Customloper Diaries Day Four: Locked Trunks, Blizzards, and Pancake Promises

Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 4: Prybars, Pancake Plans, and the Blizzard Lock-In

Weather: Clear morning, moose-level tension, full blizzard finale
Loot Highlights: Prybar, Storm Lantern, memento cache hint, acorns
Mood: Energised โ†’ cautious โ†’ โ€œnope, not stepping outsideโ€

Missed Day 3? Read it here.  | 
What is Customloper?

Moose Tracks and Memory Trunks

Morning at Paradise Meadows Farm is deceptively calmโ€”blue skies, crisp air, and the kind of silence that makes you think โ€œsafe.โ€ Which, as Iโ€™ve learned, is usually the universe setting you up for trouble. My goal is simple: get back to Grey Motherโ€™s without freezing, starving, or becoming wildlife entertainment.

Before I even make it to the main road, I spot circling birds. If youโ€™ve read my blog before, you know this usually means a corpse. And corpses mean loot. Sure enough, todayโ€™s offering is a prybar lying beside the unlucky owner. I take a respectful momentโ€”then take the prybar. Survival first, sentiment later.

Miltonโ€™s Got Loot

With my new tool in hand, I march into Milton like a one-person locksmith service. Every locked trunk and locker Iโ€™d previously ignored is now fair game. The results? A couple of sodas, some gloves, and various odds and ends. Not exactly jackpot material, but the sense of clearing my โ€œto-openโ€ list is its own reward.

My real prize comes at Orca Gas Station. Perched on top of a ladder, basking in the weak winter sunlight, is a Storm Lantern. Iโ€™d have climbed Mount Timberwolf itself for this. Itโ€™s not just lightโ€”itโ€™s morale. No more groping around in the dark like an amateur escape artist.

Signs in the Snow

Lantern in my pack, I head toward Milton Park. Thatโ€™s when I see itโ€”moose rubbings etched into a tree. My mood shifts instantly from โ€œpleasant strollโ€ to โ€œscan every shadow for large, angry silhouettes.โ€ I havenโ€™t actually seen a moose yet this run, but Iโ€™m not eager to test my odds.

Nearby, I gather acorns. Theyโ€™re a small thing, but they bring me one step closer to Lilyโ€™s Pancakesโ€”my long-term culinary goal. The catch? I still need Cooking Level 4. Which means at least seventy cups of tea, or possibly cooking every edible thing on the island. Twice.

Before heading out, I also find a memento cache hint. A promise of future loot, assuming I make it that far. If past runs are anything to go by, the odds are… letโ€™s call them โ€œvariable.โ€

Blizzard Becomes the Boss Fight

By the time I start for my shelter, the snow is falling thicker. A few minutes later, Iโ€™m in the middle of a full blizzard. Visibility drops to โ€œcouldnโ€™t find your own footprints,โ€ and the wind is howling like itโ€™s trying to blow the entire town off the map. Somewhere out there, I think I hear movementโ€”could be a wolf, could be my imagination. Either way, the door stays closed.

Inside, I get a fire going, boil water, and cook whateverโ€™s left in my pack. The mattress here is old, musty, and about as supportive as a wet paper bag, but compared to freezing to death, itโ€™s luxury. Outside, the storm rages. Inside, Iโ€™m dry, warm, and in possession of a prybar, a storm lantern, and a future pancake dream. Could be worse.

Day 4 Summary

  • Location: Milton Region
  • Finds: Prybar, Storm Lantern, memento cache hint, acorns
  • Wildlife Watch: Potential moose spawn
  • Conditions: Blizzard-bound
  • Status: Warm, fed, slightly paranoidโ€”but alive

Continue the Journey

โ—€ Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 3: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug
Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 5 โ–ถ

Here’s What You Missed at Survivor Incognito

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

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

One story wraps up, others carry on. Thanks for tagging alongโ€”more survival chaos ahead next week.

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.

Here’s What You Missed This Week โ€“ Survival Recap


From rabbits with better reflexes than me to undead sniper ambushes, hereโ€™s the full recap of what went live this week on Survivor Incognito.

The Week in Review

Another week, another round of chaos, permadeath, and poor life choices in the name of survival. Letโ€™s take a look at what went live:

๐Ÿ‡ Monday: Survivorโ€™s Shorts โ€“ The Rabbit Which Got Up and Left
Yes, I stunned a rabbit. No, I didnโ€™t catch it. Yes, it got up, looked me dead in the eyes, and walked away like it had somewhere better to be.

