Category: Survival Playthroughs

Customloper Diaries Day Three: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug

Customloper Diaries – Day 3: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug

Weather: Cold start, blizzard pockets, clearing skies

Loot Highlights: Memento cache supplies, birch saplings (for later), Paradise Meadows key, rabbit + fish dinner

Mood: Cocky → practical → “why is that wolf sprinting?”

Missed Day 2? Read it here.  | 
What is Customloper?

Early Start, No Light, No Dignity

I wake up at an hour only owls respect. Rather than burn a match in Grey Mother’s house, I feel my way to the door like a bargain-bin escape room contestant. After negotiating with every chair leg in Milton, I finally make it outside to a slate-blue morning and a bitey wind.

Holy Cache, Batman!

The church memento cache pays out: matches, food, and an energy drink. With the essentials secured, I hop between cars toward Milton Bridge, using charcoal to sketch the town like a freezing Bob Ross. The map fills in; my fingers disagree with the artistic direction.

Gun Dreams, Birch Realities

Confidence high, I angle for Paradise Meadows Farm in the faint hope of finding a rifle. Birds circling drag me off-trail toward a body that contributes precisely nothing to my survival except the reminder that I will absolutely chase birds every time.

Nearby I spot birch saplings. Cue a hopeful bow-crafting fantasy… promptly crushed when I re-remember it’s maple I need. I leave the birch to cure anyway—Future Me loves having options.

Bunny Catch, Farm Key, and Yes, Wolves Exist

One clean stone throw nets a rabbit. Moments later—bingo—Paradise Meadows Farmhouse key. Also: my first wolf sighting of the run. So they do exist on Customloper; they were just waiting for dramatic timing.

Inside the farmhouse it’s open-season on usefulness:

  • Wool long johns
  • A fish stashed in the freezer
  • A skillet lounging atop the fridge
  • Two more cooking pots (apparently I run a wilderness diner now)

Dinner Is Served

I harvest the rabbit, spot the recipe, and make rabbit stew—with the freezer fish as a bonus course. Water boils, gear gets sorted, excess clothes hit the floor. Feeling very competent, I decide to haul the skillet back to Grey Mother’s. This hubris will be important later.

Wolf Attack Outta Nowhere

Cutting back through Milton, I take one curious corner too many and—bam—wolf sprint. I backpedal for a door, take a hit, and tumble inside with the grace of a sack of sticks. Painkillers down, bandage on, dignity postponed.

I repair what I can until the fatigue meter taps out, then finish the day with rabbit stew and the kind of silence that says “we’ll try that route again tomorrow… smarter.”

End of Day 3.

Continue the Journey

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 2: Blizzards, Boots, and Baseball Cap Confusion

Customloper Diaries – Day 4: Locked Trunks, Blizzards, and Pancake Promises ▶

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Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Five

The search for one stubborn fish continues. Instead, I find a mutant flounder, a handkerchief inside a fish, and a shady stranger with a business proposition. Also, I upgrade my boat’s engine, because speed might save my life.

Missed the previous day? Find it here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Four

The Elusive Fish and the Flounder of Nightmares

I began Day 5, once again hoping to finally catch this Black Grouper that seems more myth than fish at this point. With desperate optimism, I set out, casting my line into the nearest fishing spot. The sea, as always, had other plans.

First bite?
A Cyclopean Flounder.

It stared back at me with its single eye and enough teeth to make a dentist weep. Not the fish I was after, but a catch nonetheless.

I kept fishing, still determined. A Gulf Flounder followed, then a Stingray, and finally a lone Cod. Still no sign of the Grouper. As if the ocean wanted to taunt me further, I spotted another message bobbing in the waves.

Another Message, Another Mystery

I fished up the bottle and stashed the message, adding one more note to my growing collection of cryptic correspondence. Given how last night played out, I didn’t want to risk another late return. I steered back toward Greater Marrow and docked at 6:24 PM — safely ahead of nightfall this time.

