ASCENDING ON MAIN

After the goblin hunt celebration party (whether the player helped the goblins or the tieflings), Astarion has made arrangements to get intimate with the player at night. For Astarion, this is a game of power - one he's played many times before in the taverns of Baldur's Gate, trying to lure people back to his master. He's an old hand at seduction, very self-assured at first, but the player might not go along with the script he expects them to follow. The next morning, the player wakes to see Astarion standing and getting dressed. They catch a glimpse of scars on his back - a sore point. The scars were carved into him by his old master. As far as Astarion knows, they're a poem, but he's never been able to read it (can't look in a mirror, after all)."

Astarion is enjoying himself at a party with the goblins. You've betrayed and slaughtered the tieflings and he's finally able to indulge his hedonistic side. He's drinking blood, but offers you wine. He or you can propose that you get together tonight and enjoy a little more hedonism when everyone else is asleep.

After the party, Astarion is standing in a corner, bottle of wine in hand, in a bad mood. Everything's too merry for him, not hedonistic enough. But there's the possibility of a little hedonism with the player, if you both agree to meet up for a little 'fun' later in the night. That's a tantilising thought - there might be something to look forward to after all.

Astarion's trying to adjust to the novelty of being asleep during the night, instead of prowling the streets. The player doesn't know he's a vampire yet, and Astarion doesn't want them to find out. He tells them he has too much to think about to just fall asleep, so offers to take the first watch that night. Emotionally, he finds all of this novel and is curious about his new situation (moving around during the day, resting at night)

You find a contemplative Astarion thinking about the danger we pose if we turn into mind flayers. He asks - hypothetically - if he had to kill us, how would we like to go? As an experienced murderer, he considers it a professional courtesy, but we might be outraged. He'll be enthusiastic when describing the different ways people can die - a fan talking about his favourite subject. If we threaten him, he'll be defensive and a little sulky.

Astartion starts the dialog lying on his bedroll, looking up at the stars. He's somewhat pensive, reflective, thinking that he might lose the ability to walk in the sun - even if it means ultimately saving his life. He gets up and is complImentary towards us, but he gets uncomfortably close and his compliments have a hungry feel to them. Really he's thinking that later tonight he'll come back and drink our blood. He excuses himself, but he's sure that tonight's the night he's going to feed.

Astarion returns to camp after being scratched up by a bear. He's not badly hurt, but feels invigorated - almost drunk - after drinking the beast's blood.

You find him sitting by the river (or with a mirror), staring at his non-reflection. He doesn't even remember what he looks like any more, it's been so long since he's seen his own face. You can lovingly describe his face to him or gaslight him, talking about unsightly moles that he doesn't actually have.

You find Astarion shirtless, tracing the scars on his back with his fingers, trying to read what they say through touch. Initially startled and a little embarrassed, he'll open up to anyone he thinks he can trust. An intimate moment, where he'll let characters with a high approval rating try to read what his scars say, or at least trace them into the dirt for him to read.

Astarion is staring at the other companions around the campfire. He's friendly and affable, but his mind is on his hunger. He starts to wonder what the others taste like, although he's MOSTLY joking. In the end he decides to remove himself, before the conversation gets too real.

Second time Astarion propositions the player to sleep with him - optional CRD between his act 1 and act 2 critical path romance scenes.\r\nThe player starts to realise Astarion might have been just playing an act to seduce them the whole time, and that his affection for them might not be genuine. Bridges the gap before he confesses this in his act 2 romance, and says he wants to stop manipulating people and have a real relationship.\r\nCould either be triggered at the party, or any time before the act 2 scene, as long as you've slept with him before.\r\nIf player agrees to meet up with Astarion later, it will show them meeting up at the bedroll when the player clicks to rest automatically if it's not at the party, if no other overnight scene is queued. If it's at the party, the player has to choose at the bedroll menu to meet up with him.