One of my favorite things about Astarionās story is that there is absolutely no push for Astarion to forgive or understand his abuser.Ā
Itās true that we get a small glimpse into Cazadorās past, where we learn that he was once a victim in the centuries-old cycle of vampirism and abuse, but thatās all. It serves its purpose as showing that vampirism is a trap and warning of what can happen to Astarion if he goes through with the ritual, but does not excuse Cazadorās actions or go out of the way to make us feel sorry for him. The player may feel some sympathy for Cazador or they may not. None of the companions express any sympathy for him, Astarion doesnāt waver in his resolve to destroy Cazador despite learning of his past, and there are no options from the player to push any understanding or forgiveness on him.
Honestly, I find this refreshing. Getting a little personal here, but experiencing generational trauma both in my family and with my partnerās own horribly abusive dad, weāve been told āoh, they didnāt know any betterā, āthey were abused tooā, āyou have to forgive themā, etc., more times than I can count, but the fact remains that even though our āCazadorsā were victims, theyāve moved on to causing pain themselves and have shown no genuine remorse. The game accurately shows that there is a point where a victim becomes a perpetrator and can become beyond redemption. I love that Astarionās end of breaking the cycle does not include him forgiving or feeling sorry for Cazador, but with catharsis and closure that many survivors donāt get in real life.
Iāll end this little ramble with a screenshot from an interview with Neil in which I appreciate his take on this topic. Link to full interview here (try to overlook the typos in Astarion's name, lol).Ā And with a GIF of one of my favorite moments in any media, ever.
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āDecades of hatred will have piled up inside of them. I canāt even begin to imagine" , Astarion says about the spawns in the cells.
And what I find interesting about it, is that this line perfectly encapsulates all his denial in this very moment.
He says it as if he wasnāt like them, as if he didnāt have decades of hatred inside of him. He canāt even begin to imagine how it feels? But, in truth, we know, by this point, that not only he can imagine, but that he feels exactly the same!
As I already explained here, he distances himself from the other spawns; as he did several times before.
He pretends they are not like him. He doesn't want to remember that he used to be just like them, and not so long ago: like his siblings, he wants to see them as if they were nothing, and he can't be as "pathetic" as them... right?"
Itās too hard for him to look at his past and to accept that he wasnāt so different from them. And itās understandable.
There's another layer of shame here, and it's guilt. Because he was the tool who brought them here, whether he wanted it or not, he's involved in their damnation.
Wouldn't it be easier to make them disappear and pretend they never existed? So that he never has to look at his own shame again, shame of being like them, shame of being the one who doomed them.
Besides, Astarion also widens the gap between himself and the other spawns because heās lured by the temptation of the ritual, and he knows theyāll be sacrificed if he ascends; so heās desperate to find any excuse to justify their sacrifices, desperate to numb his guilt by pretending they are hopeless. As if saying: "We can't do anything for them, better make use of them through their destruction".
Itās easier to pretend theyāre below him ā nothing like him. To pretend there is nothing to expect from them, while he should be at the top. He needs to believe they have nothing in common to make their sacrifice easier to deal with.
But heās a victim too. He used to be one of the āwretchās servantsā too for decades, and hatred fuels him too, just like it fuels them. As feral, as dangerous, as yearning for revenge.
And it blinds him: his fears, his guilt, his deep need to feel safe. The so called safety of the Ascension blinds him so much it keeps him from relating to the other spawns.
And yet, I tend to believe that, by belittling the other spawns, Astarion belittles himself (unconsciously or not); thatās why he thinks, in this very moment, that only the ritual can make him worthy, put him above them and rid him of his shame: letās make them disappear so I donāt have to see them again, so I never have to witness my shame, so I never have to see those people who remind me of my own misery, of the slave I used to be.
He used to be one of those āscraps of miseryā. But itās too painful to acknowledge now, now that heās finally free.
But he will acknowledge all this later on.
The words he says if he doesnāt ascend but if you kill the others spawns are relevant:
If you call the spawns "monsters", he makes it clear you could have said the same about him, and by doing that, he breaks down the wall he built between him and the other spawns: They are alike, there's no great difference between them.
He was just like them, their traumas and violence grow in the same gruesome cradle, and yet, he is not a "monster". Once free, he learned another way, made the best decisions for himself and others, and if he could do it, they could have done the same.
At this point, he makes it clear that all the things he said back in the cells were driven by fear and guilt, a token of his denial as he refused to be compared to them; he could perfectly imagine how it feels to be like them, he just refused to do it because it would have made him too vulnerable in this crucial moment.
This is probably old news to most of you, but I have discovered it for the first time and it struck a chord with me. (For context, I got back to my second playthrough as Yae.)
During the first rest at camp, if you talk to Astarion first out of all the companions (ignoring, for example, the pressing exclamation mark above Lae'zel's head), he's pretty upbeat and eager to engage in a brief discussion before declaring he has a lot to process (oh yes, he does).
Astarion: So, we're resting here? Turning in for the night?
Astarion: Curling up in the dirt and resting is... a little novel.
Astarion: I need some time to think things through. To process this.
Astarion: You sleep. I'll keep watch.
From the PC's point of view it is, of course, bizarre; why would he be so perky in such circumstances? Especially given that just a few hours ago he was hysterically laughing about being doomed to turn into a monster (again). But as the day progressed, he must have come to the conclusion that his current company and circumstances aren't half bad ā and compared to what we know about his past, he's right. He's having a break ā finally, for the first time in 200 years. He's allowed a moment to (figuratively) breathe. There's no trace of the manipulative persona (with an exception noted below). The "nice, simple plan" hasn't been born yet. This is a short inkling of freedom. Look how his face lights up in some of the screenshots.
And his fairly high spirits in the evening are presented as a clever contrast to other companions' impatience and uncertainty. A subtle way to already set the pale elf apart.
Astarion: Shadowheart seems jumpy. Must not relish the thought of sprouting tentacles.
Astarion: Understandable. Can't say I'm a fan either. It's just hard to join in when all of this feels so new.
If Astarion is talked to second (in the screens above, after Shadowheart), the beginning of the dialogue changes a little to even more blatantly emphasise the difference between his mood and that of the companion in question (he says it directly, he's unable to join the brooding; not to mention he quite frankly exposes himself by stating he's in the middle of savouring new experiences), and the rest of the dialogue goes the same. Astarion offers to keep watch and wishes you sweet dreams, unless you tell him straight you don't trust him (in which case he adopts the manipulative persona to protect himself from the hurtful, even if at this point justified, statement).
However. When I talked first to the other two companions, and only then approached him, I was immediately dismissed:
Astarion: Do you mind? I'm brooding.
Even his body language became closed off: crossed arms and only a brief eye contact before gazing to the side.
I'd like to mention this was the sequence of events I saw on my first playthrough; I hunted exclamation marks, so I first talked to Lae'zel, then to Shadowheart. I still think it's a very "organic" order, encouraged by the game itself. And when Astarion turned my attempt at a conversation down, I assumed he wouldn't talk to me at all at this point, that I probably needed a higher approval or something.
Which, I really want to stress it, makes for different "Astarion experience" for various players. I remember being genuinely surprised when people said he's so talkative from the start. What do you mean? He's so mean from the start, haha (I fell in love with the mean version anyway.) The thing is: both statements are true, after a fashion.
Seeing how it differs depending on the order makes me think of how he'd like to talk to someone else at least for a bit, but he won't reach out himself, not yet. You could say he's that kind of a "lurker" who observes other people's conversation, but isn't quite certain if he can join in without an invitation. He needs to be approached.
But when others seem too occupied with themselves, he must feel othered, excluded. You know, like that kid who's picked last to a sport team during a PE class. Reminded he's not like the rest of the people in the camp. He's not anybody's first choice. The perky mood disperses and (as I imagine) old insecurities or resentment (or both) jump right back in onto the front seat. When Astarion is ignored, even if for legit reasons, his mood is immediately soured. It shows how, in fact, fragile he is in this new situation.
Lae'zel: A monster forms inside us, and you think to be idle?
Lae'zel: A monster forms inside us, yet you waste time with idle chatter.
While a similar thing happens with Lae'zel ā if she's talked to second, the dialogue gets more concise with no choices on player's end, and if third, she'll only scold you ā the reasons for which she doesn't like to be ignored are different. She thinks the player is wasting their time, not treating the situation seriously, and therefore endangering everyone, herself included. Shadowheart seems the most talkative regardless of order; I haven't tested it with Gale ā I like to delay recruiting him for roleplaying reasons ā but I imagine he'd be on the talkative side, too; feel free to let me know.
It's just... such a subtle, yet effective way of characterisation. Of hinting early on what each character is like and where their problems might lie. I love how chiselled the beginning of the game feels.
Ravenloft is a gothic horror setting in Dungeons & Dragons centered around the vampire Strahd von Zarovich and set in the land of Barovia. The setting takes its name from Castle Ravenloft, Strahd's castle overlooking the valley.
All of this exists within the Plane of Shadow, also known as the Shadowfell, created by the goddess Shar.
The Shadowfell contains its own demiplanes.
Barovia is one such demiplane - a Domain of Dread, created by the Dark Powers.
People from Faerƻn can be drawn into this place if the Mists will it.
The first mention of Barovia in BG3 is right in the character editor.
Piercing Style: Barovia Fangs
This article covers every reference to the Ravenloft setting in Baldur's Gate 3 that I could find.
Contents:
ā The Way to Barovia
ā Who Has Been to Barovia?
ā References in Baldur's Gate 3
- Character Dialogue
- Books
- Vistani Ā· Gur people
- Weapons
The second part examines a likely Ravenloft Easter egg. Identifying it requires comparing the transformation of a mortal into a vampire in Forgotten Realms lore, Baldur's Gate 3, and Ravenloft.
This will be a detailed analysis, including an overview of how vampire lore has evolved throughout the history of Dungeons & Dragons.
The Way to Barovia
The Mists - and the few who know their hidden paths - are what connect the Forgotten Realms to Barovia. This passage can appear anywhere.
Once, the Mists revealed a way to Barovia near the Misty Forest, close to Daggerford.
Werewolves began appearing in the surrounding villages, leaving destruction in their wake.
This serves as one of the official adventure hooks in Curse of Strahd, released on March 15, 2016.
Following the werewolves' trail, the characters enter the Misty Forest, where the Mists envelop them and carry them into Barovia.
This location lies approximately 420 km (260 miles) from Baldurās Gate.
For comparison, the distance from London to Edinburgh is about 530 km. A closer equivalent would be the distance from central London to Dublin - around 460 km.
Who Has Been to Barovia?
Once, some of the heroes we meet in BG3 have visited Barovia
The Heroes of Baldur's Gate - adventuring company, including Minsc, were trapped in the Demiplane of Dread.
Their adventure is told in Shadows of the Vampire a series of Dungeons & Dragons comic book.
MINSC AND BOO ARE BACK and things have never looked more dire, as mysterious forces draw the legendary ranger and his crew of adventurers to RAVENLOFT, the Realm of Terrorā¦ where they find themselves face to face with undead horrors in the land of eternal night!
Released: May 2016 - October 2016
Travel Talk: Ravenloft
A visit to Barovia by Volothamp Geddarm (as told to, and set down by, long-suffering scribe Ed Greenwood).
Elminster Aumar is also mentioned, having prepared Volo for the journeyand gave him a way back to Faerƻn.
Dragon+Ā issue 6
Released: February 18, 2016
Review of Contents
Dragon+ - an official digital magazine featuring lore, interviews, and short articles. Was published from 2015 to 2022
References in Baldur's Gate 3
Astarion mentions Strahd von Zarovich
As far as we know, Astarion never visited Barovia, yet he certainly knows of Strahd von Zarovich.
He casually drops Strahd's name if the player clicks on his portrait too many times. Strahd would hardly tolerate such incessant poking, so be grateful for Astarion's patience.
The second mention of Strahd was probably in the book:
"The True and Impossible Adventures of Tenebrux Morrow, Vol. 3"
The adventures of Tenebrux Morrow, who visited Barovia and met a man, who appeared as a shadow, whose teeth did not prevent him from being an excellent storyteller.
The Vistani are the ones who know the paths leading to Barovia best.
The Gur people are considered the Faerƻnian equivalent of the Vistani.
DDAL4-01 Suits of the Mists (5e)
The Darklord D&D Adventurers League by Greg Marks, July 5 2016
There was some information like that in an earlier adventure:
DDAL04-04 The Marionette (5e)
The Marionette D&D Adventurers League by Robert Alaniz, April 5 2016
The Gur may consider themselves distinct from the Vistani.
But in the adventure "The Darklord", they are referred to as equivalents, and Sybil is already called Vistani.
There are differences between them. But apparently, they aren't that significant for the canon, considering that she's called by both names.
The Vistani have an innate, supernatural connection to the Mists. This manifests as their ability to travel freely between domains, as well as their affinity for prophecy and curse-based magic.
The Gur, as a people of Faerƻn, do not share this innate bond. Their mystical practices are cultural in nature, and the presence of magical ability depends entirely on the individual.
Sibyl possessed second sight, which became significantly stronger after she entered Barovia. Canonically, it is not definitively known whether this is connected to her being Gur.
She also has a tougher time finding her path through the mist.
Once, the Vistani were spotted near Daggerford, located close to the Misty Forest.
Curse Of Strahd, p. 19
Released: March 15, 2016
Mentions of Vistani in BG3
"A Modest Guide to Sword Coast Wine"
A sommelier's guide to wines found along the Sword Coast. It extols the virtues of Berduskan Dark and Arabellan Dry, the sinuous fruity flavours of ruby-red Elverquisst, the throat-slamming notes of Red Dragon Crush snatched from the hands of charming Vistani tradesfolk, Thayan vintages as richly hued as the robes of their Red Wizards, pale Saerloonian Glowfire, and it praises these with the same vigour that it declaims the inferior mulled wines such as Zzar and Daggerford Clarry, which the author claims are as suitably for consumption as 'bugbear taint.'
Red Dragon Crush is a wine from Barovia.
The wine was rated as superior and mentioned several times as a fine wine.
Curse Of Strahd p. 173
Notes on the Gur people in BG3
"The Approachable East, Vol. 3" and "Chronicles of the Gur People"
Ravenloft is referenced through weapons
Hellrider Longbow
This longbow was forged from the remnants of Stanislav the Silver's shield, found near the wreckage ofĀ āÆCastle RavenloftĀ some years ago.
