Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 14: Wolf Welcome Party, Basin Hideout

Unprepared Log 14: Wolf Welcome Party, Basin Hideout

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mountain Town (Milton / Milton Basin)
Survivor: Will
Platform: Steam Deck

“Today’s plan was ‘walk to a farmhouse.’ The game heard that and queued up a wolf.”

I wake up with a sensible idea for once: head down to the farmhouse and start building a second base of operations in
Mountain Town. It would also, in theory, help with cabin fever. Which means it’s a problem for tomorrow.

Before I go anywhere, I dump a few things at Grey Mother’s. I’m heavier than I want to be, and I’m trying
to avoid that classic Interloper moment where you realise you’ve been carrying your own downfall for two hours.

Farmhouse Plans, Wolf Opinions

I don’t even reach the bridge to the farmhouse before a wolf decides I look like lunch.
And because the game loves rules more than it loves my survival, I’m not allowed to use the hacksaw to fight it off.
So I do what every Interloper hero does when faced with teeth and bad choices:
I punch it.

Somehow, I survive the attack. I limp back to Grey Mother’s to sort myself out properly:

Pain treatment, because my character now moves like a badly loaded shopping trolley.
A bandage for a sprained ankle.
A quiet moment to appreciate that I didn’t lose any clothing in that fight. Miracles happen.

The farmhouse plan is dead. I’m not marching straight back toward “Wolf Ambush Street” while hobbling.
So I pick a new destination: Milton Basin.

Milton Basin: Rabbits, Regret, and a Carcass I Can’t Reach

In my head, Milton Basin means caves, a bit of shelter, and hopefully fewer predators.
It also means rabbits. Which would be great… if my wrists weren’t sprained.

I spot a rabbit and immediately remember I can’t do anything about it. Again.
The game really does have a personal vendetta against me and rabbit-based nutrition.

I do see birds circling, which means there’s food somewhere.
Sure enough, I find a deer carcass… and then spend far too long trying to work out how to actually get to it.
It’s always reassuring when you can see the calories but have to solve a small geography puzzle to claim them.

Eventually, I reach it. I harvest what I can:

Meat (because starving is still my biggest enemy)
Deer hide (future plans, assuming I survive long enough to have “future”)
Skipped the guts this time — it felt like it would take too long, and I’m already on thin ice health-wise.

Mag Lens Logic, Cave Reality

Once I reach the bottom of the basin, I find the cave and decide to do something smart for a change:
use the sunlight while I’ve got it.

I assume I can’t use the magnifying lens inside the cave, so I start a fire outside with the lens,
load it enough to grab a torch, and plan to use the torch to start a fire in the cave.

Naturally, the game proves me wrong. I can use the lens inside the cave…
though to be fair, the fire was right near the entrance, so it’s basically “indoors” in the same way standing under
a bus stop counts as “shelter.”

The cave itself has a bed and bones. I don’t love the bones.
Bones usually mean “something big sleeps here,” and “something big” usually means bear.
I’ve never seen a bear in the basin in my past runs… but I also wouldn’t be shocked if an update made it possible.
The game’s whole brand is surprise consequences.

Cooking, Caution, and a Short Sleep

I cook whatever I can before sleeping. The goal is simple:
get warm, get fed, and don’t do anything that forces another panic retreat.

When I finally sleep, I keep it shorter than the fire’s remaining burn time.
I’m not repeating the mistake from earlier in this run where I sleep too long and wake up to a situation
that feels like punishment for having eyelids.

Farmhouse ambitions can wait. Tonight I’m alive, bandaged, and tucked into a cave that may or may not be a bear’s spare bedroom.
Interloper is about setting realistic goals.

Quick Notes (Steam Deck Survival Brain)

If you’re heavy, drop gear before travel. Wolves love slow targets.
After a struggle, fix pain + sprains immediately. Moving injured compounds risk fast.
Birds circling = calories, but expect awkward paths and time loss.
The mag lens can work near cave entrances when there’s enough light. Don’t assume “cave” means “no lens.”
Sleep shorter than your fire burn time when you can. Waking up cold is a classic run-ender.

Video

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 13 |
Unprepared Log 14 (You are here) |
Unprepared Log 15

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 13: Detours, Moose, and Cabin Fever Math

Unprepared Log 13: Detours, Moose, and Cabin Fever Math

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mystery Lake → Mountain Town
Platform: Steam Deck
Survivor: Will

I woke up with a plan. The game woke up with a fog bank and spite.

