Tag: skyrim survival mode

Survivor’s Dread Hub + Rules of Survival Updates

Hub & Rules Updates – Survivor’s Dread and Beyond

Two big refreshes: the Survivor’s Dread hub gets a makeover with clickable images and new content, and the Rules of Survival page is sharper, broader, and now includes Day One Diaries.

Survivor’s Dread Hub Refresh

The horror corner of Survivor Incognito has had a makeover. The Survivor’s Dread Hub is now cleaner, more visual, and easier to explore:

  • Clickable images: Each series hub can be entered directly by tapping/clicking the banner images.
  • Subnautica added: While not strictly survival horror, leviathans in the dark absolutely qualify as “horror-adjacent.”
  • Cleaner sections: Each series now has its own block with a blurb so you can jump straight in.
  • Coming soon: Future plans include Resident Evil, Metro Redux, and more Switch-friendly nightmares.

Check out the updated Survivor’s Dread hub →

Rules of Survival Page Updated

The Rules of Survival (According to Me) page also got a major refresh. It now serves as the central rulebook across all my permadeath runs and diaries, and includes:

  • Day One Diaries rules: One day, one shot. Added with a link to the Day One Diaries Hub.
  • Expanded series add-ons: Grounded, Stranded Deep, Subnautica, Alien: Isolation, Dredge, Skyrim, The Long Dark, and SnowRunner all have their own entries.
  • Streamlined global rules: Now strictly focused on in-game survival, with practical, Switch-friendly allowances.

If you’ve ever wondered what invisible rulebook guides my permadeath chaos, this is the place to look.

See the updated Rules of Survival page →

Why This Matters

These refreshes make the site easier to navigate, clearer for new readers, and a stronger foundation for the survival chaos to come. Whether you’re following the horror diaries or the more traditional survival runs, you’ll know exactly what rules I’m following, what’s changing, and where to dive in.

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Goodnight, Sweet Lizard: A Farewell to My First Skyrim Survivor

After 13 in-game days of sneak attacks, harsh weather, and a deeply unfortunate troll encounter, my Argonian Skyrim survivor meets his end. This is his legacy — and a lesson in knowing when not to go into caves.

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

In Loving Memory of One Very Cold, Reluctantly Landed Argonian

He was cold-blooded. He was quiet. He preferred to solve most problems from the shadows with a well-placed arrow — because melee is for people with frostbite and regrets.

And yet, after surviving everything Skyrim threw at him, it wasn’t bandits, dragons, or starvation that claimed him. It was two angry trolls and one very bad decision to poke around in Darkshade Cave.

The Life of a Lizard Who Tried His Best

This wasn’t just another survivor.
This was a stealth archer, which is to say: a Skyrim classic.
He lived by the code of “snipe first, loot later, probably run if it doesn’t work.”

In just under two weeks, he:

Escaped Helgen

Lost Lydia

Hired and lost a mercenary

Earned Goldenhills Plantation the way every true adventurer dreams of: by completing a creepy quest and forgetting to farm anything afterwards

Rescued a horse he named Loki, who became the real MVP of the run

Became a part-time necromancer, part-time landowner, and full-time weather complaint generator

Climbed the 7,000 Steps in survival mode without dying of frostbite. Which is frankly a flex.


He even tried to get back to Riverwood like a responsible protagonist.

And then he saw a cave.

Final Moments: The Troll Toll

It started with a stop in Windhelm to offload loot and maybe warm up.
Then came the cave — just a quick look inside, a moment of curiosity.

The first troll nearly killed him.
He chugged potions like they were mead.
The second troll hit harder.
Somewhere in the middle, Gutworm joined the party.

And that was it.

No shouts. No slow-motion kill cam. Just two trolls and a regrettable sense of exploration.

What We’ve Learned

If there are bones outside a cave, leave them and the cave alone.

Gutworm is not an edgy band name — it’s a problem.

Owning property does not make you immune to stupid decisions.

Trolls are not “starter enemies.”

And stealth archery cannot save you if you’re cornered with no exit and 12% stamina.

Final Thoughts

He never had a name. But he had a farm, a horse, and a bow.

He stood on mountaintops. He summoned undead to do his dirty work.
He shot first, looted later, and almost made it to two weeks.

And then he did what every Skyrim player eventually does:
He got Skyrim’d by a cave.

Rest in peace, my scaly shadow-dweller. You tried. And in Skyrim Survival Mode, that’s more than enough.