The Impaler
The Spear wasn't in the final release. It can only be added via a mod or Script Extender.
This impaling pole of enchanted steel was commissioned as part of a set by Strahd von Zarovich, who presented the weapons to his honour guard one cold morning.
A reference to vampire rituals
The player character's unique in-game vampiric transformation, rather than the standard creation of a vampire spawn, prompted a search for deeper vampire lore in D&D.
The most intriguing reference is the popular explanation of this transformation known as the Bride Theory.
The Astarion fandom recognized these parallels long ago. Here is one of the earliest shorts, posted in October 2023, if you'd like to take a quick look.
Identifying this reference requires a closer look at where the story deviates from DnD5 lore and where it instead mirrors older vampire lore.
Unlike the references above, this is not a direct mention of a name or place, but a difference in how events unfold, requiring a more detailed analysis.
I'll refer to the player character as PC and Tav, this also applies to Dark Urge.
The total length of the article, including numerous citations, is 35 pages. And that's the biggest part. This is a huge collection of vampire lore. You have been warned.
This theory rests on two main pillars.
First, the character's transformation differs markedly from both D&D 5e Forgotten Realms lore and the internal canon of BG3 - the lore of Vampires in Toril.
This will be analyzed in Part 1.
This part includes a section on Astarion, whose behavior and dialogue provide information about player's character vampirism.
Second, it shares notable similarities with the process of creating a vampire bride or groom in older FR and Ravenloft lore - the lore of vampires linked to Domain of Dread.
This will be analyzed in Part 2.
Part 1.
Forgotten Realms DnD5 and BG3: Turning a Mortal into a Vampire
The vampire is one of the earliest monsters in D&D. Its first mention dates back to 1974 in the Dungeons & Dragons "White Box" set.
The first in-depth vampire rules, including the process of transformation, debuted in the Monster Manual (1977, 1st edition, p. 99)
Any human or humanoid drained of all life energy by a vampire becomes on appropriately sirengthed vampire under control of its slayer. This transformation lakes place I day after the creature is buried, but if and only if the creature is buried.
Like the vampires themselves, the part about burial is a classic step in the transformation into a vampire, taken from real-world folklore.
The process of turning a mortal into a vampire spawn, and a spawn into a true vampire, is described in the D&D 5th Edition rules upon which Baldur's Gate 3 was built.
The official D&D Beyond article "Playing As a Vampire in D&D" describes this in great detail.
Monster Manual 5e, 2014
Sep 30, 2014
Vampires p. 295-298
Strahd von Zarovich and his backstory are referenced in the MM.
Monster Manual 5.5e
18 Feb, 2025
Vampires p.314-318
In this MM there is a quote from Astarion.
Several core elements of the transformation process remain consistent across the various editions.
Each step will be examined separately and compared with Baldur's Gate 3:
The vampire kills the mortal.
The body is buried in a grave or beneath the earth.
The newly created vampire spawn awakens at the following sunset.
The vampire spawn is completely under the control of its creator.
The creator's blood transforms the spawn into a true vampire.
Burying underground and remain in the grave until the following sunset
How buried do you have to be? Six feet deep? What about one foot deep? Does mud count? Do you need a coffin?
TL;DR,Ā the next step to vamping out is getting buried under at least one foot of soil and left to marinate for 24 hours.
DnD Beyond article
This step has been consistently described in every new edition of the MM.
Astarion describes his own transformation into a vampire few times, mentioning being buried.
We'll find out where his grave is and go take a look, and then we have other important things to do with Astarion.
Astarion:Ā Nearly two hundred years and I never came back. Not since the night I woke up down there.
Astarion:Ā I had to punch a hole in the coffin and claw my way through six feet of dirt.
\CAMP_Astarion_SD_ROM_BlackMassAftermath
Romance scene Ascended Astarion
The Beginning of Tav's Transformation
Scene occurs entirely indoors. It concludes with Astarion drinking from Tav, followed by a fade to black. The next shot shows Tav waking up in camp during daylight.
Tavās transformation began at night, but the game does not specify the exact time they woke up.
There is no mention of burial at all.
Tav never comments on having been buried.
The burial is absent.
The character does not rise from a grave or from the ground.
Under standard D&D rules, this step is required for a creature to become a vampire spawn.
What can be done about this inconsistency with the rules?
Here are three possible approaches:
1 - Future canon clarification - It will be stated that the burial did occur off-screen. In this version, Astarion dug them up shortly before they woke up. Tav has no memory of the burial process itself (or doesn't really care). Astarion carefully removed any traces of dirt, wiped Tav down with a damp cloth if needed, and placed them in a clean bed.
The time of their awakening will also be clarified as sunset.
2 - Rewrite the scene - Tav remembers the entire process and can comment on it. The time will also be specified.
3 - Official explanation - It will be confirmed and explained why burial was not necessary for Tavās specific transformation.
The exact time of their rising will also be treated as unimportant.
Transformation of body and mind - Dark Desires
The vampire completely takes the personās life - both their body and their mind. Upon awakening as undead, the victimās body and consciousness are transformed, along with their entire perception of the world.
A vampireās consciousness is reborn with new Dark Desires. These Dark Desires are common to all vampires, as they are an inherent part of the vampiric curse.
The fact that vampirism may affect vampire spawn to a lesser degree is not specified in the lore.
This is described in the general "Vampires" chapter of the 5E Monster Manual, which covers the traits of both vampire spawn and true vampires together.
Dark Desires are not exclusive to true vampires.
Looking at past lore, vampire spawn have always embodied these Dark Desires - they are arrogant, power-hungry, and corrupt. Their evil alignment is intrinsic, unlike drow, whose alignment now depends entirely on the individual.
Evil is the very nature of anyone with vampirism.
Only Slight Pain Mentioned - Pleasure is Emphasized
The process of becoming a vampire is inherently painful, as it involves the vampire depriving the victim of their life force or draining their blood, and killing them with a fatal bite.
In BG3, Astarion describes his own as painful.
The player learns this if they talk to him about accepting an astral tadpole.
Astarion: I remember how it hurt when I turned to a vampire. My body writhed and warped while I was utterly helpless, the grip of death owned my heart as it beat its last.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_PartialCeremorph
The wording and context of the conversation make it clear that Astarion is referring to the transformation process itself. While being bitten and killed by Cazador was undoubtedly agonizing, the line - "My body writhed and warped" directly refers to the changes of becoming a vampire, not just the act of being murdered.
Astarion remembers the event clearly, and it was very painful.
In contrast, Astarion describes Tavās transformation as a mix of pleasure and delirium. He states that it begins with a bit of pain, it is soon overtaken by pleasure far greater than the pain.
Astarion:Ā Tonight, I shall drink every drop of your blood.
Own your body, kill your mind. It will only hurt a bit, the pleasure will be far greater than the pain.
\CAMP_Astarion_SD_ROM_BlackMassAftermath
Player:Ā What exactlyĀ happened?
Astarion:Ā You were drained dry, and at the height of your delirium, I granted youĀ one dropĀ of my own blood.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_BlackMassFollowUp
Astarion is in a particularly florid mood here, choosing an unusually elaborate word.
Delirium can be used as a medical term describing a specific state of acute confusion. The term was introduced into medical literature by the 1st-century Roman encyclopedist and today refers to an altered mental state associated with trauma, intoxication, withdrawal, or neurocognitive disorders.
Outside of its medical meaning, the word takes on more free meanings.
Delirium
Dictionaries define it as violent excitement, a state of wildly excited activity or emotion, aĀ stateĀ ofĀ extremeĀ excitementĀ orĀ happiness
"ā¦ he would stride about his room in aĀ deliriumĀ of joy". - Thomas Wolfe
āThe thrill, the madĀ deliriumĀ of being free is beyond description.ā
In the case of Astarion, the general definition applies
Astarion previously described the process as a great pleasure.
Among the synonyms of delirium in its ordinary sense are passion, ecstasy, and euphoria.
Looking at Tavās question, it can be assumed that they do not remember the pleasure - or the pain.
If the pain had been intense and clearly remembered, the question would likely not have carried such an uncertain tone.
The way the question is phrased also suggests that Tav doesnāt remember the event very well, which is why Astarion decides to describe the process.
However, Tav may remember, but they still want to know exact details of what happened while still retaining their memory of the event.
Astarionās response appears to confirm that what he describes matches what Tav experienced, leaving no further questions.
This aspect of the pain and pleasure of the turning is not fully explored in D&D.
D&D rules do not specify whether the mortal experiences pain during the act of becoming a vampire spawn itself. Or while the person lies in the grave.
What is mentioned is the pain and agony of hunger that the newly risen immortal feels upon awakening.
While older vampire lore may provide some answers, D&D 5.5 has not explored these aspects in depth. In contrast to the clearly defined part of the burial.
The fact: in lore is no mention at all of pleasure in the ordinary process of transformation.
These unique aspects of Tavās transformation are immediately noticeable. It is worth remembering, as these points will serve as an addition to a broader topic, further confirming how unusual the events in question are.
The more noteworthy element is blood, which holds huge significance for vampires - especially the blood of a creator in relation to their creation.
The rule allowing a vampire spawn to become a true vampire by drinking its creator's blood was first introduced in the 2014 Monster Manual (5e).
IfĀ aĀ trueĀ vampireĀ allowsĀ aĀ spawnĀ toĀ drawĀ bloodĀ fromĀ itsĀ ownĀ body,Ā theĀ spawnĀ transformsĀ intoĀ aĀ trueĀ vampireĀ noĀ longerĀ underĀ itsĀ master'sĀ control. FewĀ vampiresĀ are willing to relinquish theirĀ controlĀ in this manner.
True vampires do not give their blood to vampire spawn. Astarion mentions this in Act 1.
Player:Ā How does someone become a vampire, exactly?
Astarion:Ā It's simple. Just find a vampire that will drink your blood and turn you into a vampire spawn: their obedient puppet.
Astarion:Ā In theory, the next step is to drink their blood. Once you've done that, you're free and a true vampire.
.
Player:Ā So they bite you, you bite them?
Astarion:Ā Yes and no. The problem is once you're a vampire spawn, they completely control you. They have toĀ allowĀ you to bite them.
Astarion:Ā And why would they do that? Vampires are power-hungry creatures. They won't lose a servant to create a competitor.
Astarion:Ā Trust me. It doesn't happen.
.
Player:Ā You'd have to drink Cazador's blood to be free?
Astarion:Ā Free and a true vampire, capable of creating my own coven? Yes.
Astarion:Ā Although I'd settle for just killing the bastard. I wouldn't be a 'true' vampire, but I'd be free of him.
\Astarion_InParty2
Notice the way he emphasizes it and clarification:
Will you be free? -> Free and a true vampire with his own coven.
The problem is that true vampires control their vampire spawn. Astarion was unable not only to harm Cazador, but also to drink the blood of thinking creatures. Only if Cazador had allowed it could Astarion have drunk his blood and become a true vampire.
With the tadpole, however, the master's control over his vampire spawn was broken - an unprecedented situation for vampires.
Astarion can now drink the blood of thinking creatures. He can harm Cazador. He can drink Cazador's blood.
He no longer needs his master's permission.
Drink Cazador's blood ā Become free and a true vampire.
The developers use italics for emphasis - one drop. Italics serve multiple purposes: emotional focus, highlighting key words, drawing attention to narrative emphasis, and signaling elements the player is meant to notice.
In the PC's line, the word "happened" is also italicized. So there are two words in italics: happened ā one drop
In Patch 8, when the line "my own blood" is spoken, the camera zooms in for a close-up of the face, which also emphasizes the moment.
Player:Ā What exactlyĀ happened?
Astarion:Ā You were drained dry, and at the height of your delirium, I granted youĀ one dropĀ of my own blood.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_BlackMassFollowUp
Why did Astarion give Tav a drop of his own blood? It isnāt necessary to create a vampire spawn.
The following line offers explanation - that this was a way to pass on Mephistophelesā blessing.
Astarion:Ā Things will be a touch different for you than they were for me when I was a spawn.
Astarion:Ā I'm imbibed with unfathomable new talents. I am fairly certain I can extend Mephistopheles' blessings unto you.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_BlackMassFollowUp
The effect of the blood on the character is unambiguous: there is no sun burning after the tadpole is removed.
Tav still eats normal food, does not recall sanguine hunger, and reflects in mirrors - things that Astarion, as a vampire spawn, still experiences despite the tadpole.
Among the manifestations of vampirism, the character gains a vampire bite. Companions note changes in appearance. Certain hazards that do not affect undead creatures have no effect on the Tav.
Another point regarding blood:
Player:Ā Will you still drink my blood?
Astarion:Ā Of course I will, and you'll drink mine. I can't wait to taste your lips after you've tasted me.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_PartneredWithAstarion
Astarion casually says that they will drink each otherās blood.
There is an interpretation/homebrew reading of this rule.
A vampire spawn may drink the blood of the creator vampire while remaining a spawn. In this case, the vampire allows the vampire spawn to drink their blood, while their will prevents the vampire spawn from turning into a true vampire. This becomes an act of feeding and enjoyment.
There is no confirmation of this interpretation in canon.
There is no information that vampire spawn can drink offered blood from their creator while remaining spawn, either during the transformation or afterward.
In lore, drinking the vampire creatorās blood by their creation is possible in limited cases.
First, in the Forgotten Realms DnD5e, is the transformation of a vampire spawn into a true vampire.
The amount of blood is not specified.
This is the only new confirmed lore DnD5 at the moment.
The Rule of Blood is explained in greater detail in this article.
Vampires have different reasons for refusing to grant true vampirism.
Likewise, lore offers various reasons for sharing their blood: as a reward or out of remembrance of a loved one from mortal life.
They are individuals with their own distinct personalities.
As the older lore put it, what is acceptable to one vampire may be completely unacceptable to another. That perspective remains true in D&D 5e as well.
All vampires begin their journey under the control of the vampire who sired them. However, if a vampire lets their progeny drink blood from their own body, their spawn will be given free will. Very few vampires choose to give up control of their spawn like this, and for good reason. Most vampires are control freaks, and see their spawn as mere extensions of their will. But other, more ethical vampires may exert this control to reign in their fledgling spawnās blood lust, choosing to free their spawn once they understand the subtle and dangerous line they must walk between the living and the dead.
