Quote from rkmobius >>

Soar’s idea was to sleep in the canoes tied to a tree a bit apart from the campsite so it’s not obvious in case lizard folk or others come to the campsite, is that a stupid idea?

[Oh, do you mean up off the ground between trees? If that works, that is a great idea. Even using them as makeshift swags and sleeping under them or creating a makeshift tent works too, if you are suggesting we do it on dry land away from the campsite.

Or do you mean the canoes, floating in the water? That is definitely not a stupid idea, though I am concerned about what is lurking in the pitch black water. I just started reading the Drizzt books recently, including the one going through a troll swamp, so I'm very suspicious of what is lurking in the water. Nub having grown up not too far away would also be suspicious of what lurks underneath the water.]

(If you would like Nub to have read Drizzt books and be a fan, that's absolutely fine in canon.  He's famous!)

[Haha, yes! Nub is just annoyed that he left his kindle tomes of Drizzt's adventures back home. He will keep an eye out for books in the series when he is next in a town.]

She definitely meant water - just to get away from the campsite and prying eyes but Soar hasn’t spent much time on the water so Nub’s experience and wisdom here would be helpful :)

Nub says "I like the idea of moving away from the camp and denying any other creatures access to the canoes, though I would be wary of sleeping on the water. I have heard of and read about creatures lurking under the water, waiting to grab those above. Whilst I am quite good at holding my breath, I don't think any of us would survive long if pulled into the black depths from our slumber. While we will have to risk traveling on the water to go deeper, I think we should stay on dry land away from the campsite to sleep."

If everyone agrees, Nub starts moving the canoes away from the campsite they found ('campsite 1') and looking for a good spot to set up a place to sleep out of sight of the swamp and campsite 1. He will then return to campsite 1 and set up three quick alarm 20-foot cube areas (using spell slots, so only one of his 1st level slots left, though he still has higher slots), covering the 60 feet from the swamp along the edge of campsite 1 in the direction that they are setting up their own camp ('campsite 2').

He will offer to take the first shift (while he can see) and will spend the first 11 minutes setting up another alarm as a ritual in the 20 ft around campsite 2.

He will make all alarms mental alarms and so that tiny creatures and his party members do not trigger the alarm.

Nub will suggest that those that are sleeping do so under the canoes, to provide some protection. He will pop into his shell when it is his turn to sleep if nothing happens before that.

(So far all intents and purposes... the only person who can see in the dark in the current configuration of the party is Soar, correct?)

[Drat! I didn't realise dragonborn can't see in the dark either. I don't think having a fire/torches are a great idea throughout the night until we have already been spotted, as my guess is that they will attract creatures. What does everyone else think? Nub can set up as many alarms as time allows around 'campsite 2' as rituals. It is annoying to do, but would mean we would get woken up when something was approaching.]

Drawing inspiration from a book he read recently (from one of his idols Drizzt Do'Urden), Nub also suggests that if there are dry leaves, wood or other fire fuel close to the camp, that they build a ring of this around where they are setting up camp, but not light it. If they are awoken to creatures coming to attack them, they can light it on fire and use it to deter and damage any creature advancing on them.

(Just thinking Soar should take the shift where its the darkest during the night, since she might be able to see things coming. I know for a fact Nub and Jalt would be like sitting ducks out there. Also how loud is Alarm? What if a predator like a big spider trips it... is it loud so that the lizardfolk would hear it and come running?)

[OOC: Yep, I agree that those with night vision should take the shifts where it is darkest. If Nate took an earlier shift and was in a wildshape form that could see in the dark, he could possibly regain the use when he took his rest. The alarm is set up as "A mental alarm alerts you with a ping in your mind if you are within 1 mile of the warded area. This ping awakens you if you are sleeping." It would wake me, but not make any audible sound. That means it wouldn't help Jalt on his shift (if any) unfortunately, but it also wouldn't attract lizardfolk or other things that want to snack on us.]