And like they always say, I don’t know who they are, but they do: Finish on a song

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This Week on Survivor Incognito – Sinking In and Saying Goodbye

It’s a big week ahead on Survivor Incognito — we’re kicking off a brand new permadeath run, and also saying farewell to one of our longest-surviving characters.

  • 🌊 Stranded Deep: Sunburnt & Sinking officially begins this week. Expect sharks, dehydration, raft regrets, and poor life choices from Day One.
  • 🐍 Skyrim: The Eulogy will also be posted — a proper farewell to my Argonian survivor who gave it everything (except warmth, shelter, and a working torch).

It’s one of those weeks where we start something new and say goodbye to something old — which, let’s face it, is the rhythm of survival gaming.

Stick around. It’s going to be eventful.

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Here’s What You Missed This Week

It’s been a big week at Survivor Incognito: a new diary began, another series ended, and a milestone snuck up on us. Here’s the full breakdown:

  • Tuesday: Stranded Deep – Day One Diary (official permadeath run starts next week!)
  • Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles – Day Nine
  • Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Final Entry (eulogy coming next week)
  • Friday: SnowRunner – Day Two, where I somehow end up on top of a mountain… with no plan for getting down.

We also launched the Subnautica Maps page this week, with a Subnautica: Below Zero map hub in the works too.

And lastly — a huge thank you: the blog passed 1,000 views this week! I’m currently plotting something fun as a proper thank-you to everyone who’s been reading, lurking, or laughing at my survival misfortunes.

More survival chaos (and a few heartfelt eulogies) coming next week.

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Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Thirteen

A peaceful morning turns tragic as a detour into Darkshade cave leads to the end of the run. My Argonian meets his match in a brutal troll ambush, marking the end of this survival tale.

Missed the previous entry? Find it here: Skyrim Survival Day Twelve

The Long Road Home

I wake up in Kynesgrove, still alive after yesterday’s dragon incident — which, let’s be honest, felt like a miracle in itself. Looking at the map, I realise the trek back to Riverwood is going to be long. Possibly frostbitten. Definitely hungry. So, to lighten the load and my pack, I make a detour to Windhelm to sell off some loot and rethink life choices.

Gold in pocket and slightly less overencumbered, I continue south. I pass a black mage on the road and instinctively prepare for a spell-flinging ambush… but nothing happens. They just nod and keep walking. Huh. That’s… unsettling.

The Cave That Should Have Stayed Unexplored

Then I find it: Darkshade Cave. A delightful little murder hole nestled along the path. The bones outside should have been a clear warning, but I’m tired, curious, and suffering from a chronic case of “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Spoiler: everything.

The first troll nearly turns me into lizard paste. I’m chugging health potions like I’m in some sort of Nurnroot energy drink commercial. Somehow, I survive. Barely.

I breathe out. Relief washes over me.

That’s when the second troll appears.

Stronger. Meaner. Less camera-shy.

I dodge a few swings, land a few blows… but it’s a losing battle. I get hit with Gutworm, which sounds exactly as bad as you’d imagine. I make a mental note to look up what it does, assuming I live long enough to Google it.

I don’t.

The End of the Road

And just like that… my Argonian is dead.

After everything:

The chaos of Helgen

The bitter cold of the mountains

Losing Lydia

Hiring a mercenary only to lose them too

Gaining Loki, my summoned saviour

Battling dragons, undead, frostbite, and starvation…


In the end, it wasn’t fire or ice that killed me. It was two angry cave trolls with boundary issues.

Rest well, my scaly friend. You deserved better.

Final Thoughts

So ends my first attempt at surviving Skyrim.

Maybe it was foolish to enter that cave. Maybe I should’ve gone straight to Riverwood. Or maybe — just maybe — trolls need to be nerfed.

Either way, it’s game over for now. But don’t worry. I’ve got more lives than a Khajiit with a lucky coin. A new run is coming.

Eventually.

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Here’s What You Missed – Week of July 15th

Another week, another batch of survival stories wrapped in chaos and questionable decisions. Here’s what went down on Survivor Incognito this week:

  • Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Final Entry
  • Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles (Customloper) – Day Four
  • Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day Twelve
  • Friday: SnowRunner Survival: The Permagear Diaries – Day One

That’s one series wrapped, one launched, and two still going strong.

Also, a quick thank you — last week the blog saw nearly 200 views. Whether you read one post or all of them, I appreciate you surviving alongside me (or at least watching me not survive).

On another note, the next few weeks are going to be busy for me. But I’ll do my best to keep the chaos here going

More mayhem next week.

