The 'Keg' Stand - Forlorn Muskeg on Interloper


Gooner77

Recommended Posts

Keg 3 | Day 6

Up and out collecting a few sticks above the barn at 96% condition. It’s foggy out and a wolf smells me and follows all the way back to my protective structure. I pop out to take a look and I scare her off with my ugly Mackinaw once again.

vlcsnap-2019-06-09-17h17m41s360.thumb.png.b65925d1064601d4e831c0fcd5172c8d.png

I drink a hot tea and take torches from the 49 minutes left on the fire. I head out into the fog past the dock with my FLT in the positive. Good weather and no wolves all the way to Poachers. I drop 34 out of 44 sticks in the rail car and continue farther in this good weather.

vlcsnap-2019-06-09-17h21m38s462.thumb.png.18c83ce763084612b98db28b3619da68.png

vlcsnap-2019-06-09-17h24m23s522.thumb.png.e69ab201cdf70afeb2b8724eb12b3e17.png

vlcsnap-2019-06-09-17h28m05s833.thumb.png.aad10c7d0011452cfc2804f697b27617.png

Past the bear cave, I crouch to avoid detection by a wolf as I am on my last torch I have to hurry to start my warming fire. I collect sticks while taking warmup breaks and boiling water every chance I get. I break down all my spent torches and with 80 sticks here plus the 34 in the rail car it’s a pretty good haul and an early nights work complete. Below 50% stamina so it’s a good time to head back. A wolf scared away twice with fire on the trip back as I pass the rock island in the middle of the muskeg. After the forge fire gets warmed up I set up some more fires to practice my fire starting skills. I drop all of my scavenged supplies from the day, cattail heads, cattails, reishi and take the can opener out and open my dog food for dinner. One more can ready means I can leave a can here always on the forge so I don’t forget to take 2 cans with me on my runs. I head to bed for 10 hours.

vlcsnap-2019-06-09-17h35m27s941.thumb.png.d3ab4f66f8c903ad879df23508370760.png

Edited by Gooner77
  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keg 3 | Day 7

Wake up in the late morning, 11am or so, 100% condition and FLT of -23C in the wind outside and 3 hours left on the fire. I wish I could just go back to sleep for a few more hours but I’m not tired at all. Take stock of fuel – 53 sticks in the locker, 24 on me, 20 coals, 7 reclaimed, 4 cedar and 2 fir logs. I manage to aggro a wolf out by the bunkhouse walkway so I run back and practice some more fire making. After an hour or so the wind dies down and only 1 temp down arrow so I pull torches and head out towards the broken tower. I crouch past the wolf and then down the trail and over the log bridge then collect sticks in the upper ledge after that. Drop down by the log rail cars and more sticks to find. Wolf alley is fully populated it looks like so I cut under along the shore by the low blind. I cut in between 2 wolves and get a few more sticks before having to scare a wolf away with a fire. It’s a game of cat and mouse but this is the best place to find loads of sticks so it is worth the risk as long as visibility is good. I sprain both ankles climbing up to Marsh Ridge but there is a good supply of birch bark and sticks up here too. I light a fire outside the cave then go inside to find the 11 coal that I left here on day 1 or 2 and guts that are at 94%. Also there is the hoard of 23 birch bark that I collected and dropped before the update as it was useless then except for tinder, now it’s a huge score. Rabbits are down to 3% and 2% and I am trying to salvage the pelts.  

vlcsnap-2019-06-10-19h59m54s568.thumb.png.2708a49abb01218e714889facd152027.png

I harvest 1 pelt and the other 2 carcasses expire. More birch bark and sticks collected as the pain of my ankles fades away. I gather my supplies, take torches from the fire and point to home. I deploy the rope at the ledge and plan to climb down so I don’t have any more sprains but once I deploy I get notice that I need my ankles to climb down, I thought it was only wrists had to be sprain free unless this is part of the new update.

vlcsnap-2019-06-10-20h06m38s870.thumb.png.53089af57eb6b42d402288f2bc977fd3.png

I do the ultimate mountain goat down since my torches are burning down there I need them to keep fire alive. It’s a beautiful starry night over the muskeg and I can see a deer in my path. It will act a good screen for any surprise wolves until I can make the train tracks.

vlcsnap-2019-06-10-20h09m44s036.thumb.png.35df85c95dae5fb7c83370b625ab0808.png

vlcsnap-2019-06-10-20h11m18s763.thumb.png.83cdff4455ccdff6d8491d30d35a3aed.png

My deer screen works perfectly and just at the end of wolf alley a kill is made. I set up a safety fire a short distance away then toss a torch and scare the wolf away whimpering. I take a few 0.5kg steaks and cook them on the fire I eat my fill so I will have calories to burn when I get to sleep back at the barn. Other than that I leave 2L of water and at least 2.5kg of meat cooked, 5kg more on the carcass as I don’t want to push my luck as I am getting tired, I have a full backpack and the fog has settled in.

