Customloper Diaries – Day 7: Bow Before the Blizzard

Weather: Clear start → freezing winds → blizzard
Loot Highlights: Survival Bow, cooking pot, skillet
Mood: Excited → frozen → grateful to still have toes

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 6: Blizzard Send-Off, Ptarmigan Detour, and the Great Cooking Pot Tragedy |
What is Customloper?

Morning Discoveries: Max’s Last Stand

Today’s goal was simple: reach the Camp Office without becoming a wolf’s breakfast. That’s really the only bar for success these days. On the way, I spotted one of The Long Dark’s most reliable signals that something is worth investigating: birds circling in the sky, waiting patiently for either my demise or someone else’s.

Luck was on my side for once — it wasn’t my turn. At Max’s Last Stand, a corpse lay frozen in place, and right beside it sat the holy grail of early-game weaponry: a Survival Bow. I snatched it up with the speed and enthusiasm of a raccoon finding a half-eaten cheeseburger.

All I needed now were arrows. With them, I could finally graduate from “rock-throwing medieval PE teacher” to “slightly competent hunter.”

Deadfall + Hypothermia = Great Life Choices

Feeling pretty pleased with myself, I decided to swing by the Deadfall area. That’s when my overconfidence caught up with me. The temperature dropped faster than my optimism during an Interloper run, and I was soon staring at the dreaded red text: Hypothermia.

I lit a fire in the nearby stove, boiled some water, and cooked… something. I’d like to say it was a hearty stew, but given my supplies, it was probably just porridge or whatever counted as “hot food” in my pack. Once I had a bit of warmth and hydration, I grabbed a torch from the fire and pressed on toward my main goal.

Lesson learned: Interloper weather waits for no one, especially those who think they can “just pop over” somewhere.

Camp Office and Instant Regret

The rest of the walk to Camp Office was blissfully uneventful — a rare thing in Mystery Lake. Inside, I scored a skillet and cooking pot. Not exactly a rifle or a quiver of arrows, but after yesterday’s cooking pot debacle, I wasn’t about to complain.

Then I made the fatal mistake: I decided to “just explore the area” before settling in. First came the snow. Then came the blizzard. In minutes, visibility dropped to “guess and hope” territory. Navigation became a mix of scent, instinct, and blind luck.

Somehow — and I truly do not know how — I managed to stagger back to the Camp Office without being eaten, freezing to death, or wandering onto thin ice. The blizzard roared outside as I slammed the door shut, my heart still hammering.

Evening Wrap-Up

Back inside, I set about cooking more porridge, boiling as much water as I could, and letting my core temperature crawl back to something survivable. The bow was now mine. The arrows? Still a distant dream. But tomorrow, I’d change that.

Tomorrow’s Goal

Find arrows. Or a rifle. Or, failing that, a pointy stick and a really bad attitude.

Continue the Journey

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 6: Blizzard Send-Off, Ptarmigan Detour, and the Great Cooking Pot Tragedy
Customloper Diaries – Day 8 ▶

More from The Long Dark

20th Aug 2025 0

Customloper Diaries – Day 6: Blizzard Send-Off, Ptarmigan Detour, and the Great Cooking Pot Tragedy

Weather: Blizzard → calm → chilly dusk
Loot Highlights: Maple syrup, ptarmigan, teas
Mood: Mildly triumphant, then deeply betrayed by my own memory

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay |
What is Customloper?

Mountain Town Farewell Tour

The plan was simple: head for Mystery Lake. Naturally, The Long Dark decided my departure needed to be as unpleasant as possible. I stepped outside, full of optimism and travel plans… straight into a wall of snow. The blizzard hit so hard I half-expected the wind to demand my boarding pass.

Not keen on becoming a frozen cautionary tale before I even left Milton, I retreated back inside. While the storm roared outside, I repaired my climbing socks — because if I’m going to dangle from a rope over a death drop, my feet should at least be comfortable.

When the snowstorm finally lost interest in my destruction, I made a quick supply drop at my blizzard cache in Milton Park: food, flares, and a little hope for future me. If my track record says anything, future me will absolutely need them.

En route, I spotted a couple of ptarmigans. One made a clean getaway, but the second wasn’t so lucky — a quick stun and scoop secured dinner. My frame rate then staged its own protest against survival, solved with the ancient ritual of a one-hour nap and a full restart.

A Quick Rope-Climbing PSA

For anyone following along at home:
1. Over your carry weight? You’re not climbing.
2. Too tired? You won’t make it far before the rope wins.
3. Both? Prepare for a long fall and a high hospital bill (if hospitals still existed).

