Cazador Szarr

Cazador Szarr is a character in Baldur's Gate 3. He is a Vampire Lord, the master and creator of Astarion and his siblings. 
==Canon==
During Early Access it was implied that he personally raped Astarion, not just forcing him into sexual slavery with others. EA's Astarion had a very visceral reaction when jokingly asked by Tav if Cazador had been his master in the bedroomYoutube video of the "Master in the bedroom" conversation with Astarion's answer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bboE524lVUI&ab_channel=OliviaB..
While his status as a vampire might be unknown to many, his reputation as an evil, twisted being is quite popular, as Gale, who hails from Waterdeep, knows of his reputation. Astarion mentions his "weathervane mood".
==Fandom==
Due to the implication that Cazador has raped Astarion, it is one of the most depicted storylines in fanfiction. One of the most used tags on AO3 is Dead Dove: Do Not Eat.
A vertical of a dancing, topless man with long dark hair and plastic vampire teethRepost of the vertical on tumblr, with the caption "Cazador in his stupid mansion or whatever" 
https://www.tumblr.com/devoted-tiefling/728810562199371776/tiktok-make-your-day became popular amongst fans of Cazador, who noticed the physical similarities between them. Many made allusion to the DnD spell Otto's Irresistible Dance being cast on Cazador.
Mods have been made to give him long hairTweet by PeacefulTyranny titled "cazador szarr the milf that you are", with long hair mod and glowing eyes https://twitter.com/PeacefulTyranny/status/1738955580381831660/photo/1, as many believed his hair to actually be long but tucked inside his shirt. He's also been a target of the Wavemother's Robe fadModded Game screenshots by PeacefulTyranny, featuring their Cazador, with long hair, wearing the Weavemother's Robe and Mizora's head accessory https://twitter.com/PeacefulTyranny/status/1740890024139436251. 
A particular pose of Cazador's has been memedMock patch 5 new dialogue using the meme by JudgementCazzy on Twitter (X) https://twitter.com/JudgementCazzy/status/1731702100201984126 and used by fans in humourous ways due to how it looks like one of the Village People's during their performance of Y.M.C.A, particularly when "Young Man!" is being said. This also aludes to Cazador being akin to Astarion's father.
===Common Tropes & Storylines===
* Sadistic Master: Cazador is a torturer, slaver and rapist and commonly depicted as Astarion's bane, but also other spawn's. This is also a reference to Vellioth, who treated Cazador the same way, including killing one of his friends as punishment for their friendship. Gore is a common tag for art.
* Cycles of abuse and Generational TraumaReddit thread regarding Vellioth's skull with detailed information and discussion about the cycle of abuse vampires go through, specifically Cazador and Astarion https://www.reddit.com/r/BaldursGate3/comments/15z0jpx/vellioths_skull/: Cazador treats Astarion like he himself was treated by Vellioth. At his moment of death, it is implied he realises he became an irredeemable monster in the image of his master. It is also implied that he's tried not to be like him, but was unable to escape it - he says (to himself) he spoiled Astarion by not being as harsh with his punishments as Vellioth was with his, this in reference to Cazador's 11 years of impalement in relation to Astarion's mere one year sealed underground in a coffin.
* Rancid Daddy Vibes: Term coined from the story lost and never found by arenathesia and fan discussion related to the pseudo-incest of his relationship with his spawn, particularly Astarion. His insistence on them calling each other siblings, the use of terms like son and father. Part of the vampire sire/childe dynamic. He's sometimes represented as Astarion's wife or husband. There's some crossover with Asian mom coded. 
* Asian Mom Coded: East Asian and Southeast Asian fans have expressed that Cazador's treatment of Astarion and general attitude evoke similarities to their own strict "tiger parent" upbringing."Why Cazador Szarr had to be this way?" thread on r/BaldursGate3 on Reddit"some of u never grew up with a toxic Asian dad and it shows" thread on r/BaldursGate3 on Reddit"About Cazador" thread on r/BaldursGate3 on Reddit Due to being considered the "mother" of his "children" and his general nebulous energy. Several fans use the term while interacting online and draw art in reference to the name. He is also called "MILF", "mummy" or "mother" by fans. Cazador has also been interpreted as canonically of East Asian-equivalent descent based on his character design and the Szarr family signet ring featuring an inscription in ancient Kozukuran (the Forgotten Realms analogue of Japan).
* Possessiveness/Obsession: In his writings, Cazador seems obsessed with Astarion, to a level not seen towards other spawn. It's implied he orchestrated Astarion's attack so that he would be there to conveniently save Astarion from death by turning him, showing he might have developed his possessiveness before he was even his spawn.
* Villainous Crush: Cazador holds special appeal over fans due to his ability for scheming as well as his dramatic flare when executing his plan. Also related to his MILF usage and Rancid Daddy Vibes.
