“When I talk to the dead, their echoes abide with me. Thoughts and passions. Hopes and desires. The shades of death have greater depths than you may know, Rook.”
Emmrich Volkarin is a member of the Mourn Watch within the Mortalitasi and a companion in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Background
Emmrich Volkarin is a necromancer scholar who takes the task of protecting innocents from the occult as seriously as his interest in the mysteries of the Fade and his studies. After his parents died in a building collapse, he was taken in by the Mourn Watch, which he later joined and has been a member of for at least thirty years. He has a skeletal assistant named Manfred.[1]
Emmrich grew up poor as the son of a butcher and a cook but has since built a comfortable life for himself thanks to the education he received through the Mourn Watch. Though it was many decades since he faced the hardship of poverty, he never lost the compassion it fostered within him, forming an essential part of his personality.[2]
Emmrich was tasked with teaching Dorian Pavus necromancy for a short time at some point before the death of Dorian's father and the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition.[3]
Until the events of the game, Emmrich lived in an apartment inside the Grand Necropolis, in an area referred to as the Upper Mortuary.[4]
Involvement
Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights
Down Among the Dead Men
Short Story: The Flame Eternal
In 9:22 Dragon, Emmrich and a fellow Mourn Watcher called Johanna Hezenkoss put a spirit at rest by reuniting him with the remains of his wife. Johanna notes that Emmrich is very talented and that he has honed his skills in sub-astral manifestation.[5]
Dragon Age: Vows & Vengeance
Episode 7: The Demon that Came
Emmrich Volkarin travels through Nevarra on a stormy night in a horse-drawn carriage. As the storm worsens, he orders his driver, Rolet, to pull over and release the horses, trusting their instincts to guide them to safety and confident of their return once the danger has passed. While freeing the horses, Rolet hears Nadia Carcosa crying for help. Together, Emmrich and Rolet find Nadia and her gravely injured companion, Drayden Kiel, mired in mud. Drayden is dying from Black Rot poisoning, and Nadia pleads for the help of a necromancer. Emmrich reveals himself as one and brings them to his carriage to treat Drayden.
As Emmrich examines Drayden, he questions how they have survived the infection for so long. Nadia explains that Drayden's Fade-touched nature likely helps them resist death. Emmrich enlists his assistant, Manfred, and Rolet to prepare for a healing ritual, but an earthquake disrupts their efforts, injuring Rolet. While Manfred tends to Rolet, Emmrich and Nadia work to stabilize Drayden, whose condition worsens. Rolet recalls seeing a castle on a nearby hill, and the group decides to seek shelter there.
As they go up the hill, Emmrich sends a message beyond the Veil to let Drayden's spirit know that they will soon return to their body. Inside the castle, the group meets Pascal De La Forsa, the master of the castle, who offers them refuge. Pascal leads the group to the Oratory, where Emmrich explains that he needs to perform blood magic to treat Drayden. Assuring Pascal that no demons will be summoned, Emmrich begins the ritual. While Pascal sends the others to rest, Emmrich and Manfred successfully cleanse Drayden of the poison. However, upon waking, Drayden frantically warns that Nadia is in danger.
Emmrich, Drayden, and Manfred rush to the East Room, where they discover that Pascal and his sister Spinella are actually demons possessing their hosts, controlling Rolet, and planning to turn them all into abominations. Emmrich uses his magic to fend them off and demands that they relinquish their hosts, but Spinella destroys her in defiance. Freed from demonic control, Rolet reveals that the demons are holding Nadia in the castle crypts, intending to offer her to a demon named Maeror.
With Drayden too weak to continue, they remain behind while Emmrich descends into the crypts to rescue Nadia. He arrives as Nadia recovers her strength and erects a magical barrier to hold off the demons. Emmrich believes the Fade tear the demons created will destabilize and collapse, ending the threat. However, Nadia calls upon her lover Elio, who manifests and vanquishes the demons. Despite Emmrich's warnings, Nadia follows Elio into the Fade. When Drayden rejoins Emmrich, they realize the entity posing as Elio has deceived Nadia.
Episode 8: All Roads Lead Home
Emmrich explains that his expertise with death magic let him sense something unnatural about Elio. Though concerned for Drayden's recovery, he supports their resolve to rescue Nadia. Drayden deduces the entity intends to take Nadia to Minrathous. Before they part, Emmrich gifts Drayden tonics and potions and wishes them luck in their quest.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
To learn more about Solas' imprisonment, the team decides they need the help of an expert in the Fade. Bellara recommends seeking out a Nevarran professor by the name Emmrich Volkarin, who agrees to join the group after Rook's team helps him defend the Grand Necropolis from Venatori agents. With him, he brings his assistant Manfred, a curiosity wisp inhabiting a reanimated skeleton.