The climb up was almost suspiciously smooth. No wolves lurking at the bottom, no moose guarding the top. Just crisp air, creaking rope, and the growing certainty that something unpleasant was saving itself for later.

At the top, my guy was winded but not dying — a personal best. It was a short slog to the transition cave, where I took one last look at Mountain Town and stepped into the dark unknown.

Cave Navigation Pro Tip

Pick a wall — left or right — and stick to it the entire way. You’ll either find the exit or discover you’ve been walking in circles for hours. Either way, you’ll feel like a pro.

The cave was mercifully straightforward. I found a pre-built campfire setup and used it as an excuse for a much-needed coffee break. The simple act of brewing coffee pushed my Cooking skill to Level 2: Novice — still a long way from “Chef,” but I’ll take it.

With caffeine restored, I pressed on until daylight spilled through the cave mouth. Welcome to Mystery Lake.

Mystery Lake: The Training Wheels Region (With Wolves)

The Hunt for a Rifle… and a Cooking Pot

The sun was already sliding toward the horizon, so I aimed straight for Trapper’s Cabin. First thing I checked: the rifle rack. Empty. The loot gods remain cruel.

The safe offered a small consolation prize in the form of maple syrup — proof that at least one deity in this frozen world still cares about my morale.

Finally, I harvested the ptarmigan… and immediately remembered that every single one of my cooking pots was still back in Milton. All of them. My dreams of a hearty stew crumbled faster than my willpower in a wolf chase.

Instead, I brewed a round of reishi and rose hip teas, boiled water, and contemplated the life choices that had brought me to “hot leaf juice” as my primary meal. The only upside? I now have a reason to return to Milton, assuming I survive long enough.

Day 6 Summary

Location: Mountain Town → Mystery Lake
Finds: Maple syrup, ptarmigan
Wildlife Watch: Ptarmigan spotted and secured
Conditions: Blizzard start, calm finish
Status: Alive, caffeinated, cookware-less

Continue the Journey

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay
Customloper Diaries – Day 7 ▶

More from The Long Dark

13th Aug 2025 1

Customloper Diaries Day Five: Moose-terious Happenings

Customloper Diaries – Day 5: Moose Standoff, Bullet Disappointment, and Frostbite Gordon Ramsay

Weather: Overcast → blizzard remnants → cold, tense calm
Loot Highlights: 32 revolver bullets (without the revolver), coffee, stew ingredients
Mood: Caffeine-fueled paranoia

◀ Missed Day 4? Read it here |
What is Customloper?

Moose-terious Happenings and Bullet Mockery

I wake up cold, hypothermic, and shivering in a shelter that feels like it’s holding back winter by sheer stubbornness. Outside, the air is still heavy with yesterday’s storm. I light a torch—not for light, but for morale—and step outside to grab sticks for a fire.

That’s when I hear it. A low, deliberate snort. Snow crunching under something big. My brain takes about two seconds to put it together: the Moose is still here. Still patrolling. Still grumpy. All I’ve got is a flare gun, three flares, and zero confidence this will be anything but moose-poking practice.

Later research confirmed flare guns actually can scare or even injure moose. At the time, though, I pictured wasting all three shots and ending up as hoof-print art in the snow.

Sidebar: Flare Guns vs Wildlife

Wolves: Scared of everything, including your hesitation. Flare gun = instant retreat.
Bears: Works if you’re quick and accurate. Miss, and you’ve just upgraded it to “angry bear.”
Moose: Vulnerable, but charging moose leave little margin for error. Pray your aim is better than your panic management.

Fire, Coffee, and False Confidence

I retreat inside, break down a couple of stools, and get a fire going. Coffee brews while my temperature climbs from “freezer aisle” to “slightly uncomfortable.” Caffeine courage in place, I decide to make another break for it.

I crack the door. Two cautious steps outside—then I hear it again. This time I actually see the moose, casually stomping away from me like it owns the place. Which, frankly, it does.

I seize the chance to sneak toward the picnic area, hoping I’ll finally find a revolver or rifle. Spoiler: no. Just more snow, more silence, and the nagging sense I’m on borrowed time.

Panic Sprint to Orca

Plan B forms in my head: head to Orca Gas Station and regroup. The snow crunches under my boots, the wind whistles between the trees—and then I hear a noise behind me. Could be the wind. Could be antlers. I don’t check. I just run. Full panic sprint, torch flaring wildly, straight to Orca’s door.