First thought: check the snare I set yesterday, because free rabbit is the closest thing Interloper has to joy.
The problem is I can’t see five feet in front of me.
It’s full-on “walk forward and become a landmark” visibility.

So I do what any brave survivor would do: I go back inside and pretend this is part of my strategy.
If the world is going to hide itself, I’m going to sit down and research until it feels embarrassed.

Arrow Plans Meet Scrap Reality

With the weather refusing to cooperate, I do a quick sanity check on what I need for arrows.
And it’s the usual Interloper punchline: I need an improvised knife.

Which means scrap metal.
I have two.
Two scrap metal is not a plan, it’s a suggestion.

That changes everything.
I decide I’m heading to Milton, grabbing whatever scrap I can, and then pushing on to Forlorn Muskeg.
It’s not what I wanted to do, but Interloper doesn’t do “wanted.”

Through the Cave, With the Usual Drama

I take the cave route toward Mountain Town.
It goes fine, which is suspicious on its own.

When I reach the transition and the rope down into Milton, I hit the usual problem:
I can’t take everything.
So I dump gear at the top of the rope with the classic lie I tell myself every time:
“I’ll be back for this.”

I do get one small win.
In a nearby cave I find matches.
It’s not a hammer, but it’s also not death, so I’ll take it.

New Rope, Same Nonsense: The Moose

I climb another rope and, at the top, there’s a moose waiting for me.
Just standing there like it pays rent.

I swear it’s the same moose from Mystery Lake.
I know that’s not how the game works.
I also know the moose doesn’t care what I know.

I give it space and continue into town, because I’m not getting stomped into paste today if I can help it.

The Orca Gas Station Problem

I try to hit the Orca Gas Station, because it’s a solid loot stop and I’m here anyway.
Except I don’t have a prybar.

Because I left it back in Mystery Lake.
Because I didn’t think I was coming here.
Because I’m apparently doing a challenge run called “Forget the One Tool You Need.”

I do a quick look around in the hope I find another one.
No joy.
So I pivot and start looting what I can actually enter.

Milton House Tour: Scrap Notes and Low Excitement

I go house to house, grabbing what I can.
Nothing is wildly exciting, but I make a mental note of where the decent scrap is for later.
If I’m going to Forlorn Muskeg, I want to go with more than two sad bits of metal rattling in my pocket.

The trip stays surprisingly calm.
No ambush wolves.
No sudden blizzards halfway through a street crossing.
Just the moose lurking like a tax collector.

Greymother’s: Water, Pots, and a Small Clothing Win

I reach Greymother’s house without any hassle and immediately get to work on the basics:
boil water, organise gear, and pretend I’m in control.

Loot-wise, I find a couple of cooking pots.
That’s actually useful.
More water, faster cooking, less time spent watching a fire like it’s a live sports event.

I also find combat pants.
Which means I now have something in each slot.
Well… except the slot where the moose satchel would go.
But we’re not talking about that yet.

Tomorrow’s Plan: Prybar, Hammer, and a Bit of Hope

Tomorrow I want a prybar.
Ideally I also find a hammer, because my “go to a forge” plan is currently being held together with optimism and poor timing.

Mountain Town should have enough scrap to set me up properly.
The only question is whether the game lets me collect it without turning the streets into a predator convention.

And Then Interloper Remembers Cabin Fever Exists

I head to bed in Greymother’s feeling like I’ve at least moved the run forward.
Which is when the game throws the one thing I thought I was avoiding:
Cabin Fever risk.

I forgot the grace period is shorter on Interloper.
Of course it is.
Of course the punishment system is also on hard mode.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 12 |
Unprepared Log 14

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 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

I Was Just Trying to Get Home (And Then This Happened)

What started as a quiet trip back to Grey Mother’s turned into a wolf ambush. Here’s how my Customloper run nearly ended on Day 3.

—

Just Me, a Skillet, and Regret

I’d just finished looting Paradise Meadows Farm. I had a fresh rabbit stew in my belly, a skillet in my backpack, and dreams of a cozy night back at Grey Mother’s. You know. Normal stuff.

Then this happened.

—

That’s right. No warning. No howls. Just me, walking around a corner like I own the place, and a wolf showing up like he owns the place. Spoiler: he nearly did.

I did what any reasonable person would do—I ran back inside, popped painkillers like trail mix, and bandaged my wrist while re-evaluating all my life choices.

Moral of the story: Never trust Milton to be quiet, and always expect the game to humble you the second you start feeling safe.

—

For more tales like this, please check out: Survivor’s Shorts

25th May 2025 0