The Handkerchief Surprise

The Fishmonger, completely unfazed by the mutant flounder, carved it open with all the care of a man slicing a ham sandwich. Inside?
A delicately patterned handkerchief.

Because of course there’s a handkerchief inside the cyclopean mutant.

He handed it over without a second thought. Not sure why I need a bloodstained fish hanky, but I suspect someone on Lesser Marrow might know. Before I could make inquiries, however, my day took a turn.

The Stranger on the Dock

As I sat in my boat, a man appeared at the dock. He didn’t step closer, just stood watching.

He knew I had spoken with the Fishmonger.

Creepy.

He offered to examine the handkerchief… but only if I met him at Blackstone Isle. South of Greater Marrow. He mentioned a “business proposition.” That always ends well.

Speed Upgrade: Because Running May Soon Be Required

Before ending the day, I stopped by the Shipwright. She handed me a book titled “Correct Engine Operation.” Subtle.

I also installed an Improved Outboard Engine, moving my old engine into storage. If I’m about to get involved in someone’s “business proposition,” having more speed felt like a solid investment.

With that done, I called it a night — and will decide tomorrow if a trip to Blackstone Isle is brave or just plain stupid.

Daily Summary

  • Fish Caught: 1 Cyclopean Flounder, 1 Gulf Flounder, 1 Stingray, 1 Cod
  • Madness Strikes: Still just one
  • Damage Taken: None
  • New Item Obtained: Delicately Patterned Handkerchief
  • Business Propositions Recieved: 1 (Blackstone Isle invitation)

If you’d like to know more, please check out: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival

For information on the rules, please check out: Dark Waters: Dredge Permadeath Rules & Survival Guide

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Behind the Blog: ARK Plans, Minecraft Madness, and What’s Coming Next

A peek behind the scenes at Survivor Incognito! I’m planning an epic ARK map-hopping permadeath series, scheming up Minecraft chaos with 15 survival rules, and plotting the next waves of mayhem.

I figured it was time for a little behind the blog moment — because while my in-game characters are busy getting eaten, frozen, or flattened, I’m quietly plotting even more ways to make their (and my) lives harder. Here’s what’s brewing in the background of Survivor Incognito.

🦖 ARK: One Map Just Isn’t Enough

If you thought Day One Diaries for ARK: Survival Evolved was the end of my dino-related disasters… oh no. The plan is to turn ARK into a full permadeath series where I attempt to survive across all the Switch maps. That means scorched deserts, radiation zones, angry dinos, and probably at least one embarrassing death involving a dodo.

Right now, I’m working on:

  • Fine-tuning the settings so it’s challenging, but not “spawn, breathe, die” levels of misery.
  • Figuring out a sensible (or chaotic) map progression — because who doesn’t want to see me go from Midlands 4 to Aberration and beyond?

This new series will (hopefully) kick off after the ARK Day One Diaries finish, so stay tuned!

⛏️ Minecraft: 15 Rules of Mayhem

Yes, I’m also eyeing Minecraft. But not just any survival run — I’m planning a permadeath challenge with a twist:

  • 👉 I’ll start with a list of 15 survival rules.
  • 👉 Each day, I have to follow one rule.
  • 👉 If I fail? The next day I’ll have to follow two rules at once.
  • 👉 Keep failing? Enjoy juggling three, four, five rules… you get the idea.

It’s part survival, part self-sabotage, part comedy. I’m still finalizing the rules (because let’s be honest, there are so many ways to make this worse for myself). Expect everything from “no weapons today” to “you must sleep every night or else.”

🔜 What’s Coming Next

In the meantime, the usual suspects continue:

  • SnowRunner: The Permagear Diaries are ready to get muddy.
  • Dredge: Madness? What madness? I’m totally fine.
  • The Cold Chronicles: Still cold. Still surviving. Somehow.
  • Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Stealth archer life, mostly.
  • Grounded: Where the backyard is the scariest place I’ve ever been.

Thanks for following along! If you’re enjoying the ride (or the wrecks), make sure to subscribe or follow on Tumblr, Facebook, or Bluesky. Chaos loves company.