Survivorโ€™s Shorts: The Rabbit Got Up and Left Like I Wasnโ€™t Even Worth It


๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Two
The paranoia sets in. Fish with extra eyes, fog with extra vibes, and a to-do list that mostly reads “donโ€™t die.” Just another day on the water.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Two


โ„ Wednesday: The Cold Chronicles โ€“ Day Six
Itโ€™s cold. Itโ€™s bleak. There are wolves. So naturally, I went exploring. Because thatโ€™s never gone wrong before.

The Cold Chronicles Day Six: A Voyageurโ€™s Tale of The Long Dark


๐Ÿ—ก Thursday: Skyrim Survival โ€“ Day Seven
Sneak, snipe, and regret. The Argonian continues the journey through frost, bandits, and the occasional vampire attack.

Sneak, Snipe, Repeat: Skyrim Survival Day Seven


๐ŸงŸ Friday: Day One Diary โ€“ Zombie Army Trilogy
The zombies were waiting. The rifle jammed (emotionally, not mechanically). Welcome to permadeath mode, where the first day might also be the last.

Survivor Incognito: Zombie Army Trilogy โ€“ Day One Diary


Stay Frosty (and maybe carry a torch)

More survival tales are just around the corner. Thanks for reading, and remember โ€” if something looks too quiet, itโ€™s probably a wolf.

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day Two

I make a decent catch, brave the fog for squid, hit a rock, and find myself scolded by a lighthouse keeper. Also, the Mayor hands me a suspicious package. What could go wrong

Missed day one? Catch up here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival Day One

A Fishy Favour, Fog, and a Friendly Fright

I start the morning determined to buy that sweet engine I researched yesterdayโ€”except I immediately forget what I actually researched and stare at the rod section like it’s going to jog my memory. Spoiler: it doesn’t.

Instead, I head out and fill my boat with four Gulf Flounders and three Grey Eels, making the kind of efficient haul that would make yesterdayโ€™s version of me green with envy. At 1:37pm, my inventory is maxed out, so I rush back to townโ€”this time beating the sunset like a responsible angler. I dock at 2:55pm and breathe a sigh of relief. No second Madness Strike today. Growth!

Oh Look, A Convenient Fish Order

The Fishmonger greets me with news: a special order just came in.

Naturally, curiosity wins. Turns out the customer wants one of each fish I already caught. For once, the universe is kind. I hand them over like a champion and get a new orderโ€”two Arrow Squid and a Black Grouper. One problem: squid only show up at night. Great. But since it’s an official Pursuit, that means I can break my “no sailing after dark” rule without earning a Madness Strike. Hooray for loopholes!

I sell the rest of my fish and knock my debt down to $21.44. Progress.

Vroom Vroom into Doom

Back to the Shipwright I go, and this time I make a solid purchase: a Rusty Outboard Engine. Sure, it looks like it might explode at any second, but it installs in 2 hours and makes me marginally faster. By 4:58pm, Iโ€™m back in the water.

I fish up eight Arrow Squid while trying to stay near the light and far from danger. Thatโ€™s when I realize that the eye icon is my panic meter. Good to know! I head back, cautiously navigating the thickening fog, only to hit a rock I couldnโ€™t see. My flawless streak is over.

At 00:41am, I limp back into the dock and am greeted by a woman who clearly didnโ€™t expect visitors.

Sheโ€™s the Lighthouse Keeper, and sheโ€™s less than thrilled. I tell her the truthโ€”just here to fishโ€”and she tells me I should leave. Thatโ€™sโ€ฆ encouraging.

Suspicious Mayoral Package

The Mayor is waiting with a new task. He wants me to deliver a package to Little Marrowโ€”and quickly, because it might spoil. I donโ€™t ask questions. I just take the box. (Mistake? Possibly. But that’s tomorrowโ€™s problem.)

Before bed, I give the Fishmonger two squid from my terrifying night voyage and sell the extras. My debt is now a laughable $9.48.

The Shipwright patches up my poor dented hull, and I decide to put off the Little Marrow delivery until tomorrow. Iโ€™m sure whateverโ€™s in that box wonโ€™t mind sitting around for a bit.


Daily Summary

  • Fish Caught: 4 Gulf Flounder, 3 Grey Eel, 8 Arrow Squid
  • Debt Remaining: $9.48
  • Madness Strikes: Still just 1
  • Damage Taken: Rock collision in fog (1 hull hit)
  • Suspicious Package Count: 1

If you’d like to know more, please check out: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival

For information on the rules, please check out: Dark Waters: Dredge Permadeath Rules & Survival Guide

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

Sometimes Interloper doesnโ€™t kill you with cold or wolves โ€” sometimes the moose does the honors. A short-lived but memorable run in Desolation Point.

I decided to try Interloper. To make it fair, I went full Interloper difficulty. Since the spawn is random (and a few regions are excluded), I let fate decide my starting point. I kept the Cougar on, but letโ€™s be honest โ€” I wasnโ€™t going to live long enough for it to matter.

