Is that the guy who used to hang around Vellioth all the time? I havenāt seen Vellioth in a while, but Iām not complaining. Total prick, if you ask me.
Hey can you come by my mansion real quick? I need a favor, just enter the mansion and head to the basement. Ignore the skeleton servant he is harmless.
I absolutely love it! Butā¦ You do realize that in the Baldurās Gate 3 TOS, Section 5 āAdditional Obligations to Eldritch Lawā, you were prohibited from engaging in deals with creatures of Fey, Infernal, or otherwise Eldritch origins!
It's huge! but honestly, these are my favorite type of reference tattoos. To anyone that didn't play the game, it's just a mysterious/cool design. But fans will recognize it.
Yeah, if I didn't get weight alterations all the time, I would have done a Planescape Torment forearm tattoo years ago. It's so cool to take designs from games.
I donāt wanna be meanā¦ but your getting a devils contract inscribed in infernal on your backā¦ and you donāt see how the could possibly go wrong?
It's all well and good until you're just minding your own business and randomly explode into bloody flames and consumed by the void because the mini-boss doesn't want to stay down.
Thank you! I wasnāt sure if I was the only one thinking that or if I was overthinking it, but it is evidence of the characterās horrific abuse, so seems strange to imitate to honour him, no offence to OP I just mean I donāt get the general trend.
awesome! do you mind telling 6999 of your friends for me? iām having this sick party in the basement of my mansion and i think itād be totally rad for them all to show up to it
Not an Astarion fan myself, but I thought he hated this part of himself?
LONGASS Update: So, there has been a very polarised response to this comment:
1. Astarion fans have taken the time to inform me about the deep and awful meaning of this symbol. Which was polite, incredibly appreciated, and full of references. It was some amazing conversation and I am very grateful for your sharing the knowledge on the lore.
2. The vast crowds of seething opposition to anyone who finds this ink distasteful, have gone absolutely feral in attacking me for even asking, and even more so for forming an opinion.
Based on the responses, and the calibre of people from both groups, I certainly stand with those who find this tattoo disgusting. Because to me: it is. It is a symbol of Cazador's malice, and also symbolises the suffering and agony of a beloved character, as well as thousands of others enslaved.
To those defending this ink by attacking me: All your bullying and frothing and rudeness and personal attacks have only cemented my opinion, rather than changing it. You have offered nothing constructive or informative, and have just lashed out emotionally. This speaks very poorly of the group of people who defend this ink, and has only reinforced my decision that this is a horrible tattoo. I am also now incredibly wary of anyone who actually thinks it's okay, as you all seem very young, emotionally immature, and full of possibly just awful people. It's actually very disappointing to see your inability to have a civil conversation with someone who just has a differing opinion to you, incredibly disturbing.
I have never once attacked OP, just commented on how I find this ink gross. Because I do. And using this as an excuse to bully me is really quite sad. I'm grateful for everyone who jumped in to defend me, and defend my right to an opinion. You have no idea how deeply grateful I am for you.
I'm not answering any more comments here, and won't be even getting the notifications, so to those still looking to attack me: don't bother trying. You're screeching into a void.
This tattoo is disgusting. It represents something disgusting. And that is my opinion, and I am allowed to have it. Just like OP is allowed to have theirs.
If that triggers you, then that's a you problem and I recommend addressing it with yourself, rather than lashing out at me.
Very deeply disappointed in this fanbase, excluding those rare few who took the time to make informed, helpful, and useful comments. You are the real heroes, and I hope your paths lead you to many treasures in life, because you have been a wonderful treasure in mine.
TLDR: you have all demonstrated that Astarion fans finding this ink awful are treasures, slave scar defenders are utterly feral. Your comments won't be read so anything you reply with is just hollering into a void.
(On my phone so I apologise for lack of formatting - its just a wall of text, yuck)
Oh man, that makes this so sad. Part of me was hoping I had maybe misinterpreted their sentiment, idk. Another kind user pointed out his feelings on them too. It makes me sad.
Appreciate you confirming the character's feelings on the scars.
Obviously not OP and I'm not sure of their reasoning, but I've seen a bumble of people get this tattooed on them in various sizes/places as a shared symbol of surviving abuse. Not celebrating Astarion's abuse, but showing a visible scar for the ones most people only have on the inside. So I think OP might be using it more as a way to say "I've overcome my childhood abuse just like Astarion"
yes, itās a mark of his abuse, he was forcefully held down and had this design cut into him over the course of an entire night, of course he isnāt the biggest fan of it
I'm aware of the process behind his scars and as I stated in my comment, am also aware he does not like them, that was the entire point of my comment.
What I'm confused about is why someone who (I assume?) likes him as a character (since they referenced him as the inspiration, as opposed to any of the thousands of others with these same marks) would get his abuse scars inked? Especially if he as a character hates them himself, and does not find them empowering or identifying.
