Survivor Log #1 โ€“ October 2025

๐Ÿชต Survivor Log #1 โ€“ October 2025: Riding the Rails of Terror

โ€œThe trains are running again. Unfortunately, so are the screams.โ€

Back on Track

The Survivor Logs are officially back โ€” revived, refuelled, and just in time for Halloween. Itโ€™s been a while since the last campfire catch-up, so letโ€™s dive straight into whatโ€™s coming down the tracks.

Derailed & Doomed Takes the Spotlight

Choo Choo Charles has pulled into the station, and itโ€™s hungry. Octoberโ€™s focus is firmly on Derailed & Doomed: A Choo Choo Charles Survival Diary, running under the Apex Predator Rule. Three lives, one monstrous train, and plenty of tracks to regret walking down. Expect new logs throughout the month โ€” assuming I survive long enough to post them.

Other Series on Standby

While Charles hogs the spotlight, the rest of the Survivor Incognito universe is catching its breath. Alien: Isolation and Subnautica entries will appear intermittently, but Octoberโ€™s chaos belongs to the rails. Once the screams die down (or I do), weโ€™ll see which world gets the next diary spotlight.

Looking Ahead

Iโ€™m keeping this monthโ€™s log short and sharp โ€” like the claws of a certain spider-train hybrid. Expect the next Survivor Log once the Halloween smoke clears, complete with reflections on the run, blog milestones, and maybe a few hints of whatโ€™s waiting in Novemberโ€™s frost.

Continue the Journey

Choo Choo Charles โ€“ Day One Diary: Eugene, Eggs, and Accidental Manslaughter

My Choo Choo Charles day one diary includes a monster-hunting job, a sprinting NPC, and Eugeneโ€™s untimely (and possibly avoidable) demise.


The Job Offer That Shouldโ€™ve Been a Red Flag

I got a call from Eugene. Said he had a job that would help โ€œmy museum.โ€ Didnโ€™t specify how, didnโ€™t ask if I had museum experience, just told me it was time to go monster hunting. I shouldโ€™ve asked questions. Like โ€œwhat kind of monster?โ€ or โ€œwhy me?โ€ or โ€œhave you ever heard of hazard pay?โ€

Instead, I said yes.


Meet Charles: Part Locomotive, Part Arachnid, All Nightmare Fuel

I found myself rowing to a misty, ominous island with Eugene casually explaining that weโ€™re up against a half-train, half-gigaspider named Charles.
Cool. Totally normal Saturday

Upon docking, Eugene says thereโ€™s a train up the hill we can use โ€” but also notes Charles isnโ€™t the only thing to worry about. Then he bolts. Full sprint. No hesitation. Just gone. Iโ€™m used to NPCs dragging their feet, not outpacing me like theyโ€™ve got somewhere better to be.


Learning the Ropes (and the Rail Controls)

Eugene points me to a nearby shack with the key to access the train. This is where I learn how to use the map and set waypoints. Handy, and slightly more intuitive than most in-game maps.

I return with the key, unlock the garage, and meet my new metal ride. Itโ€™s already equipped with a mounted machine gun and has three levers: forward, reverse, and stop. Thatโ€™s it. No cup holder. No horn. No emotional support buttons.


First Encounter: Train vs. Terror

I hit the forward lever and the train lurches ahead โ€” straight into my first encounter with Charles.

Cue panic.

The gun works, technically. But it does about as much damage as a water pistol might do to a tank. Charles shrugs it off, mauls Eugene mid-sentence, and disappears into the fog.

Iโ€™m left alone. On a moving train. Slightly traumatised.


About That Stopping Distanceโ€ฆ

After the chaos, I check the map to reorient myself and decide to go back to Eugene โ€” assuming heโ€™s maybe clinging to life. I reverse the train and, thinking Iโ€™ve lined it up just right, I slam the stop lever.

I do not stop in time.

I run over Eugene.

Itโ€™s unclear whether Charles killed him or if I finished the job by turning him into railkill. Either way, his final words croak out โ€” something about finding the eggs and stopping Charles once and for all.

No pressure.


If you enjoyed this one, please check out my other Day One Diaries | Survival Game Playthroughs & First-Day Survival Challenges

๐ŸŒŠ Announcement: Subnautica Will Be the Next Series!

