Tag: Apex Predator Rule

🩸 Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary Log 5: Bob, Cultists & Chaos

“Apparently Charles had other plans today. Which is fine — I had a date with destiny… and Gertrude.”

⚙️ Survival Status: 3 Strikes Total
Only Charles can take them away.
Each egg restores a lost strike — but I can’t exceed three.
When the last one’s gone, the run ends.

Watch: Fighting Charles twice and storming the northern mine (Steam Deck Gameplay).

The Setup — Gertrude’s Gift & Gale’s Key

I half-expected to hear that ominous whistle the second I loaded in, but the island was unusually quiet. No ambush, no chase — just eerie calm. I took it as an omen (probably a bad one) and rolled out to find my next local resident: Gertrude. She asked me to retrieve her late husband’s weapon and name it BOB in his honour. Honestly, she could’ve asked me to name it after her cat and I’d still have agreed — I need firepower more than morals at this point.

Not far down the line, I met Gale, who kindly handed over the final key I needed to access the last egg mine. Suddenly, everything clicked into place: I had all three egg locations and the coordinates for my potential final weapon. The problem? Reaching them alive. Step one: get BOB.

Round One — Collecting BOB (and Unwanted Attention)

I arrived at the scrapyard where cultists had taken BOB and barely had time to blink before that familiar whistle echoed across the valley. I slammed the train into forward and grabbed the Bug Spray. No visual — so I backed up, regrouped, and tried again.

That’s when I discovered two things. One: my train is a surprisingly effective cultist-flattening machine. Two: overshooting the area guarantees a personal visit from Charles himself.

The ensuing fight was messy. The Bug Spray pushed him back; the machine gun chipped away; the Boomer — well, let’s say my aim was more “creative fireworks” than “effective combat.” Eventually Charles retreated, but I somehow triggered a second encounter almost instantly. Double chaos for the price of one. After the rematch, he finally slunk away to lick his metallic wounds.

With the area silent again, I cleaned up the last surviving cultist (the train helped) and looted every scrap in sight. And there it was — BOB, shiny and furious. Welcome to the team, you beautiful piece of overkill.

Island Decisions — Next Stop: The Egg Mines

I debated my next step. Theodore’s mission was still on the board, Sasha’s definitely wasn’t, and the thought of climbing cliffs for a single scrap felt… inefficient. The choice was clear: time to start collecting eggs.

Egg #1 — Northern Mine Mayhem

The northernmost mine seemed like the least terrible option. A lone cultist patrolled outside — I introduced them to BOB. Inside, I discovered something new: I could actually lean left and right. Whether it’s a mine-only feature or some unintentional stealth buff, I’ll test it later.

I crept through the tunnels, listening to a cultist whistle a cheerful little tune that made the situation feel way too casual. I tried sneaking past — failed spectacularly — and took a bullet for my efforts. Panic mode engaged. I sprinted, found the glowing egg, yanked a few random levers, and bolted for daylight.

One egg secured. One strike restored. Back to three lives remaining.

Log Observations & Survival Notes

  • BOB is a beast: Best used for short, devastating bursts. Don’t overheat it.
  • Bug Spray still reigns supreme: It’s the best tool for making Charles think twice.
  • Scrap remains sacred: You will always need more than you have.
  • Cultists aren’t bulletproof: Especially not when they meet the front of a train.
  • Leaning in mines helps: It might not save you, but it makes dying funnier.

Pro Tips (Steam Deck Edition)

  • Use gyro aiming if you can — it helps land those tricky shots with the Boomer.
  • Don’t linger near cultist camps — they hear the train before you see them.
  • BOB + Bug Spray combo = panic fire supremacy.
  • Take fights on straight track when possible — easier weapon tracking, safer retreats.
  • After Charles retreats, loot nearby paths fast — his cooldown window is short.

Need a guide? Explore every stop, scrap pile, and spider sighting with the Aranearum Island Map Guide — your unofficial atlas to surviving the rails.

