Tag: The Long Dark

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 10: Quiet Before the Teeth

Unprepared Log 10: Quiet Before the Teeth

Difficulty: Interloper
Region: Mystery Lake
Survivor: Will

Thankfully the recording survived. The wolves did too. Probably.

Thankfully the recording for this and the next log didn’t get corrupted, so I can actually prove I made it through the day.
With a heavy hammer sitting safely in Trapper’s Homestead, that’s one major goal off the list.

Next goal: find a firestriker or a magnifying glass.
I’m tired of living match-to-match like some kind of frozen Victorian chimney sweep.

Charcoal, Caches, and the Bow Clock Ticking

A quick use of charcoal showed I was close to a memento cache.
I had no clue where it actually was, so I did what I always do when I’m unsure: wander deeper into the region and hope it becomes Future Me’s problem.

The wandering at least had value. I found a bunch of birch saplings and hauled them back toward Trapper’s for curing.
The bow phase is coming whether I’m ready or not, and I’d rather not arrive there with the survival equivalent of empty pockets and false confidence.

Hunter’s Blind: A Win With a Catch

I checked the nearby hunter’s blind and finally got a win: a firestriker.
The condition was under 50%, which is not what you want to see on Interloper, but it still counts as “fire insurance.”

Still no magnifying glass, though. Of course.
The game will happily give me the tool I can break, but not the one that turns sunlight into free survival.

Accidental Navigation and the Lookout Plan

Then I did something stupid: I headed off without a path in mind.
No plan, no route, just vibes and cold air.

But once I spotted the Forestry Lookout, my brain finally clicked into place.
I’ve been there on other Mystery Lake visits, so at least this was a stupid decision with a familiar destination.

On the way, I spotted ptarmigans.
My rock-throwing aim remains consistently impressive in the worst way: I missed by miles, spooked them, and watched them fly off like they’d just attended my personal comedy show.

Forestry Lookout: Warmth, Mapping, and a Skillet

The lookout gave me a cooking skillet, which immediately made it feel like I’d walked into a luxury apartment.
It was also warm inside, but I could still use charcoal.

That’s the sweet spot: shelter, warmth, and the ability to map.
I scouted, updated the area, and let myself pretend I was in control for a few minutes.

The Crashed Plane: A Great Idea That Hurt Immediately

From the lookout, I spotted a crashed plane.
And I immediately had that survival-gremlin thought: “There’s definitely something useful in there.”

Only problem: I had absolutely no clue how I was meant to reach it.
I tried a few different approaches, each one worse than the last.

I ended up in pain and tearing my clothes, which is exactly the kind of price Interloper charges for curiosity.
With night coming in, I accepted reality and retreated back to the lookout before I turned a bad climb into a body recovery mission.

Night Prep and the Suspicious Lack of Teeth

Back at the lookout, I prepped like a responsible adult survivor: cooked what I could, repaired what I could, and tried to patch up the damage caused by my brief aviation obsession.

And then it hit me.
I don’t think I saw a single predator today.

Which means they’re either:

  • all stuck behind a rock somewhere, or
  • having a meeting to decide who gets to be the first one to ruin my week.

I’m betting on the meeting.
Interloper loves a coordinated effort.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 9 |
Unprepared Log 11

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 8 & Day 9: Written Evidence Only

Unprepared Log 5 – Days 8 & 9: Written Evidence Only

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The footage didn’t survive. The run did.

The recordings for Days 8 and 9 were corrupted and unsalvageable.

No video. No backup. Just two days that still counted.

My condition was bad, but time was at least working in the background. Maple and birch saplings were curing. Rabbit hide and gut were curing too.

That meant I had a future.

I just needed to reach it.

Day 8 – No Free Loot, Only Weather

I started by checking the other trailer in the area.

It had a fat lot of nothing.

So the Dam became the plan.

On the way, the sky started doing that familiar thing again. The wind sharpened. The light flattened. The whole world looked like it was about to turn into a white wall.

It felt like another blizzard was loading in.

Three blizzards in three days. Efficient.

The Dam: Better Than Nothing

The Dam didn’t give me a miracle, but it wasn’t empty.

I found ear wool wraps and a festive sweater.

Not tools. Not fire. But warmth is still leverage on Interloper.

I could have pushed further into the Dam.

I didn’t.