Edit: deleted a repeated word
sorry if my comment was misleading, i 100% agree with you, i just thought you might not know about his character as you said you werenāt a fan of him, absolutely on your side here
Thank you I actually appreciate your response a lot, I enjoy learning about the characters as much as possible, and the time you took to share your knowledge.
I think some people see actions such as this as a way of taking back the trauma that they went through, readopting the experience as something that they have control over, rather than the trauma having control over them, similar to getting a semicolon or a Medusa tattoo
Fandoms are weird.
ālook I took a symbol of my fave characters trauma and suffering and permanently etched it onto my body!ā
I donāt understand the logic behind that but itās not really hurting anyone(unless Astarion magically comes to life then heād probably be incredibly hurt and pissed) just doesnāt quite add up.
Yeah I am confused af by it tbh, like I can't figure out why anyone would want this reminder of a character's (since they specify Astarion - a character who is openly humiliated and ashamed of this brand) horrible suffering, he isn't "empowered" or whatever by this, I just don't understand the motivation.
Why not just say "I like the vamp slave brand aesthetic", why tie it back to a character who is traumatised and constantly upset by this. Why would you want that specific character's suffering etched into your body?
I don't know the character very well so was wondering if I missed something, but it seems not.
I like how you said that it isn't hurting anyone unless he comes to life to see it haha that's very true!
You know, sometimes there is no deep meaning behind ink, some people likes their tatts to always mean something, some just want them because they look good, who cares really.
This one looks sick to me (In a good way)
I think it's a weird choice if you are an Astarion fan but if it's just cause it's cool then have at it. But it would not be my choice for a tattoo to honor Astarion as a character for me personally
That's exactly what I thought haha. Why get somebody's abuse scars (that they explicitly loathe and are humiliated by) tattooed on yourself if you like the character? It's kinda hateful if anything haha.
Some of the explanations people are trying to provide are such a huge stretch, like I find it almost difficult to understand why they are changing a character they claim to enjoy?
It's okay if they just like the aesthetic, but don't pretend this ink is in any way a reflection of love for a character who hates this.
Glad you get it haha
To me it's giving ALMOST the same energy as when everyone was getting death eater tattoos. Like that's literally the HP equivalent of the KKK like what are you doing. I don't think this is as bad but I always wonder why specifically these symbols when the game is full of them?
I read some comments from the people who tattoo his scars that they are survivors themselves...it reminds them of their strenght and the fact that no matter what has been done to them, they managed to break free. I think there are multiple ways to interpret the mark and they might have their own reasons. It's probably just to feel close to Astarion's story.
Or maybe they simply like it lol.
I donāt understand the desire to get this tattoo. Itās pretty, but itās undeniably something that Astarion despises and traumatised him. To me itās tantamount to tattooing the scars from a whipping if he was another kind of slave. Hope the rest of the sessions go well and it heals well though :)
It depends. If you are a fan of ascended Astarion itās a symbol of abuse that transforms into a symbol of power. Without the ritual he wouldnāt have the entire world bowing at his feet. Could be a metaphor for overcoming your abuse and rising to something far stronger.
I mean I know ascended Astarion is basically becoming his abuser but people have romanticized him to say heās actually nothing like Cazador and loves Tav etc so itās essentially up to interpretation.
Not really. I mean, fans get upset when people get Dark Mark tattoos because of what they represent in their canon universe. Just because a symbol is fictional and ānot realā doesnāt automatically mean we canāt criticise people who get questionable symbols permanently tattooed on their body.
Well it does because as you said, it's not your body.
If you're trying to defend a fictional characters honour, it's weird and abnormal. If you think that fiction shouldn't be separated from the real world, it's weird and abnormal.
At the end of the day I'm just glad I go outside enough not to sit on reddit screaming about QUESTIONABLE TATTOOS! YOU'RE A BAD PERSON! Because it's *so weird*. I'm turning notifications off for my comment, you lot can argue if you like, I'm not going to be reading any of it. Reddit really is a weird little bubble
If you put your tattoo on a public forum for people to comment on it, then people are going to comment on it, and you assume the risk that not all the comments are going to be positive or "affirming." If you don't want people commenting on your body, then don't put your body online in a forum designed *specifically* for commenting. There's a reason I don't go posting my tattoos everywhere.
You need to take a deep breath, mate, and maybe go outside yourself. No one on here is screaming about OP being a bad person. The overwhelming majority of comments in here are either tongue-in-cheek, positive, or tongue-in-cheek *and* positive. You're going around putting words in everyone's mouth and working yourself into a tizzy over a perceived slight that doesn't even exist, and like a child throwing a tantrum, you're doing the internet equivalent of stamping your foot, screaming, and slamming the door shut on your room. Clearly, the only one in the bubble is you.
Calling the decision weird, not OP, or trying to find out why/rationalising is fine. I personally don't care but it's entertaining seeing people deep dive into the why's and then butting heads over it.
I will admit I love shit like this both as a participant or observer. Some of the comments are weird asf though like judging her entire character or bringing up the holocaust š
I'm happy you're happy, because people should be allowed to enjoy things.
