๐Ÿงญ Survivor Incognito Just Got a Bit More… Survivor-y

Weโ€™ve updated our Start Here page! Whether you’re new to survival games or just new to chaos, find out whatโ€™s changed and where to begin on Survivor Incognito.

Survivor Incognito has grown. What started as one playthrough in The Long Dark has now sprawled into Skyrim, Subnautica, Stranded Deep, and even Snowrunner. It was high time the Start Here page reflected all the weird, wonderful (and slightly damp) survival chaos weโ€™re now known for.

So if you’re new, curious, or somehow still trying to figure out what the blog is actually about, this page is now your map, compass, and emergency flare.

๐Ÿ†• Whatโ€™s new on the Start Here page?

  • A proper intro that explains what Survivor Incognito actually is
  • Quick summaries
  • A tone that matches the rest of the blog โ€” witty, helpful, and just a little sarcastic
  • Internal links to all the fun stuff (including the Graveyardโ€ฆ because permadeath happens)

๐Ÿ”— Check it out here:
๐Ÿ‘‰ Start Here โ€“ Survive First, Ask Questions Later


If you’ve been following since the cold and caffeine-fueled early days, you might not need this page โ€” but it’s a fun refresher all the same. And if you’re new? Well, welcome. We’re not saying survival is easy, but itโ€™s easier when you’re laughing along the way.

๐ŸŽ‰ 500 Views of Portable Chaos โ€“ Thank You for Stopping By!

Survivor Incognito has crossed 500 views! A huge thank you to everyone whoโ€™s joined the portable survival chaos. Hereโ€™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 viewsโ€”and I want to say a huge thank you to everyone whoโ€™s visited, clicked, or accidentally found the blog while looking for something else entirely. (Hey, Iโ€™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 donโ€™t get lost like I do)

And a lot of Switch-based chaos


Fast forward to today, and Iโ€™m genuinely thrilled that over 500 viewsโ€™ 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 unfoldโ€”thank you.


๐Ÿš€ Whatโ€™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.


๐Ÿงญ Thanks for Joining the Journey

Iโ€™m just getting started. If youโ€™ve enjoyed the blog so far: โžก Bookmark the site
โžก Share it with fellow Switch survival fans
โžก Or just stick around for the next 500 views of portable disaster.

Hereโ€™s to the next milestoneโ€”and to thriving, not just surviving.

How I Handle Permadeath (and Still Sleep at Night)

Also: A Sunburnt & Sinking Tease You Didnโ€™t Know You Needed

Permadeath. The challenge. The chaos. The deeply personal betrayal when a lovingly named character walks off a cliff because you misjudged a ledge.

This post is part ruleset, part philosophy, and part gentle teaser โ€” because yes, one of my current runs has already ended. And no, you wonโ€™t find out how for at least two months.

I play ahead โ€” sometimes way ahead โ€” because it gives me time to write, screenshot, cry, and recover before you all read about it. So yes, I already know how some of my stories end. That doesnโ€™t mean Iโ€™m any more emotionally prepared.

My Permadeath Rules (Across the Blog)

๐Ÿ›‘ One life. Always.
If the game lets me die permanently, I do. No save-scumming. No reloads. If I glitch through the map, we roll with it.

๐Ÿงค Difficulty is flexible.
I donโ€™t always play on the hardest difficulty โ€” because surviving should be intense but still fun. I tailor it per series: Customloper for The Long Dark, Apprentice for Skyrim, standard settings in Stranded Deep.

๐Ÿชฆ Once they die, they go to The Graveyard.
Every character gets an obituary. Sometimes dramatic, sometimes… deeply stupid. Either way, the blog remembers them.

๐ŸŽฃ Runs are usually played a month or two ahead.
So if something goes wrong? You’ll find out… eventually.


๐ŸŒด Coming Soon(ish): Sunburnt & Sinking

Yes, Stranded Deep is on the way. Yes, the series is called Sunburnt & Sinking.

Stay tuned. Itโ€™s equal parts sunstroke and sharks.


๐Ÿงญ Want to Know More?