Lantern fuel was low, and torches were becoming a real commodity. I wasn’t going to spend visibility on curiosity.

Camp Office, Because I Needed a Win

I decided the best move was heading for the Camp Office.

It was Mystery Lake. Surely the game might take pity on me.

That thought lasted until a wolf appeared and started shadowing me.

I passed a deer carcass, hoping it would peel off and take the easy meal.

Nope.

I wanted to hit the trailers in the derailment area.

The wolf refused to let me do anything except keep moving.

I tried running.

It sped up.

Camp Office in Sight, Moose in the Way

The Camp Office came into view.

So did a moose.

For a second, I thought I’d traded one problem for a much worse one.

But this time the moose decided I wasn’t worth the effort.

I took the gift.

I went straight inside.

Pancakes for Survival Reasons

The Camp Office gave me a skillet and a hockey jersey.

It helped more than it should have.

Between the supplies I’d been scraping together and what I already had, I could finally make pancakes.

After everything, I needed a morale win that didn’t involve not dying.

I cooked what I could.

I repaired what I could.

Then I called it a day.

Day 9 – A Quiet Start in a Dark Office

Day 9 started with me waking up in a dark Camp Office.

No drama.

No instant weather tantrum.

Just the usual Interloper reminder that every match matters.

I decided to check the cabins on the far side of Mystery Lake.

They didn’t give me much.

Mostly books for the fire.

But I did find a pair of trail boots.

I swapped them for my leather shoes and kept moving.

The Bear Cabin: Confirmation, Not Combat

I headed toward the cabin near where the bear can be.

Sure enough, the bear was there.

Thankfully, it was walking back toward its cave.

I let it go.

I didn’t need heroics.

I needed tools.

Trapper’s Homestead: The Trip That Paid Off

I still had plenty of time left in the day.

So I pushed on for Trapper’s Homestead.

On the way, I had another wolf that insisted on following me.

It stayed close, but it didn’t commit.

I didn’t stop to negotiate.

I kept moving until the door was in reach.

Inside, I finally got the kind of win Interloper tries to deny you.

A heavy hammer.

That was the trip. That was the point. That was future survival.

Resetting the Run

I spent the rest of the day, and part of the night, cooking what I could.

Then I made the smart choice for once and drank a birch bark tea.

I needed condition back, and I needed it without gambling on fights or weather.

I slept at Trapper’s and woke up on Day 10 with an actual plan.

Next goal: find a magnifying glass, or at least a firestriker.

Because tools are finally catching up.

Now I need fire to stop being a daily crisis.

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 7 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 10

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 7: The Cost of Sleeping In

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 7: The Cost of Sleeping In

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I woke up in the cave already behind schedule.

The plan was clear.

Grab the bedroll. Reach the rope. Drop down. Check the area. Come back up. Push for Mystery Lake.

Weight was already going to be the limiting factor.

The Rope and the Carcass

At the rope, I found a deer carcass right beside it.

I harvested some meat and left it cooking, hoping it would be ready by the time I returned. Before heading down, I dropped what I could afford to lose.

Going down was controlled. Calculated.

The area below had no hammer, but it wasn’t empty. I found an emergency stim and a gunsmithing book. Neither would help today. One would burn well later.

The Climb Back Up

I started the climb carrying only what I needed.

Even then, it wasn’t clean.

I ran out of stamina partway up and had to stop on a ledge. I waited, drank coffee, and let the bar refill before committing to the rest of the climb.

I made it.

But the wind had picked up.

The deer meat never cooked.

Weather Stacking the Odds

I retreated back to the cave.

I cooked what I could and started prepping to wait. Then the game doubled down and threw another blizzard at me. Two days. Two storms.

Mystery Lake felt close enough to be insulting.

I waited. The blizzard didn’t ease.

Night came. My fire shrank.

I fed it coal, sticks, and whatever wood I could spare, then made the decision to sleep.

The Actual Mistake

I slept for ten hours.

I should have slept for two.

Maybe three.

I woke up to a battered condition bar and hypothermia risk already at 56%.

Staying was no longer an option.

Leaving Anyway

The weather was still hostile.

I restarted the fire, made something hot for a heat bonus, grabbed the lantern, and left.

I came close to using the emergency stim. Close enough that it would have been justified.

Then I saw the exit to Mystery Lake.

I didn’t slow down.