Note the wording here is very specific; the true vampire mustĀ allowĀ their spawn to draw and drink their blood in order toĀ relinquishĀ their control over them in that manner.
The only other way a vampire spawn can achieve free will is if their master dies. So if youāre playing a vampire spawn, and you want out from under the thumb of your master, you need to either find a way to kill them (good luck, considering they have total control over you) or somehow convince them to give up their control over you. This is no easy feat.
If you are playing a vampire that has agency, you and/or your DM should have a clear reason as to why you were granted such a gift by your creator. Maybe you reminded them of a loved one from their mortal life, or perhaps you carried out a deed for them and were granted this as a reward.
By agreeing to give their blood, the vampire is already agreeing to the transformation, blood is the key to becoming a true vampire.
To do that, he would have needed permission to approach and take the key. Astarion, with the tadpole, doesn't need that permission.
This is why he talks about becoming a true vampire in Act 1.
Later, his focus shifts.
There's also no mention that anything went wrong with true vampirism. Unfortunately, the topic is never brought up again.
Moreover, Astarion never talks about becoming human again at all.
It's a pity that the subject of true vampirism is never explored further game content.
It is possible that the true vampirism in Astarion's story will be explored in greater detail in future canon - whether in prequels, sequels, or other supplementary content.
If any future material provides information significant enough to warrant inclusion, a link to it will be added here.
Additionally, Ed Greenwood shared information about blood and how one can become a true vampire during one of his BG3 streams - 1:37:02
A vampire spawn can become a true vampire if their master dies. It is a difficult task that requires magic and luck, but it is possible.
They can only turn into true vampires if their master allows them to drink their blood - normally.
There are many other ways they can become a true vampire, particularly if the master dies. They'll have to use those other ways, but they're not easy. They have to go do stuff and find people and get magic. It's not easy.
This would be the kind of adventure that would be interesting to see with Astarion if he never became an ascended vampire.
To sum up:
Under the rules, only and specifically blood is already stated as the trigger for transformation.
Permission to drink the blood - not permission to become a true vampire.
And the blood that a vampire spawn normally cannot obtain without permission.
If the vampire-creatorās intent regarding the outcome of blood drinking were required for turning a vampire spawn into a true vampire, it would have been explicitly stated in the rules as an important part of the lore.
With this clarification, the focus of the rule shifted from blood to intent regarding the outcome - so without intent, blood means nothing to true vampirism.
At present, no such clarification exists.
Even the smallest drop - from the little finger, taken with the finest needle in Baldurās Gate, given by the creator to their vampire spawn - would turn them into a true vampire.
Astarion allows the player character to drink his blood.
According to these rules, the player character is a true vampire
As you can see, blood is quite a topic when it comes to vampires. The developers of Baldurās Gate 3 further emphasize this.
So what is happening in the canon of Baldurās Gate 3?
If this transformation was Larianās homebrew, it should have been explained more clearly - through notes or in a conversation with Gale.
Since Astarion is now an official D&D Forgotten Realms character, the unusual way he turns Tav could be addressed in future canon. It may be explained, reworked, or expanded to better fit established D&D rules.
In the game Tav is repeatedly called vampire spawn by Astarion and other characters.
Astarionās behavior in certain situations can serve as indirect hints about the true nature of Tavās vampirism.
This section is intended to illustrate how strongly motivated Astarion may be to withhold true vampirism from Tav and to keep certain aspects of it hidden from them.
Astarion is a character who frequently lies and manipulates, his reactions and behavior can vary significantly depending on the circumstances. Tavās own responses, questions, and the overall context of the conversation also have considerable variability.
This section is quite variable-dependent and contains many branching details, which does not perfectly align with the style of an article focused on core lore comparisons and references. Therefore, only the main conclusions will be presented here.
ā Astarion refers to Tavās transformation as becoming his vampire spawn.
ā Astarion views Tavās vampirism primarily as a way for them to be together forever. Tav was his forever, and with him, together.
Astarion:Ā That's what you want, isn't it? To be mine? Forever?
.
Astarion:Ā We could be together for eternity, ruling this world side by side. We could have it all.
.
Player:Ā What if I don't want forever?
Astarion:Ā What's not to want? We could be together for all time.
Player:Ā I don't want this after all.
Astarion:Ā It seems I misjudged you. I thought we might have a future together - even an eternity - but perhaps you're not worthy.
Astarion:Ā So. What's it to be, darling? Is this it?
Player:Ā I hope we can work things out and stay together.
Astarion:Ā Of course we can. You're the one that I want - the one that I love.
Astarion:Ā And you could be so much more, if you want it. One little bite and you could be mine forever.
\CAMP_Astarion_SD_ROM_BlackMassAftermath
Astarion:Ā Aeterna amantes.Ā Lovers forever, until the world falls down.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_PartneredWithAstarion
Astarion:Ā You can't want to go already. Enjoy tonight, celebrate with our sweet friends.
Astarion:Ā And when you're done, we can get back to enjoying forever together.
\EPI_Epilogue_Astarion_Lord
Astarion:Ā Then we'll do it tonight. And come the morning, we will be together forever.
\END_GameFinale_ROM_RomanceFates_Astarion
ā Astarion consistently states that becoming a true vampire will only happen with time.
Player:Ā Spawn? I want to be a true vampire.
Astarion:Ā And you will! All in good time.
Astarion:Ā But we mustn't rush these things. You may need time to adjust.
\CAMP_Astarion_SD_ROM_BlackMassAftermath
When the transformation scene is skipped, the final devnote indicates that Astarion has no plans to turn Tav into a true vampire in the near future.
Player:Ā I want to live forever. Make me a vampire.
Astarion:Ā My sweet, I thought you'd never ask.
Astarion:Ā Of course, you will be a spawn before you can become a true vampire, but that's a small detail.
Player:Ā And you promise you'll make me a full vampire soon?
Astarion:Ā My darling, of course! I want nothing more. devnote [NodeContext: overly sincere - he doesn't really mean it]
\END_GameFinale_ROM_RomanceFates_Astarion
ā In-game tags
ORI_Astarion_Event_TurnIntoSpawn
The tag first appears during the transformation scene, right before the screen fades to black, on the narratorās line:
"As he drinks more and more, you feel yourself fading from consciousness. When you wake again, you will be his forever more".
The tag later appears in the following situations:
During Karlach's conversation, when she bluntly suggests that Astarion might need to be killed. The tag is attached to a line where the player character responds protectively toward Astarion.
In the ending, where Astarion describes himself and his lover as the most powerful people in the world.
If the turning scene was skipped and the PC chooses to become a vampire in the ending.
Astarion_InParty_Asked_BecameConsort
Its description also states that the PC has become a vampire spawn
ā Astarion's vampiric control over Tav is never shown in the game.
Only his emotional influence and persuasion.
Even if Tav chooses to become an illithid, Astarion never attempts to control them. Astarion strongly asks them listen to him and abandon this decision. I have a separate analysis for this part, including his body language.
Cazador actively attempts to control Astarion despite the tadpole in his head. He stops Astarion's raised fist, reminding him that he is his creator. While there are reasons to believe this could simply be magic, the context of the conversation strongly suggests that it is vampiric control.
ā Devnote in Karlach Origin during the transformation scene:
Player:Ā Be careful, Astarion. My engine is runningĀ soĀ hot. I won't be able to control it.
Astarion:Ā Hush love, it's all right. You don't have to worry.
Astarion:Ā Forget about your engine. Forget about control. I'll take care ofĀ everything. devnote [NodeContext: trying to reassure Karlach, while thinking of how he's going to have control of her soon]
This line appears only in Karlach's Origin.
When the transformation fails, it reminds Astarion that he is still powerless in this regard, even now. The failure triggers his anger in a way that close to his reaction to Karlach in Act 1, when he didn't know what to do with her and lashed out by blaming her instead.
If the this scene is skipped, Astarion goes to Avernus with Karlach in the ending to help her repair her engine.
This route also has its own unique epilogue while their romance remains intact.
This ending path is fairly difficult to access, I believe.
It was planned for Karlach's Origin from Realese and was fully implemented in Patch 5.
Astarion:Ā And? Enjoying our little break from the Hells?
Player:Ā Somewhat, but I'm itching to get back.
Astarion:Ā An understandable urge. This place is dull by comparison, but...
Astarion:Ā I admit, I do miss the luxuries of this plane. What I wouldn't give for a silk bed...
Astarion:Ā But don't fear, we'll have that engine of yours fixed before you know it. And then we can return in all our glory.
\EPI_Epilogue_Astarion_Lord
The next point directly undermines the interpretation that Astarion performs the transformation in order to gain control over Karlach\Tav.
No one who is obsessed with controlling someone would actively help them obtain the most powerful weapon imaginable - and then celebrate when they succeed.
No one, and not Astarian either.
Given this, "have control of her" here likely leans closer to "I'll finally be able to hold her, touch her, without fear", help relieve the affliction she herself can't control - control in the sense of physically handling her body, not control in the sense of power over her decisions or personhood.
ā Vampiric control over Tav is not what Astarion is interested in
Any supposed desire for vampiric control over Tav would become irrelevant the moment Tav takes the power of the Absolute for themselves - something Astarion actively encourages.
He is confident that they are on the same side and that they will remain together. Control over Tav is not the primary cause why Astarion delays, or has no intention of granting Tav true vampirism.
Astarion brings up control of the Absolute during discussions about Tav's vampirism because that is what he envisions for their future. It reflects his intentions for the life he plans to share with Tav, one in which controlling them holds no significance for him.
Player:Ā The tadpole complicates things.
Astarion:Ā Exactly what symptoms of vampirism are going to manifest in you... well, we'll have to see what hand the tadpole has in suppressing them, when we wrangle it under our command.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_BlackMassFollowUp
This has been present since release. The Absolute ending was later expanded, and the script describing Lord Astarion's thoughts can also be found here.
"VOContext" [Vampire Lord Astarion]
"logicalname" "ASTARION EVIL ROMANCE"
[Vampire Lord Astarion] The avatar just kissed you. You're marvelling at the big, evil future you two have ahead of you.
ā Hierarchy
Another possible motivation is Astarion's desire to keep Tav/Durge as a vampire spawn in order to remain above them in the hierarchy.
Astarion clearly enjoys being the one in charge, and the Ascended ending makes that aspect of his personality especially apparent.
At the same time, the player's possession of the Absolute's power blurs any traditional vampire hierarchy to a significant degree. Not that Astarion seems particularly concerned about that.
ā A breakup is a painful for Astarion in every ending
Spawn Astarion, who has been waiting for confirmation of the relationship, breaks down, devaluing his path of redemption as a sacrifice made for Tav.
If seven thousand vampire spawns are free, he threatens Tav with their hungry mouths if Tav decides to approach him.
If the relationship is confirmed, Astarion admits that he does not want to let go of the love he has found. Tthis is clearly shown in another ending where he has the option to do so.
For Spawn Astarion, the ending's breakup branch is ignored despite the romance and the important graveyard scene with Tav.
Astarion in the Ascension path has already received consent for an eternal future together. There is no uncertainty for him about what they are to each other or their shared future, he thinks only about how they will spend their time.
If Tav, now a vampire, attempts to break up with him, they remain with Astarion. When that future falls apart, Astarion reacts with rage, clinging to Tav.
In a continuation of the branch where Tav wants to breakup, Astarion sulks in the epilogue.
Astarion's desire to avoid losing someone is understandable, as is his emotional breakdown. He only truly displays it during the breakup and in the ending, after Tav/Du has already agreed to spend eternity with him.
His breakdown in both endings has understandable motivations, but at the same time it reveals some of his most selfish and dangerous traits as a vampire.
In a playthrough where the goal of Tav not to breakup, but to remain together, the dynamic becomes much more beneficial for their vampire pair.
This applies to Tav's decision to break up in both endings. If it happens after the final romance scenes, it essentially breaks the narrative and becomes an "What ifā¦?" scenario. Even so, Astarion's reaction is hardly surprising.
The central narrative of Astarion's romance, as written in its concluding scene, is consent and mutual vampire love.
The breakup, along with Astarion's perception of Tav's vampirism as a "forever together" bond and the painful way he reacts to its rejection, is the only truly significant point that can be used to infer what kind of vampirism Tav has.
There are several branches in which Tav - mortal or vampire - can still leave Astarion:
Breaking up before the ending at any point remains a breakup.
PC can leave for Avernus to help Karlach.
PC can join the githyanki war.
Player:Ā I'm sorry I kind of disappeared. I didn't mean to leave you like that.
Astarion:Ā Oh my dear, you didn't leave me - I let you go.
Astarion:Ā If I'd wanted you to stay I only had to say the word and you would have been back by my side. But I'm not some controlling monster.
Astarion:Ā I wanted to give you space to see what else is out there, make your own mistakes, and return to me ready to fully appreciate our life together.
Astarion:Ā Anyway, I have had more than enough to keep me busy while you were off gallivanting in another plane.
\EPI_Epilogue_Astarion_Lord
Astarion does not show the same painful reaction in these branches.
In other words, Tav can still leave.
This changes only in the ending-breakup branch.
There are several reasons for this.
1. Astarion's character
Exercising control over Tav is the last thing Astarion wants.
His active encouragement for Tav to claim the Absolute's power, along with many other moments, demonstrates this.
Essentially giving up whatever influence he has over them.
He places complete trust in Tav, believing they will walk this path together.
For Astarion, this represents enormous character growth. For years, he trusted no one. "Trust no one" is a general Astarion line in the game.
His wound around trust is immense. Yet he entrusts Tav with unimaginable power and chooses to stand beside them.
Astarion wants Tav to choose him and come to him of their own free will. Tav already did so on the night of the turning, when they agreed to be together forever.
Astarion speaks of granting Tav true vampirism as something that will happen in the future. Likely once he is convinced that Tav genuinely intends to share eternity with him.
One possible reason for this decision is that they still know very little about each other. By that point, they have probably only been together for around three months.
I don't think we know Astarion, his personality. This is especially true now that he has gone from a life defined by constant limitations to one of complete freedom.
We have never really seen what Astarion is like without restrictions and vulnerabilities. The closest glimpse we have of that is his life as a magistrate - and o, my.