While my Argonian my have fallen, itโ€™s time to look aheadโ€”and downward. Specifically, into the ocean.

Iโ€™m excited to announce that Subnautica will be the next full series featured on Survivor Incognito! The series will officially begin in a few weeks, once Iโ€™ve reacquainted myself with the controls (because I apparently forgot how to swim, build, and breathe). Itโ€™ll fall under the same permadeath-flavoured survival approach as the others, with a few sea-salty twists.

In the meantime, Iโ€™ve already launched the Subnautica Maps Page to help new players, returning survivors, and confused PDA AIs alike. Bookmark it, share it, or yell at it when you get lost near the Aurora again.


๐ŸŽ‰ Celebrating 1,000 Views!

Also, a massive thank you to everyone whoโ€™s visited the blogโ€”Survivor Incognito has officially passed the 1,000 views milestone!

To mark the occasion, Iโ€™m doing something a little differentโ€ฆ something a little more classic horror. While Iโ€™m still getting my bearings with the controls again, you can expect a familiar mansion, limited saves, and enough tension to make a zombie blush. ๐ŸงŸโ€โ™‚๏ธ

More on that very soon.


More updates coming soon, including the official Subnautica start date and a look at what else is on the blog horizon.

Stay afloat,
Survivor Incognito

Customloper Diaries Day Three: Charcoal Maps, Rabbit Stew, and a Surprise Wolf Hug

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

Weather: Cold start, blizzard pockets, clearing skies

Loot Highlights: Memento cache supplies, birch saplings (for later), Paradise Meadows key, rabbit + fish dinner

Mood: Cocky โ†’ practical โ†’ โ€œwhy is that wolf sprinting?โ€

Missed Day 2? Read it here.  | 
What is Customloper?

Early Start, No Light, No Dignity

I wake up at an hour only owls respect. Rather than burn a match in Grey Motherโ€™s house, I feel my way to the door like a bargain-bin escape room contestant. After negotiating with every chair leg in Milton, I finally make it outside to a slate-blue morning and a bitey wind.

Holy Cache, Batman!

The church memento cache pays out: matches, food, and an energy drink. With the essentials secured, I hop between cars toward Milton Bridge, using charcoal to sketch the town like a freezing Bob Ross. The map fills in; my fingers disagree with the artistic direction.

Gun Dreams, Birch Realities

Confidence high, I angle for Paradise Meadows Farm in the faint hope of finding a rifle. Birds circling drag me off-trail toward a body that contributes precisely nothing to my survival except the reminder that I will absolutely chase birds every time.

Nearby I spot birch saplings. Cue a hopeful bow-crafting fantasyโ€ฆ promptly crushed when I re-remember itโ€™s maple I need. I leave the birch to cure anywayโ€”Future Me loves having options.

Bunny Catch, Farm Key, and Yes, Wolves Exist

One clean stone throw nets a rabbit. Moments laterโ€”bingoโ€”Paradise Meadows Farmhouse key. Also: my first wolf sighting of the run. So they do exist on Customloper; they were just waiting for dramatic timing.

Inside the farmhouse itโ€™s open-season on usefulness:

  • Wool long johns
  • A fish stashed in the freezer
  • A skillet lounging atop the fridge
  • Two more cooking pots (apparently I run a wilderness diner now)

Dinner Is Served

I harvest the rabbit, spot the recipe, and make rabbit stewโ€”with the freezer fish as a bonus course. Water boils, gear gets sorted, excess clothes hit the floor. Feeling very competent, I decide to haul the skillet back to Grey Motherโ€™s. This hubris will be important later.

Wolf Attack Outta Nowhere

Cutting back through Milton, I take one curious corner too many andโ€”bamโ€”wolf sprint. I backpedal for a door, take a hit, and tumble inside with the grace of a sack of sticks. Painkillers down, bandage on, dignity postponed.

I repair what I can until the fatigue meter taps out, then finish the day with rabbit stew and the kind of silence that says โ€œweโ€™ll try that route again tomorrowโ€ฆ smarter.โ€

End of Day 3.

Continue the Journey

โ—€ Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 2: Blizzards, Boots, and Baseball Cap Confusion

Customloper Diaries โ€“ Day 4: Locked Trunks, Blizzards, and Pancake Promises โ–ถ

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

Survivor’s Dread Has Arrived โ€“ A New Home For Survival Horror

Survivorโ€™s Dread is now live! A new hub for survival horror playthroughs, starting with Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival.