If you’re wondering why I donโ€™t always crank the difficulty to maximum chaos, there’s a reason for that โ€” and itโ€™s not just because I like my limbs frostbite-free.

Check out my full page:
๐Ÿ‘‰ Why I Play On Easier Difficulties

And if you’re curious about the rules behind each of my survival runs, from Customloper to Backyard Trials:
๐Ÿ‘‰ Rules of Survival โ€“ According To Me

Because every survival story has its own set of ground rules โ€” even the weird ones involving crows and deer that somehow win the fight.

Hereโ€™s Whatโ€™s Coming This Week โ€“ June 16 to 22

From fishing mishaps to Skyrim sniping and a custom cold-weather panic run, hereโ€™s whatโ€™s planned this week on Survivor Incognito.

The Week Ahead

The schedule is packed โ€” except for Monday, which is still being negotiated with the universe. But the rest of the week? Solid chaos incoming:

โ“ Monday โ€“ ???
Letโ€™s call it… a mystery. Maybe a new Survivorโ€™s Short? Maybe I finally win a wolf fight? Maybe I stare at a snow shelter and question my life choices. Stay tuned.

๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday โ€“ Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Three
Debt cleared, upgrades unlocked, and still no idea whatโ€™s lurking beneath the boat. Letโ€™s fish. Letโ€™s panic.

โ„ Wednesday โ€“ Customloper Diaries Day 2: Blizzards, Boots, and Baseball Cap Confusion
Day 2 of my Customloper survival in The Long Dark. Mild weather? Never heard of her.

๐Ÿ—ก Thursday โ€“ Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival โ€“ Day Eight
Skyrim continues. The Argonianโ€™s sneak streak lives on, unless someone spots him โ€” in which case, panic magic it is.

๐Ÿช“ Friday โ€“ The Backyard Trials: Grounded Day One โ€“ Honey, I Lost Myself in the Backyard
Itโ€™s tiny, itโ€™s deadly, and Iโ€™ve already lost my bearings. Welcome to Grounded permadeath.

More Survival Incoming

Thereโ€™s more to come, including mystery Mondays, drowned diaries, and maybe a few unexpected wolves. Stick around โ€” the chaos is scheduled.

Hereโ€™s Whatโ€™s Coming This Week โ€“ June 9th – June 14th Preview

Survival, stunned rabbits, fishing horrors, and a lot of undead. Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s scheduled for this week on Survivor Incognito.


The Week Ahead

Weโ€™re keeping the survival streak alive with another full lineup of chaos, questionable decisions, and more permadeath fun. Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s coming your way:

๐Ÿ‡ Monday: Survivorโ€™s Shorts โ€” The One Involving The Stunned Rabbit

Youโ€™ll see. It involves a rabbit, a stone, and my general lack of coordination.

๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday: Dark Waters โ€“ Day 2

The sea grows darker, the fish get weirder, and the Madness meter keeps rising. Day 2 of Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival goes live.

โ„ Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day 6

The Long Dark journey continues. More cold, more danger, and probably more bad choices.

๐Ÿ—ก Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat โ€“ Day 7

The Argonianโ€™s Skyrim Survival Mode adventure rolls into Day 7. Expect more sneaking, more sniping, and definitely more repeat.

๐ŸงŸโ€โ™‚๏ธ Friday: Day One Diary โ€“ Zombie Army Trilogy

The undead rise just in time for Friday. Itโ€™s a Day One Diary entry for Zombie Army Trilogy, and letโ€™s just say the welcome committee was enthusiastic.


See You in the Wild

As always, stay tuned across the week as each new post goes live โ€” and feel free to place bets on which run falls apart first.

Hereโ€™s What You Missed This Week โ€“ June 1st Week Recap

Catch up on this weekโ€™s survival chaos: bears, zombies, Customloper runs, permadeath hubs, and one very questionable Interloper experience.


This Week in Review

Another week of survival, panic, and the occasional questionable decision. Hereโ€™s what went live across the blog:

๐Ÿป Monday: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

Sometimes you bring a rifle to a bear encounter. Sometimes the rifle just brings panic. This week kicked off with a new Survivor’s Shorts entry where I learned that even with a firearm, bears remain terrifying.

