#neech's speeches

[brain-rot-central]

I just wanna say that if you ever feel like you don't belong in fandom because your art or writing isn't "up to par," by certain standards, fucking do it anyway. Because it's fandom. There shouldn't be any standards other than to have fun.

Don't talk yourself out of drawing that picture or writing that goofy fic because you're worried it's too much of a crack idea. Don't worry about how it's going to be received. If it makes you happy, do it.

You can play in the sand box however you want. Just don't be a dick.

[brain-rot-central]

That post about Astarion speaking Elvish...

Ok but Astarion fucking someone and panting Elvish into their ear. Just... unloading his deepest confessions of love because he's within the safety of his partner not understanding.

"I love you, I love you, please don't ever leave me, need you, need you, I hate how much I need you."

Or, conversely, AA:

"I love you, come back to me, I am nothing without you, I need you, need you, please, darling, my darling, my bride, my consort, the only one who owns my deadened heart."

[brain-rot-central]

Do you think that Astarion is actually decently intelligent or do you think he is real good at hiding his own stupidity?

Ohhh this is an interesting question. I have a whole theory on why Astarion seems like a ditz in game.

Astarion was (technically still is) a magistrate. The man is smart. He went to law school, and likely grew up highly educated. He's not stupid. His vocabulary is quite rich, though you can also attribute that to 200 years ago being the last time he had an earnest conversation with another being. The version of common spoken now in Faerûn is a bit duller. Even Wyll and Gale, also two highly educated men, don't speak the way Astarion does. Wyll even mentions at one point how Astarion's choice of words gives away his age (the whole "agog" bit).

However.

Given how smart Astarion is, him playing the helpless fool works in two ways for him: 1) it guarantees protection from others by way of gaining sympathy; and 2) it allows him to get close to potential targets without raising much suspicion. Mind you, those are both things he did (or at least tries to do) to Tav/Durge if you romance him.

HOWEVER.

My theory toward why he seems a bit off in terms of smarts has to do with him being enthralled by Cazador. Cazador keeps the spawn underfed on purpose as a way to make them more submissive and easily controlled. Their minds are clouded constantly by hunger -- only ever getting enough to keep themselves from going feral. Blood could dance under their noses and they'd never be able to touch it, unless Cazador wills it.

Astarion is essentially starved when we first meet him. But not for long, as he quickly takes off into the night to hunt (probably something he did at first just to see if he could and likely out of pure desperation). Once he realizes he can gorge himself on whatever amount of animal blood he can, he graduates to pushing the boundaries of another rule: the blood of thinking creatures. Yet another thing that was banned by Cazador. Astarion comments on how much sharper his mind is after having fed on the PC.

Anyway, my theory is that once Cazador is dealt with and Astarion is free, he slowly begins to regain all his prior memories as well as his intelligence. Everything is just being suppressed. Once Cazador is gone and he's given regular feedings, the man is a menace. A "too smart for his own good" menace.

[brain-rot-central]

It's unfortunate that there's been such a rise in distasteful interactions going on within the Astarion fandom.

I posted a hc about AA like a month ago and had some Mary Sue come onto the post and go "yeah you're portraying him WRONG and in a way that's SAFE TO SPAWN ENJOYERS." Apparently people are going around on ao3 and leaving nasty comments/bookmarks on fics too. I've seen artists on this site attacked for the dumbest of shit lately.

I understand the world is literally insane right now. There are so many bad things going on seemingly all at once, but please don't channel that anger and frustration into your interactions with others within fandom spaces.

You may have no idea that this is what you're doing, but likely you are because you may not have anywhere else to channel these confusing and complicated emotions, so it just comes out as argumentative bullshit flung at others who just happen to be here to vibe and chill with everyone discussing how we'd love to gargle the pixel man's nuts in a variety of different ways. Put them in precarious situations. Mysterious nut and the like.

And perhaps you don't like the pixelated left nut being higher than the pixelated right, so you pick a fight. And pretty soon, you're making actual threats against someone online because you disagreed over how to position the fake vampire nuts, because you're angry and frustrated irl.

Anyway my point being is the world is scary enough right now. Please be nice to each other. I'm not the reason the world sucks or your life is shit right now. That writer on ao3 isn't responsible for it either. It isn't the artist's fault, too.

If you want, we can all hold hands and sing kumbaya Lord Astarion, kumbaya~

I'm down for that. I'm down for anything except negativity, because the world needs a lot of love and a shit ton of understanding right now.

To the people who find it appropriate to tear down an artist, a writer, simply because they don't like their content, I hope more love finds you. Because literally no one who is happy uses a single ounce of their energy to harm others.

[brain-rot-central]

I can't help but think that Astarion would kinda favor Karlach over the others, besides Tav, because I don’t really recall him saying anything snarky or backhanded about her like the rest of the party. (I’m going by memory I could be wrong). I think that he might relate to a lot and her situation, even though he not really a sympathetic person. And that he finds her adorable in some way.

Oh for sure. I think he bonds easier with Karlach because, in many ways, they share the same story. They were both enslaved and are fighting for their freedom. They share intimacy issues; Astarion is unable to let his mind quiet down, Karlach can't physically touch another person. Both want nothing more than to be close to others. Astarion is undead; Karlach IS actively dying.

Karlach is "safe." She's seen some shit.

He respects her, because he sadly understands her plight, to a degree. He was like her, once. Probably fought just as hard as she did to escape servitude, was filled with just as much piss and raw vinegar. He's probably inspired by it, no doubt. His flame was extinguished after Cazador sealed him within the tomb for a year. It probably helps him reconnect with it, to a degree.

I love the idea of them being insanely close friends (basically a trauma bond with the thickest, most industrial-type cement), but I see the argument for them as lovers. They would make one another better. Not to mention they're just hot together too, idk.

[brain-rot-central]

I mean, hear me out.

Astarion has issues with intimacy and sex.

So why not ride his clothed cock until he makes an absolute mess of himself, moaning about how badly he wishes he could be inside you?

[brain-rot-central]

Hi I made sourdough bread and I just wanna share it with everyone

[brain-rot-central]

General PSA to every artist/creative/writer in this fandom: thank you for your service and I greatly appreciate you. Please never feel discouraged by your work; you're all wonderfully talented and are such an asset to this community.

I love you all. 🫂