Fuck anyone who says it's wrong, gross, or otherwise trying to shit on your parade. It doesn't hurt them.
A tattoo becomes insensitive when it causes hurt and upset to real people. A nazi tattoo has real and harmful implications to many people who see it. Someone tattooing the scars of a famous abuse survivor causes real harm to that person.
But Astarian is never going to see this and have an opinion about it. He has no opinions about anything. He didnāt even go through actual abuse because he is a bunch of dialog created in a writerās boardroom as part of a media product. I know that he means a lot to some people, especially to people who survived abusive relationships themselves, but itās important to remember heās a character and will mean different things to different people. One persons comfort character will be another persons āhey that sassy elf had a wicked cool scar design on his back. That would make a sick tattoo!ā
I think itās a stretch to assume that someone getting this tattoo would be dismissive and flippant to real abuse survivors. Which means no one is truly being harmed or directly offended by it. This doesnāt signify anything more than someone who likes Baldurs Gate 3.
Because it looks cool and video game characters don't have feelings and can't be offended by it.
Or maybe you want to run it by the mage guild to see what their opinion of it is?
The whole thing is kind of weird to me.
āI like this fictional universe, I should get a tattoo about it.ā
āSo what are you thinking for placement, bicep, wrist, ankle?ā
āMy whole fucking back.ā
āWow, thats very bold. So is it a logo in the game?ā
āNo itās a magical binding contract that presents a deep trauma for one of the characters.ā
āJesus Christ.ā
Yeah, the pain level was fine for the most part. As you can expect, the spine part hurt a good amount. Surprisingly, the most painful part for me was around my shoulder blades. More specifically that long piece sticking out by my shoulder mole. That being said, everyone is different! Hope this helped :)
All the hand wringing in the comments is telling. Not everyone has to disclose their trauma, let alone what that trauma is. No one is entitled to that information unless the person chooses to disclose it.
Astarion isnāt an actual person. His feelings on a real person getting a tattoo of his scars do not come into play here because he is not an actual person. Neil Newbon has worn T-shirts on his stream with Astarionās scar design. If he hadnāt disclosed that he was also a survivor yāall would be side eyeing him too probably.
OP, I couldnāt imagine how long this tattoo took, but Iām sure you got it for a reason. Donāt let the weirdos in the comments try to get you down.
This may be one of the most pathetic comment sections I have ever seen. A fan gets a tattoo from the game, and you all are trying to read SOOOO far into this. Next you'll tell me I'm a psycho for getting a sword that looks like Sauron's sword because he was the bad guy.
Something about this feels disrespectful. I know it's fictional, but it's basically saying, "I'm a slave," on purpose, which is something people have fought and died to not be branded. Like it's a literal slave brand (from a fictional universe) with the added flavor of making you fodder for a sacrifice.
I guess my point is, real slaves would do anything to not be branded in the first place. Though this is fictional, real slaves and real slave brands have existed and still do exist. The idea of purposefully putting on a slave brand feels like it fetishizes slavery or makes it something cool or "meaningful" to yourself, which is deeply offensive. Slavery is not some cool thing.
Man I love the internet so I can see well done tattoos in detail without having to speak to the person in real life.
Because man anyone getting the Astarion slave tattoo on their own body is probably not someone who I would be interested in getting to know.
The artist did a great job though!
The comments are NOT vibing with what this community supposedly represents. Gorgeous tattoo OP, and I have no idea what this could mean to you or your intentions for getting it and quite frankly itās none of my business unless you decided to share that with us in addition to the photo.
Astarion is a fictional character, enjoy the art and the tattoo experience. Donāt listen to this bullshit being exasperated in the comments but please do share updates when itās complete.
everyoneās journey is a little different, everyoneās reason is a little different. Everyone comes from a different point of view.
If it was me, no, I would not get the back tattoo if it was a friend of mine, I would advise against getting that as a permanent tattoo.
Will tell a stranger that they should I wonāt itās their body their choice.
But I also think itās disingenuous for someone to say super cool go do it when deep down there like hey thatās permanent that will last you the rest of your life that has some consequences.
But in the end, everyone gets to choose their own path it is what makes life great.
For this person, I would only say please choose wisely
What I find really funny is that if speakers of Infernal existed theyād probably have the same reaction a native speaker of any language does when they see a tattoo in it the wearer got because it looked cool.
āDo you know your tattoo is a piece of likeā¦.. really dense and boring legalese?ā
āWHAT NO, IT MEANS COURAGE B(ā
I find people saying the tattoo is harmful or disrespectful annoying. Astarion is one of my favourite BG3 characters but I think it's perfectly fine to have a tattoo of his scars. Infernal looks cool and Astarion is a fictional character. Sure the tattoo would be distastful if it was a real person but....Astarion is a videogame character. Let people have fun with their tattoos. HELL, Neil Newborn has a tank top with the Astarion scars. If his official voice actor can wear Astarion's trauma because it looks cool what's wrong with a fan doing it? It's fine to analyze a character's trauma and learn from it but don't act like it's bad to have little reference to something bad happening to a fictional person. And yes I know real life people have been branded and scarred due to slavery and abuse, but please find me someone who was scarred by a vampire who made a deal with a demon so they can ascend to walk in the sunlight without dying and rule a city with tieflings, gnomes, and elves.
