The Cold Chronicles Day Seven: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark

The Cold Chronicles – Day 7: Dead Ends, Rifle Finds, and Aurora Skies

Difficulty: Voyageur
Optional Features: Cougar enabled (because paranoia keeps you alive)

Day 7 on Coastal Highway brings dead-end roads, beachcombing, Barb’s rifle, and my first aurora. I almost fall through the ice (again), stash gear on Jackrabbit Island, and cook meat like a man possessed. So… a productive day?

Missed Day 6? Read it here.

The Road That Goes Nowhere

Another sunrise, another overambitious plan. Today, I decide I’m going to follow Coastal Highway all the way to its mysterious conclusion. Maybe I’ll find a new transition zone. Maybe I’ll find a wrecked truck with some rifle rounds and a can of dog food. Maybe I’ll find peace.

Spoiler: it’s a rockfall.

But I don’t know that yet. I set out early, dragging my increasingly reluctant survivor across the snow. First stop: the bridge just beyond the garage. It’s held up surprisingly well for the end of civilization. On the far side, I spot a car, and inside it—a note. Someone left a tip about a hidden cache near the garage. Tempting. Very tempting. But I decide to keep pushing forward for now. Eyes on the prize.

The road gets quieter. No wolves, no wind. Just snow crunching underfoot and the occasional groan from my guy who’s still mad about the 40kg backpack I’m making him haul. Eventually, the highway ends not with loot or glory, but a literal wall of boulders. No secret passage, no helpful signage. Just a dead end.

Rifles, Ice, and Intrusive Memories

With the highway goal dashed, I backtrack. But I’m not going to waste the day. I decide to poke around under the bridge I crossed earlier—because that’s a normal survival instinct now. Good thing I do, too.

Tucked under the support beams, half-buried in snow, is Barb’s rifle. No note, no explanation. Just the long-forgotten tool of someone else’s survival story. I take it, check the condition (not bad), and immediately feel 30% more powerful. Rifle > revolver. Every time.

Feeling cocky, I veer off the road and make my way across the ice toward Jackrabbit Island. The ice creaks and pops in that threatening way it always does, but I push forward, ignoring the very obvious signs that I am not welcome here. My screen does that “you’re about to die” wobble. I shuffle back to solid ice just in time. Somehow, I don’t fall in. Survival roulette wins again.

The Jackrabbit Hoard

I reach the house on Jackrabbit Island and decide to use it as a makeshift drop zone. I ditch the revolver, some food, a spare lantern, and whatever else I can live without. The rifle stays with me, obviously.

Loot-wise, Jackrabbit delivers. I find:

A skill book for rifles (Barb would be proud)
Another lantern (my third—clearly I have a problem)
More food, because Coastal Highway is just one big buffet if you know where to look

My inventory’s still ridiculous, but a little lighter. Temporarily.

Seagulls and Sketchy Ice

On the way back, I decide to risk a little beachcombing. I hug the shoreline, watching for anything shiny poking out of the snow—and get rewarded. A couple of arrows just sitting on the ice, half-frozen but perfectly usable. I swipe them up and head for Misanthrope Island.

As I get close, I see birds circling. That means one thing: a carcass. The ice between me and it looks about as stable as my guy’s calorie intake, but I edge closer anyway. It’s a deer, still fresh. I manage to harvest the meat and pull back without falling in. That makes two ice victories today, which honestly feels greedy.

Inside the house on Misanthrope, I find—surprise—more food and clothing. Nothing game-changing, but enough to keep the “loot goblin” part of my brain happy. I stow what I can, then head back toward the garage with a torch in hand in case wolves decide they’re hungry for man meat.

A Spark in the Static

Back at the garage, something’s different. There’s a glow. A hum. The computer whirs to life.

The aurora has arrived.

It’s my first one in this run, and it’s just as eerie as I remember. The air crackles, the sky pulses green, and the electronics—dormant and useless for days—suddenly flicker back to life. It’s beautiful in a “should I be worried?” sort of way.

