The most popular vampire in Baldur’s Gate 3 raises some questions. After all, he carries an item that has no use for him. Or does he?
The companions in Baldur’s Gate 3 are considered very likable, multifaceted, and simply popular. The “slightly” narcissistic elf with a penchant for sadism, Astarion, is no exception. As the group’s vampire, he is quite a special character that the community loves to discuss. However, he possesses an object that fans can’t quite make sense of.
What is in Astarion’s camp? If you look closely at Astarion’s camp, you’ll find several objects that painfully obviously reveal he is a vampire. A chalice filled with blood, a small shelf with blood vials – but also a large mirror. This very mirror presents a puzzle for the community, as the vampire-elf shouldn’t have any use for it.
A mirror, many possible explanations
Why is a mirror so strange? While it wonderfully fits the slightly self-absorbed Astarion to have a large mirror among his possessions – it is rather absurd. After all, Astarion is a vampire, and they do not cast a reflection in the world of Baldur’s Gate. This is even explicitly confirmed in another scene when he uses a smaller hand mirror, emphasizing that he only uses it to see who is sneaking up behind him.
However, the fact that he has a large standing mirror in camp to admire himself seems a bit out of place – as he will never be able to see himself in it.
This is how the community discusses: In the Reddit subreddit for Baldur’s Gate 3, the mirror in Astarion’s camp is also actively discussed. Some have found a logical explanation for it – and it almost always relates to the vampire elf’s vanity.
- “To be fair, he is a vampire who walks in the sun and is able to resist his master due to the larva that causes ongoing changes. It is not totally illogical that he looks at his reflection multiple times.” – saltpancake
- “Vanity does not die, darling.” – ActuallySatanAMA
- “So he can recognize when someone approaching him is also a vampire he does not know yet.” – Vanilla_Unlucky
This last theory seems to make sense, as Astarion lives in constant fear that his master sends henchmen after him to recapture him.
Do you have a better explanation for why our vampire heartthrob carries a large mirror around with him? What could Astarion aim to achieve by always keeping such a large object with him? If you want to get a little closer to Astarion, our romance guide might help you…
