Being cast as a gallant protector by someone smiling at him like that means his heart rate is a little faster, especially when the hand in his lingers. Emmrich can see why Hawke chalked his survival up to charm.
"You're clearly no damsel in distress," he agrees warmly, trying not to let his mind dwell. "You've been collected and far from upset. Unlike those students, and the cleanup, yes." Emmrich adored teaching, loved helping shape future mages' minds and encouraging them to reach their potential. The world was not yet a kind enough place to mages to guide them there. It was improving. But it had a way to go yet.
As Hawke talks, Emmrich nods in understanding until his gaze is met and held. It is something, to seemingly be found worthy or at least acceptable in Hawke's eyes.
"It's cultural, Nevarra rather than Ferelden. As we believe death sends one soul into the Fade and brings one spirit into the waking world, it means we inherently value and appreciate them in a way they respond to. In the Necropolis we work with them respectfully. Rather, the Mourn Watchers do, and the young adults are like young adults you find across the world. My assistant, in fact, is a Curiosity wisp, ambulating about in a skeleton we built for him. His name is Manfred."
He's fond and proud. Manfred, Nevarra, the Mourn Watch, they're all precious pieces of him, precious pieces of his world. Though he's not entirely certain why he's deciding to share so much. Maybe it's because it will be a long trip, and it puts off two things he needs to talk about on it.
And speaking of long, there's the river. Emmrich shakes his head as he looks at it. "Deliberately manifesting items that are not on one's person takes a great deal of work. Manifesting an entire boat that could then hold our weight is beyond my abilities. But if it's any consolation, the distance may be illusion. ...Also once we get far enough, it's possible there is a boat that can be steered our way."
He pats Hawke's back, meaning it to be encouraging, and oh, that's quite the powerful back. Emmrich quickly redirects his thoughts. There's no reason to practically light a signal fire to any desire spirits that might be nearby.
As they walk, he decides to tackle the topic that's least likely to be painful first. "You should be aware that there's a chance this does not work, Hawke, and there's no easy way to explain this. Sometimes when someone dies, they don't realize it. They continue on. When it happens in the waking world, the continuing is aided by a spirit. Here, that's not necessary. You are Hawke. But there is a chance that you have not, in fact, survived the Fade. And here we can likely not figure that out for sure until we attempt to leave."
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"You're clearly no damsel in distress," he agrees warmly, trying not to let his mind dwell. "You've been collected and far from upset. Unlike those students, and the cleanup, yes." Emmrich adored teaching, loved helping shape future mages' minds and encouraging them to reach their potential. The world was not yet a kind enough place to mages to guide them there. It was improving. But it had a way to go yet.
As Hawke talks, Emmrich nods in understanding until his gaze is met and held. It is something, to seemingly be found worthy or at least acceptable in Hawke's eyes.
"It's cultural, Nevarra rather than Ferelden. As we believe death sends one soul into the Fade and brings one spirit into the waking world, it means we inherently value and appreciate them in a way they respond to. In the Necropolis we work with them respectfully. Rather, the Mourn Watchers do, and the young adults are like young adults you find across the world. My assistant, in fact, is a Curiosity wisp, ambulating about in a skeleton we built for him. His name is Manfred."
He's fond and proud. Manfred, Nevarra, the Mourn Watch, they're all precious pieces of him, precious pieces of his world. Though he's not entirely certain why he's deciding to share so much. Maybe it's because it will be a long trip, and it puts off two things he needs to talk about on it.
And speaking of long, there's the river. Emmrich shakes his head as he looks at it. "Deliberately manifesting items that are not on one's person takes a great deal of work. Manifesting an entire boat that could then hold our weight is beyond my abilities. But if it's any consolation, the distance may be illusion. ...Also once we get far enough, it's possible there is a boat that can be steered our way."
He pats Hawke's back, meaning it to be encouraging, and oh, that's quite the powerful back. Emmrich quickly redirects his thoughts. There's no reason to practically light a signal fire to any desire spirits that might be nearby.
As they walk, he decides to tackle the topic that's least likely to be painful first. "You should be aware that there's a chance this does not work, Hawke, and there's no easy way to explain this. Sometimes when someone dies, they don't realize it. They continue on. When it happens in the waking world, the continuing is aided by a spirit. Here, that's not necessary. You are Hawke. But there is a chance that you have not, in fact, survived the Fade. And here we can likely not figure that out for sure until we attempt to leave."