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🩸 Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary Log 4: Pickles, Papers, and Payback

Platform: Steam Deck |

Apex Predator Rule: Three strikes to start. Only Charles can take them.
Each egg restores one — never more than three total.

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted the lady obsessed with pickles. Or the one hunting Slender Man. But hey—scrap is scrap.”

🎥 Survivor’s Reel: Log 4 – Pickles, Papers, and Payback (No Commentary)

The Pickle Lady Cometh

My first stop was a house belonging to someone I can only describe as the Pickle Lady. According to her, there’s “one last jar of pickles” hidden deep in her pickle cave. She wanted me to retrieve it, and honestly, the promise of scrap was enough for me to overlook how absolutely unhinged she seemed.

Charles, mercifully, must have agreed—because he didn’t interrupt this one. Maybe even he thought, “Yeah, she’s crazy,” and decided to give me a pass. Pickles retrieved, reward collected, and my sanity mostly intact.

The Slender Situation

Next up was Sasha, who casually informed me that the Slender Man was also apparently hanging around the island. She’d already collected eight pages and wanted me to grab the next set. Logical, right? Because clearly, one supernatural monster just isn’t enough.

Unfortunately, the universe had other plans. No sooner had I finished talking to her than that familiar whistle pierced the air. Charles. I bolted for my train, but he was faster. The beast blindsided me and shredded my health bar like paper. Charles earns his first win. Two chances left.

Still annoyed—and slightly traumatized—I decided to humor Sasha anyway. I managed to grab three pages before some unseen Slender-like presence told me to “go away.” Quest abandoned. Sanity preserved.

Bridge Over Terrifying Waters

After a quick recovery, I shifted gears and tracked down Santiago’s journal. Delivered it safely—though apparently, I could’ve snooped inside first. Missed opportunities, I guess. My next stop was Eugene’s son, who still believes his father is alive and well on the mainland. I didn’t have the heart to correct him.

He handed me a set of explosives and outlined the island’s master plan: lure Charles onto a wooden bridge, blow it sky-high, and end this nightmare once and for all. It’s a bold plan. Questionable, sure—but bold. I now have the temple key for when it’s time to place the eggs and start the final battle.

Preparing for Round Two

As the day closed, I parked the train near a resident’s home rumored to hold another weapon. After my last run-in with Charles, I’m more than ready to upgrade my firepower. Whether or not I get a moment’s peace to actually do it—that’s another story.

For now, I’ve survived long enough to plan my next move. But I can’t shake the feeling that Charles is circling again, waiting for round two.

Continue the journey:
Log 3: Explosions and Evasion |
Log 5 (Coming Soon)
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🩸 Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary Log 3: TNT, Torpedoes & Terrible Timing

Platform: Steam Deck
Rule: Apex Predator (Charles must kill me three times for the run to end)

⚙️ Survival Status: 3 Strikes Total
Only Charles can take them away.
Each egg restores a lost strike — but I can’t exceed three.
When the last one’s gone, the run ends.

“If there’s a bad time to use explosives, I’ll find it.”

I start by doing a quick sweep for guards near the mine that’s supposedly holding ammo for the rocket launcher. Thankfully, no one’s around — which is rare, and suspicious. The entrance itself, however, is locked. Naturally.

My map says, “Find a way in.” Okay, fair enough. I look around and find some TNT. Perfect. If that doesn’t open a door, nothing will.

Important survival lesson: stand further back when lighting TNT. I take a chunk of damage from the blast, and I’m pretty sure Charles just got a notification that I’m being an idiot. If he missed that one, don’t worry — I detonate a second explosive down the tracks. More fire, more noise, more damage to me. Subtlety is dead, but the door isn’t. Yet somehow, the mine opens, and I grab the rockets.

Back to John Smith, who hands over The Boomer. I’m officially armed and ready to make even more bad decisions.