vlcsnap-2019-06-10-20h14m49s433.thumb.png.5f106ab2ae5ae9db1e17f4e8d802ce2c.png

I pass the log cars and a bark scares me, I circle up the hill to strafe away and manage to find the bear island path in almost zero visibility. I catch the faint outline of the bear in front of me, wolf still behind – am I going to get out of this jam? I circle behind the bear and it doesn’t seem to notice me, the wolf can smell me though and is not giving up. As I cross the last dangerous section of ice before the farm I decide I’ve had enough of this following and start a fire and scare the wolf back. I’m safe now to pick my final ice crossing without incident and amble up the forge fireplace and bed.

vlcsnap-2019-06-10-20h19m30s611.thumb.png.ce113350ba75dea7fcc39ea98c69f303.png

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Keg 3 | Day 8

Wake up in 100% perfect condition with FLT of -5C outside. Good day to collect more firewood. As per my calendar I decide on High Blind route across the muskeg to the old abandoned camp area. Haven’t been then since Day 5 and the sticks should be back by now. When I light up a fire there is a light fog but FLT has gone up to -1C and I break down several branches without even taking 10% off my temp meter.

vlcsnap-2019-06-22-21h54m31s190.thumb.png.5dead008cb1e80de9ce5c3282b065320.png

After several more runs I can hear the wind picking up and the fog clearing – an aurora is starting tonight. I quickly pull 4 torches from the fire and sprint towards Poachers. I make it almost there and my torch is snuffed out, another match gone to history.

vlcsnap-2019-06-22-21h57m29s527.thumb.png.c84502662b528ae5bf1216af0059bfc2.png

Temp is still not very cold, should I head for home or use another match/torch and keep collecting? I head for home but with almost full health I decide to take a small health loss and break down a branch and a bush while already in hypo risk. I lose about 25% but I should be getting that back tonight anyways. It’s all part of the interloper balance, take the hit when you can to get more supplies. In the end I make it back to the forge with 101 sticks.

vlcsnap-2019-06-22-22h02m07s343.thumb.png.78824aa362ea52dc7f7737178146c112.png

vlcsnap-2019-06-22-22h08m23s602.thumb.png.418f326adac9d932e8034bd725bb7e46.png

I collect more sticks around the barn and also take a torch out and light some more fires training myself on the fire skill. After I light one last fire I get the notification of Fire Starter Level 3 come up, this will be good for my fire length and for my fuel stores. I eat my last can being careful to have the can opener on me so I can have a backup water making can and I top up my stomach with a few cat tails and it’s time for bed.

vlcsnap-2019-06-22-22h10m27s927.thumb.png.29e9807d3c8aeec65e52176b19694d42.png

 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/23/2019 at 2:15 PM, Gooner77 said:

I make it almost there and my torch is snuffed out, another match gone to history.

Temp is still not very cold, should I head for home or use another match/torch and keep collecting? I head for home but with almost full health

So - did you save that match after all?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Keg 3 | Day 8

FLT is -8C at wake-up around noon. Some of my clothes are looking a little bit on the thin side, 11% thermals and 17% wool scarf. Amazing view out of my house this morning. 3 deer have decided to call area home. How best to make a kill happen?

vlcsnap-2019-08-29-21h17m38s750.thumb.png.5b1ed15fdb24626983d05309d9a9c797.png

Usually a wolf up by the broken tower, I maneuver around to push them that direction. At least I will have a 3X better chance at connecting. I spot a wolf far back in the frame and line up a deer with her and I charge forward. I hear the groan of a kill and I move forward cautiously to inspect the site. I set my safety fire a distance away and the wolf growls while I light. When done lighting it suddenly runs away without my usual torch toss or anything. Must have got a glimpse of my ugly mug. The carcass is laying on a hill that might be a little difficult for another fire but I find a spot to work. It’s between 2 little hills that might even have a little wind protection.

