That would be good advice if Hawke actually cared about not upsetting people. At this point he's already gotten on two other people's nerves from asking that same question and that's only the few days he's been here. In Kirkwall, Hawke has driven so many people up the wall that he doesn't even bother keeping count anymore.

"Really? No offense but I thought a spirit would be a little more flashy." Here Hawke thought a spirit would look like some regal being. Maybe it's only demons that want to be gaudy. "Then again I've only met one other and I'm not even sure he counts anymore. He has a few too many anger issues."