I don’t have time to dwell on it. I’ve got meat to cook, water to boil, and coffee to brew. Lots of coffee. My survivor’s probably 80% caffeine at this point. I do my best diner cook impression, juggling pots and pans, and by the end of it the place smells like scorched venison and instant espresso. Not the worst way to end a day.

I eat what I can, dump the rest into storage, and crawl into bed. The aurora flickers through the window as I drift off.

Final Thoughts

Day 7 gave me a rifle, some arrows, a hidden cache hint, and a front-row seat to the aurora. Sure, I nearly fell through the ice twice and carried half my body weight in gear the whole way, but it was worth it.

Still alive. Still hoarding. Still hallucinating predators.

Continue the journey:
Day 6 |
Day 8

🧭 Weekly Recap – Survive, Sleep, Repeat

Catch up on the latest survival stories from Survivor Incognito, including permadeath tips, The Long Dark’s Customloper progress, Skyrim Survival struggles, and our chaotic first steps in Grounded. Your weekly roundup of cozy chaos and portable panic is here!

Monday:

💀 How I Handle Permadeath (And Still Sleep at Night)
I laid out my personal rules for permadeath, how I cope when a character dies a stupid death (usually of my own doing), and why it somehow keeps me coming back for more. Survival tip: Sleep helps. So does sarcasm.

Read it here: How I Handle Permadeath (and Still Sleep at Night)

Tuesday

📜 Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Three
We went further out to sea, saw things we probably shouldn’t have, and learned that fish aren’t the only things lurking in the dark. Spoiler: sanity is overrated.

Read it here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival – Day Three

Wednesday

🏔 Customloper – Day Two
Mountain Town continues to be less “cosy alpine retreat” and more “conveniently located death trap.” At least we are still in one piece. Mostly.

Read it here: Customloper Diaries Day Two: Blizzards, Boots, and Baseball Cap Confusion

Thursday

🗡 Skyrim Survival – Day Eight
Frostbite, bandits, and the general annoyance of being overencumbered after picking up one too many cabbages. Classic Skyrim survival energy.

Read it here: Sneak, Snipe, Repeat Day Eight

Friday:

🏡 Grounded – Day One
Honey, I Shrunk the Panic. First day in the backyard brought bugs, dehydration, and a steep learning curve. That aphid had it coming.

Read it here: The Backyard Trials: Grounded Day One – Honey, I Lost Myself in the Backyard

Coming next week:

🧊 More Long Dark, more Dark Waters, more Skyrim, and a deeper dive into the backyard horrors of Grounded. If we’re lucky, there may even be fireflies. If not, probably just death by thirst.

I’ll also hopefully have the Day One Diary for Don’t Starve up. And will explain the the rules for Snowrunner Survival. But these are both hopefully as I’m currently under the weather at the time of this going up. Thank goodness for being able to schedule posts though.

22nd Jun 2025 0

The Cold Chronicles – Day 6 Is Live!

Spoiler: Things didn’t warm up

Day 6 of The Cold Chronicles is now live—and so is my steadily growing sense of frostbitten despair.

Expect:

Another day of snow, moose anxiety, and questionable life choices

A desperate search for supplies that ends… poorly

And a reminder that even the sun looks cold in The Long Dark

 Read the latest entry here: The Cold Chronicles Day Six
❄️ Catch up on previous days via The Cold Chronicles: The Long Dark Hub

11th Jun 2025 0

The Cold Chronicles Day Six: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark

The Cold Chronicles – Day 6: Cartography, Carcasses, and Cold Feet

Difficulty: Voyageur
Optional Features: Cougar enabled (because paranoia keeps you alive)

“Snow, moaning about pack weight, and mapping everything that doesn’t bite. I dodge wolves, hallucinate bears, and risk the ice for some questionable meat. All in a day’s work.”

Missed Day 5? Read it here.

