A Few Dead Men

[Hotzn]

The mysterious Deadman No. 4, here he goes again. First he would briefly camouflage as Deadman No. 3, then die. Now what we believed to be Deadman No. 10 proves to be... Deadman No. 4! Is No. 4 still alive, has his demise been a hoax? Or has No. 10 slipped into No. 4's shoes, inheriting his memory? Is there some deeper meaning to all of this - maybe the notorious @Drifter Manwants to remind us that there is some greater community encompassing all our runs? That everything - everything - is just one big and universal run? Surely, Nhotz would find interesting questions to ask the next Deadman who should cross his path. Don't miss out on the next issue of IMM (Interloper Monthly Magazine).

[Drifter Man]

Heh... Deadman is too busy to count!

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 6

First order of business, catch that rabbit. Take everything of value from the basin of the Ravine. Sleep for 1 hour next to the fire. I'm not fully rested but it will have to do. The train engine has the stim - Deadman 4 must have missed it, it's quite well hidden. I'll apply it during the climb if necessary.

But it's not necessary and although I'm exposed to winds during the ascent, warm drink keeps me from losing temperature too fast. A while later I'm in the second cave, dropping all the skins and guts on the ground to cure. It's four guts at Trapper's, five curing in the Ravine where I'll pick them up in about 15-20 days' time if I'm alive. 9 guts is a good start. I catch a rabbit near the cave and add a tenth one for good measure.

I start a fire after midinght due to blizzard. I keep it burning into the morning.

Deadman 10 / Day 7

It's early, the fire is still going, warm pinnacle peaches waiting next to it to give me a boost... it's still very cold but foggy and fog is good when getting across the trestle... I resist the temptation of another rabbit hopping within stone's throw, eat the peaches and set out with a torch in hand.

I cross the trestle safely but miss the moment when the warmth bonus runs out catching hypothermia risk while starting fire at the tunnel to CH. I end up losing 2% condition, 73% now. I warm up for a while, boil some water. I've spent nearly all my sticks, so now I have to make it to Rabbit Grove from here in one go.

When I'm done warming up it's still foggy. Perfect weather. After turning right from the railroad and down the Bear Creek, I first check the corpse under the track and find... a new ski jacket! Fantastic, just what I need. I put it on straight away. I also add a windbreaker jacket to the pack although it is not much use at the moment. Then I follow the creek and collect cattails, mindful of the unlucky Deadman 1 who got jumped here. My temperature bar is still not even 1/2 spent when I reach the campground. A deer is running around, signalizing safety. I take the meat from the carcass (0.8 kg) without starting a fire, and still have enough left to collect some more cattails around. Eventually I climb up to Rabbit Grove, start a small fire to cook the venison and while it is cooking, I go to the cabin to warm up.

An hour later I collect the steak from the fire and let the fire die. It's still foggy and I'd like to continue, but I need to warm up first. I sleep for an hour in the cabin, break up some small crates (I need firewood!) and move out. The weather is holding.

I reach Fishing Camp safely, finding a wool toque in the fishing hut, pork and beans and two packs of jerky in the cabins, plus simple tools and driving gloves - my first gloves. The weather turns bad in the meantime and I'm tired anyway. Time to get some sleep.

Edited October 19, 2018 by Drifter Man

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 8

The day begins CH-style, with a blizzard. Safe and warm inside the fishing cabin, I read "Stay on Target", chew cattails and fix my wool socks. Before noon the blizzard ends and now it's a clear and windless day. I search the surroundings of the Fishing Camp and find another box of simple tools - I'm leaving both tools behind in the cabin. However, I decide not to go to Jackrabbit as usual. I'll take a shortcut to the Log Sort instead.

First I start a fire with the mag lens - good call, soon the clear weather ends - cook pork and beans and make some water. Then I move via highway to the Log Sort. I search a car on the way (nothing inside, trunk is locked) and deal with a wolf on approach to the Log Sort. I try to start a fire next to the carcass on the shore but the winds start immediately, killing it along with the torch.

I sleep in the trailer for two hours and return in the evening when the winds die down again - I get the meat out (1.9 kg) and search a nearby fishing hut (wool scarf, reclaimed wood). Then I transfer the fire to the second carcass along the road up into the hills. I leave the meat (0.9 kg) on the stones cooking, fire duration set just right so that they'd be done before the fire ends, and return to the trailer because night is coming.

