He listens, at least; doesn't interject, doesn't try to tell her the history of her own people from the side of the humans. It's a refreshing change, and Merrill appreciates it.
"We do, and it would," she agrees, sighing again. "It wouldn't surprise me if there had been some propaganda spread to split us apart on purpose. But after I left my clan, I lived in the alienage here in Kirkwall; my clan, even after I left, was willing to take in a half-elf - dangerous enough, since they don't come out very 'elf' at all - that needed mentoring. Not all are so biased... but too many are."
And... well. Her clan was biased in other ways, and look where that got them.
"The stories say it's because of the humans; that we quickened, as they do, aging and dying. Perhaps it's because Arlathan fell. Perhaps it's something else entirely. We used to sleep, not die. Not really. But... I think the only who would know for sure are the spirits, and they aren't very straightforward with things."
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"We do, and it would," she agrees, sighing again. "It wouldn't surprise me if there had been some propaganda spread to split us apart on purpose. But after I left my clan, I lived in the alienage here in Kirkwall; my clan, even after I left, was willing to take in a half-elf - dangerous enough, since they don't come out very 'elf' at all - that needed mentoring. Not all are so biased... but too many are."
And... well. Her clan was biased in other ways, and look where that got them.
"The stories say it's because of the humans; that we quickened, as they do, aging and dying. Perhaps it's because Arlathan fell. Perhaps it's something else entirely. We used to sleep, not die. Not really. But... I think the only who would know for sure are the spirits, and they aren't very straightforward with things."