I committed.

Temporary Safety

I knew there was a trailer nearby.

When it came into view, I sprinted.

Inside, my temperature climbed. I ate. I slept as much as I safely could.

Condition is still low, but the run continues.

Tomorrow, I head for the dam.

If it’s empty, the margin for error gets thinner again.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 8 & Day 9

2

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6: Cold Enough to Rush

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The Ravine doesn’t threaten you. It just removes your margin for error.

Today was meant to be a transition day.

Leave Coastal Highway. Cross the Ravine. Reach Mystery Lake.

The route itself behaved. The cold didn’t.

This place is brutally efficient at draining warmth. I kept moving, knowing full well this isn’t somewhere you loiter and survive by accident.

The rail section still bothers me. One stretch always feels like it’s waiting for a mistake. I treat it as rehearsal for Ash Canyon, assuming I ever earn the right to go there.

Expectations Management

There’s a known hammer chance here.

I didn’t expect it to show.

It didn’t.

No disappointment. Just confirmation.

Cave Heat and Familiar Failure

I found a cave and stopped long enough to get warm.

While the fire burned, I caught myself regretting the two deer hides I’d left behind earlier. That was a future problem then. It still is.

Rabbits milled around outside.

I tried.

The rabbits won.

This is starting to feel like a pattern rather than bad luck.

Blizzard Logic

I decided to cook for skill gains while I had shelter.

The weather decided otherwise.

A blizzard rolled in while I was still in the cave, removing the option to push forward. Waiting became mandatory.

I ate enough to stay focused and spent the time reading a sewing book. I’ve been repairing gear constantly. Raising that skill matters more than saving calories I might lose tomorrow anyway.

Interloper rewards preparation. It punishes hesitation.

Rope and a Delayed Exit

The blizzard eventually broke.

So did the day.

I didn’t trust the remaining light to get me safely into Mystery Lake. Instead, I pushed to the next cave and found a mountaineering rope.

That at least allowed me to check the area I’d been considering.

No hammer.

Still, information is progress.

Not Lingering

I slept in the Ravine.

No predators here, but the cold feels personal. Aggressive. Like it wants you gone.

I don’t intend to stay longer than necessary.

Mystery Lake needs to happen soon.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 7

1

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 5: The Bow Dream Persists

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5: The Bow Dream Persists

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

It feels strange to still be here.

I didn’t expect this run to last. Not on Interloper. But five days in, I’m still upright, still moving, still counting small victories like they matter. Because they do.

Today’s plan was simple. Move carefully. Take what the map allows. Don’t get greedy.

The ice had other ideas.

Island Hopping

I crossed the ice toward the fishing cabins, step by deliberate step.

A suitcase had washed up after the blizzard. Thick ice this time, thankfully. I checked it anyway.

Nothing useful.

No camera. No reason to carry film. I left it behind.

The first island paid out better.

A birch sapling.

That means one arrow someday. Not many. Just one. Enough to keep the idea alive.

The second island followed up with a maple sapling.

The bow dream didn’t die today.

The cabins themselves were empty. No surprises. No correction to the balance.

Cooking for Progress

I lit a fire and cooked the rabbit.

I added anything else I could justify, not out of hunger, but for experience. Cooking skill still hasn’t hit level two, which feels wrong given how much time I’ve spent staring at fires.

Interloper doesn’t reward effort. Only outcomes.

When the fire burned down, I pulled a torch and moved on.

The River Remembers

I followed the river. The same one that ended the last run.

Cattails lined the banks. I took every one.

A deer carcass lay ahead. I considered committing to it. Wind killed that idea quickly.

I took one kilo of meat.

Greed gets you killed. I’ve learned that lesson already.

At the bridge it finally clicked.

The Ravine is close.

Mystery Lake is no longer theoretical.

Not today, though. Not like this.

Tea and Repairs

I diverted to the Train Unloading trailer.

Herbal tea.

I was happier about that than I should admit.

I made another fire in the nearby tunnel. Cooked what I could. Boiled water. Prepared teas.

I repaired my windbreaker jacket. Again.

It’s holding together out of spite at this point.

The bow is getting closer. I know better than to expect miracles, but I can already feel the disappointment waiting.

Calling It

I broke my rule and ate before bed so I could read a sewing book.

Once it got too dark, I stepped outside to keep reading.

