"It's possible I've been caught up in worse things," he says with a wan smile. "Unless there's something here trying to kill us."

In which case... his expertise might be helpful after all. Verin drinks his tea, taking comfort in the taste even if the blend is unfamiliar.

"I'll assume you won't be offering advice on dealing with the ah... system of favors," he quips, eyes bright as he looks over at Essek. The jarring trip into another world hasn't dulled his sense of humor, at least.