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Here’s What You Missed This Week – Survivor Incognito Recap

It’s been another action-packed week of survival, chaos, and questionable decisions over at Survivor Incognito. If you’ve been busy wrestling giant crabs, flipping trucks, or dodging ghost fish, here’s your chance to catch up!

🌨️ Monday – Why I Made SnowRunner Permadeath

I broke down the logic (or madness?) behind turning SnowRunner into a permadeath challenge. Because nothing says “relaxing drive” like knowing one bad flip could end it all. [Read More Here]

🌊 Tuesday – Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Four

The sea giveth, the sea taketh away… and sometimes it just giveth more terror. Day Four of my Dredge permadeath series saw the madness meter creeping ever higher. [Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Four]

🐺 Wednesday – The Cold Chronicles – Day Seven

Another day, another frostbite risk. My Voyageur survivor braved the cold and the chaos as we inch further into this brutal Long Dark journey. [The Cold Chronicles Day Seven: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark]

🏹 Thursday – Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day Nine

The Argonian archer continued slinking through Skyrim, proving that stealth is great—right up until it isn’t. Day Nine brought more dragons, more necromancy, and more “how did that go so wrong?” moments. [Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Nine]

🐜 Friday – Grounded: Day Two

The backyard is still terrifying. Day Two brought more bugs, more base-building, and more moments of me asking why I ever thought permadeath was a good idea here. [The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath – Day Two]

🦖 Saturday – Day One Diaries of ARK: Survival Evolved Announced

Big news! I announced the upcoming Day One Diaries for ARK: Survival Evolved. Expect dinos, disasters, and probably a lot of running for my life. [Get the details here]

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🎉 500 Views of Portable Chaos – Thank You for Stopping By!

Survivor Incognito has crossed 500 views! A huge thank you to everyone who’s joined the portable survival chaos. Here’s to more maps, more diaries, and probably more regrettable decisions.

57 Days. 500 Views. And At Least That Many Bad Spear Throws.

Somehow, this little survival corner of the internet has crossed 500 views—and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s visited, clicked, or accidentally found the blog while looking for something else entirely. (Hey, I’ll take it.)

When I started Survivor Incognito 57 days ago, it was just a space to share:

Survival game stories (usually featuring questionable decisions)

Maps and guides (so you don’t get lost like I do)

And a lot of Switch-based chaos


Fast forward to today, and I’m genuinely thrilled that over 500 views’ worth of folks have joined in. Whether you came for ARK maps, The Long Dark Customloper settings, Skyrim survival mishaps, or just to watch the chaos unfold—thank you.

🚀 What’s Next?

The chaos continues:

The Day One Diaries: ARK Edition is launching soon, filling the weekend gaps with fresh prehistoric panic.

The map pages and hubs will keep growing as I explore (and inevitably die in) new places.

More survival stories, more bad ideas, and probably more pinecone tea. Expect more information soon.

🧭 Thanks for Joining the Journey

I’m just getting started. If you’ve enjoyed the blog so far: ➡ Bookmark the site
➡ Share it with fellow Switch survival fans
➡ Or just stick around for the next 500 views of portable disaster.

Here’s to the next milestone—and to thriving, not just surviving.

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🦖 Day One Diaries: ARK Edition – Now Filling the Weekend Gaps

Day One Diaries returns with an ARK twist! Each short entry covers the first chaotic 24 hours on every map in ARK: Survival Evolved for the Nintendo Switch. Chaos, dinos, and bad decisions await.

So, People Have Been Clicking the ARK Map Page…

…and that’s either a promising sign or a harbinger of incoming disaster.

Either way, welcome to a brand-new side series here on Survivor Incognito:

> 🎮 Day One Diaries: ARK Edition
A bite-sized, chaos-fueled survival journal where I explore the first 24 hours on every ARK map available on the Nintendo Switch.

This series is coming soon and will drop on one of the blog’s quieter days—Mondays, Saturdays, and Sundays—to fill in the gaps with some portable prehistoric panic.