My spawn?
Desolation Point.

More specifically, right below the lighthouse. Under normal Interloper circumstances, I’d actually be thrilled โ€” the forge is nearby, and this could have been a solid starting run. But todayโ€™s goal was simple: survive one single day.

And thatโ€™s where the brain fog set in.
Instead of going straight for the lighthouse like a sensible person, I somehow forgot the route entirely. So I did the only logical thing: head to the Riken for the forge.

Then I heard it.
The unmistakable sound of antlers and doom.

Please have sound on for this video

With nowhere to run and no cover in sight, I accepted my fate.

Antlered Tank Incoming!

By the time the dust settled, I had broken ribs, my condition was down to half, and I was racking up frostbite risk and hypothermia risk like they were achievements. At that point, I decided to officially end the attempt.

If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Survivorโ€™s Shorts

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€” Launches Tomorrow

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival begins tomorrow on Survivor Incognito. A new permadeath series exploring the dangerous waters of Dredge on Nintendo Switch.

The next permadeath adventure begins tomorrow!
In Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival, we dive headfirst into the strange world of Dredge. Expect dangerous fishing trips, hallucinations, strange encounters, and plenty of questionable choices as we attempt to survive one day at a time.

Day One drops tomorrow โ€” stay tuned right here on Survivor Incognito as the madness begins.

Survivor Incognito Weekly: The Long Dark, Skyrim Survival, Dredge Permadeath & More (June 2nd – June 8th)

Another week of survival, chaos, and questionable decision making is upon us โ€” hereโ€™s what you can expect across the blog in the next seven days:

๐Ÿงธ Monday โ€“ Bear Meets Panic Rifle (Survivorโ€™s Shorts)

It starts with a bear. It ends with panic. Somewhere in between, a rifle is involved. You can probably guess how well that goes.

๐ŸŒŠ Tuesday โ€“ Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival โ€“ Day 1

We set sail on our brand new permadeath adventure through Dredge. The waters may look calmโ€ฆ but donโ€™t let them fool you.

โ„๏ธ Wednesday โ€“ Customloper: Day 1 โ€“ Mountain Town Start

The Customloper run officially kicks off! I spawn in Mountain Town and try my very best not to freeze, starve, or get eaten before I even leave Milton.

โš” Thursday โ€“ Skyrim Survival: Day 6

The trek through Skyrimโ€™s frozen wilderness continues. More frostbite, more danger, and almost certainly another regrettable encounter with something that bites.

๐Ÿ”ฅ Friday โ€“ A Voyageurโ€™s Tale (The Long Dark): Day 6

Back to the familiar cold of The Long Dark as the Voyageur run marches on into day six. Wolves, weather, and the never-ending quest for coffee.

๐ŸฆŒ Saturday โ€“ Survivorโ€™s Shorts: The Interloper Moose Incident

I try Interloper mode in The Long Dark. I spawn. I panic. The moose arrives. Thatโ€™s pretty much the plot summary.

๐Ÿ”ฅ Survive with us every week on Survivor Incognito โ€” your home for survival gaming on Nintendo Switch.

Follow along for The Long Dark guides, Skyrim Survival Mode playthroughs, Dredge permadeath runs, and Customloper challenges. New survival game content posted weekly โ€” with humor, tips, and plenty of questionable life choices.
๐Ÿ‘‰ Bookmark Survivor Incognito and join the survival adventure.

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 Next Week on Survivor Incognito

Another week, another round of questionable life choices in wildly inhospitable environments. Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s landing on the blog over the next few days:

Monday โ€“ Day One Diary: No Manโ€™s Sky
Stranded on a frozen planet with nothing but a busted scanner and a dream. Thermal protection is falling faster than my confidence, and there are plants that bite back. Perfect start, really.

Wednesday โ€“ Day One Diary: Customloper โ€“ The Long Dark
My gentler Interloper settings meet the frozen coast of the Coastal Highway. Looting begins, weather disagrees, and the chaos is only just getting started. First steps on a new permadeath run which will be starting June 8th.

Thursday โ€“ Skyrim Survival Day 5
My Argonian stealth archer continues his journey across the frosty northโ€”this time, with fewer torches, more panic, and an increasing failing at slealth. Good times.

Friday โ€“ The Long Dark โ€“ Day 5 (Voyageur Run)
Blizzards, bears, and birch bark. What could go wrong? Find out as the saga of survival (and accidental near-death experiences) rolls on.




As always, all runs are permadeath, all chaos is real, and all posts go live at 1PM GMT.

Got a favourite so far? Curious about whatโ€™s next? Feel free to leave a commentโ€”or just quietly judge my survival decisions from afar.


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