"I only heard the sweetest parts of it," Ellis says. "And the places I went in Orlais weren't so..."
He trails off, shrugs.
If there was venom, it wasn't as velvet-wrapped as the stories made it out to have been. The rougher, poorer parts of Orlais are far removed from every part of the stories he'd grown up with.
Anyone's guess about when or why that shine wore off.
"But I doubt it's the same for you, coming from Orlais."
There's some uncertainty to the question. Whatever he's heard about how lavish some Circles could be, he has no idea where Isaac came from before he was here.
"It wasn't difficult to beat the Western Approach." Will refrain, in mixed company, from invoking The Gallows. "Were you a great reader? Tethras' serials -"
A shrug, before Ellis' head tips back, slouching further into the water. If those serials had existed when Ellis was a younger man, maybe he'd have chosen a different line of work to pursue.
Assuming, of course, certain other events had never come to pass.
"I am still a great reader, when I have opportunity," Ellis answers the ceiling. "Tethras' serials...I'd have liked them better when I was younger."
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He trails off, shrugs.
If there was venom, it wasn't as velvet-wrapped as the stories made it out to have been. The rougher, poorer parts of Orlais are far removed from every part of the stories he'd grown up with.
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Instead —
"Where did you travel?"
With the keen interest of a stationary man.
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Doubtful that anyone wants to hear about the Deep Roads, even if Ellis did care to speak candidly about it.
"But I traveled across the south, through to the Anderfels and back. It wasn't much about sight-seeing."
A little conciliatory.
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Releasing him of any obligation to recount it.
"At least, none to compare with Kirkwall — jewel of the North."
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Anyone's guess about when or why that shine wore off.
"But I doubt it's the same for you, coming from Orlais."
There's some uncertainty to the question. Whatever he's heard about how lavish some Circles could be, he has no idea where Isaac came from before he was here.
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A Fereldan come north. The Champion of Kirkwall.
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Assuming, of course, certain other events had never come to pass.
"I am still a great reader, when I have opportunity," Ellis answers the ceiling. "Tethras' serials...I'd have liked them better when I was younger."
Like most things, really.
"Did they make an impression on you?"