Asterion

Asterion
Quint awakes the statue of Asterion
Details
Race	Spirit, formerly Human
Birthplace	Arcavios
Lifetime	Unknown
Parents	Lord Teutamos of Pallad Reach, and Lady Crethea
Relatives	Pasiphaë, Deianira and Achelous (cousins), Arboron "the Beast" (uncle)
Sources

For Astarion Ancunín, the Dungeons & Dragons character, see Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate.

Asterion is a statue spirit and mentor of Quintorius at Strixhaven on Arcavios.

Description

Asterion's appearance can be derived from his statue, which shows a young man in the finest plate armor, representing wealth and high status. His statue's face is that of a shrewd tactician, emphasizing his strategic mind and leadership qualities. He stands with a hand on his sword hilt, implying readiness to engage in combat.

Asterion shows both playful irreverence and a deep sense of history. Despite his imposing appearance, Asterion's personality is quite the opposite. He often digresses into mundane topics like scones with brambleberry jam, cummerbunds, and dog hygiene. This unexpected focus on trivial matters makes him seem quirky and somewhat disconnected from his historical grandeur. He mocks laws and societal norms, dismissing the importance of following the rules, and showing disdain and amusement for rigid structures.

Despite his predilections of rambling, Asterion has a quick wit and a deep understanding of both historical events and human nature. He uses humor to make points, such as when he jokes about the incompetence of the researchers or his genealogy. He is eager to explore and push boundaries, urging Quint to embark on a forbidden journey to the cave where he fell and died. His philosophy of life being about risk is a testament to his adventurous spirit.

In summary, Asterion's appearance as a fierce knight contrasts sharply with his whimsical, irreverent, and adventurous personality, creating a mentor who is both a challenge and an enigma for Quintorius.

History

Asterion was introduced as the spirit mentor of Quintorius, a Lorehold student at Strixhaven. Quint initially hoped for a profound and enlightening mentor-mentee relationship, but instead, he found Asterion to be frustratingly preoccupied with trivial matters. Despite his statue depicting a fierce knight in fine plate armor, Asterion’s conversations were often about mundane topics like scones and parasol usage, much to Quint's disappointment.

Quint summoned Asterion’s spirit for a fourth session, hoping to get information relevant to his end-of-term project. Asterion, however, expressed a desire to leave Effigy Row and explore the campus, which Quint reluctantly agreed to. Their conversation eventually turned to the mystery surrounding Asterion’s disappearance centuries ago. Quint revealed that he had already gathered extensive information about Asterion's family and his last known movements but sought details about Asterion's final days.

Asterion admitted that his memories were fragmented, recalling only up to a certain point before his memory became hazy. Quint mentioned that Asterion was last seen heading towards Pillardrop, where a cave and a monument were later found. Asterion insisted on visiting this cave, despite the rules prohibiting spirit statues from leaving Effigy Row.

Determined to uncover the truth, Quint decided to take Asterion to the cave. They snuck past a group of researchers and professors at the dig site near the cave, including Professor Hofri Ghostforge, who almost caught Quint. Using his wit and quick thinking, Quint managed to avoid suspicion and continued with Asterion towards their destination.

Asterion shared that he was searching for the lost city of Zantafar, which he believed was located near Pillardrop, not Moragitzu-Kesh as many current-day experts thought. This revelation excited Quint, who realized that uncovering Zantafar would be a monumental achievement. Quint overcame his fears and followed Asterion’s lead, embracing the spirit’s philosophy of taking risks and venturing into the unknown to possibly discover the lost city of Zantafar. Together, they ventured to a seemingly ordinary cave in Pillardrop.

Inside the cave, they found no obvious signs of a lost city, only a stone column and a chamber devoid of any remarkable features. Quint, using a magical map, realized that others had explored the area before, yet no one had discovered anything significant. Frustrated, he doubted Asterion’s reliability. Asterion, however, revealed his personal history, including a tragic tale involving his friend Vis Svokunol, a loxodon unjustly executed, which drove Asterion to seek redemption by finding Zantafar.

Quint then recited the Canticle of Jed, a part of the legend that Asterion's friend Vis had always insisted was crucial. This recitation triggered a hidden mechanism, causing the stone column to retract and reveal a deeper, darker passage. Despite the danger, Quint decided to descend, discovering an enormous golden statue of a loxodon and, beyond it, the sprawling ghostly remains of Zantafar itself, illuminated by bioluminescent fungi.

As Asterion joined Quint in the cavern, they found Asterion’s own mummified body, a testament to his fatal fall centuries earlier. Despite this tragic end, Quint reassured Asterion that his discovery was immensely meaningful. Together, they stood before the ancient city, ready to explore its secrets and fulfill Asterion’s quest for redemption and legacy.

Story appearances

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
The Mentor	Reinhardt Suarez	2021-04-16	Strixhaven: School of Mages	Arcavios	Quintorius Kand, Golwanda, Xandril, Plargg, Asterion, Teutamos, Crethea, Pasiphaë, Deianira, Achelous, Arboron, Vis Svokunol, Hofri Ghostforge, Huerty Kostambul, Siulogma, Xyrun-Jed, Kollema

In-game references

Represented in:

• Stonebound Mentor