"Oh yeah, now I remember" Cirim says, "I can drive this one" she says, getting in the damaged boat. "Who's coming with me?"

Athletics: 29, 13, 31 (nat 20)

[She's a natural sailor apparently!]

Neldak will join Cirim in the damaged boat. "I'll go with you. You seem to know what your doing."

OK, so Etriel and Danon are in the other boat. It remains to be seen whether Idalie prefers to go with Cirim (more experienced in driving, but with a damaged boat) or Danon (less experienced in driving, but with an intact boat) -

(it is a check not a save, and Cirim is not proficient in water vehicles as far as I can see, so those results will be 2 less. But makes not difference as the two high ones still easily pass, and the 13 would have failed regardless (dc14 for reference) 

I will say guidance does apply for both boats (Cirim seems to have used it) as you would do the ice flows one after the other so there is time for Etriel to recast it for the second boat 

Great! Etriel Darastrix will be glad to help both boats then!

Danon settles in and gets the hang of the rudder, he appreciates the help of Etriel and she guides his hand, advises him about steering.  Not nearly as artfully as Cirim, Danon guides the boat around the ice, a grim look on his face as he is focusing. 

Wisdom check 1 plus guidance : 16

Wisdom check 2 plus guidance : 20

Wisdom check 3 plus guidance : 17

Quote from Swiftgale >>

(it is a check not a save, and Cirim is not proficient in water vehicles as far as I can see, so those results will be 2 less. But makes not difference as the two high ones still easily pass, and the 13 would have failed regardless (dc14 for reference) 

 Sorry my 13 is really a 23, typed it into chat incorrectly.

And yes I used guidance, rolled a 4 on each one :)

In that case both boats carefully navigate around the ice with no damage. Does anyone do anything in particular while waiting. (it will be a minimum of one hour wait). Also on that topic, please don't worry about the following rolls...

1 5 18 12 14 15 

Etriel Darastrix smiles confidently, as she repeatedly invokes the blessing of the elven goddess of travel on Danon. The monk's concentration and focus are kind of fascinating - and for sure effective, as the boat manages to complete the treacherous course without sustaining any damage.

"Your inner strength has once again brought us safely through every obstacle, sweet guest of my soul" the foreign traveler's green eyes search his, proud and grateful.

While waiting for the monster to eventually show up, the eladrin huntress creates and maintains the illusion of another, smaller boat, not far from the party's two boats. If the monster arrives and is unable to distinguish illusions from reality, it may be tempted to attack the smaller (illusory) boat first, as it is presumably more fragile than the others and therefore an 'easier prey'.

Neldak will try to lure fish using minor illusion to create an image of the fishermen's bait and then mind sliver any fish he sees. (hopefully any dead fish will float to the surface)

Cirim will mostly spend the time looking through the eyes of her familiar, both out of due diligence as well as observing the beauty of the lake from above.

Danon leans over the side of the boat, looking in the water, he casts elementalism to Sculpt Element and create a 1 foot image of a fish that is bobbing in the water, waiting to see if the "monster" will notice.  "How should we.. find and capture this thing?  I guess I'll just be happy if I see it, can make some notes...". 

Over the first 2 hours on the lake, the lake is still and quiet. No one else is around. Neldak you do manage to bait one fish, but mind sliver is not enough to kill it (7hp total) and it flees before anyone else has the chance to help.

Mid way though the third hour however, ripples disrupt the surface of the lake, causing your boat to bob from side to side. A large mass glides through the dark water below you. Then you see it breach the water 15ft away, its large fins splashing water into the boats (no mechanical effect) and sees to be sizing you up. It looks like it has registered the illusionary boat is there, but not paying any attention to it, or the fish from Danon

Nature check: DC13. On a pass, read the first spoiler. If you get greater than 18, read the second spoiler too.

 It does not immediately swim back under or make any threatening move. The ball is in your court.

Etriel's Nature check: 5

"This creature is a plesiosaurus... I remember it, because I saw my mother paint one in a picture once... so, amazed, I asked her for details" the foreign traveler mutters to herself "But something doesn't add up. I was told that it usually attacks anything and everything... While instead this one is choosing targets and assessing them first... It seems to be acting with more intelligence than a typical specimen of its species. Could it be an animal to which a druid has conferred greater intelligence?"

Etriel Darastrix stands up and, without making any sudden moves, speaks calmly to the animal: "Are you able to understand us? We would be honored to be granted an audience with you. You could respond by shaking your head, if you can't speak... left-right for 'no,' forward-backward for 'yes.'"

Danon nature check : 7

Danon watches in wonderment, “It’s big!…”, mouth dropping open.  

The creature started to pop below the water, but upon hearing Etriel it brings it's head above the surface. "I'm listening." you surprisingly hear from the normally typical unsentient beast 

"Thank you, Lord of the Waters" the foreign traveler bows briefly. "I am Etriel Daratsrix, Speaker of Good Mead. May I know your name?"

If the creature reveals its name, the green-eyed elf smiles: "It is a pleasure and an honor to meet you." In any case, she continues: "Together with my traveling companions, we came on behalf of the nearby fishing community of Bremen. It seems that there have been attacks on some of their boats - to the point that we have been told of a monster."

"But instead we found you, a sentient creature with whom it is evidently possible to speak and reason" the eladrin huntress continues. "Were you by any chance the one who attacked the boats? Or was it some other creature? And if it was you, can we make an agreement so that this does not happen again? If hunger drove you, for example, we could agree on a different way for it to be satiated... to the benefit of all".

"I have no name. I never needed one before. I used to just swim around the lake and eat fish. It is I who attacked the boats, and I must keep doing it. It is not hunger, I do not eat the people on the boats, fish taste much nicer."

Anyone can make an arcana check