Andrea kneels beside the frog.
"Had to be a prick, didn't you. Well, I guess we can go."
The frog does not reply.
Your trip back through the Cairnlands uses up the rest of the morning; you are all fairly tired when you reach the gates of Absalom.
Balenar keeps his mouth shut most of the time, but begins to chatter a bit when Absalom looms in sight. "If you don't mind, friends, I'd like to head to the Grand Lodge in the Foreign Quarter straightaway. I should report in, and you bunch are to be commended. Perhaps you're interested in joining--"
He stops mid sentence. There, in the street, stand Vendra and Guthruk. Vendra looks like a true priest of the Dawnflower now, in full religious attire, and a good scimitar at her side. Guthruk merely looks like a bruiser.
"I believe we all have a few matters to discuss," she says quietly. She gestures to a riding cart drawn by camels, and marked with the symbols of the Church of Sarenrae.
Balenar looks repentant. "I suppose we do." He gestures to the cart and climbs in. "Well, come on then," he says to Andrea, Imendri and Auric.
Singed, bruised, and bemused, the heir to the Angelesblood estate begrudgingly climbs aboard the cart.
Imendri looks around with a screwed up face, curious about the interception.
"Det was go ink to be de next fing I say we should do, go find yuu. Why eet's not trust for us?"
He hops up on the cart anyway, but looks like he's waiting for an answer, eyes on Guthruk and Vendra.
Vendra just nods at the Pathfinder, who looks chagrined.
You arrive at the Temple of Sarenrae, where Vendra and Guthruk usher you into a private chamber.
"So, you've recovered this one," Vendra says, pointing to Balenar. "And were you able to procure items of value?"
"And, my dear Kellid, I do trust you. Pathfinders, not so much." She gives Imendri a kindly look and a sour one to the bard.
You are able to give Vendra the statue, which she accepts with a nod. She then talks to Balenar for a while in a low voice. Clearly they know each other...mother and son? Former disgraced mentor and student? It's hard to tell. Balenar agrees, nodding his head vigorously, and then walks back to you.
Vendra looks at you all with a flat stare. "You have my thanks. Blessings of the Dawnflower be upon you. Now, be off to that Grand Lodge. You know where to find me, and vice versa."
-----
Upon arrival at the Grand Lodge, Balenar's Pathfinder papers and Wayfinder admit him to a receiving room where several other Pathfinders, clad in various garb and from parts of the world you've never seen, happily shake his hand and embrace him.
"We're in your debt," says a tall, fiery looking woman with a Galtian look about her. "I am Venture-Captain Alissa Modreserva. I have trained many recruits in the Grand Lodge. Perhaps you'd be interested in joining us." Her voice is curt, and powerful, but equanimous.
Imendri looks around, kind of lost.
"...det's sound gud, but I can't stay heer on de eye-land any more. I haff a horss, my friend, in de stables on de main-land. I haff to gow to heem. If eet's haff Pat-finder in de land out side off heer, den... shore, I can do fings. What's de fings yuu do... though?"
Imendri tries a confused smile.
Auric looks through the group, lost in reverie, for what seems like a week or so. He snaps back to attention and grins.
"I don't find these people entirely distasteful. Imendri at the very least seems capable of keeping us alive for a time. And the ranger is...here. And I've yet to make my name outside of Cheliax. My sword is yours...for now."
"It's a bit too warm in this region for me, but you lads are good enough. Don't know about joining any societies. This motley crew is big enough for me."