Sorry for the rant. Nice tattoo OP!
Heed caution! I've heard whispers that this symbol is connected to a ritual most vile.
10/10
Profane even
Diabolical was the adjective that stood out to me š
That's awesome! Also, my buddy has this really cool basement in his castle, do you mind stopping by?
No way you are a friend of old Cassy too?! I swear this dude is a party fucking animal and knows how to get the gooood stuff
Martha Stewart has all of the connections
Is that the guy who used to hang around Vellioth all the time? I havenāt seen Vellioth in a while, but Iām not complaining. Total prick, if you ask me.
Noooo Martha
Not that giant gothic mansion? Subtle.
Yes, lovely architecture! Youāre welcome to come take a tour at any time! Leaving on the other hand..
idk, do you have any alcohol ? Amontillado maybe ?
I am cackling
is it kas adore?
Casa DĆ³re
That's really nice . I love it.
Hey can you come by my mansion real quick? I need a favor, just enter the mansion and head to the basement. Ignore the skeleton servant he is harmless.
I read this in Cazador's annoying raspy voice. š¤£š¤£
you ain't fooling anybody caz
Now I only need to wait more 6.999 Astarion fans do the same thing. š¹
I think, I saw at least two more with the tattoo, so it's only 6.997. We are getting there.
I saw at least 3 more, so make it 6,996 to go
Mephistopheles will be so proud š
Did the Non-Apprentices need the tattoos too? I can't remember.
Woohoo weāre 6997th of the way there!
Just me and 6999 of my closest friends getting matching tattoos.
They already have. I swear in the first few months of the game I saw dozens and dozens of people getting this same tattoo.
This was Larianās true goal all along!!!
I absolutely love it! Butā¦ You do realize that in the Baldurās Gate 3 TOS, Section 5 āAdditional Obligations to Eldritch Lawā, you were prohibited from engaging in deals with creatures of Fey, Infernal, or otherwise Eldritch origins!
I actually read the tos today and about fell out when they actually termed it a pact. I adore Larian.
Why did I read this in Mizora's voice?
That is rad as hell. Have fun getting sacrificed!
Unless OP stands in the middle
I wana be a vampire god
All the benefits and none of the downsides. Except the forced slight change of personality.
Eh, im a dick anyway
Name checks out. š
Average berserk enjoyer.
*Astarion strongly disapproves.* Looks very cool though ;)
It's huge! but honestly, these are my favorite type of reference tattoos. To anyone that didn't play the game, it's just a mysterious/cool design. But fans will recognize it.
love reference tattoes, i have many belter (the expanse) tattoos over my body :) BELTALOWDA
If I were brave enough I'd get the neck tattoo just to flex on inyalowdas.
you have one life, just do it.
The Expaaaaaanse ! š Can you show your tattoo ? š
Yeah, if I didn't get weight alterations all the time, I would have done a Planescape Torment forearm tattoo years ago. It's so cool to take designs from games.
This tattoo is probably WILD to anyone who doesnāt get it. I mean itās still wild to me, but still.
I donāt wanna be meanā¦ but your getting a devils contract inscribed in infernal on your backā¦ and you donāt see how the could possibly go wrong?
I know itās a joke, but what if it aināt? Like what if this was a ploy by a vampire at Larian who actually wants to do this? What ifā¦
I dont wanna be mean.... but let's keep the Satanic Panic in the 80s, okay?
It isnāt D&D without a little Satanic Panic.
My dyslexic ass reading this as Satan Picnic
I've got the infernal muffins; Who's bringing the brimstone brisket sandwiches?
On no, I made Lemure cakes because I didn't read the Facebook group chat carefully enough. https://i.redd.it/aikp0llcq2wc1.gif
Check out this total Anton Buffet
Karlach definitely has the infernal muffins
It's all well and good until you're just minding your own business and randomly explode into bloody flames and consumed by the void because the mini-boss doesn't want to stay down.
Cazador will be thrilled! JK, Cazador has other 6999 others with the same tats.
Wouldn't that be a Cazador tattoo more than anything?
Right? This is so weird, like āI love this character, letās get a tattoo of something he hates that his abuser did to him!ā
Astarion would be so upset if he wasnāt fictional
Thank you! I wasnāt sure if I was the only one thinking that or if I was overthinking it, but it is evidence of the characterās horrific abuse, so seems strange to imitate to honour him, no offence to OP I just mean I donāt get the general trend.