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☣️ Permadeath Pending: Games That Might End Me Next

Here’s a look at the survival and horror games currently on deck at Survivor Incognito — including Subnautica, Alien: Isolation, Resident Evil, and more. Expect disasters. Possibly nuclear.

While I’m still trying to survive sand, snow, sea monsters, and supply chain disasters (SnowRunner coughs in Michigan), I’ve also been staring at my backlog and thinking:

“What else could go horribly wrong?”

Here are the games lurking in the blog pipeline — all under consideration, none guaranteed to go well.

🎮 Games Under Consideration (aka: The Next Mistake)

🪸 Subnautica & Below Zero

Status: Planned
Blog Potential: Longform underwater dread, optional screaming

Classic survival, but 500 meters underwater with alien jellyfish. Subnautica is set to follow Stranded Deep, assuming I don’t starve to death on a raft before then.

Below Zero is the colder, weirder sequel. I’ll likely run it once I’ve built enough fake confidence from the original.

👽 Alien: Isolation

Status: “Definitely Maybe”
Blog Potential: High panic, high perishability

It’s just me, a broken flamethrower, and one very judgmental alien. I’m currently designing blog rules that allow me to survive more than one encounter without invalidating the whole series.

If I pull the trigger, it’ll be part of Survivor’s Dread — assuming the alien doesn’t pull it first.

🧱 Minecraft: Skyblock

Status: In Freefall
Blog Potential: Infinite resource drama, void-based trauma

Floating blocks. Limited resources. Me forgetting how gravity works. A Skyblock run could easily become a short-form Day One Diaries arc or a full permadeath challenge titled Skyward.

Every entry will involve a mistake that absolutely could have been avoided.

☢️ Blast Corps (Permadeath Series)

Status: Scheduled post-SnowRunner
Blog Potential: Explosions. One life. Bulldozers.

This one’s simple: if the nuclear truck explodes, that’s the end of the series.

Expect a short, chaotic run where I flatten towns in the name of safety. The tone will be lighter. The stakes will be extremely not.

🧟 Resident Evil (Zero, One, Revelations 1 & 2)

Status: Rotating Horror Fodder
Blog Potential: High-panic short arcs, possible scream counters

Classic survival horror. Typewriters. Puzzles. Me mismanaging ammo like it’s my first zombie rodeo. These games could work as Survivor’s Dread mini-series or feature as one-off challenge runs.

Permadeath rules apply. Panic is inevitable.

🧠 XCOM 2

Status: Under Tactical Review
Blog Potential: Emotional damage disguised as strategy

Turn-based survival meets naming your doomed teammates. Could become a squad diary under a name like Operation Incognito, or a straight-up permadeath campaign where I get attached and suffer the consequences.

If you want to watch me cry over fictional soldiers, this is the one.

📁 Completed Games & In Progress (For Now…)

These titles have had their moment on the blog — but might make a comeback when I’ve emotionally recovered:

  • Skyrim Survival Mode
    My Argonian necromancer lived through cold weather, clumsy ambushes, and accidental vampirism. We may revisit his tale. Just… not Bleak Falls Barrow again.
  • The Long Dark – Voyageur Run
    We tackled Mystery Lake, Coastal Highway, and transition zones full of regret. Future runs may include Customloper or Misery Mode, depending how brave (or foolish) I feel.
  • SnowRunner (Michigan Arc)
    Once Michigan is cleared, I’m calling it. I’ll return to stuck trucks and bad contracts eventually, but first — nukes.

💬 So, What Should I Play Next?

Here’s where you come in. Got a favorite from the list above? Think I should suffer through Alien: Isolation before jumping into the ocean? Have your own terrible suggestion?

Drop a comment. Vote with chaos. Whisper “Skyblock” into the void. Whatever works.

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Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Twelve

The Dragon at Kynesgrove

Day 12 of the Skyrim Survival Mode playthrough. A desperate march through a blizzard leads to a deadly encounter with Sahloknir at Kynesgrove.

Missed the previous day? Find it here: Skyrim Survival Day Eleven

[Interlude Recap – The Road to Riverwood]

Because I forgot to make a note of what happened

After surviving a High Elf ambush near Honningbrew and realizing I’d accidentally sold my only torch (a true survival pro, clearly), I made the chilly trek from Morthal to Riverwood. My goal? Track down whoever had politely stolen Jurgen Windcaller’s horn and left a cryptic note about it.