I'm not tired enough, so it's time to apply the stim. I go to bed in 88% condition. Stomach is full but only 10 matches left.

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 9

The morning is foggy but cold, felt -20°C. I stay in the trailer and read a book. An hour later it's only -16°C, good enough for the short trip I'm planning. I make a stop at yesterday's deer campfire and eat the cooked venison off the cooking stones. I sleep for an hour in the trailer on the way to the Cinder Hills mine and enter the mine when snows starts falling.

Once I pass through the mine (second wool toque, emergency stim, hacksaw in better condition than the one I have, sewing kit, another toolbox, lots of coal), I face a decision. It's late afternoon and it's very warm outside but I'm getting a bit tired and it's still a long way to the next shelter - the cave at Misty Falls. I hesitate for a moment but decide that the opportunity given by weather has to be used. A while later, after dropping the toolbox and excess coal at the mixe exit, I'm on my way down into Pleasant Valley. With the torch the felt temperature is positive! Locals greet me at the crossroads at the End of the Road.

Derelict cabins... I find painkillers and almost immediately use them because I sprain a wrist.

The bear is home this time... I stand up when I'm back to it and think I'm far enough but the bear radar picks me up right away. I avoid the bear easily among the rocks but today I'm not stopping for the deer at the cave.

About an hour later I reach Misty Falls. I start a fire with the torch and head out to get a rabbit. I only get one of the two that are hopping around - it's getting dark very fast and I can't see a thing. I cook the rabbit, keep the fire going and sleep for 2 hours to get out of red fatigue - I want to search the cave without striking another match. The search gets me a second bedroll, sardines, some lantern fuel and a dress shirt.

8 matches left, hopefully I get those in Mountaineer's Hut soon. I was starving briefly (not enough time to eat) but condition is still 88% plus extra stim. Clothing also looks good - a ski jacket, two toques, everything together gives me +10°C bonus. The biggest prize would be a thin wool sweater but they are so hard to find!

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 10

It was a good idea to get that rabbit yesterday, today the other rabbit is gone. I collect a few reishi mushrooms, wait for the winds to die down, and move quickly to the bunker in the afternoon - a wolf approaches me on the way but I manage to shake it off. The bunker has nothing for me, all lockers except one are locked and I still haven't found a prybar.

I sleep again for two hours, waiting for a short blizzard to stop before moving on to TWM. I make a mistake: I should have left everything I don't need up there in the bunker. Now I may be forced to leave some supplies in TWM on my way back.

Anyway, after a brief warming break, already at night, I reach Mountaineer's Hut. Inside I find a hammer and 800 calories (dog food + granola), matches of course, and a down vest which is a bit better than the one I already wear.

It's a clear night, but very cold. After midnight I have to start a fire. I use a clear, wolfless and temporarily windless aurora night to collect a few cattails in in the western part of the lake - meanwhile, the bear patrols the eastern part. Unfortunately, wind always starts blowing and temperatures around felt -30°C quickly force me back. I only get a few.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Drifter Man

[Hotzn]

TWM... home turf... the summit beckons...

[Drifter Man]

4 hours ago, Hotzn said:

TWM... home turf... the summit beckons...

Yeah... summit beckons... then kills...

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 11

I don't like the weather today, it feels like a blizzard could start at any moment. But I also know that those old learned 'feels' no longer work, the weather has become a lot less predictable than it used to be. Anyway, the winds slow down enough for me to transfer fire to the fishing hut. On the way I get attacked by a wolf - it's already charging as I slip into the hut. It spotted me from far away and acted very aggressively. I have to watch out. The frozen corpse of Deadman 4 lies some 20 meters away.

As I warm up at the stove, I look around the hut and find an old wool toque (to be scrapped) and a storm lantern with 0.60 L fuel. Excellent, this will save me some matches when I pass through caves. I'm thinking of killing some rabbits and collecting a bunch of cattails, but there's a catch:

Sandwiched between a bear and two wolves, I decide the best solution is just to carry on. I wait for the bear to pass to the other shore of the lake, then I drink hot tea, arm the flare gun and head out towards the Wing. I find moose marks everywhere but the moose is not around, so I can access the cargo container safely. The container lets me down: only one can of pork and beans, the other food must have already decayed. Peaches and tomato soups go quickly when stored outdoors, these must have had low condition to start with.