* Voyeurism: In many fan depictions, Cazador is shown as a voyeur to acts of torture or rape, typically featuring his spawn. He either shows great pleasure or is completely unfazed, which ties to the next trope.
* Never Undressed: Cazador is canonically depicted in complete control. It's common to see him looking aloof and unphased in art and fic, often with his spawn in submissive positions, without any or many clothes, while he remains dressed and proper.NSFW example of the trope, featuring not only Cazador in a "calm state" (for the most part) but also completely dressed https://poipiku.com/9056589/9643452.html
* Impalement: Vellioth kept Cazador impaled for years as punishment. Stakes and the act of impalement are common in art and fic.Twitter (X) art of Cazador in therapy, talking about his impalement by sexgoldrevenge https://x.com/sexgoldrevenge/status/1723111660209287500?s=20
* Power Bottom: In fics, art or discussions where Cazador compels Astarion to have sex with him, there is trope that has Astarion as the penetrative participant that is gaining popularity.
* Compelling Voice/Mind Control: Cazador is able to control his spawn with his voice and possibly the aid of his staff (it is implied it amplifies his control over them with more than vampiric compulsion). The power he holds over his children as their sire is not to be confused with the Sire Bond common in vampire fandoms. There are no instances of Cazador himself being compelled.
* Size difference: He's canonically taller than Astarion with whom he's typically paired with.Twitter post with video. The post is regarding Astarion having gained some of Cazador's gestures and it showcases their size difference https://twitter.com/bd3deokjiljoong/status/1741730700607545735Another twitter post, this time with a screenshot, to showcase the size difference between Cazador and Astarion https://twitter.com/bd3deokjiljoong/status/1741726646405906451 His 18 strength also comes into play with this dynamic.
* Rat Lord: The rat king imagery is used on Cazador's main door, and rats are a constant in his life (both as real rats he has living in his house, uses to feed his spawn and as bats being "flying rats"). His spawn are compared to rats in occasion. Tumblr user bone0921 summarised the symbol thusly: "An allegory for being in his family, ensnared, an omen of impending doom and death (...)".Tumblr page where the rat king symbol is discussed https://www.tumblr.com/fangsandfeels/738171493352095744?source=share This ties in with Cycles of abuse and Generational Trauma.
* Feeding: Many of the fics have a minor or major focus on vampiric hunger, but more often on blood as a plaything or torture for his spawn. Cazador is rarely seen feeding himself, and it is canon that he has not even allowed his spawn to be present when he does.
* Hidden Bite Mark: Unlike Astarion's, Cazador's vampiric bite mark isn't visible. Fans have since speculated where it could be, with a prevailing theory being that he's been bitten on his inner thighOne example of fanart showing Cazador's Vampiric scar https://poipiku.com/9056589/9747976.html (and thus they are unable to see it with his clothes on). Another take is that his hair is cut into a strange style to hide a possible bite mark on the back of his neck.Twitter (x) fans discussing another location (besides the thigh) for Cazador's bite mark https://twitter.com/kyo_san_nsfw/status/1744032728532562372 The intimate location of the mark ties with the Never Undressed trope.
* Trained from a young age: Due to the existence of other vampire members of the Szarr family and how rare is it for vampire lords to co-exist, fans have speculated that the Szarr family might offer particularly talented children up to become spawn, in the hopes of them later becoming a vampire Lord. Cazador himself might have tried to do the same to his niece, Amanita, whom he bit when she was a child (this possibly fuelled the Vellioth as a child headcanon). Fanart of this typically depicts him as a traumatised child, being forced to kill or torture others, and not allowed to keep any relationships outside the family. This theory also puts Vellioth in the position of an usurper to the Szarr family line, due to having converted Cazador. Some fans see this action akin to a forced marriage or a kidnapping.
===Pairings===
Cazador is most popularly shipped with Astarion: Astarion/Cazador, Tav or his defunct master Vellioth.