Morning Mystery: Where’s My Hide?

I start the day in that familiar state of survival-induced amnesia, wondering what I did yesterday and where I put that deer hide I worked so hard for. A quick look at my freshly updated map reveals it’s just a couple of houses down the road. I retrieve it without incident and decide today’s goal is simple: push further down the highway and fill in more of the map. No drama. Just exploration.

Which, in this game, obviously means I’m about to get hit by some drama.

Weather Warnings and Weight Woes

I step outside and immediately regret everything. It’s snowing, visibility is tanking, and I’m carrying 5kg more than I should be. My guy starts wheezing like he’s dragging a lead sled through molasses, and I know I’m going to hear him grumble about it all day.

Still, I press on.

Vehicles, Wolves, and Safe Sketching

I come across an abandoned car. Nothing useful inside, but it counts as shelter, and more importantly, it’s a predator-free place to update the map. I sketch it in while occasionally glancing at the frozen coast where wolves are loitering like bored mall cops. I carry on before they get curious.

Further along, I spot a closed fishing hut—unlooted and unvisited. Jackpot. I raid it for whatever scraps I can find and add it to the map.

Warm Feet, Flashbacks, and Phantom Bears

At the nearby fishing camp, I head into the first cabin and finally find a proper pair of boots. They’re heavier, but warmer, and my frostbitten toes thank me for the upgrade. I repair them, put them on, and get ready to head back out.

The moment I step outside, I freeze. Not because of the cold—but because I think I see a bear. Instant flashback to a past run in this same region, where a moose blindsided me outside the garage like it was collecting a debt.

Turns out this time it’s just a weird shadow and my overactive paranoia. No bear. Crisis imagined.

The rest of the cabins offer very little, but I do manage to:

Score a flashlight (Aurora prep)
Find more revolver rounds (now at 23 bullets)
Still weigh 40kg because I can’t stop picking up every slightly useful item I see

Birdwatching for Survival

As the light fades, I notice birds circling another fishing hut in the distance. That means one of three things: a body, a carcass, or a trap. I roll the dice and head over.

It’s a wolf carcass, right at the edge of some very sketchy-looking ice. I brace myself for a freezing swim but manage to harvest the meat without falling through. Back in the hut, I cook up the wolf and have my first proper meal in a while. Victory tastes like questionable carnivore.

The Long Walk Home (By Torchlight)

Darkness falls fast, and while the fishing hut is cozy enough, I don’t trust it to protect me through the night. I grab a torch from the fire and make the journey back to the fishing camp.

Somehow, no wolves. No bears. No moose. Just the sound of snow crunching underfoot and the occasional “ugh” from my overencumbered survivor. I make it to the cabin, crawl into bed, and let the darkness take me.

Final Thoughts

Day 6 down. I mapped half the coastline, got some new boots, hallucinated a bear, and ate a dead wolf. Still weighed down like a junkyard collector, but alive. That counts.

Continue the journey:
Day 5 |
Day 7

The One-Shot Wonder: Bear Meets Panic Rifle

On Coastal Highway in The Long Dark, a bear ambushed me at dusk. I panicked, fired, and somehow dropped it with a single shot. I’m still processing what happened—and how I’m alive.

—

It was getting dark on Coastal Highway. I was returning to Quonset Garage after a day of looting, freezing, and thinking about food I didn’t have.

And then I heard it.

That guttural growl—the kind that makes your blood freeze before the weather does.

I turned.
Bear. Charging.

My brain hit full panic mode. I fumbled for my rifle, jammed it into position, aimed down the sights, and braced for impact.

I fired.

I adjusted the brightness of the video so you can see what happens.

—

The Original

This is the original version. I was playing handheld on the Switch at the time

—

One shot. The bear dropped.

I stood there in stunned silence, half-expecting it to get back up and laugh. But it didn’t. It was down. Permanently.