🗺️ What to Expect

Each post will document:

• Where I spawned

• What I crafted (poorly)

• What inevitably killed me

And whether I learned anything (spoiler: probably not)


These aren’t full playthroughs—they’re glorified diary entries of my first day of disaster, all tied together with maps, Switch gameplay quirks, and whatever half-baked strategy I manage to invent before something eats me.

✅ Already Posted

I’ve already covered the following maps in earlier posts:

The Island

Scorched Earth


So I won’t be redoing those. Instead, I’ll link back to those entries when their time comes in the lineup.

🌋 What’s Next?

From here, it’s on to the rest of the maps available on the Nintendo Switch:

• Aberration

• Extinction

• Genesis Part 1

• Genesis Part 2

• Ragnarok (DLC)

Each time I publish a new Day One Diary, I’ll also update the ARK Map Hub with:

• The region map

• Survival notes

• Links to the interactive resource map

• Possibly a eulogy

🧪 A Preview of What You’re In For…

To set the mood, here’s a flawlessly accurate preview of what I expect my time in Aberration to look like—courtesy of Neebs Gaming:

> 🎥 Simon vs. Snake – Neebs Gaming in Aberration
Simon’s alone. Eating peanuts. There’s a snake. Panic ensues.

It’s everything ARK represents: snack time, followed by betrayal and screaming.

🎬 Chaos You Can Count On

If something truly unhinged happens during one of these Day One sessions—and let’s be honest, it will—it’ll earn its own spotlight as a Survivor’s Shorts post.

Because some moments of portable disaster deserve a dedicated write-up… especially the ones where I genuinely thought I was safe and then immediately wasn’t.

📅 First Entry Drops Soon

Check back next Saturday for Day One in The Island—the first stop on this tour of Switch-based suffering. Followed by Scorched Earth the next week, and then finally, Aberration.

Expect bioluminescent fungus, regret, and gravity issues. See you there.

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The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath – Day Two

Day Two of my Grounded Permadeath run. Panic still lingering, but I’ve secured food, water, armor, and narrowly avoided becoming ant food. Progress!

Missed day one and want to find out how this journey started? Find it here: The Backyard Trials Day One

Thirst, Hunger, and the Panic Begins Anew

I wake up to a familiar feeling: low-level dread. I’m hungry. I’m thirsty. I have very little idea what I’m doing. Survival in the backyard is a constant balancing act between problem-solving and quiet panic.

Thankfully, some form of insect-based miracle has occurred overnight. There’s an aphid corpse conveniently placed right next to my lean-to. Did it explode? Was it eaten and discarded? I don’t know — but in my current state, it’s dinner.

The thirst problem is less cooperative. Another ill-advised sip of dirty water reminds me that my standards need to rise if I want to avoid adding “constant food poisoning” to my growing list of concerns.

Salvation in the Form of Dew

In the midst of my slight panic spiral, I spot a glimmer of hope: dew, perched high on a blade of grass. After some awkward jumping that likely looked ridiculous to any nearby insects, I manage to secure a drop of clean water. The panic dial lowers slightly… but only slightly. I still can’t carry any extra, so the problem is only delayed, not solved.

Workbench, Roasting Spit, and Progress (Sort Of)

Back at the science station, I start trying to piece my situation together. I craft a Workbench, which unlocks more options, including a Roasting Spit. Finally, I can cook meat instead of risking stomach-churning raw snacks. My diet now consists of roasted aphid and weevil. It’s not exactly fine dining, but I’m not dead — which is honestly my only metric of success right now.

Clover Armor: The Fashion of Fear

With food and water temporarily under control, my brain returns to its default state: “What’s going to kill me next?” The answer, probably, is “everything.” So I decide to take the edge off by crafting Clover Armor — a full set covering my head, chest, and legs.

It won’t stop anything truly dangerous, but it’s comforting. Like wearing a raincoat in a hurricane. It technically helps, but you wouldn’t want to test it.

