Stitch: This one was less intentional, but Caedes's lack of belief in his own capability to be useful for anything but destruction early on came from Stitch. His fear of his "nature" giving way to the nurturing of a found family has a lot in common with his arc.

I'm being informed that, apparently, killing people to take their stuff is still stealing.

As he progressed, he fought the ghosts of Reithwin, heard their lamentations. He saw how Ketheric Thorm once had people who loved and relied upon him, then forsook them in his grief. He grew to value other lives beyond just the people he personally liked. 7/?

At the same time, he grappled with the Urge, feeling condemned to suffer it in isolation. Defying it by sparing Isobel but nearly killing Astarion instead, Caedes became determined to vanquish it and ensure his friends' survival. As he grew to care for others, they grew to care for him in kind. 6/?

His unwilling murder of Alfira, who helped him rediscover his love of music, and the reality of several companions' possible deaths began to make him fear for them beyond simply losing a body to throw in front of himself. He began seeing them as people with value beyond his own goals. 5/?

Starting with his decision to help the Grove, Caedes began forming small bonds with other people. Helping with Astarion's scars set him on a path to genuinely caring for others. At first, he did so selfishly, only helping others for a reward or if he felt a personal connection to them. 4/?

This actually translates into gameplay; as a Bard/Rogue multiclass from level 2, Caedes's main skills early on were for dialogue. He made a great party face but his combat abilities were staggered. His Strength and Intelligence are dump stats due to atrophy in captivity and brain injury. 3/?

Caedes justified it to himself by considering his own, physical weakness. He intended to use Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Astarion, Gale, and eventually Wyll and Karlach as protection while he regained the strength needed to claim vengeance. He also decided to use the tadpoles early on to gain power. 2/?

Depending on your definition of "steal" he did technically loot all of the Blighted Village, the Goblin Camp, Grymforge, and Crèche Y'llek. But I don't think he'd think it counts as stealing if he killed everyone first, that's just recycling.