Yes makes sense if Nub or Jalt go first and last, when there's potentially some light from sunset and sunrise. Soar can take the darkest part of the night, probably third watch, and Nate could spend his two or three-hour shift as an animal that can see easily in the dark. The second campsite, or at least a campsite slightly separate from the main campsite, makes sense. And Soar says, "Make sure, if you hear anything at all, to wake us all up. Maybe we tie strings in loops around each of our left boots, and the person on watch can pull them to wake us up without noise. If it's the cultists, then we prepare for surveilling fighting. If it's a monster, ball of light, or predator, then we're obviously aiming to kill. If it's the lizard folks, I at least want to give Jalt and I the chance to talk to them before we have to fight them. Agreed?" She looks at Nate with a kind smile.

She casts speak with animals again if it has not run out yet (think it's been less than an hour since we got here, so might still be going) and asks one of the creatures she talked to before if it would help keep an eye out. She gives a chunk of her uneaten ration from the night. "You've got a safe dinner tonight here with us. There's more where this came from. If you see or hear anything dangerous, like the giant spiders or lizards or balls of light, try to quietly wake me up if I'm not up already. I'd be grateful, and we'll fight it off so you don't have to worry about it anymore."

Persuasion: 22

(Apologies for my delayed response - busy day and then... I fell asleep! Sorry if I missed a detail or two)

Nate would've been meandering around the camp as the party discussed the current situation and plan. Likely thinking in his head that the group is over planning, and perhaps a bit moody and sulky because of the dull dreary environment they've been in travelling all day god damn can't we just sleep and take watch but also glad that everyone is taking all of the precautions since he's more than spooked about sleeping in this place. Nate would be helping Nub with setting up the second camp, our 'watch camp' for the night, talking to him about how he used to have to set up camp every night in the woods for most of his adolescence. But never in a... deadly swamp. "That alarm spell seems quite helpful. I am looking forward to seeing your more powerful magic... when we slaughter them." *looks around in the swamp nothingness.* 

"I could help with fixing any of the canoes... although they looked in decent shape. Are they broken?"

"I agree about sleeping here and waiting until daylight to resume our search for the castle, especially if we are going to be paddling. I would be happy to take the middle watch." Nate thinks for a moment about which creature would best serve this purpose. "I am not sure about the trying the shoes together, as I'm going to be a pretty big spider, but if I see or hear anything, I will wake you all silently. And yes I promise Soar... think before act." and he smiles back at her in kind of a psychopathic way. 

Nate would change into a giant wolf spider for his watch so he could see perfectly in the dark, with keen spider senses.

Nate would've also said to Soar, about when she asked what our main goal is "Frustrating isn't the half of it. Ontharr and Leosin and everyone else I feel have been very unhelpful in all of this, but seem to be very ok with us doing all of the heavy lifting per say. What's our goal here? I don't know. All I know is there will be cultists in this castle. That we can kill. Maybe even that ***** queen herself. Maybe more dragon eggs. Which we can destroy this time." looks at Jalt, frowning.

"Anyhow, let's see if we can stake out this castle, once we find it, to see how may we might be up against, and maybe we can at least take out a good chunk of them without them even realizing it."

You set your alarms, you pull the canoes up and sleep under them, and Soar gets an animal friend, a small frog, who agrees to warn her if anyone approaches.

Nub takes the first watch.  The night comes quickly in the gloomy Mere of Dead Men, and the light is poor.  Nub, you don't see much, but you are able to listen; the Mere is not quiet at night, and many small creatures are busy around you.  You have to deal with lots of biting flying insects, and it's not a pleasant experience.

Nub, perhaps thirty minutes before you are due to hand over the watch for the next person, your alarm goes off.  There's a creature about forty feet away. 

(Soar's animal friend does not wake her, as it cannot see so far.)

Nub shakes the others awake, starting with Soar, and whispers "creature 40 ft out".

The creatures are moving, not getting closer to you, but they are moving around the camp where the canoes were.

Are they making any noises apart from walking?

Some conversation, you can roll a Perception check to try to listen in, if you wish.

Nub whispers "They seem to be having conversations and in the camp near where the canoes were."

Nub listens, trying to hear what is happening/what they are saying Perception: 9

[Both OOC and in character, I'm guessing it is lizardfolk so Nub won't understand what they are saying. If we are wrong Nub speaks Aquan, Common, Elvish. Well with that roll, it wont matter much what language they are speaking.]

Nub can't really make out what they're saying, but he understands enough to know he doesn't speak whatever language they're using.

Soar wakes up and peers into the camp, trying to see and listen for whatever she can pick up. 

Perception: 23