The weather answered immediately.

I didn’t wait to confirm if it was a blizzard.

I went back inside.

Herbal tea. Sleep.

Tomorrow, the Ravine.

And maybe, if the debt hasn’t come due yet, a heavy hammer.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 6

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 4: A Debt Is Forming

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4: A Debt Is Forming

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

The day gave me what I wanted. That’s never free on Interloper.

Today was meant to be a cleanup operation. Loot thoroughly, then leave. Mystery Lake is still the goal, but I wanted one last attempt at securing proper tools before committing.

A heavy hammer would mean long-term survival.

A hacksaw would mean immediate leverage.

I stepped outside the garage.

The hacksaw was waiting.

No detour. No risk. No trade.

That kind of luck doesn’t happen on Interloper. It accumulates. It sits quietly. It waits to be collected later.

I checked the save file again. Same answer. Same difficulty. Same unease.

The Warning Shot

With the hacksaw secured, I headed toward the cabins. There was still daylight, and I didn’t want to waste it.

I didn’t get far.

The sound came first. Heavy. Deliberate.

A bear.

No hesitation. I turned and ran. If panic counts as training, I was an elite athlete.

I escaped.

That felt less like success and more like a reminder.

The game now knows where I am.

Jackrabbit Island Pushback

I rerouted to Jackrabbit Island.

Crows circled over a corpse near the ice, probably dragged in by the last blizzard. I checked my weight, watched the ice, and stopped myself.

Weak ice doesn’t care how desperate you are.

I backed off.

Rabbits, at least, felt manageable.

One stun worked.

The next rabbit absorbed three clean hits.

Three recoveries. Three escapes.

That felt deliberate.

The day had already decided how generous it was going to be.

The Weather Collects Interest

The interior loot was thin. Nothing to balance the scales.

I rested for an hour and planned a push across the ice toward the houses.

The moment I opened the door, the blizzard answered.

I closed it again.

No argument. No delay. Just a firm no.

I harvested the rabbit instead. I considered leaving the hide and guts behind to cure, but I carried them with me. If the game is going to charge me later, I want every advantage in hand.

What Comes Next

Tomorrow’s objective is fixed.

Reach the Ravine.

If nothing collapses, Mystery Lake should follow within a day or two.

I have tools now.

That doesn’t feel like progress.

It feels like a balance sheet.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 5

1

Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 3: A Dangerous Amount of Luck

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3: A Dangerous Amount of Luck

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I woke up to a still-burning fire. That felt like a warning.

I could have slept longer, but I didn’t risk it. If the fire died while I was unconscious, this run would have ended quietly and for no good reason.

I packed the bedroll, lit a torch, and went looking for rabbits.

I found a wolf instead.

Only three days in, and it was already tracking me.

I backed off toward the cave, swapped torches, and tried to create space. It followed anyway. Calm. Patient. Waiting.

I made for the nearby basement. Inside, I found shelter—and a pair of socks. Not exciting, but warmer feet matter more than pride.

Listening Instead of Seeing

I left the basement and pushed toward Coastal Highway.

The cold was immediate. Visibility was worse. I couldn’t see far enough ahead to plan, so I relied on sound.

Crows.

They led me to a deer carcass half-buried in the snow.

I started a fire right beside it. The plan was simple: wait until it thawed enough to harvest by hand. No hacksaw. No hatchet. No margin for error.

Once it hit the threshold, I took what I could. Meat first. Then the hide. One gut came with it—useful as a decoy if things went bad, but hopefully something I could cure.

The meat went straight on the fire. I didn’t linger.

Pressure Never Really Leaves

I checked the nearby fishing hut for matches.

There were none.

As soon as I stepped back outside, another wolf appeared. I didn’t hesitate. I headed straight for the nearest house and got indoors.

Inside, I found something this run had been refusing to give me.

Matches.

I don’t know if they were there the last time I passed through. It didn’t matter. They were there now.

I took everything useful and moved on toward Quonset Garage, with yet another wolf keeping pace behind me.

Quonset Feels Wrong

The garage was generous.

Too generous.

More supplies than last time. Still no hacksaw—but then I saw another box of matches.

At that point, it stopped feeling like luck.

I now had over thirty matches. Enough that, for the first time this run, I considered not keeping a fire burning just to build skill.

There was even a lantern.