The other compartment has one packet of tea and one of coffee.

Strong winds start blowing as I'm working on the container. I start a fire in a partially sheltered position, warm up and cook those pork and beans. Winds turn around and kill my fire - but this time not before I'm done. Warmed up, I continue to the fallen tree bridge. On the way I get 0.6 kg meat from a carcass, without fire, plus 1.8 kg from another one past the bridge.

Sticks, mushrooms, rosehips - I take everything and reach the cave on the left. No need for a fire, this place is warm enough. I sleep for an hour to warm up and reduce fatigue. Having a bedroll is such a luxury in TWM, it almost feels like cheating.

I move to the Three-way cave, which is also warm enough, but night is falling and I've sprained a wrist. The place has matches, firewood, sardines and "Survive the Outdoors" - great read, unfortunately I don't have much time for that. I want to save a match and painkillers and I'm thinking of moving to Cave of Engines right away. I know I stink with all this raw meat on me and that I can't use the pistol if I'm attacked - there are wolves at the engine and the scent could draw them to me. Temptation is strong. I almost leave for the cave, then I come to my senses and strike the match. I cook all venison and eat it on the spot, drop things I don't need (I have 60 sticks, it's a drag), then take a torch and move safely through the night to the Cave of Engines.

Inside the cave I let my torch go out and use the lantern instead, another luxury item I'm not used to having often:

The cave has coal, another copy of "Survive the Outdoors" - a very popular title around here - and painkillers. I reach the other end, turn off the light and sleep.

[Dan_]

Wow, I've just finished reading the whole thread and boy you never cease to amaze me. 

Thanks for documenting your adventures @Drifter Man! Great succint read and impeccable gameplay as always. 

[DaveMcD]

17 hours ago, Drifter Man said:

Strong winds start blowing as I'm working on the container. I start a fire in a partially sheltered position, warm up and cook those pork and beans. Winds turn around and kill my fire - but this time not before I'm done. Warmed up, I continue to the fallen tree bridge. On the way I get 0.6 kg meat from a carcass, without fire, plus 1.8 kg from another one past the bridge.

Sticks, mushrooms, rosehips - I take everything and reach the cave on the left. No need for a fire, this place is warm enough. I sleep for an hour to warm up and reduce fatigue. Having a bedroll is such a luxury in TWM, it almost feels like cheating.

I move to the Three-way cave, which is also warm enough, but night is falling and I've sprained a wrist. The place has matches, firewood, sardines and "Survive the Outdoors" - great read, unfortunately I don't have much time for that. I want to save a match and painkillers and I'm thinking of moving to Cave of Engines right away. I know I stink with all this raw meat on me and that I can't use the pistol if I'm attacked - there are wolves at the engine and the scent could draw them to me. Temptation is strong. I almost leave for the cave, then I come to my senses and strike the match. I cook all venison and eat it on the spot, drop things I don't need (I have 60 sticks, it's a drag), then take a torch and move safely through the night to the Cave of Engines.

My Envy is palpable as you swan warmly through the area that spent two days in a row determined to (and eventually would) kill me.

Not only that you got to harvest the deer that magically disappeared when I backtracked to get it. Maybe it teleported to your game.

[Drifter Man]

10 hours ago, Dan_ said:

Wow, I've just finished reading the whole thread and boy you never cease to amaze me. 

Thanks for documenting your adventures @Drifter Man! Great succint read and impeccable gameplay as always. 

Hardly impeccable - you should see how I jump in the chair whenever I hear a wolf bark for instance - but thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[Drifter Man]

5 hours ago, DaveMcD said:

My Envy is palpable as you swan warmly through the area that spent two days in a row determined to (and eventually would) kill me.

Not only that you got to harvest the deer that magically disappeared when I backtracked to get it. Maybe it teleported to your game.

I've seen deer carcasses behaving strangely - appear and disappear, then reappear - but if you touched it before, you may have triggered its decay. In two days it could be gone.

