#there is no world where he offers astarion a 'live in my HoH for a while' style contract

[not-poignant]

@trachymedusa replied to your post “raphael casually laying out the actual...”:

But Raphael said that he owes Astarion a favor! Surely Astarion can use that as leverage to negotiate better terms for himself somehow. HE USED TO BE A MAGISTRATE

​I think it's a mistake to assume that Astarion is anywhere on the same level as Raphael for negotiation power. One has been alive for thousands of years and lives and breathes contracts, the other was a Magistrate for a proportionately short period of time and then was tortured, brainwashed and a slave for like 200 years.

Astarion can certainly negotiate better terms for himself if he wants, but Raphael will likely only allow him one better term, and there's certain things in the second contract that are completely unavoidable (i.e. Astarion cannot access the sun if he does not perform these things he won't want to do, it's literally part of the Rite).

But it's always important to keep in mind, imho, that this is still very much an experienced torturer with thousands of years of experience with contracts, vs. Astarion, who has more experience being a torture victim, and has more time under his belt as a torture victim. Their power differential is huge, and they'll never be equals, favour or not. It's tempting to think Astarion has significant leverage, but he only has whatever section of rope Raphael allows him for the most part.

The favour will make things more fun though, which is why Raphael offered it lol

#trachymedusa #palmarosa #thespectaclesofthor #but honestly the *most* important thing to keep in mind is that raphael is a devil #this is not going to become a fair or equal relationship #that doesn't mean some things won't improve #but other things will not improve at all #torture is part of raphael's lifeblood #(sort of) #it is at least very much something he feeds off #there is no world where he offers astarion a 'live in my HoH for a while' style contract #that does not involve agony on some level #and no favour in the world can erase that