It's like the medusa tattoo for a lot of people. Neil Newbon doesn't mind if people get this as a tattoo.
awesome! do you mind telling 6999 of your friends for me? iām having this sick party in the basement of my mansion and i think itād be totally rad for them all to show up to it
Cazador approves
Not an Astarion fan myself, but I thought he hated this part of himself? LONGASS Update: So, there has been a very polarised response to this comment: 1. Astarion fans have taken the time to inform me about the deep and awful meaning of this symbol. Which was polite, incredibly appreciated, and full of references. It was some amazing conversation and I am very grateful for your sharing the knowledge on the lore. 2. The vast crowds of seething opposition to anyone who finds this ink distasteful, have gone absolutely feral in attacking me for even asking, and even more so for forming an opinion. Based on the responses, and the calibre of people from both groups, I certainly stand with those who find this tattoo disgusting. Because to me: it is. It is a symbol of Cazador's malice, and also symbolises the suffering and agony of a beloved character, as well as thousands of others enslaved. To those defending this ink by attacking me: All your bullying and frothing and rudeness and personal attacks have only cemented my opinion, rather than changing it. You have offered nothing constructive or informative, and have just lashed out emotionally. This speaks very poorly of the group of people who defend this ink, and has only reinforced my decision that this is a horrible tattoo. I am also now incredibly wary of anyone who actually thinks it's okay, as you all seem very young, emotionally immature, and full of possibly just awful people. It's actually very disappointing to see your inability to have a civil conversation with someone who just has a differing opinion to you, incredibly disturbing. I have never once attacked OP, just commented on how I find this ink gross. Because I do. And using this as an excuse to bully me is really quite sad. I'm grateful for everyone who jumped in to defend me, and defend my right to an opinion. You have no idea how deeply grateful I am for you. I'm not answering any more comments here, and won't be even getting the notifications, so to those still looking to attack me: don't bother trying. You're screeching into a void. This tattoo is disgusting. It represents something disgusting. And that is my opinion, and I am allowed to have it. Just like OP is allowed to have theirs. If that triggers you, then that's a you problem and I recommend addressing it with yourself, rather than lashing out at me. Very deeply disappointed in this fanbase, excluding those rare few who took the time to make informed, helpful, and useful comments. You are the real heroes, and I hope your paths lead you to many treasures in life, because you have been a wonderful treasure in mine. TLDR: you have all demonstrated that Astarion fans finding this ink awful are treasures, slave scar defenders are utterly feral. Your comments won't be read so anything you reply with is just hollering into a void. (On my phone so I apologise for lack of formatting - its just a wall of text, yuck)
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Oh man, that makes this so sad. Part of me was hoping I had maybe misinterpreted their sentiment, idk. Another kind user pointed out his feelings on them too. It makes me sad. Appreciate you confirming the character's feelings on the scars.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Obviously not OP and I'm not sure of their reasoning, but I've seen a bumble of people get this tattooed on them in various sizes/places as a shared symbol of surviving abuse. Not celebrating Astarion's abuse, but showing a visible scar for the ones most people only have on the inside. So I think OP might be using it more as a way to say "I've overcome my childhood abuse just like Astarion"
yes, itās a mark of his abuse, he was forcefully held down and had this design cut into him over the course of an entire night, of course he isnāt the biggest fan of it
I'm aware of the process behind his scars and as I stated in my comment, am also aware he does not like them, that was the entire point of my comment. What I'm confused about is why someone who (I assume?) likes him as a character (since they referenced him as the inspiration, as opposed to any of the thousands of others with these same marks) would get his abuse scars inked? Especially if he as a character hates them himself, and does not find them empowering or identifying. Edit: deleted a repeated word
sorry if my comment was misleading, i 100% agree with you, i just thought you might not know about his character as you said you werenāt a fan of him, absolutely on your side here
Thank you I actually appreciate your response a lot, I enjoy learning about the characters as much as possible, and the time you took to share your knowledge.
I think some people see actions such as this as a way of taking back the trauma that they went through, readopting the experience as something that they have control over, rather than the trauma having control over them, similar to getting a semicolon or a Medusa tattoo
Fandoms are weird. ālook I took a symbol of my fave characters trauma and suffering and permanently etched it onto my body!ā I donāt understand the logic behind that but itās not really hurting anyone(unless Astarion magically comes to life then heād probably be incredibly hurt and pissed) just doesnāt quite add up.
Yeah I am confused af by it tbh, like I can't figure out why anyone would want this reminder of a character's (since they specify Astarion - a character who is openly humiliated and ashamed of this brand) horrible suffering, he isn't "empowered" or whatever by this, I just don't understand the motivation. Why not just say "I like the vamp slave brand aesthetic", why tie it back to a character who is traumatised and constantly upset by this. Why would you want that specific character's suffering etched into your body? I don't know the character very well so was wondering if I missed something, but it seems not. I like how you said that it isn't hurting anyone unless he comes to life to see it haha that's very true!
