more satisfying resolution. Pretty much like the thread title said, pulled over to the dark side, even without the romance or into jaws of defeat, I still thought it felt like a better outcome for him, so just had to nod haha