Was it a crit? A miracle? Game physics?
No idea. But for that one shining second, I wasn’t just surviving—
I was the apex predator.

—

Final Thoughts

In a game known for handing out slow, painful deaths, I got a split-second win.
And honestly? I’m not sure it wasn’t a fluke.
But I’ll take it.

—

If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Survivor’s Shorts

—

2nd Jun 2025 1

The Cold Chronicles Day Five: A Voyageur’s Tale of The Long Dark

Survival Switch-Style

Day 5 – Mapping Coastal Highway, Finding a Revolver, and Prepping for Pleasant Valley

Next: Day 6 | Previous: Day 4

Today’s mission was simple on paper: lighten my pack, loot like a professional, and avoid becoming a decorative frozen lump in a snowbank. The first step was Quonset Garage inventory triage. I dumped food, meds, spare clothes, and every non-essential item into my storage stash — keeping just enough to keep me alive. Travel light, loot heavy. The survivor’s paradox.

First stop: a nearby building that greeted me with the holy grail of kitchenware — a cooking pot and a skillet. Outstanding finds. Unfortunately, they also weighed roughly the same as my survival hopes, so back to Quonset I trudged, muttering about my endless loop of “find loot, dump loot, repeat.”

With the weight off my shoulders (literally), I decided today was going to be about exploration — specifically, mapping Coastal Highway like a cartographer with too much time on their hands. I hopped between fishing huts, pausing every so often to scribble charcoal marks on my map like an artist who only draws squares. The wind bit at my face, ice groaned under my boots, and somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled just to keep me humble.

Loot highlights of the hut-hopping adventure included: a book on fishing (because nothing says “immersive reading” like reading about fishing while fishing), a hunting knife that immediately earned its keep on a nearby deer carcass, and — drumroll, please — a revolver.

Three bullets. Enough to be dangerous, not enough to be reckless.

Yes, an actual revolver. Even better — it had one round chambered, and earlier in my fishing crawl I’d picked up two loose bullets. That’s three shots. In The Long Dark, that’s not just self-defense; it’s a small-scale munitions miracle. Of course, in my infinite wisdom, I’d left the rest of my ammo back at Quonset, so for now it’s more of a moral support weapon.

While the deer meat cooked in one of the huts, I dashed over to a nearby trailer to drop off the hide and gut for curing. Nothing says “I’ve made it” like casually starting your own rabbit and deer leather collection. Resource management, baby.

By evening, the weather had shifted from “brisk” to “why are you outside, you fool?” A blizzard swept in just as I reached the edge of the lake. I wasn’t about to attempt a hero’s march back to Quonset in that, so I ducked into the nearest house. The place was cold, abandoned, and smelled faintly of damp socks — but it had loot, so it met my standards.

Looted the place, harvested some extra clothes (accidentally shredded a perfectly good hat, but we don’t talk about that), and collapsed into bed before the fatigue meter could nag me into a penalty.

End of Day 5: One revolver, three bullets, a map full of fishing huts, and the creeping suspicion that Coastal Highway might just be my new favorite spot — assuming the wolves don’t hold a vote on the matter.

Continue the journey:
◀ Day 4 – Into the Wind and the Wolves
Day 6 – To Pleasant Valley ▶

30th May 2025 1

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Five

I return to Shroud Hearth Barrow to face a “ghost,” discover it’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 Isn’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 don’t. Obviously. If I turned back every time a disembodied voice told me to, I wouldn’t have left Helgen.

Inside, I find frost-covered halls and a frost-wielding “spectre” who turns out to be a man in a robe with a superiority complex. I resist the urge to shout, “You’re not even undead!” and settle for fire spells and potions instead. Frost resistance does most of the work. A few spells later, he’s dead—and not the kind that gets up again.

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

I can’t help thinking Lydia could’ve handled the distraction while I circled behind. She was good for that—charging in recklessly while I fired off spells and arrows from the shadows. It hits me again that she’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-faker’s journal. The innkeeper’s relieved to learn the place isn’t haunted and rewards me with the Sapphire Dragon Claw—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 hour’s enough to regain stamina and level up. I put the point into Health and choose Light Armor for the perk—mainly because I’m tired of dying in three hits.