==Fanworks==
===Fanfic===
* Seen, Cazador as Astarion's fiancé (Astarion/Cazador Szarr) After years of dodging social interactions, Astarion decides to go out of his comfort zone and play a game of Dungeons and Dragons at the insistence of his fiancé, Cazador. When he meets the game’s charismatic, mysterious Dungeon Master, something inside him stirs—something he didn’t expect. by ayvaines
* lost and never found, Sadistic Master, Rancid Daddy Vibes, Compelling Voice (Astarion/Cazador Szarr) Astarion grabbed his hand, fast, not that he thought the fool would actually run. He just knew that his eyes would flick up to his, searching for an answer, a sign that this was alright, and he wouldn’t look anywhere else. It was saved, then. No use wondering if it would ruin the end of their little date if he gutted himself or threw himself off the city walls in the face of this twist. There was only one way this would end. And it never ended with Astarion escaping. by arenathesia
* Nightshade, Sadistic Master, Power Bottom (Astarion/Cazador Szarr) Cazador summons Astarion to his chambers. Astarion assumes he knows why. When Cazador orders Astarion to fuck him, Astarion is shocked - and terrified. But if his master wants to be fucked, his master will get fucked. by purple_bookcover
* spinning in his grip, Feeding, Cycles of abuse, Rancid Daddy Vibes, Rat Lord (Astarion/Cazador Szarr) Your name is Astarion Ancunín, and you are thirty-nine years old when you die. by falco_c
* A star had come to earth, Feeding, Cycles of abuse, Sadistic Master (Vellioth/Cazador and Astarion/Cazador Szarr) "......only by seducing the seducer could he thank him for the pleasure of being seduced." by AXIXA
* Caged Bird, Sadistic Master, Rancid Daddy Vibes (Vellioth/Cazador) Cazador is Vellioth’s newest pet… by LysandrsLabyrinth
* I Will Follow You into the Dark, Sadistic Master (Astarion/female Tav and Cazador/female Tav) Cazador captures Tav and uses her to lure Astarion back to him. by CtrlAltDelMe
* Viper in the Lion's Den Feeding, Sadistic Master, Cycles of abuse (Cazador/male Tav) Rather than killing Cazador in the Szarr palace, Ambrose (Tav) keeps him as a well-connected captive. Cazador and Ambrose play at cat and mouse in a clash for control over the other. Astarion struggles to navigate the new power that comes with being a true vampire and to accept that his old master is enjoying relative freedom about camp. Gale tries to balance the demands of the Netherese Orb with those of his new spawn physiology, which he insists is not bothering him at all, really. by elysiians
* Seen and Not Heard, Rancid Daddy Vibes, Sadistic Master (Astarion/Cazador and Astarion/OC) Astarion inadvertently insults one of Cazador’s guests and reaps the consequences of his actions. by smallhorizons
=== Fanart ===
* A little child deserves tender kisses, Rancid Daddy Vibe Trope by sadist69 on Tumblr
* walking into cazador's lair like, a Tav defending Astarion in relation to Cazador by snarkspawn on Tumblr
* from that day on I was his, Cazador waiting for Astarion to crawl out of his grave by tastysemochka on Tumblr
* NSFW グロ gore カザアス cazastarion secret santa gift, Sadistic Master Trope by orangiah_ on Twitter (X)
* NSFW CazVelli ※屍姦 (corpse rape) gore 生首 (severed head), Sadistic Master and Cycles of abuse Trope by 310_akhk on Twitter (X)
* NSFW Circular scars - Cazador, Vellioth BG3 comic [TW violence, blood], Comic where Vellioth shows himself as a Sadistic Master to Cazador by wellen-katze on Tumblr
* lord of rats, reference to the rat king imagery by badjura on Tumblr
* i am once again bringing another cazador for your consideration, reference to the rat king imagery by badjura on Tumblr
* I want to change hairdresser... , Sadistic Master Trope by sadist69 on Tumblr
* Day 20 “Undead” The Master and his spawns, Cazador and his spawn by avokadda on Tumblr
* consummatum est, ego cecidi by miracide on Tumblr
* lord and spawn, Cazador and Vellioth by vvvvvivacious on Tumblr
* tiny astarion, giant cazador, Size difference Trope by vvvvvivacious on Tumblr
* if this isn't what cazador's parties are like then..., allusion to the mother trope (MILF version) by sexgoldrevenge on Twitter (X)
* NSFW 解释成卡扎多尔转化的故事也不是不行 (It’s not impossible to explain it as the story of Cazador’s transformation), Cazador and Vellioth by Llj237798500 on Twitter (X)
* asc star on his "the late lord szarr's wife tell-all" tour, Cazador as Astarion's husband by sexgoldrevenge on Twitter (X)
* NSFW R18 star/power bottom MILF caz , Cazador power bottoming by sexgoldrevenge on poipiku
* NSFW Free? (No, never), Cycles of abuse with Cazador killing Vellioth but not being truly free by dkgxhl_N0ir on Twitter (X)
* NSFW I give up. This is the most I can do. The most enjoyable part is the martinet Sadistic Master and Impalement Trope by Mayolover123 on Twitter (X)
* 日除けcaz (Caz protected from the sun/awning), allusion to the mother trope (MILF version) by 310_akhk on Twitter (X)
* 卡扎多尔亲子弱智小漫画 (Cazador parent-child impairment cartoon), someone thinks Cazador is Astarion's wife, when in reality he is his mother by Llj237798500 on Twitter (X)
* like this. (fresh vs. healed) with lines ripped in where he struggled, Hidden Bite Mark by kyo_san_nsfw on Twitter (X)
* MOD I REGRET NOTHING, allusion to the mother trope by V19_arts on Twitter (X)
==Resources & Links==
* Cazador Tag on AO3
* Cazador Szarr Tag and Cazador Tag on Tumblr
==References==
Category:Baldur's Gate Characters