To those few sensitive to the arcane arts, the energies in the hut flicker just slightly. Somewhere, many, many miles away, an Archmage just slipped and sliced his cheek open because the arcane disturbance interrupted his shaving spell. Further away, a chicken pot pie was burned. A man using prestidigitation was just dismembered... literally, dis-MEMBERed. And a small island nation off the coast of Rosaria just sank into the sea, only to reemerge five miles further away from the coast. Of course, you all know none of this. All you know is  that someone just had a magic thought. Perhaps that beetle is up to something again.

i whisper back to Mithanos.
"I see, Young One. Do not allow that to happen again, lest the nightmare become reality. My consciousness doesn't take kindly to intruders. If you'll excuse me."

I walk to the corner of the room and sit down. The glow inside my head dimming slowly, the vanishing into darkness.

Nil began examining his nails contemplatively as he listened to the others, the other hand fingering the spine of a metal-encrusted tome hung by his hip and dangling from a chain slung across his shoulder.  He furrowed a brow slightly at a slight disturbance in the room.  He scanned the room for a moment, but could see nothing out of the ordinary--oh, except for the fact that Jack had seemed to...shut down?  Looking to Methanos and the wolf, he inquired, "Is something wrong with him?"

The little black-haired boy giggles softly as the scarecrow "shuts down". "Baga yumpki-ya!" and claps his hands. Tekan stares momentarily at the scarecrow before turning his attention to the half-elf. "Diaza will... unfortunately, have to be displeased again. Were it in my power to give the stone, I assure you, for this service I would give it. Sadly, I literally cannot give to you the Heart." Tekan gently shuffled the boy off of his lap and stood, stretching. "I'll happily give you these, however, as a reward." He collects various gems and jewels and drops them into a leather pouch. "It should be a considerable sum. As for Teki... well, his mother was from a family of many spiritualists. Teki was gifted with much more powers than the past few, but as a child, he can't really control them that well. We were going to seal his powers on the altar until he was able to master them, but... as you can see that's not an option right now. And his eyes are just... special.  

I cast a cursory glance at the scarecrow before nodding slightly towards the Alpha. "And, if I might ask, why is the Heart not avaliable?"

"Because it's sealed within the temple and can never be removed. I am sorry. But there is one... rather important issue. In the temple, you will encounter our fallen brethern. They have... already died. However, they have given themselves to the service of the Enemy of Both Sides to continue their existence on this plane. Show them the error of their ways, but beware. There are powerful mages amongst them, and several are more than capable of manipulating you with words alone. Do not give in to their wiles. And finally, it is important that you not enter the temple at night. Their powers are greatest then. You may rest now. In the morning, you'll be guided to the temple entrance. Any more questions?" Teki yawns loudly in a comically adorable manner, stretching his tongue out a good two inches from his mouth and curling it before lashing it back and licking his sharp teeth - the right front of which was missing.
The Alpha stretches again and stoops to pick up the boy. "Are you sleepy again, loveling?" The boy nods blearily. Tekan smiles softly and carries him to a fur pallet in the corner of the room. Right about the time he places the sleepy boy's form on the pallet, the door opens again and a young woman walks in carrying a large pot of rich smelling stew. Another, older woman comes in carrying a pitcher of water and bowls.
"Maeya, Ava, thank you so much! It smells wonderful! Please, set it here," Tekan motions to a place next to the fire pit. "My friends, this is Maeya, my sister's daughter, and Ava, my sister's husband's mother. They have been more than divine since Jaeli returned to Thorusan, Aval-Nueki, Yosei."

Falchion throws the hut door open and rushes in.

"Guess what fokes, it's 'Loop Day'! It's horrible, yet brilliant! Also, and I will try to.... well, nevermind explaining it. The point is, it should not be happening and while I want to leave now, we are unable to do so. So, I assume you lot had ample time to negotiate the acquisition of the stone, thus all that should be left is to break this curse and leave."

The metal giant looks at the group with great expectations.

The glow returns to Jack's head as he speaks,

"The stone is out of our grasp, Sir Steele. And we're heading to the temple to resolve this issue as soon as it's daylight. You might as well shut down for the evening."

I shift my weight to a different position as the glow vanishes once more.

The Alpha looks blankly at the new addition before sighing. "Ah yes... the metallic menace that reeks of oil. I had almost forgotten there was another of you. I'm sure your allies will happily fill you in on the full situation, but as it is rather late, and the stew is getting cold, I strongly recommend your party taking meat and resting for the evening. If you'll excuse me, I have some arrangements to make. Please, do keep it down. Teki is sleeping. Maeya, could you two watch Teki for me while I'm gone? I'll go make arrangements for the guests lodgings for the evening." The Alpha bows to the group before slipping quietly out of the hut. The two women move over to the pallet on which the sleeping wolfling reclined and sat quietly, watching over him. The Alpha returns some time later and informs you that beds have been prepared for those who prefer them.

"Ah.... well then.... Mithanos, I am going to get our pet dwarf and show him were the food is. Will you walk with me?"

Eyeing the pot of stew longingly, I momentarily consider declining the metal man's request. After all... at one point, he had threatened to cut my head off if I touched him... and I did touch him... maybe he was about to follow through with that threat. But, on the other hand... did metal men have that long of a memory span? Plus, I had been wondering where the hell the dwarf had gotten off to... And there were guards, so I wouldn't be completely isolated. And it wasn't like we could leave anyway... so...

Casting one last longing glance at the stew, I nod, stand, and follow the metal man. Maybe Vex would leave a little for me...

Startled by the door, he peered toward the source of the commotion.  A tall metallic...thing...had appeared.  He eyed it warily and listened to it as it spoke.

"You've been here a day and you just now figured that out...?"  Nil wasn't quite sure if he'd been heard nor did he really care.  After he partook of the stew, he bid the group farewell and left for his dreamworld.

After arriving back with the mechanoid and the dwarf, I eat and relax. Mithanos is now splayed out in his sleeping arrangements snoring softly, occasionally mumbling about random beetles and pot pies.

Falchion puts his pet dwarf in the tent, puts a bowl of stew in his lap and hopes the aggravating thing does not choke on it. He finds his own space in the tent and enters his four hours of meditation. The preciseness of his rest is almost like he keeps a watch near him at all times.

Vex also gets a bowl of stew then makes a place with her bedroll outside under the shelter of a tree.