Larian Studios Forums Baldur's Gate III Baldur's Gate III - Story & Character Discussion The romance with Astarion pulls you over to the "dark side".

The question is what should be shown: a) abuse or b) fanfiction
These are different things in my opinion. I'm not that well versed in fanfiction, but as far as I know, fanfiction is the continuation of a story that hasn't been shown in a game/movie/book. For example a romance between 2 people (e.g. enemies) that didn't even happen (e.g. Sephiroth + Cloud = love). Most of the time it's about romance and/or sex. Hence Bear fanfiction. For Astarion there would certainly be a lot of sex fanfiction, but when it comes to BDSM or "abuse" sex fanfiction it would be at least partly consensual, that means it would be mostly like "Tav is into it". But that's not shown here at all, Tav is pissed and doesn't want it.
Even if it really came from the fan fiction corner, Larian messed it up or the fanfiction source would reallly be from a deviant sexual sadist corner (I don't think there's much sex fan fiction here (in comparision to consensual sex fanfiction), where the character is r*ped and abused against their will with pissed-off faces, but who knows who got inspiration from where). Another question: Isn't there any bear fanfiction out there where the human is torn to pieces by the bear during the act? Wouldn't THAT make sense?
And if it was wanted to show “Abuse” and to “teach” people something (the question is what, lol, it didn't work out), it’s also nonsense, because 6 months after release, not storywise, and it triggered people to get PTSD Flashbacks. Congratulations. If that (and not fanfiction) was the intention, they would have had to write a whole new story specifically for it and not implement Tav being suffering during kisses, and beside of that, everything is great. Another question: Shoulnd't there be a "teach" for Zoophilia, sleeping with animals? That's immoral. Tav could be torn to pieces by the bear during the act. Well, why not. (Really, I personally allow everyone the fun with the bear, don't misunderstand)
Really, that's so comical, no idea which of the two was the intention, “teaching” or “deviant sexual sadistic fanfiction”, but they messed it up: Most people aren’t into seeing their own Character being sad, suffering and pissed off in a kiss.

I don't know, not yet, I assume. Well there exists animes, fanfiction and there will always be pedophilia as there is zoophilia and other deviances. I want to add that pedophiles cannot be condemned for their inclinations per se. Only if they act it out in real life is it immoral, and there are pedophiles who are not criminal. It's the same with sexual sadists, who got pleasure in unwilling victims. But in any case, whatever a company wants to have in their game, they shouldn't implement sexual abuse suddenly into a path, where most people are playing, who are not sexual sadists, and get sick seeing this out of the blue. They may create a new path for it, where it's clear, that Tav is suffering or better, the romance partner of Tav is suffering, and sexual sadists (in the case, the company wants to include their fanfiction) and players, who are interested in, can go this path then. The same with pedophilia. Even their Zoophilia is not seen, only for imagination and there is the option to say no and to say, please stay human. (I assume, most people wants to see that scene, because they are curious, and not because they have a paraphilia, but well, whatever)

Alas. It was not my intention to call "her", and I didn't used any names nor said I "her" when referring to artists. I just analyzed the statement and it's just my opinion about art in general. Everyone has their own opinion about art and what an artist is. And that's my personal opinion. What people call "art" for other people may be "trash", and so on. There are and there were many people who are calling or called themselves or being called by others "artists", even massmurderer (painter) I don't say names, because it's not my intention to discredit anyone. But what I want to say is: Everyone has an opinion. And everyone is free to see it otherwise and have another opinion. Trying to teach people is not Art for me. That's it. The well-disposed reader may have another opinion.