The claw fits the puzzle door and grants access to the barrow’s inner sanctum. I shift into stealth mode and start clearing the area with arrows and fire spells. It’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 I’ve yet to find decent armor that doesn’t clank.

At the very end of the dungeon, I’m greeted by a Word Wall. I approach and learn Kyne’s Peace, which… sounds like something the Greybeards might want to chat about. I haven’t seen them since I shouted at a mountain goat near Whiterun, so I imagine they’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 what’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: Kyne’s Peace

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

Missed Lydia more than expected

—

The barrow’s empty, the loot is mine, and the Greybeards are probably wondering if I’ve died in a ditch. They’ll get their answer tomorrow—assuming I don’t freeze to death first.

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

29th May 2025 1

Day 1 Diary – The Long Dark Customloper – Cold Coast, Hard Start

Day 1 of a Customloper survival test in The Long Dark. Spawned in Coastal Highway. Made gloves out of scraps, got hit with a blizzard, and somehow didn’t freeze to death.

I put in the Customloper settings, picked my character, set the spawn to random, and named the file Day One. I spawn in Coastal Highway – specifically right next to the path leading to The Ravine.

Map of Coastal Highway

I think about going that way for all of five seconds, I choose life instead and head toward the Train Unloading Trailer I know is nearby

Spawned in cold, sprinting for shelter. Train Unloading it is

—

Inside I grab what I can, including a second pair of socks. Then hit the tunnel corpse – and score a hatchet.

My loadout after looting the trailer. No gloves, great.

—

From there, I billy goat my way down a nearby cliff, grabbing sticks while the temperature plummets.

Alternative route, gravity assisted travel

—

I find another trailer. It’s warmer, but still not warm enough. And I didn’t spawn with gloves, so my hands are freezing.

I cut across the road, stop at a car, then head toward the Fishing Camp.

Note: I had to double-check the name using my own Map Hub — I knew where I was, just couldn’t remember what it was called. Proof the hub’s not just for readers.

I loot what I can — some food, but not enough to carry me far. In the first house, I grab cloth and craft handwraps. It helps, barely. In the second, third and fourth houses, I scrape together enough to make a makeshift hat.

Then I step outside.

I step outside. Weather steps on me

—

I retreat and sleep for three hours to warm up. When I wake, the blizzard has cleared. I push toward Jackrabbit Island and manage to snag three rabbits — finally, a win.

Inside the house, I raid the fridge and score water. I harvest the rabbits for meat as the sun drops.

Then I head outside, light a fire on the first try, and cook everything. I even remember I have herbal tea, brew it, and drink it to recover some condition — which was down to about 50%.

Back inside, I scavenge the place and find a pair of wool mittens, climbing socks, and a pair of boots.

I go to bed warm, full, and genuinely surprised I made it through Day One.

—

Next week, I start my actual Customloper run. I start in a new area, and will attempt to explore the whole island before I succumb to The Long Dark.

—

If you want to know more about Customloper, why not check out The Long Dark Customloper Settings: Easier Interloper Survival Mode

If you enjoyed this entry, why not check out my other Day One Diaries

28th May 2025 1

Day 1 Diary – No Man’s Sky – A Freezing Planet, Angry Plants & A Forgotten Ship

Because apparently, space is just as chaotic as survival on Earth.
—

I wake up to the cold void of Zuwan 58/E6

It’s -54.8°C and my thermal protection is already falling apart. I’m standing on an unfamiliar world, surrounded by snow, rocks, and the kind of silence that suggests no one’s coming to help. The scanner is offline, and the only way to fix it is by gathering ferrite dust.

Cue 30 seconds of frantic mining laser use. It feels like hours. Rocks explode. The scanner gets patched up. Victory—briefly.