Lighthouse Lunacy

My next bright idea: go exploring. I notice a marker close to the island’s edge. Against every instinct I have, I run for it. Turns out it’s a lighthouse, home to a woman named Claire — who needs the breakers fixed.

There’s a shed nearby with four breakers. Easy enough. I sprint over, slot them in, and head back. Apparently, I “missed a step.” Turns out I need to turn them on, and it’s a little puzzle. Thirty seconds later, lights on, job done. Claire thanks me by saying fixing the lighthouse will help others spot us more easily. Yes, Claire. Including Charles.

I make a break for the train. The moment I mark my next stop, I hear it — that whistle. Round two is on.

Round 2: Return of the Rail Demon

Charles is far more persistent this time. I test out The Boomer and land a few solid hits. He claws, rams, and screeches like he’s auditioning for the next Doom soundtrack. Twice, I think he’s gone, and twice, he charges back in. After burning through some scrap for repairs, I finally drive him off. Victory number two to me.

Feeling cocky, I decide to visit another local — Ronny, who seems like he’s gearing up to tell me his life story. Nope. He just wants me to climb some dangerously tall buildings for a box of papers, promising maybe one scrap as a reward. I climb anyway, find a tin of paint for the train (score), but fail a jump and lose a scrap.

Technically, that did count as a “death” — but since it wasn’t at the claws or wheels of Charles himself, it doesn’t break the Apex Predator Rule. Accidental gravity-assisted injuries are free passes in this run.

After a few more attempts, I decide Ronny’s box isn’t worth the spinal injuries. My train, on the other hand, gets a stylish new coat of paint — a well-earned upgrade after surviving two Charles encounters.

Danger on the Hill

Feeling brave — or stupid, jury’s out — I go for Theodore’s supply box next. Unfortunately, the area’s crawling with Cultists. I spot one and think I’ve figured out his patrol pattern. I haven’t. The second guard ambushes me from uphill. I sprint for the train, but pause to open my map — rookie mistake. The cultist scores a hit.

As I’m running, I hear that familiar whistle again. Charles is awake, and maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that I didn’t grab that box. I dive into my train, patch up, and decide both Theodore’s mission and Ronny’s tower of death can wait.

For now, the plan is simple: find the next closest survivor, avoid blowing myself up again, and maybe, just maybe, make it to Log 4 without turning into train food.

Need a guide? Explore every stop, scrap pile, and spider sighting with the Aranearum Island Map Guide — your unofficial atlas to surviving the rails.

Continue the Journey

← Log 2: Flame, Speed, and Fetch Quests | Log 4 →

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Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary Log 1 – Welcome to the Rails

🩸 Derailed & Doomed – Log 1: Welcome to the Rails

Difficulty: Default (Steam Deck)
Rules: I start with three strikes under the Apex Predator Rule.
Only Charles can take them away. Each egg collected restores one lost chance, but I can never hold more than three at once.

“Eugene called with a ‘big find for the museum.’ I should’ve known when he refused to say what it was until the boat was already docking.”

Arrival – The Call That Should’ve Stayed Missed

Apparently Eugene has discovered something huge on Aranearum Island—something the museum “can’t ignore.” What he forgets to mention, until we’re thirty seconds from land, is that the discovery hisses, hunts, and has legs that would make a freight spider jealous. By then, of course, it’s too late to turn around.

No sooner do we dock than Eugene takes off at a sprint like he’s late for his own funeral. I grab the station key, unlock the building, and meet my transportation for this misadventure: a battered yellow locomotive that looks one patch of rust away from retirement.

First Blood – Eugene’s Farewell Tour

I test-fire the roof gun—short bursts, satisfying recoil—and then we’re moving. The honeymoon lasts roughly twenty seconds before Charles himself crashes the party. Eugene insists we “keep firing.” I oblige; Charles responds by turning Eugene into exhibit material. The monster vanishes into the trees, leaving me with a wrecked train, a dying mentor, and new marching orders: find the eggs that power this nightmare.

