Unprepared – Log 1: Day 1 (Hushed River Valley)
Difficulty: Interloper
Run Time: 4 hours
I spawn in Hushed River Valley, right next to a waterfall, and immediately get the sense that this region exists
to test whether you actually deserve to keep playing.
I’ve been here before. I know there’s a moose satchel on this map.
I also know that familiarity doesn’t equal preparedness, and Interloper is very keen to prove that point.
Waterfall Spawn & Immediate Delusion
Part of me is convinced there’s a survival bow nearby. Another part of me is sure I can get past a scrub bush I spotted.
Neither belief survives contact with reality.
I stare at the scrub bush for longer than I care to admit, have no idea how to pass it,
and eventually give up. Confidence evaporates quickly out here.
Knowledge That Helps Nobody
I know Mountain Town is nearby. I know there’s a man-made snow shelter somewhere in this region.
None of this helps when you’re cold, under-equipped, and still arguing with terrain.
Ptarmigans & The Great Rock Tragedy
I come across some ptarmigans and decide to hunt.
- Stun one
- Eventually start a fire
- Cook something warm
I throw my rock and miss by an impressive margin.
Worse, I’ve now lost my only stone.
Hunting attempt: failed.
Inventory: actively worse.
The Torch Plan (That Never Happens)
I collect sticks with purpose. I have a plan:
- Start a fire
- Pull torches
- Use fire to keep wolves honest
The problem is simple.
I have no way to start a fire. No matches. No striker.
I forgot the key Interloper detail where you spawn with absolutely nothing.
Smoke, Wolves, and Accidental Skill
I spot smoke drifting from the direction of the moose satchel location.
It feels less like a hint and more like mockery.
A wolf appears. I panic. I improvise. I end up mountain goating away from it.
Somehow, it works.
I survive that encounter, which honestly feels like a mistake the game will correct later.
Field Footage
This footage shows the full run, ending exactly where it ended for me.
First ever Interloper attempt. No practice runs. No warm-up.
The log ends with confirmation of what this was:
my first attempt on Interloper, lasting four hours in Hushed River Valley.
Darkness, Blizzard, Wolf
Night rolls in. A blizzard follows.
I make one last push to find shelter or an exit.
I don’t find either.
A wolf does.
Four hours in, the run ends.
Day 1 Takeaways
- Four hours in Hushed River Valley is not nothing.
- One rock is not a plan.
- A fire plan without ignition is fiction.
- Smoke in the distance can feel personal.
- Mountain goating worked once. I will abuse that lesson.
I didn’t survive the day.
But I survived long enough to understand the problem.
Next attempt, I come in less blind.
Continue the journey:
Unprepared – Series Hub
|
Unprepared – Log 2
More from The Long Dark
-
Unprepared Hub
— all Interloper attempts in this series. -
The Long Dark Hub
— logs, guides, and maps. -
Map Hub
— regions and transition zones.