—

Sodium, sabotage, and a slap from nature

With the scanner online, I locate some sodium-rich plants glowing yellow in the distance. I sprint over like they’re the last snacks at the end of the world. Just as I reach one, a hostile plant lashes out and takes a bite out of me. Rude.

I grab the sodium anyway, recharge my thermal protection, and make a mental note: not everything green is friendly.

Then a new signal appears—500 units away.

—

The Radiant Pillar and the repair list from hell

The signal leads to a crashed starship: the Radiant Pillar BC1. The ship’s still mostly intact, but running a diagnostic reveals both the launch thrusters and pulse engine are out of commission. Typical.

Luckily, I already have enough ferrite dust to patch together some metal plating and get started. Then the distress beacon hands me a planetary chart that points toward a hermetic seal—only 900 units away. I head off to get it.

Halfway there, the planet unleashes a blizzard. The temperature drops to -97.3°C. I barely make it to the building in time, where I warm up, collect the hermetic seal, and take a much-needed moment to question my life choices.

—

Navigation error: user

With the seal in hand, I’m ready to head back… if only I remembered where I left the ship.

The scanner’s broken again. This time it needs carbon. So I laser some nearby plants—none of which try to bite me, thankfully—and repair the scanner. The ship’s marker reappears and I make my way back, scanning every rock and shrub along the way like a distracted tourist with a scanner addiction.

—

The great resource hunt and escape

Back at the ship, I finish the pulse engine repair. The thrusters need pure ferrite, which means crafting a portable refiner. That requires dihydrogen and oxygen—time for another impromptu gathering mission.

Once the refiner is placed, I process the ferrite dust into pure ferrite, patch up the launch thrusters, and climb into the cockpit.

Moments later, I leave Zuwan 58/E6 behind. I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m not freezing anymore. Probably.

—

Day 1 complete

Status: Launched
Planet: Hostile
Ship: Mostly duct tape
Next Goal: Figure out how not to die in space

—

If you enjoyed this one, why not check out my other Day One Diaries

26th May 2025 1

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Four

Missed Day 3 – Read it here

Started the day the way all great stealth archers do—by pretending to care about politics. Found the Redguard woman in Whiterun that the Alik’r mercs were sniffing around for. She gave me the classic “they’re lying, I’m innocent” speech. Naturally, I decided to investigate further, because I’m not just a deadly ghost in the shadows—I’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 that’s where the Alik’r prisoner was holed up. On my way through the cells, I stumbled across a conveniently placed letter that kicked off While the Cat’s Away—because apparently jail is where people keep their treasure maps now. This new breadcrumb trail pointed me to Rorikstead, so that’s now on the ever-growing “places I’ll forget to visit” list.

I bribed a guard to release the Alik’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 outside—because what’s stealth archery without a bit of stealth theft?—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, “free loot.” Cleared the place, looted some arrows, and—big moment—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 didn’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, “you took too many aggro points.” 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 wasn’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

26th May 2025 0

The Road That Goes Nowhere

Rifles, Ice, and Intrusive Memories

The Jackrabbit Hoard

Seagulls and Sketchy Ice

A Spark in the Static

Final Thoughts

More from The Long Dark

Monday:

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday:

Coming next week:

Morning Mystery: Where’s My Hide?

Weather Warnings and Weight Woes

Vehicles, Wolves, and Safe Sketching

Warm Feet, Flashbacks, and Phantom Bears

Birdwatching for Survival

The Long Walk Home (By Torchlight)

Final Thoughts

More from The Long Dark

The Original

Final Thoughts

Because apparently, space is just as chaotic as survival on Earth.—

I wake up to the cold void of Zuwan 58/E6

Sodium, sabotage, and a slap from nature

The Radiant Pillar and the repair list from hell

Navigation error: user

The great resource hunt and escape

Day 1 complete

Because apparently, space is just as chaotic as survival on Earth.
—