📺 Watch the Run – Log 1 Gameplay

Here’s the footage from this log — the moment Eugene and I make first contact with the eight-legged nightmare himself. Recorded on Steam Deck using the built-in capture tool.

Side Tracks – The Island’s Welcoming Committee

My first stop is Tony Tiddler, who generously offers the key to his barn and a stash of scrap. I call that charity; he calls it cleaning up. Next, I reverse the train, switch tracks, and meet Candece, who points me to her balcony—more scrap, fewer spiders.

Feeling brave (or stupid), I detour toward the middle of nowhere and meet the local witch, Lizbeth Murkwater. She wants swamp meat from an island guarded by something named Barry. I don’t see Barry, but I feel him—same energy as the invisible water creature from Amnesia: The Dark Descent. I retrieve the goods, vow never to swim again, and sprint back to dry land to upgrade my train’s speed. Priorities.

Locks, Luck, and Helen’s Revelation

Next up is Daryl, a man armed with lockpicks and zero clue how to use them. Fortunately, I manage. The mini-game is all timing—light on punishment, big on satisfaction. More scrap secured, more confidence gained.

My final stop of the day is Helen. As I slow the train and step off to meet her, I hear that familiar metallic shriek echoing through the forest. Instinct wins: I sprint back to the train, gun ready, waiting for the inevitable screech and charge. Nothing. Just the wind and the kind of silence that feels like it’s holding its breath. After a tense minute, I risk it—back down the path to Helen’s camp.

Helen greets me like I haven’t just done the most dramatic 100-metre dash of my life and explains that Charles can’t simply be killed; he has to be lured into a one-on-one fight to the death. To do that, I’ll need to locate the three eggs hidden in mines across the island and use them to summon him. Simple plan: collect cursed objects, trigger final boss, try not to die first.

Night Falls – The Quiet Before the Screech

I head back to my train under a sky that looks like it’s plotting. There’s another survivor nearby, but they can wait. Somewhere out in the fog, metal claws scrape against steel. Charles knows I’m here—and he wants a word.

Log 1 Pro Tips (Steam Deck Edition)

  • Speed first. Running away is still a strategy—just louder.
  • Scrap early, scrap often. Spend it before Charles taxes it.
  • Keep to the tracks. Wandering equals dying with extra steps.
  • Barry exists. Trust the ripples; they’re not friendly.
  • Fire in bursts. Overheated guns are invitations to funerals.

Need a guide? Explore every stop, scrap pile, and spider sighting with the Aranearum Island Map Guide — your unofficial atlas to surviving the rails.

Continue the journey:
Log 1 (You Are Here) | Log 2
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Survivor Log #1 – October 2025

🪵 Survivor Log #1 – October 2025: Riding the Rails of Terror

“The trains are running again. Unfortunately, so are the screams.”

Back on Track

The Survivor Logs are officially back — revived, refuelled, and just in time for Halloween. It’s been a while since the last campfire catch-up, so let’s dive straight into what’s coming down the tracks.

Derailed & Doomed Takes the Spotlight

Choo Choo Charles has pulled into the station, and it’s hungry. October’s focus is firmly on Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary, running under the Apex Predator Rule. Three lives, one monstrous train, and plenty of tracks to regret walking down. Expect new logs throughout the month — assuming I survive long enough to post them.

Other Series on Standby

While Charles hogs the spotlight, the rest of the Survivor Incognito universe is catching its breath. Alien: Isolation and Subnautica entries will appear intermittently, but October’s chaos belongs to the rails. Once the screams die down (or I do), we’ll see which world gets the next diary spotlight.

Looking Ahead

I’m keeping this month’s log short and sharp — like the claws of a certain spider-train hybrid. Expect the next Survivor Log once the Halloween smoke clears, complete with reflections on the run, blog milestones, and maybe a few hints of what’s waiting in November’s frost.

Continue the Journey

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