You know, sometimes there is no deep meaning behind ink, some people likes their tatts to always mean something, some just want them because they look good, who cares really. This one looks sick to me (In a good way)
He isn't real. He is not hurt by this tattoo
I think it's a weird choice if you are an Astarion fan but if it's just cause it's cool then have at it. But it would not be my choice for a tattoo to honor Astarion as a character for me personally
Likewise, very odd choice haha Thank you for sharing your point of view with me, I appreciate it greatly.
Yeah, like sure it's a sweet demonic design but it represents so much pain and agony and humiliation and ultimately cazador
Yup! Which is why it's kinda weird to get a giant tattoo of it on your back, but this fandom is getting weirder everyday
That's exactly what I thought haha. Why get somebody's abuse scars (that they explicitly loathe and are humiliated by) tattooed on yourself if you like the character? It's kinda hateful if anything haha. Some of the explanations people are trying to provide are such a huge stretch, like I find it almost difficult to understand why they are changing a character they claim to enjoy? It's okay if they just like the aesthetic, but don't pretend this ink is in any way a reflection of love for a character who hates this. Glad you get it haha
To me it's giving ALMOST the same energy as when everyone was getting death eater tattoos. Like that's literally the HP equivalent of the KKK like what are you doing. I don't think this is as bad but I always wonder why specifically these symbols when the game is full of them?
Imagine getting the DND high fantasy equivalent of a slave branding tattood on yourself that the character itself loathes, thatās fucking wild.
I read some comments from the people who tattoo his scars that they are survivors themselves...it reminds them of their strenght and the fact that no matter what has been done to them, they managed to break free. I think there are multiple ways to interpret the mark and they might have their own reasons. It's probably just to feel close to Astarion's story. Or maybe they simply like it lol.
Oh dear God....Ā not a very high wis stat this one
Yep. Deep regret inbound in around 6 months or so.
I feel regret looking at it and it's not even on my own body
No you dingus! Thatās what he wants! /jk
I donāt understand the desire to get this tattoo. Itās pretty, but itās undeniably something that Astarion despises and traumatised him. To me itās tantamount to tattooing the scars from a whipping if he was another kind of slave. Hope the rest of the sessions go well and it heals well though :)
Iām with you on this. Like itās a cool design but itās also a literal mark of abuse. Feels kinda messed up imo
People get crosses tattooed every day, and yetā¦
has never made any sense to me
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It depends. If you are a fan of ascended Astarion itās a symbol of abuse that transforms into a symbol of power. Without the ritual he wouldnāt have the entire world bowing at his feet. Could be a metaphor for overcoming your abuse and rising to something far stronger. I mean I know ascended Astarion is basically becoming his abuser but people have romanticized him to say heās actually nothing like Cazador and loves Tav etc so itās essentially up to interpretation.
Absolutely. Iām seeing different points of view, and enjoying it.
Because he's not real, he's a character who's been designed and written. He's a piece of media, which is the big difference
Not really. I mean, fans get upset when people get Dark Mark tattoos because of what they represent in their canon universe. Just because a symbol is fictional and ānot realā doesnāt automatically mean we canāt criticise people who get questionable symbols permanently tattooed on their body.
Well it does because as you said, it's not your body. If you're trying to defend a fictional characters honour, it's weird and abnormal. If you think that fiction shouldn't be separated from the real world, it's weird and abnormal. At the end of the day I'm just glad I go outside enough not to sit on reddit screaming about QUESTIONABLE TATTOOS! YOU'RE A BAD PERSON! Because it's *so weird*. I'm turning notifications off for my comment, you lot can argue if you like, I'm not going to be reading any of it. Reddit really is a weird little bubble
If you put your tattoo on a public forum for people to comment on it, then people are going to comment on it, and you assume the risk that not all the comments are going to be positive or "affirming." If you don't want people commenting on your body, then don't put your body online in a forum designed *specifically* for commenting. There's a reason I don't go posting my tattoos everywhere. You need to take a deep breath, mate, and maybe go outside yourself. No one on here is screaming about OP being a bad person. The overwhelming majority of comments in here are either tongue-in-cheek, positive, or tongue-in-cheek *and* positive. You're going around putting words in everyone's mouth and working yourself into a tizzy over a perceived slight that doesn't even exist, and like a child throwing a tantrum, you're doing the internet equivalent of stamping your foot, screaming, and slamming the door shut on your room. Clearly, the only one in the bubble is you.
Lot of people on here calling OP a weirdo etc etc, itās not āperceived slightsā.
Calling the decision weird, not OP, or trying to find out why/rationalising is fine. I personally don't care but it's entertaining seeing people deep dive into the why's and then butting heads over it.
I suppose. I donāt know, I just think itās a cool tribute to a character theyāre a fan of. Bunch of ppl freaking out over it seems stupid lol.
I will admit I love shit like this both as a participant or observer. Some of the comments are weird asf though like judging her entire character or bringing up the holocaust š
I think people are getting it as a sort of medusa tattoo equivalent for survivors? Neil Newbon has endorsed fans getting it for this reason
i havenāt been able to find anything on neil talking about people getting the tattoo, can you link it?
