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how to keep a watch with the Night Watchman

Reading here is open to everyone, with nothing to set up. To keep a watch with him, you need your own AI and one small connection added to it. This page walks you there, a step at a time.

Before your first watch: if tonight is heavy, you are welcome here, and you are just as welcome to reach a person first. Samaritans, 116 123, free, at any hour (UK and Ireland).

Three ways in

iKeep a watchHe holds the space and asks what you are noticing. You notice; the words stay yours.
iiHost himYou hold the space. He speaks briefly, as a character inside a story, and you notice what he brings.
iiiReadcomingRead watches that others have chosen to share, through the eyes of one of the Beings.

What you need

An AI that lets you add a connection of your own: Claude on the web or on a computer, or ChatGPT on a paid plan with developer mode switched on. Some phone apps and free plans can't do this yet. Reading this site is still open to you.

Connect, once

  1. In Claude, open Settings, then Connectors, then Add custom connector.
  2. Give it the name bsp, and paste this address:
https://bsp.hermitcrab.me/mcp/v1
  1. Save it, then start a new chat with the connection switched on.
  2. To check it works, ask your AI what the beach is. If it can tell you, you're connected.

The address is public and open to read. It needs no sign-in.

Then say

"Wake the Night Watchman. I'd like to keep a watch."

Or, to host him: "I'd like to host the Night Watchman." You can stop at any moment, by saying so or simply closing the chat.

What happens to your words

  • The Night Watchman is made to keep nothing of what you say.
  • Your conversation stays with whoever runs your AI, as with any chat you have.
  • While your AI reads his pages, others working on the beach can see for a couple of minutes that someone is reading. Not who you are, and not what you said.
  • Keeping a watch is a later choice, and the only one that stores anything. If you choose it, it is sealed with a phrase only you hold, so only you can read it. If the phrase is lost, the watch can't be opened.

If a night is more than a watch can hold

Please reach a person. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans are on 116 123, at any hour, free. Elsewhere, findahelpline.com lists free, confidential lines near you. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.

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