Astarion said that he expected Tav to leave him rather than burden themselves with his problems. He believed he had nothing to offer them.
Player:Ā Whatever is between us, we need to end it.
Astarion:Ā I - I can hardly blame you. I don't exactly have much to offer right now, beyond new burdens to carry.
Player:Ā You aren't really ready to have a partner.
Astarion:Ā Would I were. It's true, you don't deserve this facade any longer.
Player:Ā This just isn't what I wanted, when we first slept together.
Astarion:Ā I was beginning to believe someone truly wanted me. But I shouldn't have deluded myself.
Astarion:Ā From the start, I was rather counting the hours until it was going to end. Midnight chimes, eh?
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_PartneredWithAstarion
Another reason for his anger during the breakup is that Tav is not only overturning a deeply important bond they had both willingly agreed to, but also returning him to the insecurity he lived with as a spawn - constantly counting the hours until the relationship would end and losing the comfort and love it had given him. It's something he never wants to experience again.
This dialogue shows why Astarion is so focused on being "together forever" - he wanted something deeply meaningful and truly special, something he had never even allowed himself to dream of before.
As a Lord he can offer them much more, and that gives him a measure of reassurance. Even so, his tendency to doubt himself may still play a role here.
Astarion may worry that Tav will leave him once they get to know him better.
However, Astarion is still confident that Tav will not leave.
Choosing to become a vampire he personally turned is such a life-defining decision.
In the ending where Tav claims the power of the Absolute, he assumes they will remain together and is shocked if they betray him.
Absolute ending is also possible if Tav is mortal and this confidence that they will be together remains.
It is also important, during the ending conversation, Tav refusing to become a vampire does not make Astarion want to end the relationship.
Player:Ā I want to live forever. Make me a vampire.
Astarion:Ā My sweet, I thought you'd never ask.
Astarion:Ā Of course, you will be a spawn before you can become a true vampire, but that's a small detail.
Player:Ā Actually, no. This isn't what I want.
Astarion:Ā This isn't what you wantĀ yet. I'm sure you'll come around in your own good time.
Astarion:Ā But until the moment's right, we can still be together. We can still taste all the delights of this world.
\END_GameFinale_ROM_RomanceFates_Astarion
If the subject of vampirism is never brought up, Astarion does not raise it himself, although it is clear that he intends to do so eventually.
In the Avenus or githyanki end, PC does not abruptly reject Astarion or imply that they no longer love him, that their "forever together" has been destroyed.
The six months that pass also give Astarion time to reflect on a long-distance relationship, even if he was unhappy with it at first.
A breakup before the ending gives him time to calm down. By then, he chooses not to cling to Tav anymore and is too proud to ask them to come back. As described in the release epilogues.
Only this breakup was fully developed into an epilogue. Every other ending portrayed Astarion and Tav continuing their mutual romance as an evil vampire couple - the direction that was ultimately preserved in the Patch 5 epilogue.
2 - This, however, does not change the first point: Astarion has no actual vampiric control over player character.
By pretending that he could control Tav but simply chooses not to, Astarion conceals the truth - that he cannot control them at all.
The PC has already become a true vampire under D&D 5e rules after drinking Astarion's blood.
If that is the case, then by sharing his blood so that Tav would receive Mephistopheles' blessing, Astarion turned them into a true vampire.
This would have been necessary to enjoy both pleasure and sunlight alongside him without ever suffering from blood hunger.
At the same time, true vampirism could become a threat if Tav rejected an eternity together and left him alone.
After centuries of loneliness, the prospect of losing the love he finally found is profoundly painful for Astarion. That is why he keeps the truth from Tav.
ā In every possible branch, Tav, believing themselves to be a vampire spawn, likely assumes that all of their powers, matching those of a true vampire, come from the blood of their creator - the Ascended Vampire.
In the epilogue, the Tav themselves believes they are a vampire spawn. God-Gale does not dispute this, though he might simply be staying neutral and waiting for the Tav to reach their own conclusions.
Gale:Ā Proof their hopes are not barren wastes, but the loamy soil in which their future achievements will flourish. Proof that with ambition,Ā anythingĀ is possible.
Player:Ā And what might your story prove for a vampire spawn like me? That I too might be able to ascend...
\EPI_Epilogue_GodGale
Why can't Tav ask about blood and its connection to true vampirism, something they discussed back in Act 1? A conversation about it?
For the same reason Astarion never even mentions true vampirism before or after the battle with his creator.
Many of the unusual aspects of Tav's vampirism remain unexplained:
The absence of being buried in the ground
Mild pain, in contrast to Astarion's intense pain
Pleasure mentioned
Voluntary blood transfer
The ability to continue drinking their creator's blood
Is it possible that the player character is not a true vampire despite undergoing a voluntary blood transfer?
And despite bypassing the mandatory stages of a vampire spawn's transformation?
Part 2. The Old lore
The early vampire lore and its evolution are important for context.
In Ravenloft lore, as well as in Forgotten Realms lore throughout the 1990s and earlier, the term "vampire spawn" did not exist.
There was only the inexperienced controlled young vampire
The term was used for this: Fledgling
It was not until around 2002ā2003 that the term "vampire spawn" began to replace the earlier descriptions of a young vampire (fledgling) in both the Monster Manual and Ravenloft books.
In the 2000s, after the terms "vampire spawn" and "fledgling" began to appear alongside one another, a clear distinction between them started to emerge.
From that point on, fledglings were redefined closer to true vampires, while vampire spawn became the most dependent form of vampiric servant, completely bound to their creator.
This analysis focuses on the sourcebooks of the 1990s, which contain the most comprehensive descriptions of the transformation process, as well as vampire culture and interpersonal relationships among vampires.
In the book, there is a gradation of vampires by age:
Fledgling: 0-99 years
Mature: 100-199 years
Old: 200-299 years
Very Old: 300-399 years
Ancient: 400-499 years
Eminent: 500-999 years
Patriarch: 1000+ years
Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, p. 13 (1992)
Astarion uses this in relation to Cazador.
Astarion: Cazador Szarrā¦ ancient vampireā¦ bastardā¦
\Astarion_Dead
Van Richten describes several possible methods of becoming a vampire:
Traditional method, saliva, and the Dark Kiss, to which he devotes a separate chapter.
The traditional method more closely resembles Forgotten Realms vampire spawn. The other methods are more similar to what we see in BG3 with Tav.
Let us take a look at the traditional method in older lore.
The victim is killed by draining either their life force or all of their blood, followed by burial.
According to most related tales, a vampire can create another simply by killing a mortal either with its life-energy draining power (draining all the character's experience leveIs) or by exhausting the mortal of his or her blood supply. If the vietĆÆm's body is not proper ly destroyed, it arises as a va m pi re, under the control of the creature who killed it, on the second night following the burial.
As an aside, I pose the question: What exactly does ĆÆt mean when the victim "arises" as a vampire'? When the sun sinks fully beiow the horizon on the second night after the burial, the victim in the grave "awakens." The occupant of the grave is now a Fledgling vampire with al) the characteristĆÆes, powers, and weaknesses which accompany that condition. Most vampires remember the instant of their death and the nature of their killer, and understand immediately their new nature. Certainly their new hunger gives them a good idea of what they have become.
Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, p. 32 (1992)
Fledgling vampires have an inborn propensity to obey their creator.
This make fledglings resemble vampire spawn (DnD5).
The following is the main difference between the concept of a vampire under a master's control in the old and new lore:
Over time, the creatorās influence weakens. Their strength and independence depend solely on the length of their unlife and their will. The older they become, the more independent and powerful they are. They are usually killed before this can happen.
The "blood rule" is part of the DnD5-2014-lore for vampire spawn.
How, then, do vampires keep their slaves under their control beyond this period? They do so in much the same way that mortals dominate others: through intimidation. The fledgling is new to the vampiric world, and at least partially ignorant of its own abilities. Its creator can, if it is careful, create the perception in its offspring that the master is immensely more powerful and knowledgeable than the newly-created vampire, which it may in fact be. Through simple intimidation and by playing on the offspring's natural doubts and fears, the master can create a situation enabling it to "rule" for decades.
The reader may realize that this situation is totally different and much more unstable than the "traditional" picture of the master and its unquestioning slaves. Offspring vampires may have considerable free will from the moment of their creation, although they do have an "inborn" propensity to bow to the will of their creator. After several years have passed, however, this propensity wears off.
Van Richten describes the relationship between fledglings and their creators.
Creators who care for their "children" are ultimately destroyed by them.
However, he recalls hearing of a fledgling who avenged the destruction of their master. Something Van Richten finds difficult to believe, as a vampire hunter who does not believe they are capable of emotions akin to human ones, such as love and loyalty.
Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, p. 69-70 (1992)
In a later Ravenloft book, the concept of "siblings" is recorded.
Both terms are also present: "vampire spawn" and "fledgling".
Vampire spawn are subject to the same rules on feeding and sleeping as vampires, but they do not gain any enhanced abilities or salient powers as they age.
When a vampire spawn's creator is destroyed, one of several things happen to the spawn. Which event takes place is not predictable; as with many facets of vampirism, consequences vary from vampire to vampire.
In most cases, the vampire spawn are unchanged except for their newfound freedom of will. The spawn usually begin a solitary, predatory existence, although some may seek out social interaction with the living or with others of their kind. Newly freed vampire spawn have even been known to form hunting packs with their "siblings," though such packs usually fall apart due to competition and infighting.
(...)
The worst ofthe known possibilities is that the vampire spawn may suddenly mature into vampires themselves. The vampire spawn, in effect, start over as Fledgling vampires, with the vampire template being applied to the statistics the creatures had in life.
Ravenloft Players Handbook, 3e, 2003, p.200
Both the early lore (90s) and the newer lore (2000s), despite using terms such as vampire spawn and fledgling, also mention another type of vampire: the vampire bride.
Vampire Companions
A unique aspect of vampire culture, involving a ritual through which a mortal is transformed into a vampire's eternal companion.
They are called a "vampire bride" or "vampire groom".
Van Richten uses the term "bride", so let's follow his terminology.
The vampire bride has been part of the D&D vampire canon for many years.
Ravenloft: Realm of Terror
AD&D 2e
Jun, 1990
p. 28
Van Richten's Guide to Vampires
AD&D 2e
Jan 1, 1992
p. 70-75
Monstrous Compendium Ravenloft Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness
AD&D 2e
1994
p. 116-117
Van Richten's Monster Hunter's Compendium. Volume 1
AD&D 2e
Feb 1999
p. 75-80
(same text as 1992, re-release for the 25th anniversary of D&D)
Denizens of Darkness
DnD 3e
Apr 2002
p. 169
Denizens Of Dread
DnD 3.5eĀ
Jan 2004
p. 220
Novels:
"Vampire of the Mists"
Author: Christie Golden
First published: 1991
"I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire"
Author: P. N. Elrod (Patricia Nead Elrod)
First published: 1993
In the first book, the description states that, in essence, the vampire creator and their vampire mate exist in a form of mutual enslavement.
The vampire places themselves in a state of danger and vulnerability - if the bride chooses to harm them, she is capable of doing so. The vampire senses her pain even involuntarily.
The bride, in turn, due to her inexperience as a young vampire. This emotion bond between them, is also placed both in a vulnerable position.
In the first book mentioning this concept of a vampire couple the entire process was still presented without a detailed description of the relationship itself or a specific name for this process.
A slave vampire is not a mate, however.
Love, lust, or obsession may drive a master vampire to create a special bond with a particular victim - a bond that surpasses ordinary enslavement. To create this union, the master samples his victim's blood-once, twice, or several times.
Just before the victim has been drained to death, the master replenishes her with blood of his own. Only a few master vampires are capable of this act. The victim is still the master's slave, but in a way, the master becomes her slave, too (assuming the victim is female). She often can sense his thoughts. In this way, she has the power to protect him in times of need, but could also harm him. Despite the pronouns used here, gender is not a limiting factor. Master vampires may be male or female, and so may their mates.
Ravenloft: Realm of Terror, p. 28
This is reminiscent of Astarion's view of relationships.
Astarion sees deep emotional attachment and lifelong bonds as a state of being mutually beholden to one another, enslavement. On the Ascended path, he builds a relationship in the only way he knows - through the eternal bond, the way vampires express love.
Astarion sometimes expresses or hints at this.
After Tav refuses to spend eternity with him or in a banter with Wyll
Astarion:Ā You are a person of rare talent. You aided greatly in my conquest, even if you did not end up a part of it.
Astarion:Ā And if we were beholden to one another? Well, how is that too different to being enslaved? It is for the best.
Player:Ā Say nothing.
Astarion:Ā IĀ wasĀ trying, with you, you know. In the only way IĀ canĀ try.
Astarion:Ā The gravest crimes committed in this world are committed for love. A hunger crueller than bloodlust.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_BlackMassFollowUp
Astarion:Ā Marriage, Wyll? I thought you'd have learned not to get trapped by devious contracts.
Wyll:Ā I was planning to invite you to the ceremony, but I'm having second thoughts.
Astarion:Ā I'd love to come! As long as I can sit with someone fun. Mizora, perhaps?
\PB_Astarion_Wyll_ROM_Act3
In Astarion's own romance story his perspective changes in the sense that he's willing to accept the bonds of love.
Astarion begins to understand the value of love so deeply that he clings to it, comparing it to a thirst for blood. It is a new kind of hunger that he has come to feel.
In the 1992 Van Richten's Guide to Vampires, a full and detailed description of the entire process is recorded.
The book does not use the term "vampire spawn".
As mentioned above, it did not exist in the canon at that time.
A bride, as a young vampire, is considered a "fledgling".
(...) she arises as a Fledgling vampire - and her creator's bride.
By the 3e-3.5e, the vampire bride had become a distinct category in the lore, separate from both fledglings and vampire spawn.
Denizens of Darkness. DnD 3e p. 169
Denizens Of Dread. DnD 3.5eĀ p. 220
The distinction begins at the transformation stage itself, a process that was given the name the Dark Kiss in Van Richten's guides.
Every aspect of this union is both significant and unique to the two involved:
- method of transformation
- bride's unique form of vampirism
- magical as well as emotional bond they share
Each of these aspects will be examined below and compared with their portrayal in BG3.
The Dark Kiss
To actually create the bride, the vampire bestows what is known as the "Dark Kiss"
For your convenience, I suggest comparing this to the stages of a mortalās transformation from Part 1.
