#ascendent

🖤When we observe Gemini in the 2nd house, it symbolizes that this couple needs the other to constantly provide verbal reassurance, precisely because they both share this need, it is easy for them to reassure the other. This couple highly prioritizes maintaining constant communication and seeks to keep it free of any atmosphere of tension. One of the things that makes them greatly value this connection is the excellent intellectual chemistry that exists, in addition to deeply admiring each other's intelligence and trusting their judgment, since they provide each other with this feeling of common sense and realism. This position makes both of them generous and very fluid with the other in terms of tangible demonstrations of love, especially gifts. They don't mind using their money on each other, in fact they love spoiling each other with gifts and little surprises making them quite generous. They deeply value taking their sweet time to get to know aspects of each other's personality in order to understand and love them better.

🖤Having Cancer in the 3rd house makes it easy for this couple to verbalize their feelings with the other, the most vulnerable side of their being and feel that the other will not only make them feel protected and loved when they break up, but also seen and taken into account. They have an ease of expressing their emotional needs to others, because they know that they will listen to them and do everything possible to take them into account. Opening up about your past and childhood can be very easy for both of you. They will protect each other's secrets, they will be prudent, considerate and very gentle in their way of speaking. They value honesty, yes, but they will never seek to hurt others for it. They may love doing household activities together and will be curious to know what it is like to live with each other. This position favors a comfortable experience in case you take that step of moving in together. In their communication there could have been that feeling of familiarity from the beginning, which made it easier for them to feel safe about opening up.

🖤Leo in the 4th house tells us that the emotional world of the relationship is tinged with warmth, active and loud displays of affection, and the mix between tenderness and passion. The adoration they have for each other and that frequent way of showing the other that they are your priority gives them a great feeling of emotional security. This couple will never miss the past of what their relationship was, because it will be easy for them to enjoy the present and feel that right now they have everything they need with each other. The fun, expressiveness and attraction between you lasts over time, as well as that particular way in which your hearts beat knowing that you will spend time with each other. This couple can comfort themselves after a difficult day with praise, hugs and trying to make the other see their virtues and abilities in themselves. Being with each other is a source of trust and encouragement in which your insecurities disappear and you immerse yourself in the love that your partner offers you.

🖤In the 5th house, Virgo makes both have a deep devotion and romantic loyalty towards each other, they feel the strong calling to be constant with their partner. Love within the relationship is expressed through acts of service and mutual care. They love to plan together, organize their time together to do things that make them both happy. They are capable of leaving their comfort zone to make their partner feel happy (for example, trying hobbies they never tried or leaving their guarded personality aside to try and be more in touch with their romantic side). Time with their partner will never feel like a waste for either of them. Both see it necessary to constantly work on the romanticism of the relationship so that it is not lost over time, even if it is through subtle or small ways. They are the kind of couples who plan things for a long time for each other, taking care of every detail. This couple does a lot of taking care of each other, cooking for each other, spoiling each other or helping them resolve issues that arise.

🖤Libra being in the 6th house causes this couple to have the ability to romanticize the small moments with each other. For them it is not necessary that it be an anniversary or birthday to cherish the other, fill them with love or gifts, rather this can be something that they do very frequently. They have the ability to make the most mundane moments something loving and beautiful for their partner. They love to fill each other with happiness, to show the other that every day by their side is a blessing, something for which they feel grateful. Dates and small romantic outings are frequent and somewhat classy, ​​opting for outings to restaurants or places that bring back beautiful memories of the relationship. You can include small romantic gestures toward each other in your routine, kisses before going to work, an ‘I love you’ before going to sleep, and an ‘I miss you’ message at midday. All of this is important to this couple because they think their partner deserves to be reminded of how much they love them.

🖤With Scorpio in the 7th house there is a strong devotion between them, a total surrender of body, mind and spirit. From the beginning there was this lethal attraction towards the other, that desire to explore everything about that person who seemed to you the most fascinating mystery. They feel that it is right in the arms of their partner where they belong and where they are safest. This couple stands out for being able to see the truth in each other, no masks on, no sugarcoating, only the rawest and most irresistible truth, which makes them a united, understanding and strong couple. This couple usually shows their love through physical contact [... a lot of physical contact] and, to strengthen their bond, they are always open to talking about their emotions, revealing themselves to each other and allowing themselves to be vulnerable. There are high levels of trust and compatibility between the two, it may be so much that they may think it is the first time they desire and love someone with such intensity.

