Cazador Szarr

Cazador Szarr is a vampire in Baldur's Gate 3 and Astarion's former master. He is the primary antagonist of Astarion's personal quest, The Pale Elf.
==Overview==
=== History ===
Cazador became a Vampire Lord in the year 1276, claiming the position of master vampire of Baldur's Gate from Vellioth the Martinet.
== Involvement ==
=== Act One ===
While not making an appearance in Act One or Act Two, Cazador's influence is felt. If is chosen as player character, they can encounter a dream sequence involving Cazador, where he recites four rules he enforces amongst his spawns. Astarion as a companion can also show the party the scars on his back, which are revealed to be part of an Infernal Pact. What this pact entails is unknown, but he assumes it is extremely important to Cazador.
=== Act Two ===
While still not appearing in Act Two, Astarion can decipher the meaning of the pact with the help of . His scars are part of a ritual imparted to Cazador by Mephistopheles. When performed, the recipient of the ritual becomes , a creature that retains all the power of a Vampire, but none of their weaknesses (e.g. sunlight) or thirst for blood.
=== Act Three ===
Once in Baldur's Gate, the party can hunt down Cazador at Cazador's Palace. He is eventually found in his Dungeon, revealing that the ritual required not just the seven Vampire Spawns he sired, but also thousands of others. The "meals" Astarion brought Cazador were not for him to feed on, but rather prepared and turned into spawns for use in his ritual. Upon encountering Cazador, he reclaims Astarion, and tries to use him for the ritual. Should the party free Astarion and defeat Cazador, Astarion readies himself to take over the ritual, and absorb the power for himself - only for Cazador to reveal that if Astarion chooses to continue the ritual himself, he will simply be consumed by it, as he has the marks of the pact on his back and the ritual will still take his soul as a result, as it requires an exact amount of souls. The party must then make an important choice.
==The Black Mass Ritual==
===Letting Astarion finish the Ritual===
Should the party allow Astarion to finish the ritual, he connects to the player character's parasite, and copies the scars on his back onto Cazador's own flesh, therefore fulfilling the requirements for the ritual, while allowing himself to remain alive. Astarion then consumes the essence of Cazador, and the thousands of Vampire Spawns he sired, to successfully become the Vampire Ascendant.
===Convincing Astarion to kill Cazador and stop the Ritual===
If succeeding on a or check, Astarion does not continue the ritual for himself, and instead stabs Cazador to death, falling to his knees, and sobbing, finally free from Cazador's tyranny. If any Vampire Spawn dies during the fight, the Vampire Ascendent ritual cannot be conducted, and Astarion defaults to this option (see 'Breaking the ritual' below).
===Refusing to help Astarion===
If refusing to help Astarion without convincing him, or failing the skill checks and still refusing to help him, Astarion kills Cazador in the same sequence as above. But he then destroys Cazador's , leaving the Vampire Spawns to rot. After this, he permanently leaves the party, stating with venom that he hopes they "die screaming."
===Killing Cazador without Astarion in the party===
If Astarion is not brought to the fight it is possible to stab Cazador while he is in his coffin. Mentioning this to Astarion afterwards infuriates him and, unless convinced to stay, he permanently leaves the party.
===Interrupting the ritual===
The party can choose to interrupt Astarion partway through the ritual. If they do, the player character throws Cazador's at him, killing Cazador and making the ritual impossible to complete. Astarion then destroys Cazador's staff and attacks the party, forcing them to kill him.
=== Breaking the ritual ===
Killing one or more sacrificial Vampire Spawns during the fight with Cazador results in Astarion killing Cazador and staying with the party without complaint (even if he is in the fight and witnesses a Vampire Spawn dying). Astarion's remaining siblings then flee the scene, skipping their normal cutscene. Several characters, including the Gur party, will react as if Astarion voluntarily forfeited the ritual.
No matter which choice the party decides on, Cazador ultimately dies.
== Combat ==
==Notable Loot==
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== Related literature ==
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==Related quests==
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==Gallery==
Cazador Model.png|Cazador's model
Cazador Early Access Model.png|Cazador's model during Early Access
Cazador.png|Cazador's concept art
Cazador placeholder portait.png|Cazador during the ritual
Edward-vanderghote-cazador.webp|Character art by Edward Vanderghote
== Notes and references ==
== External Links ==
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Category:Vampires
Category:Undead
Category:Characters
Category:Characters in Szarr Palace
Category:Characters in Act Three
Category:Bosses
Category:Authors