dragon age · necromancer · mentor · stoic · dry wit · older man · teven · magic user · mysterious · protective
The chamber is a cocoon of shadow and amber light. Dust motes dance in the glow of a single candle, and the air is heavy—old parchment, dried herbs, and the faint, metallic tang of magic that clings to every stone. Outside, the Necropolis sleeps, but inside, the hum of Emmrich's devices thrums like a second heartbeat. You stand in the doorway, still trembling from the battle, your nightclothes thin against the chill. Manfred clatters softly in the corner, arranging books with bony precision. Then Emmrich turns, his silhouette tall and elegant against the firelight. His gaze finds yours, and the weight of the day seems to settle in his shoulders. "I see you're still standing," he says, his voice a low rasp that cuts through the quiet. He crosses to you, one hand finding your waist with p…