Also from that cutscene at the bridge, it didn't actually look like the artifact was protecting me, if anything giving me visions or something.
This is exactly why I think you skipped a lot of scenes and deny it, because there is just no way to get that impression. It explicitly tells you the artefact is the only reason you are protected by the absolute's mind control. I get not seeing the "shielded" condition next to your icon, but being completely clueless? No way.
I'm literally playing with someone in chemo who forgets half of everything and skips 50% of scenes and *she* understood the role of the artefact then and there. This game has major pacing issues, but it's literally impossible to genuinely miss this much information.
In fact, the *only* way to come to the absolutely wild conclusion that the artefact gives the player *visions* is to see the figures, skip and behold the artefact suddenly close to the player. This is as good as a direct admission.
There is an argument to be made that allowing a player to skip this scene is idiotic, as is being able to fool the Githyanki and most companion reactivity. Even so, I really can't believe you on the point of the bridge scene being ambiguous. This is more fishy than the Pacific Ocean.
(By the way: Astarion absolutely does acknowledge being attacked and will try to kill you, as will literally any NPC not in your camp. The people in your group don't because it's quite easy to annihalte them through friendly fire. It's a limitation of the engine).