Upon arrival, I met the mysterious individual behind the theft — who, thankfully, turned out to be more “cryptic guide” than “bandit with a flair for calligraphy.” They handed over the horn without a fuss, which was nice… right up until they asked me to go kill a dragon at Kynesgrove.

Because obviously, if I can survive wolves, hypothermia, and poor decision-making, dragon-slaying is the next logical step.

Chasing the Dragon (Literally)

There are days in Skyrim where you feel like destiny is calling. Today was one of those days. I could have taken a brief detour to drop off the horn with the Greybeards, but when you know there’s a dragon waiting to be resurrected, priorities tend to realign.

Vampires, bandits, assassins, wild animals—they all tried their best to slow me down along the way. But I was focused. The true fight lay ahead.

A Grim March Toward Kynesgrove

The journey itself was tense. The air grew colder with each step closer to Kynesgrove. Was it the dragon’s presence? Was it simply the Skyrim weather being its usual cruel self? Hard to say. I stopped several times to check my bearings and steal a few glances at Loki. It crossed my mind more than once that this might be our last trek together.

As I neared Kynesgrove, the weather fully descended into a blizzard. Visibility was almost nonexistent. I encountered a lone villager who confirmed the obvious: a dragon was circling above. No kidding.

A Brief Respite Before the Storm

I found the local inn, empty. Either everyone had fled or were smart enough to avoid the place entirely. With no one around and no real chance for rest, I left Loki safely behind and pressed on alone. Loki didn’t need to be part of this.

The Resurrection of Sahloknir

At the burial mound, Alduin made his grand appearance, resurrecting Sahloknir right before my eyes. The cold gnawed at me, my health bar already looking dangerously low before the real fight even began.

And then the battle was on.

The Fight for Survival

Sahloknir wasted no time unleashing his icy breath, shredding what little health I had left. I knew I couldn’t survive many hits. Then Delphine arrived, drawing the dragon’s attention long enough for me to slip back and start unloading arrows.

When Sahloknir refocused on me, one more breath could have ended everything. But I kept firing. One arrow after another. Finally, the beast collapsed.

Victory, Barely

With Sahloknir slain, I spoke with Delphine. A Blade in the Dark was complete; Diplomatic Immunity had now begun. I staggered back into Kynesgrove, found the first available bed, and collapsed into it.

I live to fight another day.

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Here’s What You Missed at Survivor Incognito

Another week, another set of chaotic survival tales. If you blinked, here’s what went live on the blog:

  • Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Six
  • Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles – Day Eight
  • Thursday: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat – Day Eleven
  • Friday: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Permadeath – Final Entry

One story wraps up, others carry on. Thanks for tagging along—more survival chaos ahead next week.

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Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Eleven

Loki the MVP, and Ustengrav Gets Sneaky

Day 11 of my Skyrim Survival Mode playthrough on Nintendo Switch. I cure my vampire disease, nearly lose the run to disconnected controls, and finally become the stealth archer I keep pretending to be.

Missed the previous day? Find it here: Skyrim Survival Day Ten

Cured, Not Cursed

After some internal debate, I decided to cure the disease before I fully turned vampire. I’m not ruling out the vampire lifestyle forever, but for now I prefer my Argonian warm-blooded and not photophobic. Maybe next time.

Ustengrav Ambush: Hooves First, Questions Later

Outside Ustengrav, I’m ambushed by three bandits and a necromancer. Could’ve been the end of the run—especially when my Joy-Cons disconnected mid-fight. Nothing like fumbling for a controller while enemies swing for your skull.

Luckily, Loki stepped in. I dismounted and used hit-and-run tactics while my horse quite literally stomped the threat out of them. Between the panic, arrows, and hooves, we made it through.

Depths of Ustengrav: Stealth Archer, Finally

Inside, I finally commit to the stealth archer lifestyle I keep pretending I’ve mastered. Draugr fall one by one to well-placed arrows, never knowing what hit them. This is the dream.

For a brief moment, I wonder if there’s a way to bring Loki into dungeons. Probably not. Still, the mental image of a stealth horse sneaking past Draugr is one I’ll cherish.

The Horn Is… Missing?

Reach the end of Ustengrav, expecting to claim the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Instead, I find a note. Great. Someone’s stolen it and wants a private meeting at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood. Because that’s not suspicious at all.

Back to Morthal

With the dungeon cleared and no horn in sight, I head back to the inn in Morthal to thaw out and call it a day. I’ll deal with mystery notes and secret meetings tomorrow. For now, I’ve earned some warm food and sleep.

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