Iโ€™m very excited (and slightly nervous) to officially launch Survivorโ€™s Dread: the newest corner of Survivor Incognito where survival horror games get their own home.

Here youโ€™ll find my permadeath playthroughs and survival horror experimentsโ€”where the games arenโ€™t just about food meters and blizzards, but also sanity meters, strange noises, and questionable life choices.

Weโ€™re kicking things off with Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival, where I attempt to survive fishing in waters that absolutely do not want me there.

โžก๏ธ Visit Survivorโ€™s Dread here: [Survivorโ€™s Dread]
โžก๏ธ Follow Dark Waters: [Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival]

Expect things to get weird from here.

Next Tuesday… We Go Fishing (and Probably Regret It)

The first official Survivor’s Dread series begins next week on Survivor Incognito. Iโ€™m diving blind into Dredge, armed with nothing but poor judgment and permadeath rules.

What Is Survivor’s Dread?

A new weekly series where I explore different corners of survival gamesโ€”where horror, tension, and terrible decisions collide. Which was originally going to be called Friday Fright, but I preferred the sound of Survivorโ€™s Dread, and also means I can change the day it is released.

So What Game Are We Starting With?

Dredge.

A fishing game, allegedly.

It’s foggy. It’s weird. I’ve only played the demo. What could possibly go wrong?

The Twist: Permadeath

I’ve made a custom permadeath ruleset called Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival. If the boat dies, the run dies. I go into the fog, and I don’t go back.

When Does It Begin?

Next Tuesday at 1PM GMT, the nightmare begins with Day One of Dark Waters.

Where Can You Find It?

Here: Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival

Why Should You Read It?

  • Chaos is guaranteed.
  • Survival is unlikely.
  • You get to feel good about your own decisions

Dark Waters: A Dredge Survival begins Tuesday at 1PM GMT.

Iโ€™ll be heading into the fog with nothing but a fishing rod, a poorly thought-out permadeath rule set, and the vague hope that the sea wonโ€™t immediately chew me up and spit me out.

Want to play alongโ€”or just judge my decisions from a safe distance?
You can grab the full rule sheet here:

Bring a lantern. Don’t look down.

Friday Fright Is Coming โ€“ Somethingโ€™s Stirring Beneath the Waves

A new survival series is surfacing on Survivor Incognito this Friday. Itโ€™s cold. Itโ€™s wet. And it wants to be seen. Welcome to Friday Fright.




Youโ€™ve braved the cold.
Youโ€™ve dodged dinosaurs.
Youโ€™ve survived Skyrim without socks.

Now itโ€™s time to confront something olderโ€ฆ and deeper.

This Friday, Survivor Incognito plunges into the unknown with the launch of a new weekly series:
Friday Fright โ€“ where survival meets suspense, and things donโ€™t just go bump in the nightโ€”they slither, stalk, and stare back.




What to Expect:

New Friday posts exploring the eerie, the strange, and the just plain cursed corners of survival gaming.

Permadeath challenges with a twistโ€”when the danger isn’t just wolves or weather, but somethingโ€ฆ weirder.

Short stories from the edge of logic, sanity, and safe game design.


The first entry will be revealed this Friday at 5PM GMT.
Hold your breath. Not all horrors come from the land.

I Was Just Trying to Get Home (And Then This Happened)

What started as a quiet trip back to Grey Motherโ€™s turned into a wolf ambush. Hereโ€™s how my Customloper run nearly ended on Day 3.

Just Me, a Skillet, and Regret

Iโ€™d just finished looting Paradise Meadows Farm. I had a fresh rabbit stew in my belly, a skillet in my backpack, and dreams of a cozy night back at Grey Motherโ€™s. You know. Normal stuff.

Then this happened.



Thatโ€™s right. No warning. No howls. Just me, walking around a corner like I own the place, and a wolf showing up like he owns the place. Spoiler: he nearly did.

I did what any reasonable person would doโ€”I ran back inside, popped painkillers like trail mix, and bandaged my wrist while re-evaluating all my life choices.

Moral of the story: Never trust Milton to be quiet, and always expect the game to humble you the second you start feeling safe.

For more tales like this, please check out: Survivor’s Shorts

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