@AnnaMyrk I saw your post, I just didn't really agree with your arguments for it, unfortunately. Also, bringing up what Adam Smith said was mostly meant for Marielle, but I also found it important because earlier on this thread his words were being used as definitive proof for the opposite side of the argument- so I thought, if one of his opinions go as authority as to what's "true", then all do (which I don't really share, people should be allowed to disagree- which is why I don't like writer statements being used as a complete authority.) I'd also argue that fear is a big, big underlying theme for all of AA and what has gotten him up to that point, but I don't think an analysis on it would be interesting to anyone on this thread.
I also have to add, regarding Tav's possible "bride ritual status", that it doesn't seem intended by the writers- the game's script refers to them as a Spawn in flags and the descriptions for them, and says the reason Astarion laughs at the Elfsong Tavern scene is because he knows they can't leave (Says, "Genuine laugh. The player can't get away from him, not even if they wanted to"), and the flag it sets is "DeniedPlayerBreakup" with a description of "Denied the player the ability to break up with him" . That's the one show of compelling- Tav can want to break up, and yet they're still together 6 months later. The player had no agency in that, which suggests something else going on. I'd argue that, for this reason, definitely saying "it's a fact Tav isn't a spawn" isn't quite correct. I won't say the opposite is the case- that "it's a fact Tav is a spawn", but there are different schools of how to read the text that'd differ in how to take this at face value, especially when you take into account a few limitations BG3 has that doesn't affect other more classic texts like books.
EDIT: Ah, I've also remembered another interaction at the Elfsong- you can ask him "And you promise me you'll make me a full vampire soon?" and he will reply "My darling, of course! I want nothing more." with the devnote specifying "Overly sincere. He doesn't really mean it."