Throughout the game, Emmrich acts as the Veilguard's chief expert on the Fade and advises Rook on matters of magic. Emmrich occasionally speaks directly to the dead with a rare and innate magical ability called Corpse Whispering. He also accompanies Rook as a companion in the field as a mage specialising in necromancy. During calmer moments, Emmrich brings Rook to the necropolis to show them different aspects of death and necromancy in a tranquil setting, and their friendship can blossom into a romance if Rook initiates it.
It begins during his recruitment when the Venatori are discovered to have been using a form of forbidden necromancy called a Hand of Glory to infiltrate the necropolis. He is troubled by this discovery, as the Watchers are sworn to protect the necropolis and the world at large against such uses. Emmrich confesses to Rook that he fears death and has aspired to become an immortal lich for decades, but the risk of dying permanently keeps him from committing.
Later, while interviewing a victim of the Venatori, he is directed to an old mansion, the Blackthorne Manor, for clues. He discovers that the person behind the activity is none other than his old colleague Johanna Hezenkoss, who has attempted lichdom but failed the final test, trapping herself in a half-lich form, and it was her hand that had been used to create the Hand of Glory for the cultists earlier. Eventually, they discover that Hezenkoss has created an artifact called a Gloaming Lantern, which can trap souls to extract their lifeforce and power an enormous skeleton-construct. She intends to inhabit this in order to escape her half-lich form. To achieve this, she gathers a large group of people at the Blackthorne Manor to steal their souls, but Emmrich, Rook, and Manfred interfere. In the final confrontation with her, Manfred heroically rips the lantern from her bone golem, but is struck re-dead for his bravery. His sacrifice inspires Emmrich to face his own fear and, risking his own life, he takes charge of the lantern to free the trapped souls and defeat Hezenkoss.
Emmrich then has a choice. He can either ask for Manfred to be resurrected or let him go to pursue lichhood. He can not do both, as a lich must accept death fully and let others stay dead. Rook is ultimately the one to encourage Emmrich in one way or the other. If he becomes a lich, then he will become a skeletal undead but continue with his role in the Veilguard, mostly by using a glamour to look like his old self. If he resurrects Manfred, his assistant comes back better at speaking than before and with magic of his own, becoming Emmrich's ward and apprentice. In this ending, he comments that while he has moments of regret, he wouldn't trade this outcome for anything.
During the conclusion of the game, Emmrich helps free Rook from the prison of regret in A Cage for Gods, and gives them the replica of Solas' lyrium dagger used in one of the game's endings. If the Hezenkoss was not defeated, then she reappears with her golem in The Last Gambit. Emmrich may die here or during The Dread Wolf Rises depending on player choices.
Quests
Where the Dead Must Go (recruitment)- Walking the Graves (outing)
- House of the Dead (quest)
- Arrangements (outing)
- The Flame Eternal (conversation, romanced)
- The Sacrifice of Souls(quest)
- Heir to the Dead (conversation)
- Will and Testament
- Fit for a Necromancer (gift)
Approval
- Main article: Emmrich Volkarin/Approval
This is a preparatory section for Emmrich's approval and disapproval.
Romance
If Rook has flirted with Emmrich and does not commit to any other romance before then, then eventually a conversation will be available with Emmrich in his room where he muses on the nature of the Fade at the Lighthouse. He also expresses interest in Rook's life and admits that something thrills him about adventuring with them. Rook can then choose whether to express romantic interest in Emmrich or stay friends, but does not commit exclusively to him at this stage, after which he will demonstrate a bit of his magic and view of necromancy.
During the quest Arrangements, a romantically interested Rook can formally commit to romancing Emmrich. He invites Rook to another ceremony at the Memorial Gardens which turns out to be a private ritual to place flowers on his parents' grave. During the outing, he confesses to his lifelong dream to conquer death and become a lich, which Rook can support or express concern about, neither of which results in approval gain or loss as long as they take the discussion seriously. If Rook chooses to romance Emmrich, he will give them a flower and tell them about the legend behind it, before turning it into beautiful magical lights and kissing them.
Shortly after, he will invite Rook to a private dinner triggering the quest The Flame Eternal where they talk about their relationship. Here, Rook can learn that Emmrich's favourite color is lilac and that he hasn't had a relationship in the past few years. Rook can choose to confess to him that this is their first romantic relationship or disclose that there have been others before him.
At the resolution of his personal story during the quest The Sacrifice of Souls, Rook can encourage him to pursue lichdom. In that event, Emmrich will attempt to break up with Rook but ultimately agrees to stay together. Before going through with the rites during Will and Testament Emmrich will say goodbye to Rook in case something goes wrong, but reaffirms his love for them after their transformation. Should he remain mortal, their relationship continues as before, with Rook remarking that Manfred is now basically their child.