Early Combat Lessons (And More Panic)

Armed with a spear and new-found confidence (read: mild overconfidence), I pick a fight with an ant. It goes well… until his buddy shows up. The fight escalates, I take some hits, apply a bandage, and add “don’t poke ants unless absolutely necessary” to my mental rulebook.

Later, while trying to understand how my hotbar works, I accidentally hurl my spear at a completely innocent patch of grass. At least I didn’t spear myself. Small victories.

The Baseball, Tactical Retreats, and Nightfall

Before dark, I scout a little further and discover a giant baseball, which offers a perfect vantage point for surveying my surroundings. Unfortunately, I also nearly stumble into a fight with a soldier ant and two backup dancers. A brief surge of panic kicks in again, but I manage a tactical retreat before things get ugly.

Nighttime approaches. I may have a torch now, but I’m not insane enough to go wandering in the dark just yet. Panic management remains the most critical skill in my early days.

Wrapping Up Day Two

Day Two ends with clean water, cooked food, basic armor, and a strong undercurrent of low-level panic. Progress has been made, mistakes have been narrowly avoided, and tomorrow I’ll venture even further — anxiety levels permitting.

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Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Nine


Day 9 takes me from ancient tombs to icy swamps. I dodge frost magic in a wooden shack, fight a dragon on a mountain, and uncover a vampire plot in Morthal. Janessa doesn’t make it.

Missed day eight? Find it here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Eight


Draugr Light: Dustman’s Cairn (Not That One)

The plan for the day? A classic dungeon crawl through Dustman’s Cairn. The reality? I walked into what might have been the world’s most disappointing annex. One room. A handful of draugr. Zero dramatic ambushes. Either I wandered into the wrong entrance, or the rest of the dungeon had a day off.

I poked around for secret doors because this is Skyrim and you never know, but found nothing. Just cobwebs, bad lighting, and the distinct feeling that Todd Howard was laughing somewhere.

Loot? Forgettable. Mood? Slightly stabby.

Bear vs. Blade at Greenspring Hollow

Onwards to Greenspring Hollow. As expected, it came with the usual occupant: a bear with severe anger management issues. True to form, it attacked on sight and asked no questions.

A few solid strikes put the beast down. I looted what little there was and handed the haul to Janessa—my trusted pack mule and silent partner in crime. I didn’t realize at the time that this might be her final job.

Drela’s Cottage: Hospitality Denied

A bit further along, I stumbled across Drela’s Cottage. Hopeful for shelter or at least a warm fire, I stepped inside.

That was my mistake.

Without so much as a hello, Drela greeted me with frost magic to the face. Fortunately, this wasn’t my first time dealing with homicidal wizards. I chugged a Resist Frost potion, ducked behind the suspiciously durable wooden pillar in the center of the room, and played peek-a-boo until Drela ran out of breath—and life.

The loot was unimpressive, but I left with my body temperature (mostly) intact and my life expectancy extended for at least another few hours.

Goodbye Janessa, Hello Dragon

At this point, I decided to cut across the mountains instead of following the road. Direct lines are always faster in theory—less so when those lines involve climbing sheer cliffs in sub-zero weather.

Halfway up, the weather turned, and I heard the familiar sound of a dragon announcing its presence.

The battle was brutal. I managed to land the final blow, but at a terrible cost: Janessa was gone. Whether she was roasted or knocked off the mountain mid-fight, I’ll never know. There was no body, no dramatic final words—just an empty follower slot and a heavy sense of loss.

RIP Janessa.
Overburdened. Underpaid. Better than most.

Welcome to Morthal: Population, Suspicious

I limped into Morthal alone. Freezing. Exhausted. Perfect conditions to stumble into a vampire conspiracy.

The innkeeper filled me in: rumors of bloodsuckers, a burned-down house, and strange happenings. The Jarl, apparently too busy to care, delegated the matter to me after some light investigative work revealed Alva wasn’t quite as human as advertised.

Following a brief round of sleuthing, a confrontation, and the discovery of vampire tomfoolery, I returned to the Jarl. With the truth exposed, she finally took notice—and handed me a new assignment: eliminate the so-called Master Vampire controlling things from the shadows.