🖤When we talk about the intimacy of this couple, it is necessary to take a look at Sagittarius in the 8th house. This placement tells us about a fiery, fun and extremely pleasant atmosphere in the bedroom, a desire to explore your partner and mutually succumb to all those desires that awaken the lips, touch and appearance of the other. They want to enjoy their partner's body as much as their energy allows, it's addictive, it feels too good and so natural. They want to know every fantasy, every desire that the other buried deep just to explore the crazy and unbridled sides of the one that drives them mad. They feel like they can't get enough of each other, of their ecstasy and pleasure, they find themselves wanting more and more of each other, getting where no one else has been able to. This also applies in the field of emotional intimacy, there is a strong desire to navigate the depths of the other, to know the sides that not everyone sees, to know who they truly are, what made them who they are.

🖤Having Capricorn in the 9th house tells us about the type of people they are, they are not people who enjoy focusing only on living in the moment, they are looking for something long-term, building something stable for both of them and striving for the relationship to prosper for a long time. They know perfectly well that they want the other to stay to be their life partner for as long as possible. Both love to think and plan for the future, visualizing their partner right where they belong, at their side. They want to create a relationship that has exactly what they both value and want from a relationship, that the other does not feel dissatisfied in any area and that they are always clear that the other will be there to support them no matter the difficulty or tense moments in life. . Both can bring a lot of stability to each other's lives and a more realistic and lasting vision of relationships. They both want to make their partner's wishes a reality, to give each other everything they once thought they wouldn't have in a relationship because of the feeling of ‘dreaming too big’.

🖤The presence of Aquarius in the 10th house tells us that this couple has high ideals and aspirations in the relationship, they want to do many things together, be together in the long term and above all, do things differently, either from how they did it or the examples they have seen in other people. They want this relationship to not be like what they have experienced or seen before. People see a lot of mutual acceptance in this couple, a union full of camaraderie but in which both allow themselves to be independent and do their own thing. Both want the other to go after their goals and support each other in the process, they do not hinder their partner's path, rather they inspire and encourage them. It is possible that many people look up to your relationship and often attract comments of "I want something like that." It can make them feel very comfortable knowing that your partner will always respect your personal time and will not be invasive or controlling.

🖤Having the sign of Pisces in the 11th house shows us that this couple has many shared goals and dreams, likewise, they inspire each other to go after what they dream of or see as distant. They have no problem adapting to the other or giving in sometimes. The couple has a romantic and utopian approach towards their long-term goals, they can fantasize about a future together and it is likely that from the beginning they will visualize themselves together, even before formalizing. There is a strong idealism and a sense that together they can create something magical and meaningful, a precious relationship that makes them feel fulfilled in every way, especially emotionally and spiritually. Both can be a very good influence in each other's lives, making the other appreciate life and motivating each other to improve gradually although on their own, always hand in hand with the other.

Yes, yes, that's the one. Who hasn't encountered this nonsense about “Ascended Astarion becoming the second Cazador” is probably only someone who hasn't played BG3, or has been practicing exceptional online hygiene all this time, staying in a blissfully happy world of pure own perception. For the rest of us, this headcanon about how destroying your enemy and using him as an ingredient for a ritual automatically magically transforms you into an absolute copy of him, has surely gotten sick of it by now.

Complete rebuttal:

And here:

Astarion doesn't follow any of Cazador's “rules”.

Cazador forbade spawns to drink the blood of thinking beings - Astarion gives his blood to Tav (“Don't you worry. You have supped of my blood. It will be no trouble to extend a fragment of my protection to you”). Astarion allows Tav to drink his blood. (“Of course I will, and you'll drink mine. I can't wait to taste your lips after you've tasted me.”) In the game, you can bite Astarion and drink his blood.

Cazador was demanding total submission - Tav doesn't listen to Astarion, refuses to take control of the Brain, and destroys it. Astarion makes plans to take over the city, Tav wants to travel instead - and Astarion happily agrees. (“Then you shall. We'll travel the lands together, tasting everything Faerun has to offer.”)

The spawns could not leave Cazador without orders - Tav could leave Astarion and go with Karlach to Avernus without Astarion's consent. (“I'm not some controlling monster out there”).

Astarion even genuinely sympathizes with Tav, who agreed to willingly give their body to Haarlep and received consequences because of it - the incubus now has power over their body (“I heard that moan. It's the incubus, isn't it? Enjoying your body? Gods, though I've become untouchable, my precious treasure has been violated still. I know what it's like to lose control over your own body. It's a wretched thing.” “I know what's done is done - you made your vow. But I'm sorry all the same.”)

Astarion uses the words “we”, “our” very often, which suggests that he perceives himself and his consort as one, as a real united couple. ("My consort, we are so close to our triumph, I can almost taste it.") Who will say “ours” about triumph, referring to their “property”? “We are sovereigns. My sole endeavour is to make this world yours and mine alone." - again, “we” and “the world for the two of us.” And even first “yours” and only then “mine”. “I wish we could retreat into our palace already, and spend a decade in each other's arms. But first we must manage the trifling matter of the brain. Perhaps it will listen to us. Perhaps it, too, will serve.” And right after the ritual is complete: “I did. We did.”

