Wizards Announces Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion Prequel Novel

Wizards of the Coast and publisher Random House Worlds have announced a new publishing partnership to expand the Baldur's Gate 3 universe, starting with a prequel novel centered on the popular vampire character Astarion. The book, titled Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion, is set for release on September 29, 2026, and delves into the high elf's backstory before the events of the 2023 video game.

Written by bestselling fantasy author T. Kingfisher, known for works like Nettle & Bone, the novel explores Astarion's life in the years leading up to Baldur's Gate 3. It follows his time as a magistrate in Baldur's Gate, where in 1268 he was nearly killed by a group of Gurs over a controversial ruling. Rescued by the vampire lord Cazador Szarr, Astarion was turned into a vampire spawn and subjected to two centuries of servitude, including torture, starvation on sewer rats, and the carving of a infernal contract into his back as preparation for a dark ritual. The story traces this period of physical and mental torment, ending at the point where Baldur's Gate 3 begins with Astarion's abduction by mind flayers. Kingfisher has described the narrative as dark and intense, warning that its conclusion...