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 โnope, not stepping outsideโ
Moose Tracks and Memory Trunks
Morning at Paradise Meadows Farm is deceptively calmโblue skies, crisp air, and the kind of silence that makes you think โsafe.โ Which, as Iโve learned, is usually the universe setting you up for trouble. My goal is simple: get back to Grey Motherโs without freezing, starving, or becoming wildlife entertainment.
Before I even make it to the main road, I spot circling birds. If youโve read my blog before, you know this usually means a corpse. And corpses mean loot. Sure enough, todayโs offering is a prybar lying beside the unlucky owner. I take a respectful momentโthen take the prybar. Survival first, sentiment later.
Miltonโs Got Loot
With my new tool in hand, I march into Milton like a one-person locksmith service. Every locked trunk and locker Iโd 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 โto-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. Iโd have climbed Mount Timberwolf itself for this. Itโs not just lightโitโs 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. Thatโs when I see itโmoose rubbings etched into a tree. My mood shifts instantly from โpleasant strollโ to โscan every shadow for large, angry silhouettes.โ I havenโt actually seen a moose yet this run, but Iโm not eager to test my odds.
Nearby, I gather acorns. Theyโre a small thing, but they bring me one step closer to Lilyโs Pancakesโmy 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… letโs call them โvariable.โ
Blizzard Becomes the Boss Fight
By the time I start for my shelter, the snow is falling thicker. A few minutes later, Iโm in the middle of a full blizzard. Visibility drops to โcouldnโt find your own footprints,โ and the wind is howling like itโs trying to blow the entire town off the map. Somewhere out there, I think I hear movementโcould be a wolf, could be my imagination. Either way, the door stays closed.
Inside, I get a fire going, boil water, and cook whateverโs 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, itโs luxury. Outside, the storm rages. Inside, Iโm 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 paranoidโbut alive
Continue the Journey
โ Customloper Diaries โ Day 3: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug
Customloper Diaries โ Day 5 โถ
More from The Long Dark
- Customloper Diaries Hub โ all entries in this run.
- Customloper Settings โ rules, tweaks, and difficulty notes.
- Mountain Town / Milton Map โ landmarks and routes.

