Empathy Run

[tulkawen]

Greetings everyone. I hope you are staying safe and healthy during these trying times, and finding joy in Christmas season no matter what.

I've been watching my favourite TLD series by Accurize2 where one of the commenters left an interesting idea about your survivor having optimism and heart. They would travel around, leaving at each location something small of value just in case another survivor happens to stumble upon the same area and looks for the means to keep going.

I liked this thought and I've decided to create a Christmas Empathy Run. I'm using Custom Interloper as a template. I've lowered health to no daytime recovery and low night recovery, no cabin fever and set wolves to medium.

Dec. 15th

My journey began a couple of hours pre dawn when the stars were still bright in the sky. Far in the distance lay the lighthouse. Rabbits frolicked around the island where I came to be. They sprinted far off as soon as I picked up a stone. Unwilling to freeze in this chase, I curbed around the island and headed for the outlines of a ship.

 

When I made it aboard, it was too dark to find a way to a bed. Hence I didn't want to keep going, I gritted my teeth and took hypothermia hit by playing cards for an hour until it got bright enough to search the ship.

I've left two pieces of coal and a newspaper for the next survivor, taking one coal with me, a can of peaches and a red wool scarf before moving on to Hybernia.

 

As I exited the ship, the local law keeper was between me and the place where I needed to go.

 

 

As I curbed around the bear, I also heard a wolf howling on Hybernia grounds while I snuck in through the backdoor.

Hurray! Hybernia was very generous! I found a pack of much needed matches and started a fire. My health at this point reached about 30% A pair of very old work boots was tucked into a corner. The place was generous with food.

 

For the next survivor, I have left one match, a can of sardines, a couple of reclaimed wood obtained by breaking boxes at the trailers, and a pair of leather shoes.

 

As I finished removing hypothermia effects and boiling water, a blizzard picked up closer to the evening. I ventured to a trailer and read a fishing book for three hours until dark. Then I crafted a bandage out of a single cloth found. Having eaten and drank some water, I had a comfortable eight hour rest that raised my health above half. Then I napped a bit more before deciding to leave the area hence I am unarmed and poorly geared. Risking a moose, I travelled across the bridge and went to the upper path to avoid the wolves below the Church. Since it was so cold, I was freezing again, and started another fire while I searched the place.

 

For the next survivor, I've left a Frontier Shooting Guide. Perhaps, the next survivor will be a hunter who will be trilled with the find or a fire start up material.

 

Having warmed up sufficiently, I made torches and headed for the mine connected to the broken highway. The mild fog setting in without wind helped me preserve the torch fire until I entered the mines, leaving Desolation Point behind.

 

And that was my first sharing day.

[dbmurph22]

Great read, great idea for a run during this part of the year (and anytime, too).  As I read along, I kept looking forward to seeing what you were going to leave next to assist those after you, so know your conceit was working really well.  Started in Desolation and left it not completely desolate. Thanks and good luck tulkawen.

[tulkawen]

Thank you, Murph. I thought the person who spoke up about leaving small things behind expressed a kind idea.

I haven't mentioned, I'm running two feats this playthrough: efficient machine and cold fusion.

Dec. 16th

At the coal mine entrance, I dropped my only red flare to light the next survivor's way.

Off into the tunnels I go!

A ragged pair of jeans and a big pile of coal will be waiting for them at the tunnel exit.

The crumbling highway wolf was enjoying a rabbit snack. He was offered lots of room to eat, while I sprinted towards a ruined building basement.

I've left behind a blue toolbox and ragged sports socks, the only things available to take.

But I am very fortunate. I've been worried about my stamina and freezing for  this long journey leg. The weather is very kind, mild snowflakes are spinning through the air at the temperature of -4C. A snazzy green windbreaker I found sure is great! Farewell, Crumbling Highway.

Greetings, Coastal Highway. Crouching among trees, I passed by burned down homes where wolves like to camp and headed for the nearest available shelter on an island situated on the sea of ice. The wind picked up to -12C. This island sure is treacherous. Travelling uphill with great many rocks for the wildlife to hide behind sure leaves one open to a sneak attack.

Steady... steady... preserve my sprint even if this merciless cold had caught up to my heels.

I jumped out of the chair at the loudest howl narrowly on my right. When I landed back into the chair, the wolf cut off his howl and I heard paw falls full in pursuit. Waawhh!! Uphill! Put that sprint pedal fully to the metal!

The sprint ran out several steps from safety. CHOMP! Go, Go, Gadget prybar! The wolf left me chewed up at 20% health and ran off. It's a good thing the house is nearby hence my fatigue is bordering full red. I made it to safety a couple of hours before dark. This is a good place to stop for the night.

