This makes me recall a part in Lord of the Rings Online - when you finally leave Moria and go to Lothlorien, you encounter Frodo there. The game has a hope/dread mechanic where being in the presence of someone particularly heroic or evil will make the meter go one way or the other, buffing or debuffing you accordingly. I noticed the dread meter increased when I approached him and was confused until I remembered that he was carrying the ring with him. It was a cleverly subtle way of depicting the burden he carried even though he wasn't showing it on the outside.