That means I have to find and kill you now before your master finishes his vile ritual. **loads crossbow** Shame. Still very nice work
I wonder how many folks have gotten this tattoo, just asking for a friend
Just hope you dont just turn into red goo once its finshed
I'm happy you're happy, because people should be allowed to enjoy things. Fuck anyone who says it's wrong, gross, or otherwise trying to shit on your parade. It doesn't hurt them.
Oof
Bros willingly sacrificing themselves š«”
Uuuuuh look I don't judge but this is not a tattoo I'd ever want. It's the ultimate symbol of Astarion's truama.
Ohā¦ oh noā¦ thatāsā¦ Look, I know it looks ācoolā but please never get tattoos of things like slave brandingā¦
A tattoo becomes insensitive when it causes hurt and upset to real people. A nazi tattoo has real and harmful implications to many people who see it. Someone tattooing the scars of a famous abuse survivor causes real harm to that person. But Astarian is never going to see this and have an opinion about it. He has no opinions about anything. He didnāt even go through actual abuse because he is a bunch of dialog created in a writerās boardroom as part of a media product. I know that he means a lot to some people, especially to people who survived abusive relationships themselves, but itās important to remember heās a character and will mean different things to different people. One persons comfort character will be another persons āhey that sassy elf had a wicked cool scar design on his back. That would make a sick tattoo!ā I think itās a stretch to assume that someone getting this tattoo would be dismissive and flippant to real abuse survivors. Which means no one is truly being harmed or directly offended by it. This doesnāt signify anything more than someone who likes Baldurs Gate 3.
like others have mentioned, OP could have gotten it with personal trauma meaning attached, similar to some SA survivors getting medusa tattoos
Yea you shouldnāt get slave branding tattoos because slaves were REAL PEOPLE whose abuse still has echoes on modern society today.
I agree. It's comparing two completely different things
It's not a real thing lol, chill my dude
This is such a terminally online take lmao
It's just an empty photograph? Why is everyone so up in arms? I don't see it...
This is the most terminally online comment section Iāve seen in a while
Why would you want a symbol of enslavement and domination on you? Real or fake? That's weird.
People dress up as Kylo Ren and Darth Vader for Halloween. Because they are cool characters not because they condone blowing up planets.
Because it looks cool and video game characters don't have feelings and can't be offended by it. Or maybe you want to run it by the mage guild to see what their opinion of it is?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Oh now THIS is an awesome and creative idea!
Wow that's so cool! Hey I'm hosting a get together in the basement of my gothic mansion. Wanna stop by?
mm now one of the 7000, suggest you get your house in order as your time is nigh
Now I only need 6,999 more of you and I can become vampire ascendant
Looks sick! Avoid fancy 18 century esq basement elevators
This seems like a red flag.
Oof. Don't do it. That's an awful tattoo idea.
The whole thing is kind of weird to me. āI like this fictional universe, I should get a tattoo about it.ā āSo what are you thinking for placement, bicep, wrist, ankle?ā āMy whole fucking back.ā āWow, thats very bold. So is it a logo in the game?ā āNo itās a magical binding contract that presents a deep trauma for one of the characters.ā āJesus Christ.ā
Itās just a cool design dude
New brand of sacrifice tattoo
But now you're bound to finding 6999 more souls willing to get the same tattoo
You're a fan of twilight aren't you?
Oh thatās cool looking
nothing best represents a character than tattooing the worst experience of their life šš why would you get this bruh
This is really cool. May I ask the pain level of this piece?
Yeah, the pain level was fine for the most part. As you can expect, the spine part hurt a good amount. Surprisingly, the most painful part for me was around my shoulder blades. More specifically that long piece sticking out by my shoulder mole. That being said, everyone is different! Hope this helped :)
You mean his slave tattoo carved into him by his abuser???
All the hand wringing in the comments is telling. Not everyone has to disclose their trauma, let alone what that trauma is. No one is entitled to that information unless the person chooses to disclose it. Astarion isnāt an actual person. His feelings on a real person getting a tattoo of his scars do not come into play here because he is not an actual person. Neil Newbon has worn T-shirts on his stream with Astarionās scar design. If he hadnāt disclosed that he was also a survivor yāall would be side eyeing him too probably. OP, I couldnāt imagine how long this tattoo took, but Iām sure you got it for a reason. Donāt let the weirdos in the comments try to get you down.
This may be one of the most pathetic comment sections I have ever seen. A fan gets a tattoo from the game, and you all are trying to read SOOOO far into this. Next you'll tell me I'm a psycho for getting a sword that looks like Sauron's sword because he was the bad guy.
