#dnd beyond

"Regaining Control of Yourself 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 spawn’s 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 must allow their spawn to draw and drink their blood in order to relinquish 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 you’re 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."

- From the article by Kyle Shire on D&D Beyond

Let's start with the main thing: according to D&D lore, an ordinary spawn does NOT drink the blood of its creator. At all. The blood of a master is a special gift that a true vampire gives voluntarily and extremely rarely. Now let's recall the well-known fact that Ascended Astarion gives Tav his blood and mentions it several times. Furthermore, he allows Tav to bite him whenever she wants.

Player: Will you still drink my blood? Astarion: Of course I will, and you'll drink mine. I can't wait to taste your lips after you've tasted me.

(Also we have the bite skill after turning and can bite Astarion) The article explicitly lists the reasons why a creator might take such a step: the spawn reminded the vampire of someone they loved in life, or performed a great deed for them and received blood as a reward. Doesn't that remind you of anything? Tav is his beloved, and it was Tav who helped him complete the ritual and ascend ❤️ According to the rules, a spawn that drinks the blood of its creator becomes a true vampire. What happens to Tav during the transformation isn't turning into a spawn, as in the D&D rules. So what is it? And that leaves exactly one lore option, in which a creature drinks the blood of a vampire but remains metaphysically linked to it, possessing complete free will: the vampire bride. The Dark Kiss ritual 👰🏻‍♀️ And yes, I know he himself calls Tav a spawn.But "spawn," first and foremost, just means "progeny". Astarion isn't quoting a bestiary entry, he's saying Tav is his creation, his handiwork. Plus, vampire brides are technically considered spawn, but they have free will, are created in euphoria, and receive the blood of their creator. They aren't considered servants, like regular vampire spawn. It's a formal category. The mechanics of bride creation are exactly the same as what happens to Tav in the game during the romance with Ascended Astarion, and are completely different from how Cazador created Astarion.

You can learn more about the lore of the vampire bride in my video:

Hoard of Plenty presents..

Coven of the Eve

October 2025 Monthly Paid Patreon Reward

Coven of the Eve includes 5 new DnD 5e compatible assets including a 20 page PDF full of content!

Join our newest $3 tier, The Stash to recieve:

Monthly themed packs every month!

Several stand alone exclusive Assets throughout the month!

Behind the scenes looks and early previews! Shape our assets with your thoughts!

this amazing (and devastating) artwork of cazador and the seven spawn from astarion’s book of hungers!! i’m obsessed with the style and the evident distance between astarion and the others