{"id":1562139,"date":"2026-04-24T19:41:34","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T19:41:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/LNemhquq28zVBsPJTi8EDJ"},"modified":"2026-04-24T19:41:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T19:41:34","slug":"the-best-possible-fantasy-author-is-writing-a-dark-tragic-prequel-novel-for-our-beloved-baldurs-gate-3-boy-astarion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/the-best-possible-fantasy-author-is-writing-a-dark-tragic-prequel-novel-for-our-beloved-baldurs-gate-3-boy-astarion\/","title":{"rendered":"The best possible fantasy author is writing a dark, tragic prequel novel for our beloved Baldur’s Gate 3 boy Astarion"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You say “Astarion backstory” and I’ll show you a very long list of fanfics, but for anyone who’s already exhausted that catalog: today’s a big day. There’s going to be an official prequel novel for your sad, sexy Baldur’s Gate 3 boyfriend this September. Oh and yes, Neil Newbon’s recording the audiobook version, obviously.<\/p>\n

As reported by Polygon<\/a>, Wizards of the Coast and Random House Worlds have announced a partnership to publish four projects “centered around [Baldur’s Gate 3’s] immersive lore and unforgettable characters” this year beginning with Baldur\u2019s Gate 3: Astarion<\/a>\u2014though the other three are a cookbook, coloring book, and journal\u2014and plans for more collaboration to be revealed “for 2027 and beyond.”<\/p>\n

“This prequel novel, published by Random House Worlds, takes place prior to the events of the 2023 game, and follows the fan-favorite High Elf during his years of servitude under the vampire lord Cazador Szarr,” Polygon reports. “Baldur’s Gate 3 senior writer Stephen Rooney consulted on the project in order to ensure consistency with the game’s lore and world-building.”<\/p>\n

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What backstory?<\/div>\n
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(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you need a (spoiler-filled) refresher on Astarion’s backstory, you can find it discussed in our interview with his voice actor<\/a> Neil Newbon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

My first thought on hearing that a massively popular cultural phenomenon RPG is getting a prequel tie-in novel might have been “oh no, we’ve reached the WotC cash grab part of the popularity cycle.” I was immediately reassured, though, because this thing is being written by T. Kingfisher. She’s the wildly prolific<\/a> and deservedly popular author of horror series What Moves The Dead, twisted fairytales like Thornhedge, and romances like the Paladin series.<\/p>\n

If I had asked a bunch of BG3-loving fantasy readers (a nigh circle-shaped Venn diagram) who would be their fancast to write about their beloved vampire, I can say with full confidence that Kingfisher would have topped the list, Family Feud style. Not just because she publishes with eye-watering frequency, but because she’s tackled themes like abuse, trauma, and autonomy in her work, all of which are relevant to Astarion’s story. <\/p>\n

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