Category: Survival Playthroughs

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The Ravine doesn’t threaten you. It just removes your margin for error.

Today was meant to be a transition day.

Leave Coastal Highway. Cross the Ravine. Reach Mystery Lake.

The route itself behaved. The cold didn’t.

This place is brutally efficient at draining warmth. I kept moving, knowing full well this isn’t somewhere you loiter and survive by accident.

The rail section still bothers me. One stretch always feels like it’s waiting for a mistake. I treat it as rehearsal for Ash Canyon, assuming I ever earn the right to go there.

Expectations Management

There’s a known hammer chance here.

I didn’t expect it to show.

It didn’t.

No disappointment. Just confirmation.

Cave Heat and Familiar Failure

I found a cave and stopped long enough to get warm.

While the fire burned, I caught myself regretting the two deer hides I’d left behind earlier. That was a future problem then. It still is.

Rabbits milled around outside.

I tried.

The rabbits won.

This is starting to feel like a pattern rather than bad luck.

Blizzard Logic

I decided to cook for skill gains while I had shelter.

The weather decided otherwise.

A blizzard rolled in while I was still in the cave, removing the option to push forward. Waiting became mandatory.

I ate enough to stay focused and spent the time reading a sewing book. I’ve been repairing gear constantly. Raising that skill matters more than saving calories I might lose tomorrow anyway.

Interloper rewards preparation. It punishes hesitation.

Rope and a Delayed Exit

The blizzard eventually broke.

So did the day.

I didn’t trust the remaining light to get me safely into Mystery Lake. Instead, I pushed to the next cave and found a mountaineering rope.

That at least allowed me to check the area I’d been considering.

No hammer.

Still, information is progress.

Not Lingering

I slept in the Ravine.

No predators here, but the cold feels personal. Aggressive. Like it wants you gone.

I don’t intend to stay longer than necessary.

Mystery Lake needs to happen soon.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 7

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 5: The Bow Dream Persists

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5: The Bow Dream Persists

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

It feels strange to still be here.

I didn’t expect this run to last. Not on Interloper. But five days in, I’m still upright, still moving, still counting small victories like they matter. Because they do.

Today’s plan was simple. Move carefully. Take what the map allows. Don’t get greedy.

The ice had other ideas.

Island Hopping

I crossed the ice toward the fishing cabins, step by deliberate step.

A suitcase had washed up after the blizzard. Thick ice this time, thankfully. I checked it anyway.

Nothing useful.

No camera. No reason to carry film. I left it behind.

The first island paid out better.

A birch sapling.

That means one arrow someday. Not many. Just one. Enough to keep the idea alive.

The second island followed up with a maple sapling.

The bow dream didn’t die today.

The cabins themselves were empty. No surprises. No correction to the balance.

Cooking for Progress

I lit a fire and cooked the rabbit.

I added anything else I could justify, not out of hunger, but for experience. Cooking skill still hasn’t hit level two, which feels wrong given how much time I’ve spent staring at fires.

Interloper doesn’t reward effort. Only outcomes.

When the fire burned down, I pulled a torch and moved on.

The River Remembers

I followed the river. The same one that ended the last run.

Cattails lined the banks. I took every one.

A deer carcass lay ahead. I considered committing to it. Wind killed that idea quickly.

I took one kilo of meat.

Greed gets you killed. I’ve learned that lesson already.

At the bridge it finally clicked.

The Ravine is close.

Mystery Lake is no longer theoretical.

Not today, though. Not like this.

Tea and Repairs

I diverted to the Train Unloading trailer.

Herbal tea.

I was happier about that than I should admit.

I made another fire in the nearby tunnel. Cooked what I could. Boiled water. Prepared teas.

I repaired my windbreaker jacket. Again.

It’s holding together out of spite at this point.

The bow is getting closer. I know better than to expect miracles, but I can already feel the disappointment waiting.

Calling It

I broke my rule and ate before bed so I could read a sewing book.

Once it got too dark, I stepped outside to keep reading.

The weather answered immediately.

I didn’t wait to confirm if it was a blizzard.

I went back inside.

Herbal tea. Sleep.

Tomorrow, the Ravine.

And maybe, if the debt hasn’t come due yet, a heavy hammer.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6

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Survivor’s Log — Cold-Blooded: The Hub Page Is Now Live

Cold-Blooded: The Hub Page Is Now Live

Game: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Mode: Survival Mode

This run needed a foundation before it needed a first entry.