Waking up the following morning, I've discovered a pair of driving gloves. No more frostbite nipping at my fingers. My health is back to more than half.

In gratitude for the island house giving me shelter, I've left a granola bar on the doorstep and a book for the next survivor who hopefully will avoid this wolf.

The morning greeting me was beautiful if very cold.

Crossing the ice back to shore brought me to the loveliest house. This house sure had a very big and completely bare kitchen, just like the rest of it.

Socks in the bathtub and half of the toilet water shall be the fair share for the next fellow man to come by. Hope their feet will be very warm with many many layers of sports socks.

I'm keeping optimistic with a goal in mind. The gas station is nearby. I sure hope I will find a sewing kit soon. My poor clothes weren't doing so great before the wolf and now they have lots of nice holes begging patch up. Away I go.

This was my second sharing day.

Edited December 16, 2020 by tulkawen

[tulkawen]

While the Qunset Garage vigilant guard wasn't being vigilant enough, I've taken the opportunity to pop open a few empty car trunks.

I wasn't too disappointed because great many valuable objects were waiting for me inside the garage. Among them, atop of the table stood a well worn storm lantern. May the forces of light go with me! In the red drawer lurked another prybar and behind a table hid a red toolbox.

May one of these prybars serve the next survivor as well as one of them serves me. A few water purification tablets and coal to sweeten the deal before off I crouch across the snowdrifts to a comfortable house nearby.

Beware toilet water, I shall have half of you along with this much appreciated food! My regeneration doesn't quite allow me to starve all day long. I do need nibbles here and there to keep my recovery above minor health losses, even starvation.

Thanking this cozy house, I leave another granola bar on the doorstep and follow the highway.

The evening is warm indeed. The temp at -3C opens the door to go sliding across the ice in search of a few fishing huts that offer me two hooks. The wolves are also enjoying the weather. They're scattered across the ice in multiple packs, pawing and sniffing the air and letting me weave a complicated path across the frozen sea among them while keeping off their radar.

I leave reclaimed wood and sticks in each hut to keep fishermen warm.

The weaved path eventually takes me closer to the Jackrabbit island. Since the sun is scraping the horizon, I choose to spend the night on another house island. I sneak very very carefully, more alert than rabbits for any sound, hence I need no repeat of the fluffy encounter. Luckily, all barkies are having fun on the ice and I make it inside unchewed on towards the glorious worn wool socks tucked under a grand bed. Another chapter of frozen angular and I'm ready for bed.

This Coastal Highway sure is stingy with matches. I've yet to find a box.

Upon this consideration, I leave my new red flare for the next survivor to build a fire, place two painkillers into the first aid kit and don't forget those nice, new sports socks! All survivors must be styling in them!

Astrid is doing well. Her health is around 70% And I'm still hunting for that sewing kit.

This is how went my third day of sharing. 

[ManicManiac]

On 12/16/2020 at 8:44 AM, tulkawen said:

I liked this thought and I've decided to create a Christmas Empathy Run.

Well done, I always love to see folks setting up their own Personal Challenges.

Good luck, survivor. 

[tulkawen]

Dec. 18th

It's a cold and snowy morning. The top of the island gives me a good view of the wolves having a group meeting. It's easy to be all sneaky when I need to go in the opposite direction towards a fishing village.

Lo and behold! In the nearest fishing hut, I find what my heart and freezing limbs desired - a full sewing kit!

I leave some coal, cedar and other burnables in the hut with many thanks, and depart all smiles while carefully listening for crows.

Mr bear is indeed a frequent guest in this area. Keeping my eyes peeled open for Mr bear, I nonetheless spot another big but sneaky item tucked away.

Mr Forge, I have a future with you now.

Hopping inside the fishing huts offers reprieve from the biting wind. I'm eager to warm up while I work on repairing my clothes. I've prepared for this moment by being the curtain terror in all visited homes. I put them into solid use repairing all but my boots that require leather.   

The fishing village must have good reading to offer. I finish the last chapter of the Frozen Angular and leave it in the hut along with a fishing hook and a cup of herbal tea. Don't forget the champ sports socks to boot!

The weather clears up into a beautiful evening as I crouch and peek out of the fisherman's house. No sight of Mr Bear but I keep hearing crows that accompany me even when I leave the huts behind and travel uphill to take a shortcut through the hills and forest, perhaps too optimistic that this bear won't be hiding around the next hill.