Interloper doesn’t usually feel this forgiving. When it does, it’s usually planning something.

Ending the Day on a Win

I didn’t change the plan.

Quonset is tempting, but staying too long is how runs stall and die. Mystery Lake is still the goal.

Before sleeping, I crafted a snare. If I have to stop near a rabbit grove, I want options. Rabbit hides mean gloves and hats—assuming I survive long enough to need them.

Day 3 ended on a win.

That doesn’t mean much on Interloper.

But tonight, it’s enough.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 4

1

The Long Dark – Stalker Instinct Log #4: Sticks, Stone Throws, and a Stupid Food Choice

Mode: Stalker
Region: Mystery Lake
Mood: Cautiously confident, briefly poisoned

I decided to explore more of Mystery Lake. I knew there was a pond nearby, so I headed out to see what opportunities it might offer.

The snare I’d set earlier came up empty. No rabbit. That thing needs relocating.

Pond Plans and Wolf Reality Checks

On the way, I spotted a wolf in the distance. It didn’t see me. I didn’t test my luck.

Even with a bow, I don’t rate my chances yet. My aim needs work, and Stalker wolves don’t forgive hesitation.

At the pond, I found the hunter’s blind. Useful later. Right now, it was overlooking absolutely nothing. No animals. Not even a teasing rabbit.

With daylight to spare, I pushed on toward a nearby cabin.

The Cabin and the Crows

The cabin had slim pickings. Nothing worth staying for.

Outside, I heard crows. That sound still means one thing.

A deer carcass. Ravaged, but edible. I harvested what I could — barely half a kilo of meat — and started a fire. It wasn’t much, but it was calories.

Fire-starting is still slow. I’m counting the days until that skill improves.

Rabbit Hunting: Sticks Strike Back

Rabbits were nearby, so I tried my luck.

I tested an arrow on one. Missed. Fair enough. I stopped there — no sense wasting arrows until I have fire-hardened ones for practice.

Back to stones.

After a few throws, I stunned a rabbit. Walked up confidently. Pressed the button.

I picked up a stick.

The rabbit had landed next to it and bolted while I stood there holding firewood like an idiot.

Second attempt: success. No stick betrayal.

I even got the second rabbit I’d spotted earlier. Clean, no mistakes this time.

Tea, Arrows, and False Confidence

Back at the fire, I prepped reishi mushrooms and made tea. Sensible. Calm. Survival-approved.

Then the game decided to mock me by handing me another arrow and another bow.

Message received. I’ll practice — later.

Before the fire died, I used charcoal to map the area. Useful result: a marked zone where rabbits spawn frequently. Future snare location sorted.

The Fat Mistake

Back at the cabin, I made a bad call.

I ate animal fat.

I knew better. It was heavy. It was in my inventory. I wanted the calories.

Instant food poisoning.

Thankfully, I still had reishi tea. I drank it and collapsed into bed to recover.

That would have cost me one of my three chances.

No wolf. No blizzard. Just a lazy decision.

Log 4 Takeaway

  • Snares need good placement, not optimism
  • Bow ownership does not equal bow skill
  • Rabbits will absolutely humiliate you
  • Sticks are the true apex predator
  • Food poisoning is still one of the fastest ways to burn a chance

Stalker doesn’t need dramatic moments to punish you. It just waits.

YouTube Video

Continue the journey:
Stalker Instinct – Log 3 |
Stalker Instinct – Log 5

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 2: Coal, Caves, and Waiting It Out

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2: Coal, Caves, and Waiting It Out

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

I needed progress today. What I got instead was time to think.

I’d like to say I headed straight for the mine.

I didn’t.

There was a nearby trailer, and ignoring shelter this early feels reckless. I checked it quickly. No usable clothing. No tools. Nothing that justified lingering.

With that answered, the mine became the only sensible option.

Through the Mines

On the way in, I picked up every stick I passed. It’s instinct now. Fuel is survival, and sticks are the cheapest insurance available.

Inside the mine, I collected coal as I went. More than I strictly needed, but coal buys time, and time keeps you alive.

I exited the first mine and made straight for the second—the route leading toward Crumbling Highway.

A Familiar Tool

Inside the second mine, I found a prybar.

The same place I found one on my last run.

I don’t know if it’s guaranteed, but two passes and two prybars suggest it might not be coincidence. Either way, I wasn’t about to question it.