ā The vampire creator must drain a mortal almost to death, sampling their blood in three separate feedings.
It samples the blood of its mortal paramour - once, twice, thrice -draining her almost to the point of death.
In the traditional transformation, the process may begin with draining life force (health), followed by a final lethal bite.
In Dark Kiss, however, only blood-drinking is present.
Astarion bites Tav in the neck at the end of the scene.
I tend to think the other two bites may happen off-screen.
There is also the possibility of interpreting these moments as three bites: one to the neck at the beginning of the intimate scene - which may be kissing, but could also be interpreted as a bite, a bite to the arm (the gentle option), a bite to the neck
In the 1990 novel, the ritual is described as the vampire taking its mortal's blood "once, twice, or several times"
In the 1992, as "once, twice, three".
Neither book states that these must occur on separate nights, nor do they specify how much time must pass for them to count as separate feedings.
In the novel I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire (1993), the "once, twice, thrice" is interpreted as taking place over multiple nights. The vampire gradually transforms person by visiting them repeatedly. During the middle of the process, the young woman becomes ill in the presence of holy symbols and incense.
In the novel Vampire of the Mists (1991), the process does not require multiple nights to begin.
These novels will be analyzed later, after examining the vampiric transformation process in its entirety.
This is a major homage to Dracula.
There are quite a few elements inspired by it, including drinking a vampire creator's blood during the transformation. In essence, the whole thing.
The vampire genre experienced a major boom in 1992.
If you haven't already, I highly recommend watching Dracula (1992), starring Gary Oldman, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder.
ā No Burial
A bride awakens from her death-like coma after a few minutes or hours.
Fledglings\vampire spawn typically rise the following night.
Once the subject has stopped feeding, she falls into a coma that lasts minutes or hours (2d12 turns), at the end of which time she dies. Several (1d3) hours later, she arises as a Fledgling vampireāand her creator's bride.
Given that the text mentions minutes, no grave is actually required. The process is not described as requiring "quick burial underground" as an essential part of the transformation.
This remains important for fledglings and vampire spawn only.
The amount of blood in this case is more than a drop, as the vampire cuts themselves and lets the bride drink.
However, this is not a complete draining of blood as described in the 5e rules.
Just as the subject is about to slip into the terminal coma from which there is no awakening, the vampire opens a gash in its own flesh-often in its throat-and holds the subject's mouth to the wound. As the burning draught that is the vampire's blood gushes into the subject's mouth, the primitive feeding instinct is triggered, and she sucks hungrily at the wound, enraptured.
The amount of blood consumed by the bride is described as small.
The actual process of creating a bride inflicts some limited damage on the vampire. Even the small amount of blood the bride drinks weakens it for some time.
It also doesn't say how much blood is required for the process to be successful.
A vampire bride is the only type of vampire, besides a true vampire, that can drink the creatorās blood.
This is the second instance in D&D lore.
If Tav is not a true vampire after drinking the creatorās blood, then Tav is a vampire bride, which in older lore is referred to as a "fledgling".
There are no other rules or exceptions to the lore in 2026.
ā The process is not painful. On the contrary, it brings euphoria
This process causes the subject no pain; in fact, it has been described as the most euphoric, ecstatic experience, in comparison to which all other pleasures fade into insignificance.
Also, the mention of pain can be interpreted to mean that the usual process of becoming a vampire as a transformation is painful in itself.
For the vampire creator, it is also experienced as pleasure.
The vampire must interrupt the blood-drinking, otherwise the transformation process is disrupted. Too much blood will drive the bride into madness and lead to death within 24 hours.
It is at this point that the creator-vampire's strength is most sorely tested. He is weakenedĀ byĀ hisĀ ownĀ blood andĀ alsoĀ byĀ hisĀ ownĀ raptureĀ asĀ the "victim" of a dark kiss. Overcoming the sudden loss of strength and the inclinations of lust, the vampire must pull her away from its own throat.
ā A vampire is expected to be powerfuli
Its strength in Ravenloft depends on age.
(...) she is a Fledgling and her creator is at least an Ancient.
Astarion became one of the most powerful vampires ever seen in the Realms as a result of the ritual.
All of his vampiric abilities were significantly enhanced.
Raphael:Ā The Rite of Profane Ascension.
Raphael:Ā It promises to be a marvellous ceremony. Very elaborate, incredibly ancient, and entirely diabolical.
Raphael:Ā If he completes the rite, he will become a new kind of being - the Vampire Ascendant.
Raphael:Ā All the strengths of his vampiric form will be amplified, and alongside them he will enjoy the luxuries of the living.
Raphael:Ā 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.
\CAMP_Astarion_RaphaelsRevelation_CFM
Although Astarion is still learning to control his new abilities and notes that his power grows gradually, he is technically already infused with power exceeding that of an ancient vampire.
The Failed Dark Kiss
If the vampire who was creating a potential bride was destroyed during the transformation, she could instead become a Vorlog.
Tormented by their loss, they find no peace; their lives are filled with grief over their lost love.
One of a vampireās most vulnerable moments is when the evil creature is attempting to complete its dark kiss, its bonding with a new vampire companion, creating a vampiric "bride" or "groom". As elaborated upon by Doctor Rudolph van Richten in his great treatise on vampires, the process of creating a vampire bride or groom is quite elaborate, involving a great expenditure of both passion and blood on the part of the monster. For approximately one hour after the monster has poured all of its energy into the erstwhile companion, the vampire lies helpless beside the brideās or groomās transforming body. If the vampire is slain during this time period, its victim does not complete the transformation, but becomes a creature caught between the world of the living and that of the dead - a sorry being known as a vorlog.
(...)
The focus of the vorlogās entire existence centers on its utter anguish and bereavement at the death of its vampire lover. The creature had already given itself over to the vampire, body and mind, when the newly wrought bonds were ripped away by the creatureās sudden demise. The shattering combination of psychic and physical blows is so devastating that the creature can never truly recover. Instead, it spends its eternal existence attempting to recreate its lost companion.
Monstrous Compendium III Creatures Of Darkness p. 116-117
As you can see, the process is described exactly like this: to give yourself - body and mind.
Astarion describes the transformation in the same words.
When a vampire chooses a new companion, it must pour its blood and passion into its beloved's transformation, then lie helpless beside its transforming chosen (see sidebar below). If the vampire is slain during this period, the companion instead becomes a pitiable thing trapped between the worlds of the living and undead. The vorlog looks like a normal humanoid to most observers, with only its budding fangs and pale and doleful expression indicating any change. A vorlog does cast a shadow, but it throws an eerily translucent reflection in mirrors.
Many adventurers have killed a vampire in the midst of the Dark Kiss and congratulated themselves on "saving" its victim, thereby damning the vorlog to a tortuous existence, yearning constantly for his lost love.
Denizens Of Dread p. 219
The nature of a vampire bride
After transformation, the vampire brideās nature and the relationship within a vampire pair are also unique.
ā A vampire can only have one Bride at a time. It takes a ritual to break the bond.
Any vampire can have only one bride or groom at a time. A vampire is physically incapable of creating another bride or groom while it has a companion already bound to it in this relationship. If the vampire wishes to create another bride or groom, it must either destroy its current bride or groom or follow the ritual described later to dissolve the bond between them.
ā The bond between a vampire and their bride is eternal.
Unlike ordinary fledglings, who gradually lose their connection to their creator over time.
This continuous bond makes the bride more similar to the vampire spawn from DnD5e, where the bond between spawn and creator remains until death.
ā The magical aspects of this bond are extensive, including mutual telepathy and a metaphysical sense of each other.
One vampire cannot read another's thoughts against their will. With one exception, strong emotions - such as pain, fear, or intense surprise - are shared between them.
One of the reasons "married vampires" are so difficult to defeat is that a vampire and its bride share a telepathic communication that has a range measured in miles.
One vampire cannot read the other's mind against the subject's will, so the bride cannot pilfer secrets from the mind of her creator. As the sole exception to this statement, one member of the pair can sense incredibly strong emotion in the other's mind. (This could be equated to hearing a vocalized gasp of surprise or fear.) Only extreme fear, pain, surprise, sadness or exaltation can be sensed in this manner.
ā Destroying one inflicts massive damage on the other
While the bond is in existence, there is a strong metaphysical link between the two vampiresā unlife forces. (No doubt this link explains the telepathic communication the creatures share.) So close is this link that the destruction of one member of the bond inflicts grave damage to the other member.
ā From the moment of creation, the bride possesses free will.
Any control exerted by the creator is entirely non-magical.
Although there are some folk tales that describe the bride of a vampire as its slave, in much the same way that offspring are slaves, a bride is free-willed from the moment of her creation. The creator vampire does have great influence over the bride, however, although this control is totally nonmagical.
(...)
By lying to her or bending the truth, he can convince her that she must obey his every order or suffer horrible consequences. With time, and through experimentation, the bride might find out the true level of control her creator has over her - that is, none. She is still in a very inferior position, of course, because she is a Fledgling and her creator is at least an Ancient.
All this made the vampire bride look like the true vampire we know from DnD5 - it was the bride who drank blood and gained independence - not from time, but from certain actions.
In the most escalated breakup branch, Astarion insists that Tav cannot leave him.
It may suggest that, under Astarion's non-magical influence, Tav doesn't even attempt to leave.
In the less confrontational breakup branches, however, Tav simply walks away without any discussion. This could depend on how Tav chooses to end the relationship.
ā Unlike traditional fledglings, the bride has a poor understanding of her own condition, remaining unaware of her abilities and weaknesses.
When a vampire is created in the traditional manner - that is, when a victim's life energy is completely drained away - the new fledgling instinctively understands much about the vampiric way of unlife, and about its own strengths, weaknesses, and needs. Not so the bride.
ā Control is instead based on emotional attachment and the brideās inexperience with her new nature.
Newly-created brides are generally ignorant of their own capabilities. If in life they heard folk tales and myths about vampires, they might have some vague conception, but often these tales are totally wrong. The bride is effectively dependent - totally dependent - on her creator, to learn how to survive as a vampire. This obviously gives the creator great power over the bride.
ā The bond between a vampire and their bride is unique to vampire culture.
The book is written from the perspective of a vampire hunter who questions whether vampires are capable of experiencing the same range of emotions as mortals.
The passage compares this to what Strahd von Zarovich feels - his obsession with a woman who rejected him. In such cases, vampires are portrayed as pursuing the fulfillment of their own desires.
Whether vampires are capable of love - or of genuine emotion in general - is a question that mortals repeatedly raise. Vampires, by their very nature, inspire disgust and a desire to destroy them.
To the mortal world, they are monsters.
For example, in BG3, Karlach voices similar doubts, to which Astarion responds while speaking as a vampire himself, fully subject to the effects of the vampiric curse.
Karlach:Ā Sorry if this is rude, but... can vampires fall in love?
Astarion:Ā What a preposterous question. Vampires can do anything you can do, and a damn sight better.
Karlach:Ā Sunbathe? Swim?
Astarion:Ā All right, there are a few limited exceptions.
Karlach:Ā Good to know love is on the table though.
Astarion:Ā It is. Though if the table is laden with good wine and meat, love is often left to rot with the salad leaves.
\PB_Karlach_Astarion_ROM_Act2_001
At the same time, in other instances, even the vampire hunter describes the relationship between a vampire and their bride as something closely resembling the love experienced by mortals.
Sometimes, however, the emotion may be close to what mortals classify as love.
The happiness of the vampire becomes tied up with the prospective bride, and its well-being depends on hers. In these cases, the vampire might actually believe it is bestowing a gift when it turns the mortal into its bride - the gift of freedom from aging and death.
Minthara refers to their immortality as a gift.
Minthara notes that their bond is truly unique and belongs to them alone.
Nightwarden Minthara:Ā Would you ever consider sharing the gift of immortality with me, Astarion?
Astarion:Ā I think not. That is for me and my darling to share.
Nightwarden Minthara:Ā If they have prevented your eyes and fangs from wandering to other necks, it must be a special bond indeed.
\PB_Minthara_Astarion_ROM_Act3_001
The ritual itself is extremely complex and physically draining for the vampire.
By creating a bride, a vampire places themselves at risk, as the two become capable of feeling each other's pain. The death of either partner is experienced by the survivor as profound agony on every level - a vulnerability that vampire hunters can exploit.
This is something unique to vampires. They willingly accept this vulnerability, knowing the risks, because they long to find someone with whom they can share eternity.
For a more visual comparison with the Dark Kiss in BG3, I recommend the following videos on the vampire bride, available here, here and here
Kin-Nectar Ā· A Vampire Drinking Another Vampire
As far as I have been able to find, the term kin-nectar appears exclusively in Van Richten's books - 1992 and its 1999 edition. It belongs to the early vampire lore that predates the introduction of the Rule of Blood in later editions of D&D.
1992 - Chapter 11, Relationships Between Vampires, p. 68
1999 - Chapter 10, Relationships Between Vampires, p. 74
Here are a few key takeaways from the book:
Kin-nectar is more nourishing than mortal blood.
Most vampires still prefer the taste of living blood.
Feeding creates a telepathic link lasting several hours.
<<If one vampire drinks the blood of another, the creatures enter into a close relationship: for several (1d3) hours following the feeding, the two creaturesā minds are so intimately linked that they can communicate telepathically as easily as by speaking. This telepathy persists regardless of distance or intervening matter as long as both vampires are on the same plane. One vampire cannot āoverhearā thoughts not intended as communication, however>>
The vampire who drinks the blood gains limited control over the donor.
<<In addition, the vampire who drank the blood has a significant level of control over the vampire who provided the blood for as long as the telepathic link exists. The creature who fed can issue orders telepathically and the second creature must obey them, within reason>>
Because of the vulnerability created by this link, vampires rarely share their blood.
Vampires share their blood only if they totally trust each other or have no other choice.
<<Most vampires will find this interconnection distasteful and, in the case of the creature who was fed upon, downright dangerous, so the monsters usually shun kin-nectar. Most will only participate in this kind of feeding on either side if they totally trust the other participant (which is very rare) or if they simply have no choice in the matter>>
As of 2026, I haven't found this lore to have been updated or directly rewritten in D&D 5e/5.5e, with the exception of Baldur's Gate 3.