vlcsnap-2019-08-29-21h25m01s688.thumb.png.5e72a3465986c46e3fa8a9e005fb5f29.png

I get in perfect rhythm of 0.5kg coming off and straight onto the fire where a morsel has just finished cooking.  I dump all cooked meat right on the ground. I could save a bunch raw but I will eat this pretty quickly so I don’t think I have to save any raw to preserve decay rate. Weather is perfectly calm and the wolf is close enough to keep an eye on but not bothering me so I take advantage of her on the opposite side of the fire to drop a rabbit pelt at broken tower cave. I collect sticks at the tower and find 3 coal in the cave. I come back to a burnt piece of meat, need to be quicker next time or take off the fire what I am cooking. 15 x 0.5kg of meat, I left 3 uncooked and also boiled some water while pulling the hide and guts. I got all of it and now it is foggy and nighttime is on me. I grab a torch and both buts and hide and go back to the cave to let them cure. The wolf follows me all the way there so I set a fire at the warm/cold boundary to scare it off. I think it should still be running so I leave the fire at 9min and rush out of the cave. I crest the first hill and who is there but the wolf. I am startled so much I throw my torch in chaotic fashion that it actually ends up behind me with me flailing to get control. I run back to the fire which has 1 min left and I drop a couple of sticks to save my protection. This time the wolf bolts to the left of the cave entrance giving me a clear path back to the meat and my bed.

vlcsnap-2019-08-29-21h36m16s286.thumb.png.3db589d80aa5fc2db9155746d651139e.png

Spoke too soon, a second wolf is blocking my path to Spence’s and I am attracting a lot of attention with all the fresh meat I am carrying. I have to drop another fire down and scare it back and make it safely back to the barn with 4 pieces – that’s all I was willing to risk on my scent meter – 11 pieces are left back on the ground, they should be there when I come back that way in the future. After getting a fire going and warming up my body and some hot drinks. I take a tea from the stove and carry it out to the island at the end of the dock. There is a carcass here that I have been waiting to pilfer. I drink the hot tea on arrival and then use the hacksaw for 1 hour to get the hide. I trek back, warm up, and take another drink and back to the body. I finish both guts and suffer through the extra 7min of hypo to grab the meat as well. I eat a steak, 2 cattails and head to bed to sleep off this sprain still there and 15% hypo.

vlcsnap-2019-08-29-21h55m21s849.thumb.png.5e4728c2ace41665aac80ab5e74e4baf.png

vlcsnap-2019-08-29-21h55m42s380.thumb.png.3d25fbac5df87c680e219527ddf0d31e.png

 

Edited by Gooner77
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Past above is Day 9, forgot to increment title.

Keg 3 | Day 10

I wake in the morning, or rather in the early afternoon, in perfect 100% health. The wind was blowing hard but I knew I had some cured guts ready in the bunkhouse cave and a hide to collect. I didn’t even make it past the trees before my torch blew out but with -4C FLT I decided to continue on to the caves and go as long as I could without starting a fire due to the good weather. Collected the cave items and collected sticks all the way up to Marsh Overlook ending up with 116 sticks before lighting a fire to warm up. Lost about 20% health as a calculated risk/return. Rescued the rabbit pelts and guts on 3 carcasses at 4% that I had to leave here earlier but was constantly harassed by a wolf that smelled my work and came up from down below the overlook to investigate.

vlcsnap-2019-08-31-19h38m43s836.thumb.png.93db5da977220c6796be03402171bf4f.png

 

vlcsnap-2019-08-31-19h41m30s992.thumb.png.45982c1307934d1329e3c9c3479a0d06.png

Two wolves lock onto me just past the south cave and I have to make my way to the bunkhouse cave to drop my smelly gear and scare them away with a fire. I make it back to the barn with 96 sticks. I warm up a BBT and drink it as my health is 50% from today’s escapade. I craft line and hooks once I warm up using 1 gut and 1 out of the 5 scrap metal I have. I eat a 0.5kg steak, 2 cattails, drink my fill and sleep it off for 10 hours. Accelerated with the BBT my condition is back to 97% by morning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Keg 3 | Day 11

Snow is falling pretty heavy this morning and I have a couple of black hairy visitors hanging around my camp. Somehow I manage to pull 5 perfect 50% torches from the fire and take the guts and hide that I left behind inexplicably yesterday and make for the broken tower cave. I have properly deduced that wolves at camp means none at the tower. I hug the bank to try and block some of the wind and if I manage that it is only -6C FLT.

vlcsnap-2019-08-31-19h58m19s988.thumb.png.a145e1588f7d1611fd78e2952e0b306e.png

I decide to investigate wolf alley across the tracks from the ledge above the Broken Railroad entrance. This is one of the best places in FM to collect sticks. I am in luck as it is totally devoid of life until right at the far end I come across footprints and as soon as I look up I hear the bark of a wolf stalking me from the right side. I head direct to the rope and before I get there my torch blows out and a full on blizzard is upon me but no more wolf. I climb the rope to seek closest warm shelter in the cave on Marsh Ridge.