“It can be ours, my love. The whole world - we only have to take it.” “And as you're my consort, that makes us the most powerful people in the world.” (with special emphasis on the word “us”). “Together, we can do anything. The world is ours for the taking.” “We could be together for eternity, ruling this world side by side. We could have it all.” Because: “I may have power, but it would be nothing without you. You complete me. And together, we are unstoppable. So Heavens help the fool that tries to get in our way.”

Ascended Astarion sincerely, truly loves Tav - and offers an conversion because of love, just to be together forever. Tav-illithid senses the love hormones emanating from Astarion. Astarion wishes to protect Tav. (“Don't worry - if anything happens, I'll protect you.”) Astarion was intimidated and lived in perpetual fear as a spawn of Cazador, and now, after the Ascension, he is no longer afraid, and he seeks to protect the Tav, to make sure they have nothing to fear. “My pretty consort, I don't like to see doubt cast upon your face. Fear not: you are mine.” “You need not fear anything.”

Amellysan's prophecy states that Astarion and Dark Urge will love each other until the end of the world (the same will be true with Tav - “Aeterna amantes. Lovers forever, until the world falls down.” Same for both Tav and DU).

If the player fails a manipulative Persuasion check: “This power will trap you, just like it trapped Cazador,” Astarion responds, “I'm not him, and I will not become him. Please! I can't do this alone.” What is this line of persuasion even based on? What is this “trap”? Where is any factual evidence that Astarion falls into the “trap”? All we know about the ritual are Raphael's words: “If he completes the rite, he will become a new kind of being - the Vampire Ascendant. All the strengths of his vampiric form will be amplified, and alongside them he will enjoy the luxuries of the living. The arousals and appetites of man will return to him, and unlike Astarion, he will have no need of a parasite to protect him from the sun.” Where is the “trap?” Also note that Cazador never managed to get into this “trap”, only dreamed of it - Cazador didn't perform the ritual and we can't say anything about what would have happened to Cazador in that case - simply because it will never happen.

Cazador is a broken, mangled individual, a “trained psychopath,” who has had “rules” hammered into him by years of being on the stake. He wasn't that way from the beginning - he was broken by Vellioth. But he was broken long before the ritual. Astarion isn't broken, he's kept his personality, unlike Cazador, yes, he has trauma, but he's kept himself. Strength of character keeps the trauma from consuming the personality. Astarion is mistrustful, because experience has shown that you can't trust anyone. And yet he has a seemingly paradoxical desire to trust. But not so paradoxical, because he is a strong person. He's not broken, even though he seems that way. Vellioth's second lesson is that power comes from solitude. To share with others is to be weak, and to be weak is to fail ... and die. Astarion breaks this rule completely. Astarion and Tav perform the ritual together, Tav helps him, and Astarion shares his power with Tav. “I'm willing to share all of this with you. What's that if not love?” They are sharing everything and doing it together. “We share a palace, share power, live lives eternal in each other's arms.” Strength is not in loneliness, strength is in unity. A united pair. “A vampire and bride who truly love and trust each other make a team that is exceptionally difficult to defeat!”("Van Richten's Guide to Vampires"). Cazador had no beloved.

Cazador, Vellioth's broken puppet, is a rule-following psychopathic maniac, “fixed” by Vellioth, and he also tried to “fix” Astarion. There are no other Cazador in the game other than the original. Astarion NEVER tries to “fix” Tav, does not try to change them, Astarion loves and accepts Tav as they are, sees only “perfection” in them.

AA:

"You were already perfect before. It's hard to improve."

"You are perfect, every time."

Cazador:

"I strove for perfection in all things – even those as imperfect as you”.

AA:

“Terrifying and brilliant.”

“I'm so lucky I crash-landed next to such an intelligent creature as you.”

“I always knew you could do it. I always knew that together, we could do anything”.

Cazador:

«You are week, my child. You are a small, pathetic little boy who never amounted to anything”.

“I fondly remember your empty boasting, your tired jokes, your endless prattle…”

“Because he is incapable of anything else”.

Cazador also infantilized Astarion to make him a victim. He called him a boy, considered him a child. Doesn't this resemble attempts by some people in the fandom to portray Astarion as an infantile, emotionally immature “elf child” (relying on the age listed on his grave - 39), and themselves as some sort of “life teachers”? Claiming that he was “blinded” at the moment of the ritual, even though the plot makes it obvious that he had been preparing for the ritual long before.