Because of course, there’s always a hierarchy.

End of Day Nine

No warmth. No Janessa. And now I’m tasked with taking out a vampire overlord while half my gear capacity disappeared along with my companion.

Classic Skyrim.

If you want to know more, please check out The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Survival Hub

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The Cold Chronicles Day Seven: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark

The Cold Chronicles – Day 7: Dead Ends, Rifle Finds, and Aurora Skies

Difficulty: Voyageur
Optional Features: Cougar enabled (because paranoia keeps you alive)

Day 7 on Coastal Highway brings dead-end roads, beachcombing, Barb’s rifle, and my first aurora. I almost fall through the ice (again), stash gear on Jackrabbit Island, and cook meat like a man possessed. So… a productive day?

Missed Day 6? Read it here.

The Road That Goes Nowhere

Another sunrise, another overambitious plan. Today, I decide I’m going to follow Coastal Highway all the way to its mysterious conclusion. Maybe I’ll find a new transition zone. Maybe I’ll find a wrecked truck with some rifle rounds and a can of dog food. Maybe I’ll find peace.

Spoiler: it’s a rockfall.

But I don’t know that yet. I set out early, dragging my increasingly reluctant survivor across the snow. First stop: the bridge just beyond the garage. It’s held up surprisingly well for the end of civilization. On the far side, I spot a car, and inside it—a note. Someone left a tip about a hidden cache near the garage. Tempting. Very tempting. But I decide to keep pushing forward for now. Eyes on the prize.

The road gets quieter. No wolves, no wind. Just snow crunching underfoot and the occasional groan from my guy who’s still mad about the 40kg backpack I’m making him haul. Eventually, the highway ends not with loot or glory, but a literal wall of boulders. No secret passage, no helpful signage. Just a dead end.

Rifles, Ice, and Intrusive Memories

With the highway goal dashed, I backtrack. But I’m not going to waste the day. I decide to poke around under the bridge I crossed earlier—because that’s a normal survival instinct now. Good thing I do, too.

Tucked under the support beams, half-buried in snow, is Barb’s rifle. No note, no explanation. Just the long-forgotten tool of someone else’s survival story. I take it, check the condition (not bad), and immediately feel 30% more powerful. Rifle > revolver. Every time.

Feeling cocky, I veer off the road and make my way across the ice toward Jackrabbit Island. The ice creaks and pops in that threatening way it always does, but I push forward, ignoring the very obvious signs that I am not welcome here. My screen does that “you’re about to die” wobble. I shuffle back to solid ice just in time. Somehow, I don’t fall in. Survival roulette wins again.

The Jackrabbit Hoard

I reach the house on Jackrabbit Island and decide to use it as a makeshift drop zone. I ditch the revolver, some food, a spare lantern, and whatever else I can live without. The rifle stays with me, obviously.

Loot-wise, Jackrabbit delivers. I find:

  • A skill book for rifles (Barb would be proud)
  • Another lantern (my third—clearly I have a problem)
  • More food, because Coastal Highway is just one big buffet if you know where to look

My inventory’s still ridiculous, but a little lighter. Temporarily.

Seagulls and Sketchy Ice

On the way back, I decide to risk a little beachcombing. I hug the shoreline, watching for anything shiny poking out of the snow—and get rewarded. A couple of arrows just sitting on the ice, half-frozen but perfectly usable. I swipe them up and head for Misanthrope Island.

As I get close, I see birds circling. That means one thing: a carcass. The ice between me and it looks about as stable as my guy’s calorie intake, but I edge closer anyway. It’s a deer, still fresh. I manage to harvest the meat and pull back without falling in. That makes two ice victories today, which honestly feels greedy.

Inside the house on Misanthrope, I find—surprise—more food and clothing. Nothing game-changing, but enough to keep the “loot goblin” part of my brain happy. I stow what I can, then head back toward the garage with a torch in hand in case wolves decide they’re hungry for man meat.