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 12

First look outside in the morning, at the Engine: no wind but still too cold. I pick up sticks and reishi mushrooms before returning to the cave. I notice wolves on the other side of the river. In the cave I pass time reading a book.

A while later I try to locate the deer carcass that is sometimes found further to the left. From the distance I can tell it's not there - no crows - and choose to return. I forfeit the reishi mushrooms that grow on that site.

An hour of sleep, then out again. Air is warmer but it's windy now. I build a fire, decided to move on with my plan regardless of weather conditions. A warm drink would enable me to move the rope safely. But winds die down as I'm making the fire, so I save the drink and just put some water on to boil while I'm off to fetch the rope. I'm back in about 40 minutes, with the rope and a few cattails. Warmed up, I move on to the other rope attachment point to deploy my shortcut to the Mountaineer's Hut, as usual. I'm going to use it in a few days.

As I return to the fire, snow stops falling and gives way to a beautiful, warm, lovely fog. I'm a bit tired but the weather must be used to the last minute. I immediately make two cups of coffee, drink one, keep the other, grab torches and return through the cave. On the other side I drink the second coffee, still hot, to extend the warmth bonus. On the way to Deer Clearing I start a fire next to another deer carcass - 1.6 kg will fill my stomach for now. Then I add a third coffee to make sure I can climb the rope and deal with whatever I find up there.

Deer Clearing... I suppose this qualifies as "grandma fog".

I'm warm and proceed carefully, crouched, to avoid wolves - Deadman 3 had a tight moment here. But I only meet deer and rabbits today. Four deer. Using one as decoy - just in case - I head for the container. I'm so excited about this perfect day, I begin sawing off the wrong compartment  I get two pieces of cloth and two of scrap metal in exchange for 5% of my hacksaw - 66% hacksaw condition remaining. The other compartment has three tomato soups, still edible in 39% condition.

Night is falling fast, so I just take a long stone shot at a rabbit - I miss of course - and go to the cave to sleep.

[BareSkin]

7 hours ago, Drifter Man said:

I suppose this qualifies as "grandma fog".

More that that, you've screenshot its perfect definition. Warm, reassuring, precarious.

Edited October 23, 2018 by BareSkin

[Drifter Man]

14 hours ago, BareSkin said:

More that that, you've screenshot its perfect definition. Warm, reassuring, precarious.

It's my favorite fog! It's been my favorite weather since I started playing TLD. Almost 3 years ago

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 13

I wait in the cave until temperatures are too low in the morning, then I start a fire and warm up tomato soups while repairing clothes and bedroll. I've got some excess cloth plus those two pieces I got from the container, and I also have no intention to bring that sewing kit back, so let's use it here. The mending goes well, I get about 4 successful repairs and 2 failures. Later I sleep again and wait until noon for good weather. Good weather turns into bad weather and eventually blizzard by the time I reach Secluded Shelf, but I make it through with the help of a fire (at the bottom of the rope, where it is partially sheltered).

There is no carcass on the way to Secluded Shelf, but I notice this view (taken at the rope, to the left when you approach the rope from direction Deer Clearing). Could this be a shortcut? Is there something four dozen Snowballs never noticed?

I search the cave: coal and firewood, nothing else. After the blizzard I quickly search the approach to the final rope, but there is no carcass either. Also, no rabbits. I have no choice to chew cattails.

There is always a rope in the open cave where I normally build a snow shelter. I move it to the climb to Eric's Falls, I'll use it later. Then back into the big cave. Before going to sleep, I drop all items I'm not going to need at the summit - extra torches (one is enough), extra matches, coal (8 pieces are enough, maybe 6), emergency stim, prepared rosehips (I've got enough painkillers), lantern, 25 sticks (out of total 50), sewing kit, cloth... things like this.

I think the view above is towards Deer Clearing. The slope may be too steep to climb. I may check it someday.

[Dan_]

No condition loss? I'm impressed. 

Yes, it is a shortcut of sorts but the slope is way to steep to climb. You've got to go as far up as you can and then go right around the boulders, this will take you to the deer carcass near the rope to secluded shelf and then it's just a casual stroll down the gentle slope to the rope. Also, the same wolf that patrols the edge of Deer Clearing near the rope also goes as far as that fallen tree that points to the warm cave, you might want to check if he's not run off there in pursuit of rabbits before taking the shortcut. 