The hub page for Cold-Blooded: A Skyrim Survival Diary is now live.

This series follows an Argonian mage in Skyrim’s Survival Mode, using the Apex Predator Rule: three deaths total, and the third ends the run.

The hub outlines the rules, the format, and why this run exists, without jumping straight into the diary itself.

What You’ll Find on the Hub

  • The full ruleset, including the three-strike system
  • Build focus and combat restrictions
  • Context from the previous Skyrim Survival run
  • Space for future logs as the run progresses
You can find the hub page

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 4: A Debt Is Forming

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4: A Debt Is Forming

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The day gave me what I wanted. That’s never free on Interloper.

Today was meant to be a cleanup operation. Loot thoroughly, then leave. Mystery Lake is still the goal, but I wanted one last attempt at securing proper tools before committing.

A heavy hammer would mean long-term survival.

A hacksaw would mean immediate leverage.

I stepped outside the garage.

The hacksaw was waiting.

No detour. No risk. No trade.

That kind of luck doesn’t happen on Interloper. It accumulates. It sits quietly. It waits to be collected later.

I checked the save file again. Same answer. Same difficulty. Same unease.

The Warning Shot

With the hacksaw secured, I headed toward the cabins. There was still daylight, and I didn’t want to waste it.

I didn’t get far.

The sound came first. Heavy. Deliberate.

A bear.

No hesitation. I turned and ran. If panic counts as training, I was an elite athlete.

I escaped.

That felt less like success and more like a reminder.

The game now knows where I am.

Jackrabbit Island Pushback

I rerouted to Jackrabbit Island.

Crows circled over a corpse near the ice, probably dragged in by the last blizzard. I checked my weight, watched the ice, and stopped myself.

Weak ice doesn’t care how desperate you are.

I backed off.

Rabbits, at least, felt manageable.

One stun worked.

The next rabbit absorbed three clean hits.

Three recoveries. Three escapes.

That felt deliberate.

The day had already decided how generous it was going to be.

The Weather Collects Interest

The interior loot was thin. Nothing to balance the scales.

I rested for an hour and planned a push across the ice toward the houses.

The moment I opened the door, the blizzard answered.

I closed it again.

No argument. No delay. Just a firm no.

I harvested the rabbit instead. I considered leaving the hide and guts behind to cure, but I carried them with me. If the game is going to charge me later, I want every advantage in hand.

What Comes Next

Tomorrow’s objective is fixed.

Reach the Ravine.

If nothing collapses, Mystery Lake should follow within a day or two.

I have tools now.

That doesn’t feel like progress.

It feels like a balance sheet.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 3: A Dangerous Amount of Luck

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3: A Dangerous Amount of Luck

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I woke up to a still-burning fire. That felt like a warning.

I could have slept longer, but I didn’t risk it. If the fire died while I was unconscious, this run would have ended quietly and for no good reason.

I packed the bedroll, lit a torch, and went looking for rabbits.

I found a wolf instead.

Only three days in, and it was already tracking me.

I backed off toward the cave, swapped torches, and tried to create space. It followed anyway. Calm. Patient. Waiting.

I made for the nearby basement. Inside, I found shelter—and a pair of socks. Not exciting, but warmer feet matter more than pride.

Listening Instead of Seeing

I left the basement and pushed toward Coastal Highway.

The cold was immediate. Visibility was worse. I couldn’t see far enough ahead to plan, so I relied on sound.

Crows.

They led me to a deer carcass half-buried in the snow.

I started a fire right beside it. The plan was simple: wait until it thawed enough to harvest by hand. No hacksaw. No hatchet. No margin for error.

Once it hit the threshold, I took what I could. Meat first. Then the hide. One gut came with it—useful as a decoy if things went bad, but hopefully something I could cure.

The meat went straight on the fire. I didn’t linger.

Pressure Never Really Leaves

I checked the nearby fishing hut for matches.

There were none.

As soon as I stepped back outside, another wolf appeared. I didn’t hesitate. I headed straight for the nearest house and got indoors.

Inside, I found something this run had been refusing to give me.

Matches.

I don’t know if they were there the last time I passed through. It didn’t matter. They were there now.

I took everything useful and moved on toward Quonset Garage, with yet another wolf keeping pace behind me.

Quonset Feels Wrong

The garage was generous.

Too generous.

More supplies than last time. Still no hacksaw—but then I saw another box of matches.

At that point, it stopped feeling like luck.

I now had over thirty matches. Enough that, for the first time this run, I considered not keeping a fire burning just to build skill.