Inside, adrenaline still in overdrive, I make a silent vow: if I live through this, I’ll cook everything I can get my hands on. Meals will be my legacy.

Bullets Without a Gun

The walk back to Grey Mother’s is uneventful, which feels like winning the lottery. I throw myself into cooking: rabbit stew, venison stew, boiling water—anything to nudge my Cooking skill higher. Somewhere in the process, I drop off 32 revolver bullets into storage. The universe clearly thinks this is funny.

Three separate attempts to repair my climbing socks all fail. Morale drops. I sweep Grey Mother’s house again just in case a revolver is hiding in the corner. It’s not.

I end the day reading a book to boost my harvesting skill, the flickering lantern light casting long shadows. Outside, the moose is probably still wandering. Inside, I’m still stubborn, still alive, still armed with only a flare gun and misplaced optimism.

Day 5 Summary

Location: Milton Region
Finds: 32 revolver bullets, coffee, stew ingredients
Wildlife Watch: Persistent moose
Conditions: Cold and tense
Status: Warm, fed, moose-adjacent

Continue the Journey

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 4: Prybars, Pancake Plans, and the Blizzard Lock-In
Customloper Diaries – Day 6 ▶

More from The Long Dark

30th Jul 2025 2

Customloper Diaries Day Four: Locked Trunks, Blizzards, and Pancake Promises

Customloper Diaries – Day 4: Prybars, Pancake Plans, and the Blizzard Lock-In

Weather: Clear morning, moose-level tension, full blizzard finale
Loot Highlights: Prybar, Storm Lantern, memento cache hint, acorns
Mood: Energised → cautious → “nope, not stepping outside”

Missed Day 3? Read it here. |
What is Customloper?

Moose Tracks and Memory Trunks

Morning at Paradise Meadows Farm is deceptively calm—blue skies, crisp air, and the kind of silence that makes you think “safe.” Which, as I’ve learned, is usually the universe setting you up for trouble. My goal is simple: get back to Grey Mother’s without freezing, starving, or becoming wildlife entertainment.

Before I even make it to the main road, I spot circling birds. If you’ve read my blog before, you know this usually means a corpse. And corpses mean loot. Sure enough, today’s offering is a prybar lying beside the unlucky owner. I take a respectful moment—then take the prybar. Survival first, sentiment later.

Milton’s Got Loot

With my new tool in hand, I march into Milton like a one-person locksmith service. Every locked trunk and locker I’d previously ignored is now fair game. The results? A couple of sodas, some gloves, and various odds and ends. Not exactly jackpot material, but the sense of clearing my “to-open” list is its own reward.

My real prize comes at Orca Gas Station. Perched on top of a ladder, basking in the weak winter sunlight, is a Storm Lantern. I’d have climbed Mount Timberwolf itself for this. It’s not just light—it’s morale. No more groping around in the dark like an amateur escape artist.

Signs in the Snow

Lantern in my pack, I head toward Milton Park. That’s when I see it—moose rubbings etched into a tree. My mood shifts instantly from “pleasant stroll” to “scan every shadow for large, angry silhouettes.” I haven’t actually seen a moose yet this run, but I’m not eager to test my odds.

Nearby, I gather acorns. They’re a small thing, but they bring me one step closer to Lily’s Pancakes—my long-term culinary goal. The catch? I still need Cooking Level 4. Which means at least seventy cups of tea, or possibly cooking every edible thing on the island. Twice.

Before heading out, I also find a memento cache hint. A promise of future loot, assuming I make it that far. If past runs are anything to go by, the odds are… let’s call them “variable.”

Blizzard Becomes the Boss Fight

By the time I start for my shelter, the snow is falling thicker. A few minutes later, I’m in the middle of a full blizzard. Visibility drops to “couldn’t find your own footprints,” and the wind is howling like it’s trying to blow the entire town off the map. Somewhere out there, I think I hear movement—could be a wolf, could be my imagination. Either way, the door stays closed.

Inside, I get a fire going, boil water, and cook whatever’s left in my pack. The mattress here is old, musty, and about as supportive as a wet paper bag, but compared to freezing to death, it’s luxury. Outside, the storm rages. Inside, I’m dry, warm, and in possession of a prybar, a storm lantern, and a future pancake dream. Could be worse.