Astarion:Ā Of course I will, and you'll drink mine. I can't wait to taste your lips after you've tasted me.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_PartneredWithAstarion
Old and New Vampire Lore
Novels
In addition to rule books, there are also the Novels.
"Vampire of the Mists"
Author: Christie Golden
First published: 1991
"One Last Drink"Ā
is a short story prequel to the novel Vampire of the Mists.
Author:Ā Christie GoldenĀ
First published: 1993 anthologyĀ Realms of Valor.
"I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire"
Author: P. N. Elrod (Patricia Nead Elrod)
First published: 1993
Vampire of the Mists and One Last DrinkĀ
The novel was written at a time when the earliest depiction of a vampire mate's transformation already existed, though such a vampire was not yet referred to as a "vampire bride."
Ravenloft: Realm of Terror AD&D 2e Jun, 1990 p. 28
Vampire of the Mists is the first big novel in Ravenloft setting, making it unique for several reasons.
Jander Sunstar is a vampire from Toril who travels across Faerƻn.
Thus, it is also set in the Forgotten Realms.
Jander is the first elven vampire in Dungeons & Dragons.
Jander is a vampire who resists his own dark nature.
Jander despises his own kind and dedicates himself to hunting and killing them
Jander Sunstar was the first elven vampire ever described in Forgotten Realms lore. Astarion is an elven vampire who calls himself Princess of House Nightstar. Just a funny coincidence (?)
Player:Ā Don't keep anything like this from me again.
Astarion:Ā Well - if you must know...
Astarion:Ā I'm actually a princess of House Nightstar.
Astarion:Ā And I'm married to a tarrasque named Johnathan. Anything else you'd like to know?
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_RaphaelRevealedScars
This brief summary of the story provides an example of a vampire coven, demonstrates how mental control functioned over a fledgling, and illustrates different types of vampiric transformation.
One Last Drink, prequel
Jander was turned into a vampire by his master, Cassiar, a young man with red hair.
Cassiar was a master who allowed his vampires to drink human blood immediately after they awoke. His coven obeyed him and his commands: they searched for settlements, cleaned up the aftermath of massacres, and hunted and reveled as vampires alongside him.
Jander hated all of it. Life as a vampire was unbearable to him.
Jander persuaded Cassiar to give him one of the intended victims, Rhynn, whom he wanted to save from the other vampires' fangs. He then ruined Cassiar's hunt by releasing all of the captives from their trap. Jander directly threatens to kill him.
Cassiar merely remarked that it was a mistake and that Jander would be punished for it. Cassiar punished Jander by drinking his blood, which greatly weakens vampires.
Cassiar likely used kin-nectar to dominate Jander even better. Although the telepathic bond lasts only a few hours, it likely still affected Jander's spirit and, of course, his strength.
What Astarion endured after similar confrontations and acts of defiance would hardly compare to this. Furthermore, a coven like Cassiar's would likely have been Astarion's decent life. His objection to serving Cassiar would most likely have stemmed from his desire to be the one in charge and to enjoy complete freedom, rather than from any moral objection to the coven's brutality or the fact that they hunted and killed humans.
Cassiar' only flew into a rage after discovering that several vampires from his own coven had been killed.
Cassiar has now decided to kill his vampire elf.
A fight broke out between them.
The novel describes how Cassiar's mental control affects Jander.
This is early D&D lore - before the concept of vampire spawn existed, when vampires instead created young vampires under their control, which fades with time - Jander, who had already been a vampire for about a century, was able to resist that control.
Jander ultimately killed Cassiar, gaining his freedom.
This is where the prequel ends.
Vampire of the Mists
The novel begins with a quote from Bram Stoker's "Dracula".
Jander's wanderings in search of a cure for vampirism eventually brought him to Waterdeep, where he met a woman confined to an asylum. She called herself Anna.
Jander sincerely fell in love with a quiet, kind-hearted young woman who, for magical reasons, neither aged nor remembered what had happened to her. She was haunted by terrifying nightmares that would send her fleeing in panic, screaming.
When Jander asked what had happened to her - who had done this to her - she answered with a single word: "Barovia."
This continued for thirty years. Then the Spellplague swept across Faerƻn, and the young woman began to die.
As she lay on the verge of death, Jander drank her blood. When he pulled away, he opened a wound on himself. Had she drunk his blood, she would have lived, and they could have remained together forever.
Jander drank eagerly, the warm, coppery-tasting fluid flowing easily down his throat. The life force it carried began to seep through him, renewing his power and rekindling his senses. It had been a long time since he had permitted himself such a banquet; he had almost forgotten the elation and heat a true feeding engendered. He felt himself surrendering to the pleasure. Dimly he noticed the change as the flavor began to turn ashy and empty.
Abruptly he stopped. He had almost gone too far; he had almost drained her dry in his hunger.
Quickly, still cradling her limp form in one powerful arm, he slashed a deep gash in his own throat with a clawlike nail. New blood - Anna's blood - pumped from the incision. Jander moved her like a doll, placing her mouth to his throat. "Drink, my love," he said hoarsely, "drink, and be one with me!"
There was no movement. Suddenly afraid, he shoved her face into the wound. "Anna, drink." She tried feebly to push him away, and he cast a frantic glance down at her
Anna refused. Her consciousness began to fade.
p. 19-22
The moment he regained his senses, he found himself surrounded by the aftermath of a massacre. Enraged by her loss, Jander slaughtered everyone around him without even realizing it.
Jander approached Anna's cold body. Since he drank her blood, it hastened her inevitable death. It seems Jander still had a chance to bring her back by burying her, butā¦
Having refused his blood, she could not become a vampire mate and was doomed to become a servile vampire.
Anna's true individuality would remain locked away as long as he exists.
Jander had tried to make Anna his mate, but she would not drink his blood. When she rose a few nights from now as an undead, she would be only a weak, servile vampire: his slave. That was all she would ever be, for all eternity, for slaves could never become true individuals while their maker existed. "Oh, Anna, I never wanted that for you," he said brokenly. "Death would have been better."
After driving out the remaining people, he burned everything behind him. And in this way, he gave Anna the eternal peace she had wanted.
The Mists came for Jander, carrying him to the very place she had named - to Barovia. In the hope of learning about Anna's past and avenging her.
The lore surrounding the vampire bride - or, in this case (1991), the vampire mate - is not exclusive to Ravenloft or to Strahd specifically.
This method of vampiric transformation is also used by a vampire from Toril, from Faerƻn, the setting of the Forgotten Realms.
In Toril, Jander Sunstar is the only vampire ever described in the lore as beginning the Dark Kiss with his beloved.
Astarion may be the second - and, in his case, the first to successfully complete it.
(so I had to change the wording a bit, it's not just the Revenloft setting as it was discovered)
In the transformation method Jander begins with Anna, everything takes place over the course of a single night. Here, the phrase "once, twice, or several times" is likely interpreted as referring to separate bites rather than separate nights. Jander had never drunk Anna's blood prior to that night.
The book then goes on to describe Jander's own transformation into a vampire.
Jander encountered an old companion with whom he had once hunted monsters. But his former friend had become a monster himself. He seized Jander by the throat and bit into his neck.
When Jander awoke, buried beneath the earth, he learned that his former companion was a servile vampire serving Cassiar. He also realized that he himself was dead, and that Cassiar had become his master as well.
Awareness returned some time later. Something cool and moist and filled with the rich loam fragrance of earth covered the elf, pressing damply against his face. He shifted and tried to wipe the dirt away, but found that soil covered the rest of his body, as well. Panic gripped him, and he flailed frantically, scraping at the dirt on his face and clawing his way out of what he now realized was a shallow grave.
Pleased with his new servant, Cassiar immediately forced Jander to feed on a defenseless, most innocent person.
"No!" he cried, covering his face with his arms. "You can't make me do that to a child!"
Cassiar frowned, his boyish mouth puckering in annoyance. "You have no say in the matter. You will obey me, and I say drink!"
Jander was too young, too weak a vampire then to resist the command his master had given.
(...)
Afterward he looked up at Cassiar, and his silver eyes were filled with hatred. Though it would take him nearly a century, he eventually slew his evil master. That act of rebellion allowed him to forge his own future, but it did little to free his soul from the curse his traitorous friend had inflicted upon him.
p. 232-234
It would take Jander a hundred years before he finally managed to break free from his master's control.
---
In D&D 5e, Jander Sunstar's backstory was rewritten. His beloved was turned into an adventurer who fled after learning he was a vampire, with the help of her companions. Jander then slaughtered everyone he held responsible for taking her away from him.
In other words, his mutual love, his main motivation were completely twisted.
She died tragically in his arms, never having recovered from her curse and pain.
How on earth did you rewrite this?
Bad, Wizards of the Coast, not good. Rewrite it back.
I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire (1993)
This novel already follows the more detailed vampire lore established in Van Richten's Guide. Here, the vampire mate is referred to as a vampire bride.
The novel describes the process by which Strahd turns Marina, one of Tatyana's reincarnations. The entire process clearly follows the rules of the Dark Kiss. Apart from the fact that the rules do not specify how long the interval between the three bites should be.
Marina drinks Strahd's blood, he calls her his bride, and throughout the turning Strahd experiences overwhelming ecstasy (the novel is written from his perspective).
When Marina is killed, he hears her calling to him and feels her pain as though it were happening to himself.
Her eyelids fluttered as she fought to stay conscious. I hurriedly tore open the front of my shirt and, with a diamond-hard talon, dug into the flesh over my heart. Our mingled blood slowly welled from the wound. When I pulled her up and pressed her lips to it, she began to drink.
(...)
I know not what pleasure she may have taken; my own was beyond any that I'd ever experienced before.
(...)
Here and now, I had nothing left to give but my own life's blood, but it was hers to take, and I murmured to myself, pleading to the dark magics that had made me to grant me this one boon - that she would at last be my bride.
(...)
Finally, I had to place the palm of my hand against her forehead and push with all my might, lest we both die.
(...)
Overcome by the same weariness, I dropped to the floor, shaking from fatigue and sudden hunger.
(...)
I sensed her strongly on the other side. She was only just now stirring.
Waking late and languorousā¦
(...)
The sudden rush of terror and agony crashed upon me like a physical blow. I thought it must be a blow, for I staggered and fell like a tree into the mud of the yard, helpless. My chest, my heartā¦ Fireā¦ Worse than fireā¦ my hands scrabbled and encountered nothing, yet the pain was paralyzingly real. I was no stranger to a sword thrust, and that was what it felt like, only a thousand times worse.
Tatyana was screaming.
Shrieking.
And desperately calling on that silent link between us.
Calling on me.
Thenā¦
Nothing.
The similarities between Baldur's Gate 3 and the Dark Kiss ritual, as well as the overall tone of vampire romance, are clear. Beyond that, another recurring element can also be observed.
We Ā· Ours
Vampires appear to regard the act of sharing blood with one another and transforming the one they love into a being like themselves as the ultimate expression of union. Jander, Strahd, and Astarion all speak about transforming their beloved using language - "we," "us," and "our." This is a classic vampire romance trope - unity in eternity.
ā Jander offering to turn Anna:
"Drink, my love," he said hoarsely, "drink, and be one with me!"
ā Strahd on the blood of the murdered newly turned Marina:
"Her blood - our blood - had splashed all down the front of his clothes".
ā Astarion does this nonstop.
This is also incredibly important to him because he never had anyone he could trust or consider close to him.
Astarion:Ā I'm free. I'm finally free! Oh it feelsĀ delicious.
Player:Ā You did it! I can't believe you did it!
Astarion:Ā I did.Ā WeĀ did.
\LOW_CazadorsPalace_RitualRoom_PostCombat_OM_Astarion_AOM_COM_OOM
Right after the ritual is completed, Tav can says: you did it. Astarion echoes them, then says: "We did." The word "we" is italicized.
This dialogue works on friendship path too.
On both paths, Astarion tends to use this "we" language, because he values this relationship being unique for him - someone caring for him and supporting him.
Astarion also has this as a personal trait. But it could also be connected to vampirism in the story, in line with the tropes
I like you, you mean a lot to me - and now it's not just "you and me" - it's "us".
On the mortal Tav path in the romance, Astarion also continues to see them as very close, together. Astarion also suggests - if the romance ends - that Tav become his partner in crime.
In other words, no matter what, Astarion is eager to keep it "us".
In the romance on the Ascended path, vampire theme is revealed, when Tav becomes like him and shares many things and eternity with him.
This further highlights the "We" part.
I covered Astarion's vampirism and vampirism in his romance in a separate big post here.
Astarion:Ā Aeterna amantes.Ā Lovers forever, until the world falls down.
\Astarion_InParty2_Nested_PartneredWithAstarion
Astarion:Ā You know, now that our enemies have fallen, I might be the most powerful person in the world.
Astarion:Ā And as you're my consort, that makes us the most powerful people in the world
Player:Ā I wouldn't want it any other way.
Astarion:Ā And neither would I. Together, we can do anything.
Astarion:Ā The world is ours for the taking. So, what would you like?
\END_GameFinale_ROM_RomanceFates_Astarion
Astarion:Ā Still, it is good to see them. And good for them to see us, side by side,Ā flourishing.
Player:Ā It is wonderful. I'm glad I get to share this with you.
Astarion:Ā And I am blessed to share it with you, my love.
Astarion:Ā I may have power, but it would be nothing without you. You complete me.
Astarion:Ā And together, we are unstoppable. So Heavens help the fool that tries to get in our way.
\EPI_Epilogue_Astarion_Lord
Astarion:Ā Well, my love, we did it. This world is ours, as it should be.
Astarion:Ā I always knew you could do it. I always knew that together, we could do anything.
\Absolute End
\END_BrainBattle_FinalDecision_Nested_EvilAvatar
Curse of Strahd (2016)
In this book Strahd von Zarovich having multiple brides simultaneously first appears in 5th Edition.
Since becoming a vampire, he has taken several consorts - none as beloved as Tatyana, but each a person of beauty. All of them he turned into vampire spawn.
p.10
In the description of Strahd's Tomb, his three consorts are explicitly described as vampire spawn brides.
Lying under the earth near the east wall of theĀ tomb are three vampire spawn brides dressed in soiled gowns and wearing dirt-encrusted jewelry (see "Treasure" below). They rise to attack anyone who approaches Strahd's coffin.
p.93-94
Rahadin's description also states that Strahd found brides and turned them into vampire spawn.