The One-Shot Wonder: Bear Meets Panic Rifle


๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day One

The boat launched, the paranoia began. My permadeath Dredge run officially set sail with the start of Dark Waters. The ocean may look calm, but we both know it isnโ€™t.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day 1


โ„๏ธ Wednesday: Customloper โ€“ Day One

The Customloper experiment is underway. A bit Interloper, a bit Voyageur, a lot of me desperately hoping I donโ€™t freeze to death before leaving Mountain Town. So far, soโ€ฆ technically alive.

Customloper Diaries Day 1: A Woollen Windy Welcome to Milton

Side note, The Cold Chronicles and Customloper Diaries will be alternating weeks for the foreseeable. Until one of them ends of course. So next week will be the next entry The Cold Chronicles


๐Ÿ—ก Thursday: Skyrim Survival โ€“ Sneak, Snipe, Repeat โ€“ Day Six

The Argonian saga continues. Day Six saw more stealth, more arrows, and the usual healthy amount of questionable life choices while wandering Skyrimโ€™s frozen wilderness.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Suvival Day Six


๐Ÿช“ Friday: Grounded Permadeath Hub Goes Live

The hub page for The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath is officially up and running! Rules, info, and upcoming entries are all ready for you.
I also teased whatโ€™s coming next Friday: a special Day One Diary for Zombie Army Trilogyโ€”fittingly set for Friday the 13th.

The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath

Zombie Army Trilogy โ€“ Day One Diary Coming This Friday the 13th


๐Ÿ’€ Saturday: The Desolation Point Debacle

Today’s Survivor’s Shorts took us into Desolation Point on Interloper. It didnโ€™t go well. (Shocking, I know.)

Survivorโ€™s Shorts: Interloper โ€” The Desolation Point Debacle


What’s Coming Next

The backlog grows stronger. Next week, expect more from Dark Waters, Customloper, Skyrim Survival, and our first look at Zombie Army Trilogy. More danger, more chaos, more very avoidable mistakes.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Five

I return to Shroud Hearth Barrow to face a โ€œghost,โ€ discover itโ€™s just a deranged frost mage, clear out undead, remember how to zoom with a bow, and miss Lydia more than I expected.




The Ghost Isnโ€™t Real, But the Frostbite Is

The day begins with a voice echoing through the ruins of Shroud Hearth Barrow, telling me to turn back. I donโ€™t. Obviously. If I turned back every time a disembodied voice told me to, I wouldnโ€™t have left Helgen.

Inside, I find frost-covered halls and a frost-wielding โ€œspectreโ€ who turns out to be a man in a robe with a superiority complex. I resist the urge to shout, โ€œYouโ€™re not even undead!โ€ and settle for fire spells and potions instead. Frost resistance does most of the work. A few spells later, heโ€™s deadโ€”and not the kind that gets up again.

Turns out he snapped from isolation and decided to LARP as a ghost. His journalโ€™s full of ramblings, paranoia, and bad decisions. I should probably relate, but instead I loot his body and move on.

I canโ€™t help thinking Lydia couldโ€™ve handled the distraction while I circled behind. She was good for thatโ€”charging in recklessly while I fired off spells and arrows from the shadows. It hits me again that sheโ€™s gone. Permanently. Not resting in Breezehome. Just gone. And for the first time, that feels like more than an inventory loss.




A Quick Detour to Town

I return to the inn with the ghost-fakerโ€™s journal. The innkeeperโ€™s relieved to learn the place isnโ€™t haunted and rewards me with the Sapphire Dragon Clawโ€”because apparently the correct response to surviving a haunted dungeon is to send someone deeper into it.

Not one to refuse free ancient loot access, I eat some food, warm up, and head back in.




Back to the Barrow

The second half of the barrow is more undead and more danger. I find a sleeping bag tucked beside some barrels and take the opportunity to rest. One hourโ€™s enough to regain stamina and level up. I put the point into Health and choose Light Armor for the perkโ€”mainly because Iโ€™m tired of dying in three hits.