Day 4 Summary

Location: Milton Region
Finds: Prybar, Storm Lantern, memento cache hint, acorns
Wildlife Watch: Potential moose spawn
Conditions: Blizzard-bound
Status: Warm, fed, slightly paranoid—but alive

Continue the Journey

◀ Customloper Diaries – Day 3: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug
Customloper Diaries – Day 5 ▶

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 ▶

Customloper Diaries Day Two: Blizzards, Boots, and Baseball Cap Confusion

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

Weather: Blizzard with a side of regret

Loot Highlight: Mariner’s Pea Coat, Maple Syrup, Three Matches

Mood: Optimistic, then crushed by cooking requirements

Missed the start of this adventure? Read Day 1 here.

Blizzard-Hopping in Milton

I start the day in Grey Mother’s house, do some quick inventory management, and drop 2.5 litres of water—hydration is important, but weight limits are brutal. I also find a third cooking pot beside the fireplace, which I immediately move to the kitchen like the house-proud survivalist I am.

Outside? Blizzard. Naturally.

First stop: the post office. It gives me nothing but disappointment, but the car loot makes up for it—three matches from four vehicles is an impressive haul in a whiteout.

I hop from building to building, clothes getting wetter, warmth draining faster than my optimism. Still, I find a pair of work boots—a welcome upgrade from my starter footwear.

Weather Clears, Map Expands

Eventually, the blizzard dies down. I whip out some charcoal and start sketching like a freezing Bob Ross, mapping out more of Milton.

The improved visibility leads to some solid loot:

Rabbit meat in a freezer
A glorious Mariner’s Pea Coat (cue dramatic coat-swirling montage)

Loot, Syrup & Sadness

In another house, I pick up a can opener and a cozy pair of wool long johns. Back at Grey Mother’s, I drop off my spoils—deer and rabbit meat, sticks, and reclaimed wood. My outdoor meat stash is growing nicely.

With some time left in the day, I loot another house and find maple syrup. I get stupidly excited. Lily’s Pancakes are within reach! Or so I think…

Turns out I need Cooking Level 4 and acorn grounds. Who knew pancakes were an advanced skill? The disappointment is real.

Also found: another chunk of deer meat in the freezer. I’ll take it.

Peak Chaos: The Baseball Cap Incident

I end the day attempting to harvest a baseball cap for cloth. Instead, I drop it. Then I drop it again. Then I drop it somewhere else. Apparently, I’ve been out in the cold too long.

Back at base, I drop the last of my meat stash outside, harvest some clothes, fill up on food and drink, and wrap up Day 2. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll make it to that memento cache.

Continue the Journey

18th Jun 2025 3

Customloper Diaries Day One: A Woollen Windy Welcome to Milton

Customloper Diaries – Day 1: Socks, Soup, and Stubbornness

Spawn Point: Spruce Falls Bridge, Mountain Town

Weather: Windy, with a 100% chance of optimism

Loot Highlight: Hunting knife, Cowichan sweater, two cups of coffee

Visit the Mountain Town map:
Check it out here.

First Steps and First Socks

I spawn near Spruce Falls Bridge, spot a sign for Milton, and like any wanderer with no better plan, I follow it. Along the way, I grab rose hips and reishi mushrooms because nature said so.

The bridge cars turn into an early-game care package: wool socks (luxury), a parka (yes please), matches (liquid gold), and a hunting knife I immediately form an unhealthy attachment to.

Shelter from the Storm (Sort of)

A nearby trailer offers a fire barrel, but I only duck in long enough to warm up and snag a wool toque—stylish and slightly smelly.

Down at the church I harvest cattails for calories, spot a deer carcass, and attempt to start a fire. The wind laughs. First attempt: fail. Second: also fail. Third: success… which the wind immediately blows out mid-harvest. Rude.

Deer carcass near the church — Can you spot it?

Redemption at the Altar (and in the Glovebox)

Inside the church, RNG finally smiles. One match, one try, one roaring fire. I cook the meat, boil water, and brew reishi tea. A nearby pickup coughs up a hatchet—huge early-game win.

Back in Milton, a glovebox note reveals a memento cache… at the church I just left. Classic.

Coffee, Cowichan, and Canadian Comfort

The bank delivers coffee grounds, two brewed cups, and a Cowichan sweater hidden in the safe like national treasure. Grey Mother’s house becomes base: two cooking pots, some deer meat, a ski jacket, hockey jersey, and wool mittens. Team motto: Not Dead Yet.

Winding Down with Tea and Triumph

I end the day with boiled water, cooked meat, and a cup of herbal tea to patch up condition. A windy start, but a strong finish. Customloper is officially underway.

Continue the Journey

4th Jun 2025 2