Rahadin's loyalty didn't waver after Tatyana died and Strahd became a vampire. Rahadin continued to do his master's bidding. Eager to put Tatyana out of his mind, Strahd lured more women to the castle, taking several of them as brides before draining their lives and turning them into vampire spawn. Rahadin would see to it that these women were lavished with jewels and fine clothes, and made comfortable during their stay in Ravenloft.
p.237
Like Dracula, Strahd now has three brides: Ludmilla Vilisevic, Anastrasya Karelova, Volenta Popofsky.
All three are officially referred to as vampire spawn, consorts, and brides.
At the beginning of the adventure (page 10), another reincarnation of Tatyana - Ireena Kolyana - is introduced. Strahd intends to turn her into his vampire spawn consort.
Ireena looked exactly like Tatyana! Strahd now believes that Ireena is the latest reincarnation of Tatyana, and thus he seeks to claim her.
Strahd's evil courtship has led him to visit Ireena twice. On both occasions, he charmed his way into her home - the house of her adopted father, the burgomaster of the village of Barovia - and drank her blood. He intends to kill Ireena during their next meeting and turn her into his vampire spawn consort.
p.10
The text also states that Strahd has already visited Ireena twice, which is presented as two bites.
Following the Dark Kiss, only the third remains.
Ireena, a striking young woman with auburn hair, has been bitten twice by Strahd.
On page 161, the adventure also mentions Marina, Tatyana's previous reincarnation, who was turned into a vampire according to the Dark Kiss.
In his rage after her death, Strahd flooded the entire village, transforming it into a swamp from which its inhabitants never returned.
He seduced her in the dead of night and feasted on her blood, but before she could be turned into a vampire, the burgomaster of Berez, Lazlo Ulrich, with the aid of a local priest named Brother Grigor, killed Marina to save her soul from damnation.
p.161
Thus, the canon does not discard the events of the novel by explicitly referencing Marina and, by extension, her turning. Likewise, Ireena's transformation is portrayed as a gradual process that occurs without being buried in the ground.
Ireena and Marina - both reincarnations of Tatyana - are turned by Strahd through the Dark Kiss, a ritual that traditionally implies the unique nature of this form of vampirism.
Because Curse of Strahd directly references Marina - and therefore the events of I, Strahd - the older Ravenloft lore surrounding the Dark Kiss can reasonably still be considered applicable.
As the meaning of the term fledgling evolved, so did the concept of the vampire bride.
In the 1990s, a Fledgling was a young, controlled vampire, naturally inclined to obey its creator.
A vampire bride was always an unique kind of Fledgling.
Bride possessed free will from the moment of her creation and was not subject to innate control. Instead, she shared a unique bond with her creator. Only a vampire bride drank her creator's blood.
The lore of vampires and Dark Kiss is related to Forgotten Realms through the novel Vampire of the Mists (1991). This is not exclusive to Revenloft. This is a thing of all vampires.
By the 2000s, the term Fledgling had come to refer to young, inexperienced vampires much closer to true vampires. The place of the most subordinate vampire in the hierarchy was taken by the vampire spawn.
Although the concept of the vampire bride remained part of the lore, it continued to be distinct from both Fledglings and vampire spawn.
In 2016, Curse of Strahd was released with numerous references to old Ravenloft lore.
It also places the term consort alongside vampire spawn and bride.
Since Strahd is the lord and ruler of Barovia, the title consort naturally fits his spouses. The term itself is not unique to Ravenloft - in Baldur's Gate 3, for example, both Wyll and Minthara also use the word consort in the sense of a ruler's spouse.
Wyll:Ā And one day, I might even call you consort to Grand Duke Wyll Ravengard of Baldur's Gate. My pride, my joy.
\Wyll_InParty2_Nested_KissBranch
___
Nightwarden Minthara:Ā I take no pleasure in what I must do. In another life, I would have taken you as my consort in Menzoberranzan.
\CAMP_GoblinHuntCelebration_SCO_DrowBetrayal
The word bride, however, is a much more direct reference to the older Dark Kiss and demonstrates continuity with earlier lore.
This partial revision of the lore raises important questions about which aspects have actually changed and which have remained the same.
If Strahd's three brides are simply vampire spawn created through the ordinary method of vampiric turning, then the fact that there are three of them presents no contradiction. Or their bonds have been severed.
If that is not the case, then it is likely that only the old restriction allowing a vampire to have only one bride at a time has been rewritten.
Unlike the Ravenloft books of early 2000s, the vampire bride is now explicitly identified as a vampire spawn in D&D5e.
The concept of the vampire bride likely returned to something closer to the Fledgling of the 1990s lore, which itself was the early concept that would later become the vampire spawn.
Thus, Baldur's Gate 3 does not contradict the vampire bride theory by referring to the bride as a vampire spawn.
The remaining question is whether the other distinctive aspects of a vampire bride's unique form of vampirism have also been rewritten.
Based on the reference to Marina in Curse of Strahd and the beginning of Ireena's transformation, it appears that the process of turning itself has not changed and remains distinct from the ordinary method of creating a fledgling\vampire spawn.
When Astarion turns the PC into a vampire, the transformation itself differs from the traditional process: several elements are unique, while others are either absent or never mentioned. At the same time, the blood he gives them allows the resulting vampire to be interpreted as either a true vampire or a vampire bride.
Unless future material explicitly states otherwise.
In the 2016 DnD5 book - Curse of Strahd, the vampire bride is identified as a vampire spawn, yet the references to the 1992 Ravenloft rules and the 1993 novel preserve all of the unique characteristics established there.
Unless future material explicitly states otherwise.
Relationships Within a Vampire Pair
Astarion's romance and relationship with Tav can also be seen as drawing inspiration from older vampire lore, where relationships are explored in considerable detail.
Life within a vampire pair depends on the personalities of both vampires and on how they approach their bond.
Romance ending - game release:
It all depends on how bloodstained your consort's path has been - you choose to travel, take up the sword, or weave your web of power within the palace walls.
Withers:Ā The Vampire Ascendant. He chose to leave Baldur's Gate with his consort and travel the world, indulging in every delight it offered.
Withers:Ā Rumours of their debauchery abound, but all agree - a night revelling with them will be the greatest or most horrifying night of your life.
/END_GodsAndMonsters_WithersChronicles
Withers:Ā His former master destroyed, thousands of souls sacrificed, and his place as the Vampire Ascendant secured. His parties alone are worthy of ballads and legends.
Withers:Ā Though no ballads are ever writ, such is the fear that doth swirl about Astarion and his bloody consort.
Withers:Ā Though no ballads are ever writ. His guests he welcometh to his home, his consort locketh the door.
/END_GodsAndMonsters_WithersChronicles
Romance ending - patch 8:
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
Given the differences between D&D 5e vampire rules in the Forgotten Realms setting and the similarities to Ravenloft and older FR, what happens to the player character - the nature of their vampirism and the bond they share with Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3 - can be interpreted as an Easter egg, inspiration drawn from the Dark Kiss, the ritual that binds two vampires to one another for eternity.
The richness and legacy of Dungeons & Dragons' vampire lore is truly fascinating. There is an entire fantasy world surrounding Astarion, and through him, exploring the Realms, Barovia, and vampire lore becomes an incredibly engaging experience.
This is only the beginning. Across Toril, vampires have shaped history for centuries. From ancient covens hidden within great cities like Baldur's Gate to infernalist vampires, forgotten relics, secret traditions, and powerful bloodlines, there is an entire world still waiting to be explored. The history of vampires stretches across the Sword Coast and far beyond, with countless stories yet to be uncovered.
Random thoughts I have about Ascended Astarion because he is an interesting creature.
This is so long I'm so sorry.
On his love for romanced Tav:
Sooo I'm straight up not an AA fan (as far as like, choosing that ending for myself because to me it's sad yk) but I don't think just because it's a tragic ending for Astarion that that means he doesn't in SOME way love Tav - and I honestly don't see him being anywhere near as awful to them as Cazador was to him. (Other spawn, idk, after a few hundred years anything could happen)
Cazador may not have been as bad to his spawn as Vellioth was to his either. Just from what we know, Cazador was impaled for 11 years just for asking for help from a friend, but when Astarion disobeyed Cazador and tried to save a random "darling boy" from being Cazador's next victim he "only" locked him in a tomb for a single year.
In his fucked up vampire brain, maybe Cazador considered that merciful.
Personal example lol:
My parents weren't as bad to me as theirs were to them, but that doesn't mean they didn't fuck me up real good in their own ways. I've also never doubted my dear ole dad loves me, it's just that he sucks at it and he has a really fucked up way of looking at the world that makes his love unhealthy and painful.
So I imagine Astarion's love for Tav becoming obsessive the way it's typically depicted for vampires. (Very Strahd of him)
I imagine if they break it off with him it's only a matter of time before he starts stalking them and setting up situations to make himself look good in front of them without having to be the one to admit he misses them first... and I think that last bit kinda gets to the main flaw I see in Ascended Astarion's love for Tav which is that it is DEEPLY insecure.
On AA's insecurity:
I'm sure most people who read this (ty btw this is already long as shit and I'm not even close to done) have known someone at some point that seems wildly arrogant at first glance only for it to become incredibly obvious the longer you look at them that all of their arrogance comes from a deep place of insecurity and need for validation.
I'm not saying Spawn Astarion isn't insecure as well, he IS, but by the end I think he's coming around and showing a forward momentum for growth that's inspiring. AA on the other hand just fully sinks into the misbelief that he's only worth anything if he is the most powerful person in the room. Only to his horror, actually BEING the most powerful person in the room doesn't soothe all his fear and self doubt - which is weakness, of course. So he needs to remind everyone all the time how big and strong he is and that he doesn't care about anyone or anything as much as they care about him.
He's toxic masculinity the guy and it blows.
He gets PISSED if you mention Cazador to him because it still makes him feel scared/upset and that makes him livid. That he can be so powerful and Cazador can be dead and still hold that much power over him.
Speaking of power:
Obviously there's physical strength and the ability to defend himself bodily against most threats. I think AA is pretty satisfied with his power in this aspect which is why it's what he chooses to focus on.
But there's also the power he said Cazador enjoyed most: "power over people."
This is what he's most afraid of now because in my opinion, I don't think the ascension "fixed" this issue for him the way he wanted it to.
He saw Cazador as all powerful for so long, and whether or not it was true, Astarion saw him as untouchable not only physically but emotionally as well.
That's the thing that hurt most.
That Cazador could make Astarion feel such a depth of turmoil grief and anger all the while looking completely unaffected himself.
We see it when we walk into the room. Cazador calmly insults Astarion and acts like his presence here to kill him is childish and Astarion can't stop himself from taking the bait and getting emotional, because that's just who he is and I'm very willing to bet that Cazador and maybe even the other spawn told him endlessly that this was something to be punished for/wiped out.
(Personal divergence feel free to skip lmao.)
I understand this too. Maybe it's projecting based on my own experience but what else are long ass posts like this for? My dad had a very similar opinion on feelings. The only emotion acceptable to express was anger, and when my youngest brother couldn't understand that, when he was a "crybaby" and acted soft or scared, it wasn't just my dad who would punish him for it. It was us, his siblings, too. I thought I was helping him grow tougher so he wouldn't get targeted so much by my dad.
When I fucked up and couldn't keep my emotions in check I felt like I was too weak to manage them and even though I never thought my dad was right for how he punished us, I didn't realize that I was implicitly accepting that being emotional was in some way deserving of punishment, or at least derision. I had an unexamined value placed on stoicism and intellectualizing rather than feeling and assumed that that value was in some way universally applicable.
Astarion's emotional. He just is. He doesn't think things through all the way and he acts on emotion whether it makes sense or not. š¤·āāļø He can't help but react. He can't help but scream when he's in pain or yell when he's angry or cry when he's sad even if he tries so hard to do it, and he was punished for it EVERY time... Until the nautiloid when Tav has the opportunity to REWARD every tiny morsel of vulnerability he expresses.
But saying yes to the ascension is accepting that he needs to be more like Cazador to be safe, and that means whatever vulnerability he might have started to allow himself needs to go away and never see the light of day again, even if he can.
Nobody can ever have that kind of power over him, the power to make him feel and act on emotion in that way that made him so weak before.
Except romanced Tav already has a power over him: his feelings for them.
And that is his NIGHTMARE.
Which is why the only way he can be at all comfortable maintaining the relationship is by lowering their status in his mind and dominating them, or making them believe that he isn't as invested in their relationship as they are/were.
Ex:
You can go mingle at the party because I LET you, but I'm still watching. You will always be on my leash.
You can sleep with Mizora and I won't be angry because I don't CARE enough to be jealous or upset.
Haha it's a good thing you broke up with me because I would've ruined your pathetic love with my super powerful evil mastermind manipulation. If you thought I actually loved you it's just because of how good at manipulating I am and I'm definitely not devastated because that would mean that you could hurt me and no one can hurt me.
I'm a good owner, but I'm still your owner and you should remember that I could choose to be less good to you if I wanted because I am more powerful than you and you can't hurt me if you're beneath me.
You can have my affection but only if you earn it because I don't want you to have the opportunity to know you could break my heart if you wanted to because that would ruin my image which is the most important thing to me now.
On AA's fear:
Astarion's #1 fear has always been other people having power over him again and despite how powerful the ascension makes him, it doesn't make that fear go away, it makes it WORSE.
Vampire traits are your traits magnified and twisted. That doesn't just apply to things that were once positive. Just like his love becomes obsession, I believe his fear also becomes obsession.
Obsessed with maintaining the appearance of invulnerability. Obsessed with making himself feel confident and powerful 200% of the time and getting rid of anything that keeps him from feeling that way.
Hiding anything that could be perceived as weakness from absolutely everyone at all times.
Spawn Astarion cries when he finally kills Cazador as centuries of catharsis wash over him and overwhelm him. Do I think Ascended Astarion isn't also overcome with relief and emotion at finally being free? I don't actually. I think he is, and won't allow himself to feel it or to cry or to display anything but the facade of what he thinks he SHOULD be feeling in a triumphant moment like this.
He's confused if Dame Aylin kills that stupid fucking wizard why she isn't celebratory and cheerful. So he clearly expects that to be his reaction to killing Cazador.