Ascended Astarion is the exact opposite of Cazador. Cazador continues the “cycle of fixing”. Vellioth was able to fix Cazador, breaking him and reshaping his personality. Cazador tried to fix Astarion but couldn't, Astarion proved to be stronger. Astarion never tries to fix Tav. Only fans of the story: “I can fix him” keep doing it to Astarion. UA looks depressed, like he's suppressing his true nature. He has to hide part of his personality in order to be accepted by his lover and other “good” companions. He's been imposed with someone else's view of the world, and he kind of “should be grateful” to them, and do what he did under Cazador - adapt and pretend, “be convenient”. Ascended Astarion says he used to be “pathetic”. Adaptability is his survival mechanism, that's the consequence of his trauma. He doesn't like it, he's disgusted by the necessity of it, it's a survival mechanism, and it's precisely the real reaction to the trauma. Astarion was a nobleman and a magistrate, I wonder how he behaved before, before his conversion to spawn?

It's a pity there's so little info about Vellioth - that is one true psychopath and maniac. His very rules speak to that. Cazador looks like a wannabe, and a pretty weak wannabe compared to Vellioth. “Manic fantasy” and “creativity” (if we can call it that) was Vellioth's alone. Astarion doesn't follow these rules at all, he doesn't want to be in their “system”, he's not maniacal at all. He has cruelty, but his cruelty is an expression of anger, and his inner pain as well. It is not maniacal cruelty. Bloodthirsty and a love of killing, but without cruelty for cruelty's sake. All in all, a classic fantasy trait of vampires. And in the world of Faerûn, where necromancers operate freely - nothing supernatural.

The only “proof” for this headcanon in the game is that Tav can say “Now you're just like Cazador”. How is the possibility of a certain line supposed to convince someone of anything? The game is full of rude lines towards companions, not only Astarion. Does that mean that all companions are accurately described by those rude lines? If you wanted to, you could make a great portrait of each “good” companion using Tav's lines to do so, it would probably come out very funny.

Also presented as an “argument” is Astarion's reaction to these words, full of anger and pain. The line “You're like Cazador” are words suitable for a roleplay of an extremely cruel and emotionless character, these words are aimed at hurting Astarion, nothing more. Astarion is a character with PTSD (PTSD survivors can have very aggressive and even lightning fast reactions to such things, if you tell a soldier, who has experienced torture in captivity, that he is just like the one who tortured him, nothing good will come out of it). Astarion was a victim of terrible violence, he's been a victim for 200 years, I don't think the authors of “cazadoric” headcanons, or anyone in the real world in general, can fully envision that. Astarion reacts more than adequately to cruel, insulting, traitorous words from the one person he has unfortunately only just begun to trust. And this reaction only validates Astarion's feelings for Tav - that he doesn't react like that soldier in the example above, nor does he lash out and attack the one who compared him to his tormentor.

To compare a person, who has gone through such suffering as Astarion, with his tormentor (“You're like Cazador”) - in reality, a narcissist or a psychopath could also say such a thing in order to cause emotional damage to their victim. An abuser would behave very differently and show real cruelty in response to the line, “You're like Cazador.” But Astarion's response is one of anger and hurt, not violence. Just put yourself in Astarion's shoes, imagine that this “You're like Cazador” is addressed to you (knowing that Cazador tortured him for two hundred years, and Astarion hated this creature more than anything else in the world), then you will be able to appreciate this situation in all its colors.

BG3 | Comparing Ascended Astarion to Cazador - Is his anger an overreaction or is it understandable?

But six months later, at a party in the epilogue, Astarion responds to these attacks much more calmly. In the epilogue, in response to Tav's line, “You're like Cazador,” Astarion says: "Try to wound me all you like, but I'm so much better than he ever was." This is the reaction of a strong person, an example of the behavior of a person healing from trauma. Astarion doesn't let Tav hurt himself. And this line also suggests that Astarion understands the motives of Tav, who compares him to Cazador.

I've always been curious, where did this strange interpretation of “Astarion - Cazador 2.0” even come from, how can one person suddenly turn into another in such a magical way? It seems to me, that the premise of the “cycle of abuse” lies in the fanfiction of the non-con genre. The very idea of this “cycle” lends itself perfectly to such stories of suffering and violence. This idea was later hyped and used by “preaching harpies” - “agenda” activists in games, who really wanted an example of a “toxic relationship” and a “white abuser” to shove their “new ethics” into games and “teach” adult RPG players their rules for “healthy relationships”. And they decided to use the image of Astarion for this purpose. One of the propaganda techniques - the method of multiple repetition works in such a way, that there is some “truth” that has no proof, and if it will be repeated without end by many people, then for other people, and people are rarely inclined to double-check information, especially if it is not very important for them, it will be perceived as truth objective, normalizing this idea in the eyes of others.