There was even a lantern.

Interloper doesn’t usually feel this forgiving. When it does, it’s usually planning something.

Ending the Day on a Win

I didn’t change the plan.

Quonset is tempting, but staying too long is how runs stall and die. Mystery Lake is still the goal.

Before sleeping, I crafted a snare. If I have to stop near a rabbit grove, I want options. Rabbit hides mean gloves and hats—assuming I survive long enough to need them.

Day 3 ended on a win.

That doesn’t mean much on Interloper.

But tonight, it’s enough.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4

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The Long Dark – Stalker Instinct Log #4: Sticks, Stone Throws, and a Stupid Food Choice

Mode: Stalker
Region: Mystery Lake
Mood: Cautiously confident, briefly poisoned

I decided to explore more of Mystery Lake. I knew there was a pond nearby, so I headed out to see what opportunities it might offer.

The snare I’d set earlier came up empty. No rabbit. That thing needs relocating.

Pond Plans and Wolf Reality Checks

On the way, I spotted a wolf in the distance. It didn’t see me. I didn’t test my luck.

Even with a bow, I don’t rate my chances yet. My aim needs work, and Stalker wolves don’t forgive hesitation.

At the pond, I found the hunter’s blind. Useful later. Right now, it was overlooking absolutely nothing. No animals. Not even a teasing rabbit.

With daylight to spare, I pushed on toward a nearby cabin.

The Cabin and the Crows

The cabin had slim pickings. Nothing worth staying for.

Outside, I heard crows. That sound still means one thing.

A deer carcass. Ravaged, but edible. I harvested what I could — barely half a kilo of meat — and started a fire. It wasn’t much, but it was calories.

Fire-starting is still slow. I’m counting the days until that skill improves.

Rabbit Hunting: Sticks Strike Back

Rabbits were nearby, so I tried my luck.

I tested an arrow on one. Missed. Fair enough. I stopped there — no sense wasting arrows until I have fire-hardened ones for practice.

Back to stones.

After a few throws, I stunned a rabbit. Walked up confidently. Pressed the button.

I picked up a stick.

The rabbit had landed next to it and bolted while I stood there holding firewood like an idiot.

Second attempt: success. No stick betrayal.

I even got the second rabbit I’d spotted earlier. Clean, no mistakes this time.

Tea, Arrows, and False Confidence

Back at the fire, I prepped reishi mushrooms and made tea. Sensible. Calm. Survival-approved.

Then the game decided to mock me by handing me another arrow and another bow.

Message received. I’ll practice — later.

Before the fire died, I used charcoal to map the area. Useful result: a marked zone where rabbits spawn frequently. Future snare location sorted.

The Fat Mistake

Back at the cabin, I made a bad call.

I ate animal fat.

I knew better. It was heavy. It was in my inventory. I wanted the calories.

Instant food poisoning.

Thankfully, I still had reishi tea. I drank it and collapsed into bed to recover.

That would have cost me one of my three chances.

No wolf. No blizzard. Just a lazy decision.

Log 4 Takeaway

  • Snares need good placement, not optimism
  • Bow ownership does not equal bow skill
  • Rabbits will absolutely humiliate you
  • Sticks are the true apex predator
  • Food poisoning is still one of the fastest ways to burn a chance

Stalker doesn’t need dramatic moments to punish you. It just waits.

YouTube Video

Continue the journey:
Stalker Instinct – Log 3 |
Stalker Instinct – Log 5

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 2: Coal, Caves, and Waiting It Out

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2: Coal, Caves, and Waiting It Out

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I needed progress today. What I got instead was time to think.

I’d like to say I headed straight for the mine.

I didn’t.

There was a nearby trailer, and ignoring shelter this early feels reckless. I checked it quickly. No usable clothing. No tools. Nothing that justified lingering.

With that answered, the mine became the only sensible option.

Through the Mines

On the way in, I picked up every stick I passed. It’s instinct now. Fuel is survival, and sticks are the cheapest insurance available.

Inside the mine, I collected coal as I went. More than I strictly needed, but coal buys time, and time keeps you alive.

I exited the first mine and made straight for the second—the route leading toward Crumbling Highway.

A Familiar Tool

Inside the second mine, I found a prybar.

The same place I found one on my last run.

I don’t know if it’s guaranteed, but two passes and two prybars suggest it might not be coincidence. Either way, I wasn’t about to question it.

Weather Says No

As soon as I reached Crumbling Highway, the weather turned.