The claw fits the puzzle door and grants access to the barrowโ€™s inner sanctum. I shift into stealth mode and start clearing the area with arrows and fire spells. Itโ€™s during one of these fights that I finally remember: I can zoom in with my bow. (Hold ZL to aim, click right stick for zoom.) This information would’ve been helpful literally four days ago, but better late than dead.




New Magic, New Words, Same Cold

Along the way, I find an Oakflesh spellbook. Boosted armor without metal? Yes, please. It pairs well with my current sneaky-bow-mage playstyle, especially since Iโ€™ve yet to find decent armor that doesnโ€™t clank.

At the very end of the dungeon, Iโ€™m greeted by a Word Wall. I approach and learn Kyneโ€™s Peace, whichโ€ฆ sounds like something the Greybeards might want to chat about. I havenโ€™t seen them since I shouted at a mountain goat near Whiterun, so I imagine theyโ€™re still waiting patiently on their high stone perch.

Before I leave the crypt, I rest again and hit another level up. Health gets another boost (cold and axes both hurt), and I drop a perk point into Sneak. Because whatโ€™s better than being hard to kill? Being hard to find in the first place.




Day 5 Summary

Defeated fake ghost in Shroud Hearth Barrow

Acquired and used the Sapphire Dragon Claw

Cleared out all skeletons and draugr

Remembered I can zoom while aiming with a bow (finally)

Picked up Oakflesh for magic armor buffs

Learned Word of Power: Kyneโ€™s Peace

Leveled up twice: +2 Health, Light Armor +1, Sneak +1

Missed Lydia more than expected



The barrowโ€™s empty, the loot is mine, and the Greybeards are probably wondering if Iโ€™ve died in a ditch. Theyโ€™ll get their answer tomorrowโ€”assuming I donโ€™t freeze to death first.

Check out the full series here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival

Why I’m Not Chasing Clicks (And What That Means for Survivor Incognito)

When I started this blog, I knew 2 things for sure:

  1. I love survival games.
  2. I didn’t want to turn them into something stressful โ€“ for me or for you.

So I made a choice early on: I wouldnโ€™t flood Survivor Incognito with SEO trickery, hyped-up headlines, or โ€œTop 10 Ways to Get Views Fast!โ€ guides. I wanted this to grow like a campfire โ€” one spark at a time. Slow, steady, and occasionally smothered by a blizzard.

The Stats So Far

May was my first full month live. I got:




Some days itโ€™s just one or two views. Others itโ€™s a little spike from Reddit, Facebook, or Pinterest. Itโ€™s not explosive โ€” but itโ€™s real. And itโ€™s mine.

  • 324 views.
  • 243 visitors.
  • And one mildly surprised blogger wondering who these brave souls are clicking through the fog.

Why I’m OK With Slow Growth

Because I’d rather build a small camp of readers who:

  • Actually enjoy what I like.
  • Like permadeath stories, region guides, or rabbit-stunning mishaps.
  • Stick around for the tone, not the traffic.

Clickbait can bring numbers, sure. But Iโ€™m not aiming for viral. Iโ€™m aiming for cozy. If a blog post of mine makes someone laugh, try something new in The Long Dark, or curse a moose in solidarity โ€” thatโ€™s enough.

What’s Ahead

The blog will keep growing โ€” one post, one map, one diary entry at a time. If you’re here reading this? Thank you. You’re part of what makes this space feel less like a webpage and more like a cabin with the fire lit.

Feel free to browse the hubs, subscribe for updates, or just keep coming back when the blizzards hit.

Stick Around?

I post new survival diaries, game guides, and mildly catastrophic moments every week. Head to the homepage to see whatโ€™s been happening, or subscribe if you want updates without the clickbait.

Hereโ€™s Whatโ€™s Coming This Week โ€“ From Dodos to Doedicurus and Deep Space

This week at Survivor Incognito: dino disasters, cosmic chaos, a return to Customloper, and two new Survivorโ€™s Shorts. Here’s the full lineup of whatโ€™s dropping and when.

Monday โ€“ A Double Hit to Start the Week

Day One Diary: No Manโ€™s Sky
Cold planet, no scanner, and a plant that bit me. Welcome to Zuwan 58/E6.