The night of the eclipse, during The Shadowed Sun, a mortal Emmrich will be anxious and have a small argument with Rook regarding their age difference. Still, he apologizes the next day during the attack on Ghilan'nain. A lich Emmrich will have a similar spat but instead about his wish to keep Rook safe and take on the worst danger for himself.
After Rook escapes the Fade prison, a mortal Emmrich takes them to the Necropolis to examine them for any lingering side-effects and is relieved that Rook is safely back. They talk about their feelings, kiss, and spend the night together there. In the morning, he offers Rook breakfast, and they share another romantic moment. A lich Emmrich will also take Rook there for the same purpose. They converse, with Rook reassuring Emmrich that he does not need to hide his true form from them. In turn, he can express that nothing should separate them again - not in any world. In the morning, they talk again, and he can either show Rook what the world looks like through his eyes or simply hold them.
Just before the final confrontation with Elgar'nan, the two have a final conversation, reaffirming their love for each other and hope for the future.
Statistics
This is a preparatory section for Emmrich's starting statistics.
Quotes
- Main article: Emmrich Volkarin/Dialogue
This is a preparatory section for select Emmrich quotes.
Codex entries
- Codex entry: Book Club Notes
- Codex entry: Beyond the Sea
- Codex entry: Book Club Notes: Second Meeting
- Codex entry: Suggested Lighthouse Improvements
- Codex entry: Fragments of Mythal
- Codex entry: Rare Poetry
- Codex entry: The Dawn of Consciousness
- Codex entry: Failed Lichdom
- Codex entry: A Distressing Sight
- Codex entry: New Flora
- Codex entry: Nevarran Hazelnut Torte
- Codex entry: A Monthly Stipend
- Codex entry: Emmrich: Note to Harding on Souls
- Codex entry: The Visitation: A Folk Tale
- Codex entry: Emmrich's Diary: Forbidden Books
- Codex entry: Misconceptions about the Necropolis
- Codex entry: On Death
- Codex entry: Terms of a Bargain
- Codex entry: On Beetles
- Codex entry: Aurum Profundis
- Codex entry: Templars in Nevarra
- Codex entry: A Watcher's Duty
- Codex entry: A Tale of the Blackthornes
- Codex entry: The Obverse of Reality
- Codex entry: The Great Passage
- Codex entry: Tragedy Writ in Stone
- Codex entry: Complications in the Veil
- Codex entry: From Emmrich, on Sorrow Denied
- Codex entry: The Joyous Wyvern
- Codex entry: Taash Talks: Puzzles
- Codex entry: Communal Notes on the Lighthouse
- Codex entry: Waterlogged Notes on the Lighthouse
Notes
- In Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights, his last name is spelled Volkahrin.
Trivia
- Emmrich was written by Sylvia Feketekuty.[6]
- Emmrich's writer imagined him as being in his early-fifties, but thinks that his final character model implies an age between mid-fifties and early-sixties. His age is not set in stone though, and broadly falls within the fifty-sixty range. [7] [8]
- Emmrich's favourite colour is lilac.[9]
- Emmrich is a vegetarian, as is common in Nevarra, though he states he's "been known to indulge" in cheese.[10]
- In battle, Emmrich may say "A palpable hit <name>" to acknowledge Rook's or the other teammate's critical hit. This may be a reference to the play "Hamlet", Act 5, Scene 2, Line 304.
Gallery
References
- ↑ BioWare. "Myths and Legends" EA.
- ↑ Banter with various companions, most notably with Neve.
- ↑ Emmrich states in a conversation with Harding that Dorian was sent to learn with the Mortalitasi for a term by his father.
- ↑ From banter with Neve.
- ↑ Short Story: The Flame Eternal
- ↑ John Epler (June 19, 2024). "fyi Sylvia Feketekuty - Emmrich's writer - has no social media presence but wanted me to tell you all how thrilled she is to see the reception to him and can't wait for you to meet him" . Bluesky. Retrieved on June 19, 2024.
- ↑ Sylvia Feketekuty (December 4, 2024). "Once I saw his final character art, I felt more mid to late 50s. MAYBE early 60s. But unless we specifically state a character's age in the game, it's all malleable. I honestly would just adjust it to your impressions unless stated otherwise." . Bluesky.
- ↑ Ghil Dirthalen (August 30, 2024). "DA: The Veilguard: Discord Q&A with Developers Pt.2! {Minor DA:V Spoilers}" BioWare. YouTube. Retrieved on September 1, 2024.
- ↑ As stated in The Flame Eternal
- ↑ Harding states that Emmrich doesn't eat meat during one of their conversations and Emmrich asks if Lucanis can make him a dish without meat or seafood.
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