Blizzard.

I had no cloth for repairs. I couldn’t read skill books—I was too hungry to focus. Moving on would have achieved nothing, so I waited.

I stepped outside once or twice, just long enough to confirm it was a bad idea, then went straight back to shelter.

The Cave Hold

When the blizzard finally broke, I moved for the cave I’d used on a previous run.

I dropped the bedroll and lit a fire. The cave itself was warm, but the fire gave me light, cooking time, and something productive to do.

I prepared and cooked every reishi mushroom and rose hip I had. It’s not exciting food, but it’s dependable.

I’m deliberately avoiding overeating. Until I have a sustainable food source, restraint matters more than comfort.

End of Day Two

The plan hasn’t changed. Mystery Lake is still the goal.

Before that, I intend to strip as much value as I can from Coastal Highway. Leaving resources behind on Interloper is how runs end early.

Two days in, and this already feels better than the last attempt.

Maybe the game is being kind.

I doubt it.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 1: You Again!

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 1: You Again

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

Apparently, changing survivor does not change my luck.

Even after switching to Will, The Long Dark drops me into the exact same spawn it gave Astrid.

Desolation Point. Again.

At this point it feels less like randomness and more like a test of character.

The difference this time is simple: I’m not arguing with the region. I’m passing through it.

Loot, Don’t Linger

The plan is immediate and non-negotiable: get to Hibernia Processing.

On the way, I scoop up whatever I can without slowing down — sticks, rose hips, reishi mushrooms. The usual early-game survival tax.

I make a half-hearted attempt at rabbits. They take one look at me and decide today is not the day.

No sign of bridge moose. I assume this spawn has given me rock moose instead. I’m nowhere near him, and I intend to keep it that way.

I avoid the ice entirely. Day 1 is not when you gamble.

The goal is to loot Hibernia, sleep there, and leave Desolation Point behind tomorrow.

Thinking Long-Term

The real objective isn’t here.

I want Mystery Lake, then straight on to Forlorn Muskeg for the forge.

This is a loot-and-go run. Previous attempts taught me that lingering in Desolation Point just turns into a slow death.

Coastal Highway is the next stop for a reason:

  • A chance at a hacksaw in the garage
  • Cat tails to keep me alive without wasting matches

If the hacksaw doesn’t show up, I’ll take a heavy hammer. I just need a path toward improvised tools.

I’ve thought about coming back here for the forge before. This region has repeatedly informed me that this is a bad idea.

Forlorn Muskeg can have the honours.

Hibernia Processing

I reach Hibernia and begin the most important activity of any Interloper start.

Match hunting.

The game turns it into a round of hide and seek, but eventually I spot them tucked into a dark corner on a shelf.

That’s enough to keep the run alive.

I get a fire going and start looting properly.

Then I see it.

A bedroll.

At that moment, the absence of a hacksaw stops mattering.

A bedroll means caves are viable shelter. It means blizzards don’t automatically end the run. It means I’m no longer one bad weather roll away from disaster.

A bearskin bedroll would be ideal. This will do.

Food Is a Future Problem

I find a small stash of food. Enough to buy me a day or two.

I’ve learned not to obsess over hunger. Right now, calories just need to exist, not be comfortable.

Long-term, I need something sustainable. Rabbits and ptarmigans make sense early on, but without a bow or snares, I’m going to be throwing rocks for a while.

Another reason Coastal Highway needs to happen quickly.

I cook what I can while the fire is going:

  • Mushrooms
  • Coffee
  • Peaches, while boiling water

I also find a windbreaker jacket. Not great, but it beats freezing slightly faster.

No hat. No gloves. Frostbite is still very much on the menu.

End of Day 1

I eat, drink, and finally sleep.

Tomorrow’s plan is clear:

  • Head for Abandoned Mine No. 5
  • Collect coal along the way
  • Hope lightning strikes twice with a prybar
  • Push into Coastal Highway

This run already feels different.

Not easier.

Just less naive.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #4 – Final Day: So Close It Hurt

Unprepared Log 4 – Final Day: So Close It Hurt

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Astrid

Today’s plan was simple. Which should have been my first warning.

I needed matches. Or failing that, food. Something—anything—that would let this run survive another day.

I headed for the nearest fishing hut first. No matches. No food. No joy.

With wolves very much on my mind, I made a call. Stick to the road. I had rabbit meat on me, and I didn’t rate my chances in a surprise encounter.

If it came to it, I could always drop the meat and hope that bought me space.