When he's a spawn, regardless of whatever he expected, he just lets himself feel all the shit he feels and expresses it without worrying about what anyone else in the room will think because that doesn't matter to him right now.
But AA isn't allowed that moment of vulnerability or relief because he is and always will be first and foremost concerned with what other people think of him. He'd rather be seen as evil and cruel but completely untouchable than risk being seen as weak.
The tragedy isn't about Tav, it's about Astarion:
I don't think his ascended ending is his bad ending because he will inevitably be a monster like Cazador or treat Tav horribly. That's what could potentially happen to other people maybe, but that's honestly not even what makes this ending so tragic.
It's tragic for him to spend the rest of his immortal life not being able to let go of his performance. To be trapped forever playing the part of the all powerful, untouchable ascendant. To lose out on the opportunity to grow past the toxic idea that being soft is being weak. To let someone else take care of him when he needs it.
That's why I don't like it (again, for my playthroughs, because I enjoy giving everyone a happy ending if I can. AA ending is fascinating to me as an option to be given though. I think about it a lot, and that's good writing right there.)
Spawn Astarion isn't a perfect good boy with the heart of a saint but I don't want or expect him to be. He is however, finally comfortable in his skin and unlearning all the terrible lessons Cazador gave him. He's accepting himself for better AND for worse. He's just being himself, unapologetically, for everyone to see and I think that's his perfect version of a happy ending.
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Itās no secret Astarion hates himself. Like he deals with a lot of insecurities and self loathing. He just puts on an act of self confidence and narcissism to properly play the role of sexy vampire.
But I think a lot of people miss when he Ascends this gets so much worse. Not only does he still think heās only good for sex and has nothing to offer beyond that. Now heās a monster, not by force but by choice. He choose to become a monster. Now heās expanded his act from sexy vampire to evil sexy vampire. Heās playing the villain because thatās what he thinks he is. And as we know heās really not that great at acting.
I think itās interesting everyone always talks about seeing through Astarionās facade but when it comes to him ascending theyāre so quick to fall for his act all over again.
Thereās the line āif you stay with him he will always see you as degrading yourselfā in his post ascension romance scene. A lot of people interpret it at face value as he hates and looks down on Tav. But I think itās miss understood because he could never hate Tav as much as he hates himself. Infact Iād say he has Tav put up on the highest pedestal. He sees them as the kindest most caring person in the whole world. He adores them and holds them in the highest regard. Thatās why them wanting to be with him so much they would even put themselves beneath him is the ultimate degradation. Itās also why he feels he has to turn them because he doesnāt believe thereās any reason theyād choose to stay with him of their own free will while at the same time he canāt bare to loose them. He canāt wrap his head around the idea that you could actually love a monster like him.
If you say you want freedom in the reunion party he panics. Why would you want freedom? To leave him? You want to leave him? Why? When heās given you the only things heās good for; luxury and sex. Thatās the only reason you choose him in the first place. Heās desperate to make Tav happy. With out Tav he has nothing. He is nothing.
He hides his hurt and insecurities behind that mask of the villain, behind his facade of power and dominance. Under it all heās still the frightened spawn cowering in the kennels. And thereās no one heās more desperate to hide this from than Tav lest they realize their mistake of caring for him and leave.
"Astarion, I just want to say, I judged you wrongly. I'm sorry."
"Really? And how - specifically- have you misjudged my fine character?"
"You aren't actually insufferably randy, you're just insufferable."
I find this compelling banter for a few reasons and I wanna talk about one thing in particular.
This dialogue is triggered after you and Astarion make things "official". You've discussed his little plan, how he feels now, and that you two are continuing into a relationship without sex for the time being.
Theoretically, nothing has changed, at least outwardly in a way we as the player can see.
You two were probably sharing a tent occasionally (or frequently) before the confession. Which is known, since everyone comments. Wyll specifically takes it upon himself to tell you to watch your heart in front of Astarion. So they already know that's a thing.
The other companions weren't privy to the confession, or wouldn't be, seeing as it was probably discussed rather privately.
So why is Wyll recognizing Astarion has changed??
After Cazador, Astarion has proven he can make the right choice and stick by his lover, when he recognizes how badly he's misjudged him then it makes sense. But why here?
If it were just the pair acting romantically or flirty towards eachother he wouldn't have anything to add. What's to add? He already told you to watch yourself and not get hurt and the two have presumably been doing those things anyway.
Why does he suddenly recognize that Astarion isn't motivated by sex any longer?
Why is he now recognizing that Astarion isn't secretly a fiendish letch intrested in banging anything with a pulse? Who thus far he'd seen as some jerk playing with his friends heart who could not be trusted cause sex was obviously all he wanted.
What occurred that shifted that for him?
If it was them ceasing to share a tent wouldn't that make him think things were ending instead of advancing?
If they start sharing a tent more or to the same degree he would have no idea a thing had changed. Wouldn't know they are cuddling and enjoying eachothers company instead of just fucking.
And only two other companions make statements that would indicate they've also noticed a shift.
Karlach and Gale both make mention of the fact they can see something different, that they see the genuine affection that is now being displayed as obviously different from the prior displays. That they see a change in Astarion specifically.
What is it they are seeing that is making this a profound enough realization that they feel the need to both offer compliment and apologize to Astarion?
For the specific three who comment on your relationship change, I really want to know HOW they know. (I'm aware it's all HC but I love when you guys take off on your rants about your theories!)
So Gale is the one who comes closest to the same level of acknowledgement as Wyll. He says:
Gale: "I fear I've been rather hasty to judge you, Astarion."
Gale: "One heartbreak was quite enough for me, but to experience it as many times as you have must change a person."
Astarion: "Thank you, Gale. Let us both hope that broken hearts are a thing of the past."
And it's more just acknowledging that he does see the closeness developing, and is impressed enough that he feels the need to openly relate and offer that he misjudged Astarion's intentions towards you.
Karlach simply asks a question, and Astarion plays it off more than anything. But it's clear she's seeing something change between you two and she's curious if it's even possible that he could have real feelings.
Karlach: "Sorry if this is rude, but... can vampires fall in love?"
Astarion: "What a preposterous question. Vampires can do anything you can do, and a damn sight better."
Karlach: "Sunbathe? Swim?"
Astarion: "All right, there are a few limited exceptions."
Karlach: "Good to know love is on the table though."
Astarion: "It is. Though if the table is laden with good wine and meat, love is often left to rot with the salad leaves."
Shadowheart and Lae'zel hardly care. In fact Lae'zel is just bugged that you two are apparently always acting romantic and how it's a bane on the purpose of the adventure. (Tho Lae'zels is pretty funny)
Lae'zel: "The more I learn of this plane, Astarion, the more I believe 'love' is its greatest disease."
Astarion: "Oh, I don't know. The screaming fever is pretty bad."
Plus she does essentially acknowledge that you're relationship is obnoxious and probably obvious.
So is that it? Is it just more obvious?
Immediately after the man states he needs to figure out how to be intimate and do any of the things being sweet on someone entails, does he turn around and start doing the opposite?
Yes he does.
And I think he flaunts it outloud.
Proud to have you as his in a way he can't keep to himself. Safe in a way he's never felt. Dropping his walls and showing his sillier, softer, less polished and perfect him, his real him, openly for all to see, not just privately for you.
So much so that it hits the guy who has thus far been the most openly suspicious towards Astarion with such impact that he feels the need to apologize. Even if he does still admit he doesn't much like him personally at the end, he admits he was wrong, and his sorry sounds entirely sincere.
Wyll is straight up mean to the man in Act 1 and the very first sign he is changing his mind comes from a conversation being had about a very pesronal and private decision he would know nothing about.
Unless he can see so clearly what is happening that even his bias can't deny that he judged Astarion poorly.
Which honestly... he didn't. He read the situation right on the surface, since then it had been a plan, and he called it out honestly. Then it changed and he accepted and stated that. It suits his character and opens the door for him to start trusting Astarion himself, which thus far he doesn't seem to.
And I love the idea that this shift in safety for Astarion becomes the first small shift for the two from leery campmates to more like a friend.
That what he's found gives him the foundation and security to substantially shift into himself and away from the mask with EVERYONE. Not just you.
It shows for the first time how integral that support is for him to start changing his life into something he wants it to be and how eager he is to make it so.
He doesn't take his time or come to it slowly.
Astarion throws himself into who he wants to try and be the moment he feels even the barest hint of safe and it's obvious even to his worst critic and I absolutely adore that.
There's a lot of misinformation surrounding this vampire bride fan theory. As someone who has the book the theory allegedly comes from, I want to provide important context that's always left out in posts about it.
Note: It's fine if you like this headcanon and want to use it for your own RP. But posts about this headcanon tend to present it as a factual and canon concept. I want people to have all the information so that they're fully informed when they decide to believe in it or not. There's a lot of evidence that it isn't canon. Everyone is welcome to see their character how they like. No one is saying you can't have fun. The problem is misinformation.
First, the 2e book this theory stems from (Van Richten's Guide to Vampires) is from 1991. That's over 30 years and three editions of DnD ago. None of this lore has been mentioned in the current edition of DnD, 5e, as far as I've seen. It didn't even appear in Curse of Strahd, where it would have fit in perfectly. DnD staff have officially said that each edition of DnD is its own canon. They don't want fans to need archaic sourcebooks to understand the current lore.
"The current edition of the D&D roleplaying game has its own canon, as does every other expression of D&Dā¦ Every edition of the roleplaying game has its own canon as well. In other words, something that might have been treated as canonical in one edition is not necessarily canonical in anotherā¦we donāt want DMs or players to feel like they must read a novel, play a video game, or buy a third-edition sourcebook to enjoy our game and get the most out of our current line of products."
Now, I'm not saying that every edition of DnD is completely different and doesn't draw from older versions. But it's clear that DnD staff don't want old sourcebooks to be needed to understand current products. That's why it's significant that vampire bride lore has not shown up again in a decade of 5e. There is an updated 2021 version of the Van Richten book: Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft. This 5e version still has no mention of vampire bride lore.
Ravenloft is also an entirely different campaign setting from the Forgotten Realms, which is where BG3 takes place. Their lore is not necessarily interchangeable. You cannot indiscriminately copy paste lore from different worlds.
While BG3 doesn't follow DnD 5e lore 100%: One can't use a 2e sourcebook to argue the vampire bride theory is true, and also say sourcebooks aren't important because BG3 is its own property.
Even if we accept what is in the 1991 Van Richten's Guide to Vampires:
The Dark Kiss ritual states that the sire vampire's age must be AT LEAST twice Astarion's vampire age.
"Creating a bride or groom, although seemingly a simple process, requires an exhausting exercise of much power by the creating
vampire. For this reason, only vampires of advanced age and capability can even assay this procedure. A bride or groom can be created only by a vampire of age category Ancient or greater, and not even all of those are capable of doing so." (pg 71)
The Ancient vampire age category starts at 400 years (pg 13). Astarion has been a vampire spawn for 200 years and an ascended vampire for barely any time at all.
If one argues Astarion can do this ritual anyway because he's a special ascended vampireā¦ Well, the book's ritual is about normal vampires. If AA is this unique, it can be easily argued that he can't do the ritual and make a vampire bride, because he's not a normal vampire. This logic can be applied both ways. The idea behind becoming an ascended vampire is that things which affect a normal vampire won't affect him anymore. Not to mention, Astarion himself says it will take more time for him to come into his full power. So how can he be as powerful as an ancient vampire already? Alternatively: if he is this powerful and special, who says he can't compel and control a Vampire Bride anyway?
The book also describes the sire losing lots of blood to the bride, to the point that the sire is weakened. Astarion gives us "just one drop" and shows no sign of being weakened after turning us. Nor do we see evidence of a feeding frenzy.
"The vampire opens a gash in its own fleshāoften in its throatāand holds the subjectās mouth to the wound. As the burning draught that is the vampireās blood gushes into the subjectās mouth, the primitive feeding instinct is triggered, and she sucks hungrily at the wound, enraptured. With the first taste of the blood, the subject is possessed of great and frenzied strength, and will use it to prevent the vampire from separating her from the fountain of wonder that is its bleeding wound. It is at this point that the creator-vampireās strength is most sorely tested. He is weakened by his own blood loss." (pg 72)
The vampire bride ritual requires the sire to make 3 bites. I believe this entire theory started because someone thought they saw 3 bites. The dev notes for the supposed first bite calls it a kiss on the neck. With some hairstyles, you can see there is no bite mark or blood on Tav's neck when he kisses the neck. There are bite marks and blood on Tav's wrist or neck later in the same scene, after the choice for Astarion to be gentle or make it hurt. So, there is only a maximum of 2 bites.
There's also no evidence of any telepathic bond post-tadpole in the game during the epilogue.
"One of the reasons āmarried vampiresā are so difficult to defeat is that a vampire and its bride share a telepathic communication that has a range measured in miles. Regardless of intervening terrain or obstacles, the two vampires can communicate instantly and silently as if they were speaking together." (pg 74)
Even if we accept the outdated 2e lore of vampire brides, there's numerous ways that the Dark Kiss ritual in the sourcebook doesn't match what happens when AA turns Tav or Durge. Depending on how you count the bites, one can argue that nothing from the ritual matches what's in the game!
Great addition by @/nicsnort: "Let us also not forget that the very nature of necromancy and undeath changed between 2e and 5e due to the Spellplague and the destruction of the Negative Energy Plane. So, not only is the canon of the Bride ritual outdated, but this ritual very well may not work anymore for even 400+-year-old vampires because magic itself is different!"
This is without even talking about how something so major which goes against everything we're told about master-spawn relationships in the game... would have been clearly discussed in the actual game.
On the topic of what's in the actual game: AA himself and Karlach explicitly say the turned player is a spawn. Other companions express concern about the romance post-ascension. Just because the player can walk in the sun doesn't mean they are not a vampire spawn. Cazador gives some of his spawn the ability to teleport, and the companions express surprise. Yet no one denies they are still vampire spawn.
I hope this post gives you extra context on the vampire bride theory. Overall, it's clear that this is old lore which is not canon to the current edition of DnD. Whether you think Larian decided to apply it to BG3 or not, at least now that belief will be fully informed.
If this post was useful or interesting to you, please reblog so more people can see it! I've made updates to it a few times, so always check my original post for the latest version.