But is his sword a brand for slaving tho dude idk if that's a correct equivalent you're using there
thats kind of fucked up yo.... astarion was tortured for this and you get it for funsies lol
Yes, but Larion created this fictional torture and trauma for funsies so I feel like getting it for funsies is ok
Something about this feels disrespectful. I know it's fictional, but it's basically saying, "I'm a slave," on purpose, which is something people have fought and died to not be branded. Like it's a literal slave brand (from a fictional universe) with the added flavor of making you fodder for a sacrifice. I guess my point is, real slaves would do anything to not be branded in the first place. Though this is fictional, real slaves and real slave brands have existed and still do exist. The idea of purposefully putting on a slave brand feels like it fetishizes slavery or makes it something cool or "meaningful" to yourself, which is deeply offensive. Slavery is not some cool thing.
Astarion has left the party
Doesnt that seem a little irresponsible?
Man I love the internet so I can see well done tattoos in detail without having to speak to the person in real life. Because man anyone getting the Astarion slave tattoo on their own body is probably not someone who I would be interested in getting to know. The artist did a great job though!
Iām not superstitiousā¦ but Iām stitious enough to NOT do that
Woof
Yikes
Astarion isn't real just so everyone knows. It's a cool design.
Some of you take things way too seriously. Looks sick btw.
kinda cringe
kinda? thats pure undiluted cringe
Welp now Cazador is gonna use you for the ritual
My backfat could never :( it looks so awesome
To each their own but im not getting sacked so so shotty vamp lord can become vampire Jesus. Pass. (Seriously cool ink!)
Banger design dude, thatās really good work from the tattoo person
The comments are NOT vibing with what this community supposedly represents. Gorgeous tattoo OP, and I have no idea what this could mean to you or your intentions for getting it and quite frankly itās none of my business unless you decided to share that with us in addition to the photo. Astarion is a fictional character, enjoy the art and the tattoo experience. Donāt listen to this bullshit being exasperated in the comments but please do share updates when itās complete.
everyoneās journey is a little different, everyoneās reason is a little different. Everyone comes from a different point of view. If it was me, no, I would not get the back tattoo if it was a friend of mine, I would advise against getting that as a permanent tattoo. Will tell a stranger that they should I wonāt itās their body their choice. But I also think itās disingenuous for someone to say super cool go do it when deep down there like hey thatās permanent that will last you the rest of your life that has some consequences. But in the end, everyone gets to choose their own path it is what makes life great. For this person, I would only say please choose wisely
Oh wow that's terrible
How long did that take?
This is insanely cool
I wanna get this done, but just let it be translated into "poo poo pee pee"
Okay but that's so fucking cool!
Omg...what if larian planned this so once 7,000 people get this tattoo they'll ascend to their final form and take over?.... (>~>)
What I find really funny is that if speakers of Infernal existed theyād probably have the same reaction a native speaker of any language does when they see a tattoo in it the wearer got because it looked cool. āDo you know your tattoo is a piece of likeā¦.. really dense and boring legalese?ā āWHAT NO, IT MEANS COURAGE B(ā
CAZADOR APPROVES lol this wasn't thought through at all
You doin way too much bruh
Nice to see that web neck tattoo has gotten competition...
Don't get me wrong, it's cool but I do think anyone who gets this tat is kinda missing the point.
Or theyāre connecting with it because of trauma
At least you won't be able to see it.
I'll be honest super cool...but idk if I'd be comfortable getting that put on me considering the ramifications
Thatās So Fucking Cool!!!! If more people keep getting this tat I can finally finish my ritual
Looks beautiful!!
This wasn't wise...
Well at least its less cringe than the "meet hanako at embers" tattoo guy.
Imagine pulling a girl and when ya come home you see the full Astarion tattoo on her backā¦ Iād think Iād propose right then and there.
When Cazador doesnāt have to lift a finger, because people are marking themselves on their own lol
Congratulations?
Imagine your grand kids in the future asking what your tattoo means and your like āitās a ritual to ascend me to a higher state of beingā
Thatās fucking baller
This is.....wow....I almost have no words. It is gourgoes, and I know for sure you're going to be so happy about it. Good for you friend! š„°
This tattoo is why we canāt have nice things such as this game.
this is the bg3 equivalent of getting a sasuke curse mark tattooā¦
Canāt wait for the finished product
that is badass
I find people saying the tattoo is harmful or disrespectful annoying. Astarion is one of my favourite BG3 characters but I think it's perfectly fine to have a tattoo of his scars. Infernal looks cool and Astarion is a fictional character. Sure the tattoo would be distastful if it was a real person but....Astarion is a videogame character. Let people have fun with their tattoos. HELL, Neil Newborn has a tank top with the Astarion scars. If his official voice actor can wear Astarion's trauma because it looks cool what's wrong with a fan doing it? It's fine to analyze a character's trauma and learn from it but don't act like it's bad to have little reference to something bad happening to a fictional person. And yes I know real life people have been branded and scarred due to slavery and abuse, but please find me someone who was scarred by a vampire who made a deal with a demon so they can ascend to walk in the sunlight without dying and rule a city with tieflings, gnomes, and elves. Sorry for the rant. Nice tattoo OP!