False Hope on the River

I reached the end of the road still matchless, but not empty-handed on ideas.

The river meant cat tails. Light, reliable, and one of the few food sources that doesn’t argue back.

I started working my way along the river edge, carefully, methodically. With every handful of cat tails, my chances ticked upward.

For the first time all day, survival felt possible.

The Bear

Then I saw it.

The bear.

I froze for half a second too long. Completely forgot I had flares. Panic took over.

I turned and ran.

I knew a flare probably wouldn’t stop a charging bear anyway, so I went with the next desperate idea: drop the rabbit meat.

Maybe it would accept that.

It didn’t.

Second Chances Don’t Exist

The attack left me bleeding badly. Infection risk followed soon after.

I managed to treat the infection, but my condition was critically low. Every step felt borrowed.

The bear walked away.

For a moment, I thought I might limp out of this.

I was wrong.

It came back.

There was no second plan. No miracle item. No recovery window.

The blood loss finished what the first charge started.

End of the Run

That was it.

My best Interloper run to date, ended just as it started—underprepared, unlucky, and one mistake away from survival.

Still.

I lasted longer. I learned more. And for the first time, it felt like Interloper was something I could eventually solve.

Just not today.

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Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 4 – Days 3 & 4 |
Unprepared Log 4 – Day 1

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The Outlast Trials – Log 9: Kill the Politician (The Kress Twins)


Prime Asset: The Kress Twins
Trial: Kill the Politician
Difficulty: Standard
Grade: A


Back to The Outlast Trials hub

Thanks to Prime Asset Roulette, I was assigned the Kress Twins.
Which means I now have two problems instead of one.

My only available option for this log was Kill the Politician,
so that’s what we’re doing.

I’m keeping this on Standard too,
because the last few trials have been a bit of a disaster and I’m not in the mood to press my luck.

Things started off simple enough.
I accidentally found a fuse, got a prompt to pick it up,
and realised I’d just stumbled into the task required to get inside the shopping mall.

I grabbed the second fuse and was allowed in.

Cue more fuse hunting.
I could already see the pattern forming.

I also got my first proper look at the Twins.
Pretty sure they didn’t see me, but I’m not loving the fact they seem to have
360 degree vision.

Which means stealth isn’t optional.
I need to stay hidden…
or, to put it another way:
I need to stay Incognito.

Three fuses later, I was allowed into the department store.
This time, my objective was to spend $40.

There were multiple boxes scattered around the store, each with a different price.
I didn’t even notice that at first.

So I was about $10 in before realising I could have made smarter choices.
Classic.

The Twins were also inside the store with me,
and it was oddly interesting hearing them speak to each other.
From what I could gather, they don’t like Easterman,
and they want out of whatever hell they’ve been put into.

I also couldn’t help noticing something in their dialogue.
It isn’t just “villain banter”.
There’s something uncomfortable about it — the kind of vibe where you start wondering what exactly their relationship is meant to be.

Whatever it is, it adds a whole extra layer of unease.
And frankly, I’d have preferred not to notice it.

It does make me wonder how the Prime Assets are treated outside the Trials.
I’m guessing the answer is “badly”.

Once I hit $40, I was finally allowed to join the political rally.

And then I was told to go fix the water pressure.

At this point, I’m convinced Murkoff is preparing me for employment once I graduate.
I’m not being brainwashed.
I’m being trained as a handyman.

You’d think the valves would be close together, because that would make sense.
They were not.

Four different spots across the mall.

So now I’m running around doing:

  • map reading
  • basic maths for each valve
  • trial survival, on top of plumbing

Again: handyman.

Once that was handled, it was finally time to deal with the actual goal:
spraying the politician with acid.

Naturally, I had to prime the acid first.
And naturally, this required playing a carnival-style game.

I thought electrocuting the Snitch was bad.
I was wrong.

And I’m fairly sure the Twins have been chatting with Coyle,
because they also felt the need to ambush me during this part.

I had to loop the mall a few times, hide a few times,
and basically accept that my life now consists of sprinting away and making bad decisions at speed.

Eventually, I completed the objective.
Politician: solved.

Then it was time to leave.
And the Twins also decided it was time to leave —
because they were waiting at the shuttle area like they were running security.

I hid, waited them out, and once they finally moved off,
I slipped past and escaped.

In the end, I walked away with an A.

That’s an improvement —
and I’m choosing to believe it’s because I’m learning.
Not because the mall temporarily took pity on me.

Video

Surviving, not suffering.

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