Are those results from the survival checks for the whole day or for the first half (up until the shelter?)

Whole day.

After this day I'll be rolling the checks at the end of the day with modifications based on the days activities.

Kk.  That also makes a difference for decisions to stop halfway through, since it'd mean we'd get less food and water unless we're foraging near the shelter.  I'm fine with continuing for today.

Guard duty during long rest:

• Shift 1
  • Sarith -> Stealth roll: 6 , Perception roll: Helping
  • Narstin -> Stealth roll: 15, Perception roll: 17
  • Xilyrah -> Stealth roll: 17, Perception roll: Helping
• Shift 2
  • Derendil -> Stealth roll: 9, Perception roll: Helping
  • Tozer -> Stealth roll: 5, Perception roll: 21
• Shift 3
  • Jimjar -> Stealth roll: 15, Perception roll: Helping
  • Beegred -> Stealth roll: 22, Perception roll: 6
• Shift 4
  • Valthana -> Stealth roll: 9, Perception roll: Helping
  • Stool -> Stealth roll: 9, Perception roll: Helping
  • Buppido -> Stealth roll: 14, Perception roll: Helping
  • Eldeth -> Stealth roll: 8, Perception roll: 10 Edit: should have been advantage, but doesn't matter this time.

Random Encounter:

• Roll for encounter: 18 -> YES!
• Roll for shift, if encounter: 1
• Roll for creature: 9
• Roll for quantity of creatures: 8

Let me know how you want to set up for "something" coming from the right.

Lights or no lights?

For this encounter (main thread post 732), I would say "no lights", unless we need everyone to move closer. Beegred can use the lights from whatever is out there, if he needs to shoot a bow.

Maybe our standard 2-wide marching order, but with Beegred and Sarith moved to the back?

Could the ones with Darkvision stealth forward to see what is out there?

Quote from Quasimodal >>

Let me know how you want to set up for "something" coming from the right.

Lights or no lights?

For this encounter (main thread post 732), I would say "no lights", unless we need everyone to move closer. Beegred can use the lights from whatever is out there, if he needs to shoot a bow.

Maybe our standard 2-wide marching order, but with Beegred and Sarith moved to the back?

Could the ones with Darkvision stealth forward to see what is out there?

 Agreed. Xilyrah has +4 stealth and darkvision so she could be at the front.

Also, Face Full of Spores is my new band name.

Do you want someone to stealth ahead, or just have darkvision folks in the front? 

Agreed with no lights for now.  And looking at the map, if they're coming from the right, what if we press up against the wall along F/G 6/7/8 to see if they pass us without noticing our presence?  Then we have the option of ambushing them and getting a surprise round or letting them pass by.  If they notice us, we aren't any worse off than if we array in the middle of where they approach.

Maybe have Sarith cast his Dancing Lights and use the ability to make it roughly in the form of a person and send it down the tunnel to draw them after it and make them less likely to miss us

I also have a shapeshifting spell that we can take advantage of if needed. If they have the same arrangement of limbs as I do, that is. That along with my +5 deception might come in handy. Maybe not now, but I wanted to put it out there.

I agree we should avoid using lights, at least initially. High AC + high HP + darkvision  = first to meet our new friends? 

I think everyone has chipped in thus far.  It doesn't sound like there's a cohesive plan for me to follow, but given what I know of this encounter, I'm going to create a bit of urgency.

You're being placed on the map in the two abreast marching order, with Sarith and Beegred moved to the back.  Half in the nook, half out.

Map and follow up narration incoming.

Can we roll to see if anyone is familiar with that tick tick tick sound?

A bomb-defusing check.

Quote from Jack_Joke >>

A bomb-defusing check.

 Oh good lord. I didn't even think of a bomb. (I don't watch enough Mission Impossible movies)

Roll a nature check. 

Quote from Kerrec >>

Roll a nature check. 

 Out of the PCs, Tozer has the highest Nature. And he is closest to the noise.

Nature: 20

Well then...

Insects.  A pack of insects.  And they must be large to be that loud.

Splendid.