vlcsnap-2019-08-31-20h02m19s577.thumb.png.866623a7f863f26937fdb07c7b09a85f.png

I come across a previous fire I left on day 3 which was pre-patch for BBT. I had left a veritable goldmine of post-update birch bark; 13 in total. I scramble into the cave which is a balmy +5C. Four cured guts are on the ground from that day 3 work. 9 coal collected from the cave and I start breaking down the deer carcass hide first. One 0.5kg steak for now and I break down 4 branches in the skylight room before making for the exit as the sun is going down and it will get very dark in the cave. I drop the deer hide near the cave exit and break down 3 more branches inside. Leaving the cave luck would have it that the blizzard has passed.

vlcsnap-2019-08-31-20h03m07s093.thumb.png.22e7a706b40c6d808d34f32d42c0a132.png

I stone a bunny and then drop down off the ridge. A wolf stalks me all the way home and 2 more pick up my scent as they are patrolling the barn. I have to loop around to draw them off then sprint inside to light and torch and ignite the fire to warm up. That was a long day without lit torches or fire and I am below 50% condition. Inventory has 96 sticks and the 9 coal I had were ditched just after the broken tower to lighten the load; I will pick them up tomorrow probably. I process the 0.8kg of meat on the rabbit as I warm up my terrible hypo risk, and I sleep an hour to finish warming. Stoke the fire to 9.5 hours and sleep for 10.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 7 months later...
On 10/5/2019 at 10:16 AM, Dan_ said:

What's up man, any chance you can continue documenting this run? Was reading in awe as Keg thrived at the skeg! :coffee:

It may still have a little life. I stopped at the last update to learn the new ways of FM with Bleak Inlet transition cave and it doesn't bode well. I may continue on Time Capsule though with Keg 3. Teaser - at Day 29 with a ton of fuel stocked up and crafting all sorts of gear! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

I've been playing around with the impossible task of hunting deer on interloper with no bow and arrows. I've been in lockdown at Spence's for 7 days with 3 wolves nipping at my heels. I wake up on day 7 and see 3 deer on the hill and I rejoice thinking that the wolves are finally gone as this swap has been my experience in FM thus far. Alas, it was not to be, my camp now surrounded by 6 animals in close proximity. With these odds how could I fail another hunt? I climb the hill above the homestead and start pushing the deer back towards the dock. One obliges but the other 2 decide to go higher up the hill. With effort I manage to get these two going in the right direction just as I hear a bark and groan of a successful kill. I grab a torch from the forge and set up my safety fire, toss another torch at the wolf and secure the carcass. Just after this is complete I hear 2 more groans and 2 more kills out on the ice. Will I be able to safely reach them? I setup another fire on land and toss the torch, carcass #2 secure and is on safe ice. #3 looks precarious on approach, another fire and another singed wolf. I creep forward and can just reach the third. In all, over 19kg of meat. This Kegstand will not be going hungry!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

All of the more recent updates have not been kind to Kegstanders. 1st off it's a lot harder to get a FM start with more options such as Ash Canyon added, it seems like I roll PV 50% of the time. I did manage to get 2 or 3 starts there over a couple of IRL days. One only found 12 matches, the RNG was terrible for clothes as well. Could not even find the snow shelter. Another start had pretty decent luck getting the can opener and flare. Then managed a pair of boots and 99% wool toque. Still no hacksaw or matches besides the 12 guaranteed. The other absolutely brutal updates are the wolf aggro range and deer running away randomly. Man are wolves super hunters now. Also no south cave (transition to Bleak Inlet) coal is a real bummer. That cave almost always had 5,6 even 7 coal spawn. 

 

So, I decided to roll out the Time Capsule to go back to Wintermute redux v1.47. This was the version running when I made my 50 day run to death and Keg 3 pause at 29 days. Wow, what a difference for wolves. They practically ignore me at 2/3 the range (not scientific). Also, I found like 3 or 4 dead bodies with loot. It even seems like there are more rosehips and deer carcasses. Did the devs really nerf FM that much?!?

So if you want to try Kegstand, give yourself a shot at 50 days or even 100 days - use the Time Capsule v1.47. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
On 5/9/2023 at 10:20 AM, conanjaguar said:

@Gooner77

This story is one of the reasons I came to the Forum in the first place. It was a cracking good read and inspired me to try the Kegstand for myself.

Any chance of a post-TFTF continuation.

Thanks for the read, it was a different time and place for sure. Have not cracked into the new update at all as my time has been directed elsewhere unfortunately. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now