Survivorโ€™s Short: The Doedicurus Incident
One spear. One armadillo. Zero survivors. The best (worst?) five seconds of ARK youโ€™ll ever read.

Wednesday โ€“ Into the Cold

Day One Diary: The Long Dark โ€“ Customloper
Coastal Highway just got colder. My custom difficulty is set to โ€œhelp is a mythโ€ โ€” and this diary is where it begins. This is a taster of what is to come next week

Thursday โ€“ Skyrim Survives Another Day

Skyrim Survival โ€“ Day Five
My Argonianโ€™s back, colder than ever, and probably regretting their life choices again. Expect sneaking, sniping, and the occasional panic shout.

Friday โ€“ Frostbite & Fur

The Long Dark โ€“ New Entry in A Voyageurโ€™s Tale
The Cold Chronicles continue with more frostbite, slightly less dignity, and whateverโ€™s left in my food stash.

Survivorโ€™s Short: The Moose Encounter
He saw me. I saw him. Only one of us had antlers โ€” and it wasnโ€™t me.

Plus: This Site Just Got A Bit Update

All entries for The Long Dark, Skyrim, and Day One Diaries have been turned into full posts (not pages!) so theyโ€™re easier to find, share, and follow.

Thanks for Reading โ€“ And Surviving

Bookmark the blog, subscribe if you havenโ€™t, and remember: in survival gaming, itโ€™s not about thriving โ€” itโ€™s about laughing while everything falls apart.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Four

Missed Day 3 โ€“ Read it here

Started the day the way all great stealth archers doโ€”by pretending to care about politics. Found the Redguard woman in Whiterun that the Alikโ€™r mercs were sniffing around for. She gave me the classic โ€œtheyโ€™re lying, Iโ€™m innocentโ€ speech. Naturally, I decided to investigate further, because Iโ€™m not just a deadly ghost in the shadowsโ€”Iโ€™m also weirdly nosy.

So I paid a visit to the dungeon. Not because I enjoy the ambiance (mossy rocks, chain rattles, general despair), but because thatโ€™s where the Alikโ€™r prisoner was holed up. On my way through the cells, I stumbled across a conveniently placed letter that kicked off While the Catโ€™s Awayโ€”because apparently jail is where people keep their treasure maps now. This new breadcrumb trail pointed me to Rorikstead, so thatโ€™s now on the ever-growing โ€œplaces Iโ€™ll forget to visitโ€ list.

I bribed a guard to release the Alikโ€™r guy. Ten gold down, but the man refused to leave. Said he liked it there. Who likes jail? I left him to enjoy the damp stone aesthetic and moved on.

Decided to get serious about transport and talked to the guy at the stables. Instead of a horse, I got a map to horse locations. Look, I may specialize in ranged combat from the shadows, but even I think this quest design is a bit rich. I considered stealing a horse parked outsideโ€”because whatโ€™s stealth archery without a bit of stealth theft?โ€”but resisted. Barely.

Set off for Ivarstead, because apparently walking from town to town is now my main questline. Took a scenic route through White River Watch, because I saw bandits and my inner archer whispered, โ€œfree loot.โ€ Cleared the place, looted some arrows, andโ€”big momentโ€”found a replacement torch. Goodbye darkness; hello slightly less darkness.

Further down the road, a local asked for help clearing out some spooky ancestral crypt. I said yes, mostly because ghosts are easier to shoot than bandits. Lydia followed me in. She didnโ€™t follow me out. Somewhere in the middle of a draugr-infested hallway, she stopped tanking and started dying. I mourned just long enough to loot her stuff and whisper, โ€œyou took too many aggro points.โ€ I may join the Companions soon, if only to get a fresh meat shield with less emotional baggage.

Finished the tomb, claimed some loot, and resumed the long haul to Ivarstead. Got lost twice. Almost turned back three times. It wasnโ€™t clear if I was heading east, west, or straight into existential crisis. Eventually, the town showed up and I dragged myself into the nearest inn.

Dropped into a bed with no torch dropped this time. Progress.

RIP Lydia. You were loud, clunky, and bad at staying behind me. But you absorbed a lot of arrows meant for me, so thanks for that.

Read the full journey here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival

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