[Ruruwawa]

I have managed to goat over that route, but it's really wolf-y and sprain-y.  So I normally just go around.

[Hotzn]

On 23.10.2018 at 2:07 PM, Drifter Man said:

I'm so excited about this perfect day, I begin sawing off the wrong compartment  

In case your hacksaw gets too low on condition - can't you repair it at the summit before opening all containers? I haven't played in a while now, but my memory is there is a compartment with toolboxes, and there should also be some scrap metal. Maybe that would allow repairing the hacksaw?

[Drifter Man]

23 hours ago, Dan_ said:

No condition loss? I'm impressed. 

I managed to make that move without condition loss. The weather was bad but polite - wind only started blowing when I already had a place to find cover / start fire.

23 hours ago, Dan_ said:

Yes, it is a shortcut of sorts but the slope is way to steep to climb. You've got to go as far up as you can and then go right around the boulders, this will take you to the deer carcass near the rope to secluded shelf and then it's just a casual stroll down the gentle slope to the rope. Also, the same wolf that patrols the edge of Deer Clearing near the rope also goes as far as that fallen tree that points to the warm cave, you might want to check if he's not run off there in pursuit of rabbits before taking the shortcut.

 

23 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

I have managed to goat over that route, but it's really wolf-y and sprain-y.  So I normally just go around.

Thanks for the info - I'll avoid this shortcut then.

[Drifter Man]

18 hours ago, Hotzn said:

In case your hacksaw gets too low on condition - can't you repair it at the summit before opening all containers? I haven't played in a while now, but my memory is there is a compartment with toolboxes, and there should also be some scrap metal. Maybe that would allow repairing the hacksaw?

Not a compartment but a crate (at least with some loot setup). However, as I suspected, it wasn't necessary in the end

[Drifter Man]

Deadman 10 / Day 14

In each life, there is only one Summit Day. For Deadman 10 it's Day 14.

The weather wasn't helpful though. I spent good part of the day in the open cave, waiting at the fire for the winds to stop. I failed to watch my stomach for a moment and lost 1% condition to starvation, 87% now. One rabbit appeared, so I killed it, cooked it and ate it. And continued watching the winds.

It wasn't until dusk that I could move on. It was still windy but warm tea kept me from freezing as I climbed up the last rope, knowing I would spend the night up there. I started a warming fire in the cave (rope, "Advanced Guns Guns Guns", antibiotics) and, once warmed up again, moved on to the plane. As I suspected, the hacksaw was there, in 100% condition - I found hammer at MH and no mag lens, so I suppose that means hacksaw at the summit.

Once I was happy with the fire, I started opening containers. Clothes: I'm taking a ski jacket, trail boots, mittens, wool socks, one toque and a wool ear wrap. I may leave something behind - I already have two toques and a bear encounter would be terminal anyway, so the third toque is probably a waste of space in the backpack. Food: Three cans of pork and beans, one of peaches, five sodas, four boxes of crackers, some tea and coffee. I open the medical/pelts container as well and take antibiotics, painkillers, one rabbit pelt, one wolf pelt and two deer hides. I also take the flare shells (but not the gun, which I already have), a firestriker (at 97%) and emergency stim from the floor. The hacksaw is at 25% now - I drop it and take the new one.

The next step is breaking crates - I find one bottle of accelerant in one and rope, quality tools and a piece of scrap in another. The third is empty. There are two more and I wonder what the chances are they contain matches. I could use matches, I haven't found many and relied on the summit to get some more. But now I'm too tired anyway, it's time to get some sleep.

 

[dead frozen dude]

That Secluded Shelf shortcut... goes like this:

It's not that long, but yeah the wolf down there would certainly go for you... Probably it can do in a pinch when, say, a bear blocks the usual route, though...

It's kinda funny to hear that Snowballs never knew about it.

[Drifter Man]

4 hours ago, dead frozen dude said:

That Secluded Shelf shortcut... goes like this:

That's a great picture, now it's perfectly clear... I always avoided that part of Deer Clearing. In fact, every Snowball passed through Deer Clearing at most once, following the beaten path.