A Spark in the Static

Back at the garage, something’s different. There’s a glow. A hum. The computer whirs to life.

The aurora has arrived.

It’s my first one in this run, and it’s just as eerie as I remember. The air crackles, the sky pulses green, and the electronics—dormant and useless for days—suddenly flicker back to life. It’s beautiful in a “should I be worried?” sort of way.

I don’t have time to dwell on it. I’ve got meat to cook, water to boil, and coffee to brew. Lots of coffee. My survivor’s probably 80% caffeine at this point. I do my best diner cook impression, juggling pots and pans, and by the end of it the place smells like scorched venison and instant espresso. Not the worst way to end a day.

I eat what I can, dump the rest into storage, and crawl into bed. The aurora flickers through the window as I drift off.

Final Thoughts

Day 7 gave me a rifle, some arrows, a hidden cache hint, and a front-row seat to the aurora. Sure, I nearly fell through the ice twice and carried half my body weight in gear the whole way, but it was worth it.

Still alive. Still hoarding. Still hallucinating predators.

Continue the journey:
Day 6 |
Day 8
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Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Four

Fishing frustrations, elusive groupers, a shiny new rod upgrade, and a very foggy late-night encounter with a suspicious rock. Day 4 of the Dredge permadeath run tests both my patience and my sanity.

Missed day three? Find it here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Three

The Great Grouper Hunt (That Wasn’t)

The morning plan was simple: head out early, catch fish, finally land that mysterious Black Grouper, and pretend I’m not on the verge of bankruptcy. But the sea, as always, had other plans.

I head straight out and find several fishing spots—most of which give me the “you need better equipment” message. Apparently, my starter rod wasn’t cutting it. Still, I manage to pull up 7 blue mackerel and a lone grey eel. Not exactly the haul I was hoping for, but at least the cooler wasn’t empty.

Somewhere along the way, my studies in Sustainable Fishing pay off: book finished, and now I have a 10% chance of not reducing fish stocks every time I catch something with a rod. You’d think that would make me feel better about the environment. It mostly makes me feel better about my wallet.

By 4:36 PM, I pull back into Greater Marrow, snagging one last mackerel on the way in. Still no sign of a Grouper, though I’m starting to question whether they’re actually real or just a fishmonger fever dream.

After selling my haul, I decide it’s time for some serious gear. I visit the Shipwright, sell off my old Simple Skimmer, and upgrade to a shiny new Weighted Line. The installation takes 3 hours, which means by the time I’m ready to head out again, it’s already 7:39 PM.

Unionised Fish and Fog – And Maybe Rocks?

Determined (or possibly just stubborn), I head back out into the night. With my new line, surely the elusive Grouper will finally show itself.

Spoiler: it does not.

Between 7:39 PM and 2:20 AM, I catch absolutely nothing. It’s like the fish all formed a union and declared tonight a strike. The only thing I catch is frustration.

With the fog rolling in thick, visibility drops to near zero. I briefly spot some shiny things off in the distance—potential treasure, or more likely, a quick route to a Madness Strike. I wisely decide not to push my luck.

And then there was the rock.
At one point, something comes into view near the edge of my light. It had that familiar red tinge that usually means my panicked brain is starting to see things that aren’t there. But as I moved closer and got it fully under the light, the red vanished and it looked completely normal.

So was it real?
Probably.
Maybe.
Hopefully.

For the sake of my Madness Strike counter, I’m calling it real. But let’s just say the boat was very carefully steered around it, just in case.

I pull into dock and call it a night. Day 4 closes with no Grouper, a slightly better rod, one near-debate with my own sanity, and a growing suspicion that the fish are mocking me.

Daily Summary

  • Fish Caught: 7 Blue Mackerel, 1 Grey Eel
  • Madness Strikes: Still just one
  • Damage Taken: None (rock judged real – no collision)

If you’d like to know more, please check out: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival

For more information on the rules, please check out: Dark Waters: Dredge Permadeath Rules & Survival Guide

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