Weather Says No

As soon as I reached Crumbling Highway, the weather turned.

Blizzard.

I had no cloth for repairs. I couldn’t read skill books—I was too hungry to focus. Moving on would have achieved nothing, so I waited.

I stepped outside once or twice, just long enough to confirm it was a bad idea, then went straight back to shelter.

The Cave Hold

When the blizzard finally broke, I moved for the cave I’d used on a previous run.

I dropped the bedroll and lit a fire. The cave itself was warm, but the fire gave me light, cooking time, and something productive to do.

I prepared and cooked every reishi mushroom and rose hip I had. It’s not exciting food, but it’s dependable.

I’m deliberately avoiding overeating. Until I have a sustainable food source, restraint matters more than comfort.

End of Day Two

The plan hasn’t changed. Mystery Lake is still the goal.

Before that, I intend to strip as much value as I can from Coastal Highway. Leaving resources behind on Interloper is how runs end early.

Two days in, and this already feels better than the last attempt.

Maybe the game is being kind.

I doubt it.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 1 |
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 3

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Unprepared: An Interloper Survival Diary in The Long Dark Log #5 – Day 1: You Again!

Unprepared Log 5 – Day 1: You Again

Difficulty: Interloper
Survivor: Will

Apparently, changing survivor does not change my luck.

Even after switching to Will, The Long Dark drops me into the exact same spawn it gave Astrid.

Desolation Point. Again.

At this point it feels less like randomness and more like a test of character.

The difference this time is simple: I’m not arguing with the region. I’m passing through it.

Loot, Don’t Linger

The plan is immediate and non-negotiable: get to Hibernia Processing.

On the way, I scoop up whatever I can without slowing down — sticks, rose hips, reishi mushrooms. The usual early-game survival tax.

I make a half-hearted attempt at rabbits. They take one look at me and decide today is not the day.

No sign of bridge moose. I assume this spawn has given me rock moose instead. I’m nowhere near him, and I intend to keep it that way.

I avoid the ice entirely. Day 1 is not when you gamble.

The goal is to loot Hibernia, sleep there, and leave Desolation Point behind tomorrow.

Thinking Long-Term

The real objective isn’t here.

I want Mystery Lake, then straight on to Forlorn Muskeg for the forge.

This is a loot-and-go run. Previous attempts taught me that lingering in Desolation Point just turns into a slow death.

Coastal Highway is the next stop for a reason:

  • A chance at a hacksaw in the garage
  • Cat tails to keep me alive without wasting matches

If the hacksaw doesn’t show up, I’ll take a heavy hammer. I just need a path toward improvised tools.

I’ve thought about coming back here for the forge before. This region has repeatedly informed me that this is a bad idea.

Forlorn Muskeg can have the honours.

Hibernia Processing

I reach Hibernia and begin the most important activity of any Interloper start.

Match hunting.

The game turns it into a round of hide and seek, but eventually I spot them tucked into a dark corner on a shelf.

That’s enough to keep the run alive.

I get a fire going and start looting properly.

Then I see it.

A bedroll.

At that moment, the absence of a hacksaw stops mattering.

A bedroll means caves are viable shelter. It means blizzards don’t automatically end the run. It means I’m no longer one bad weather roll away from disaster.

A bearskin bedroll would be ideal. This will do.

Food Is a Future Problem

I find a small stash of food. Enough to buy me a day or two.

I’ve learned not to obsess over hunger. Right now, calories just need to exist, not be comfortable.

Long-term, I need something sustainable. Rabbits and ptarmigans make sense early on, but without a bow or snares, I’m going to be throwing rocks for a while.

Another reason Coastal Highway needs to happen quickly.

I cook what I can while the fire is going:

  • Mushrooms
  • Coffee
  • Peaches, while boiling water

I also find a windbreaker jacket. Not great, but it beats freezing slightly faster.

No hat. No gloves. Frostbite is still very much on the menu.

End of Day 1

I eat, drink, and finally sleep.

Tomorrow’s plan is clear:

  • Head for Abandoned Mine No. 5
  • Collect coal along the way
  • Hope lightning strikes twice with a prybar
  • Push into Coastal Highway

This run already feels different.

Not easier.

Just less naive.

Video Log

Continue the journey:
Unprepared Log 5 – Day 2

1

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