In an effort to go around the bear camp ground I circle too wide and end up missing a small rabbit grove hut on a slope. When a bridge appears, I advance past the rustling waterfall and decide to spend the night at a trailer. Tomorrow, I will cross the Ravine and enter Mystery Lake. Repaired mittens offer my hands protection. It sure would be nice to tear up the leather gloves and repair my boots. But, I only found one pair of gloves at Coastal, someone might appreciate them.

Four hours of morning reading go under my experience belt until the weather becomes warmer to travel a long distance.

At the coastal trailer, I left a pair of new driving gloves for the next survivor. May they keep frostbite at bay.

Here passed my fourth sharing day.

Edited December 19, 2020 by tulkawen

[tulkawen]

Dec. 19th

The fog trails thick along the ground. Since following the rail tracks will prevent me from getting lost, I welcome the windless weather, although, being on the broken railway bridge is an eerie experience hence there is nothing above, nothing below and the tracks cut off a few steps ahead into nowhere. When I make it across, the fog thins and I spot a couple of rabbits. Taking several shots that go miles off target, I abandon this pursuit before I get too tired. It's best to search for a way down across a fallen tree.

The frisky bunny cave will have a crafted beard with antiseptic properties waiting for someone.

The fatigue begins setting in. Just as the weight starts nagging my back, I spot a rock suitable for a mountain climbing rope. A lonely bunny lurks in the grass. This time I'm successful snipering him with a stone. It's tempting to hide in a cave, warm up and skin it. I could leave the stinky guts to cure without risking a wolf that enjoys his life near the Hydro Dam. The weather might turn, thus, I keep moving and collect cattails on the far end of the river before climbing a slope near a red wagon where I find a nearly full jerry can. Party! My lantern fuel was at the very bottom.

Perhaps, the following survivor will appreciate a bandage.

The fatigue is bordering red. I'm in danger of losing sprint before reaching the Mystery Lake. If the wolf is waiting in ambush, I'll drop the rabbit for him to nibble on instead of my leg. Mild snowflakes begin spinning through the air as I drag my feet slowly towards the trailer. Luckily, the wolf must be visiting his aunt Snarky.

I sleep an hour. Skin the rabbit. Note that I'm nearly out of water. With nine matches remaining, I've been careful to preserve them. I drop off all my items into a locker and notice that I used to have two copies of the Frozen Angular. Accidentally, I've left the unread copy at Coastal.

Six hours of rest to remove the dangerous fatigue level. Step into a starry night. At least the Hydro Dam gate isn't far, I'd like to cook the rabbit and boil some water.

A dawn is near when I finish the water boiling session. Fatigue is full once more. I return to the trailer and nap five hours following a tasty bunny snack.

Mid-day, I venture into the lower damn to begin a very thorough search with a glowing lantern. It's about time I found IT the tool of tools! The glorious hacksaw! Leave no nook or cranny unlit.

I left a tin of sardines and a torch for the next adventurer at the lower dam.

Where might a hacksaw be?

With about an hour of daylight remaining, I've decided to check a part of the upper dam too. Right there, before darkness fall, there it was.

Astrid sure is doing well! Her health is almost perfect!

This was the fifth day of sharing.

[tulkawen]

Dec 20th

In the morning I put my hacksaw to a very good use only to discover a blizzard by midday. This prompted me to search the Upper Dam. I'm still hunting for leather to repair my work boots. The search is rewarded by a pack of matches and my very first can opener. Yay!

It's getting dark by the time the search is over.

At the upper dam, the next survivor will find an extra match, half a sewing kit, a couple of antibiotics, a whetstone and books, both for reading and fuel, tucked into various places.

It's still a blizzard by nightfall. I almost get lost walking from the dam to the nearest trailer where I hacksaw another shelf to get tucked out and go to sleep.

Dec 21st

The blizzard is still howling when I wake up. This gives me an opportunity to bust an upturned chair and then sort out all my items.

At the trailer, I've left 3 cattails, a jerry can and a blue toolbox before venturing out in the wake of the departing blizzard.

I realise it's not the best idea to travel due to the bitter cold. It would have been a smarter play to collect some cattails by the river and return to the trailer to read and warm up while waiting for warmer weather, but I persist and move on to a clearing where in a the hunter's blind a bedroll is waiting for me. Hypothermia got me even before I reached the clearing, but I keep going.

 

I've left a bottle of antiseptic at the hunter's blind for the next survivor.

The wolves hardly seem to favour this cold as well. I meet none at the clearing or at the riverbed where I chop down a few birch saplings. There is one at the far end of the lake where I spot an opportunity.

 

The deer doesn't want to play along. He runs leftward away from the wolf.

The lake headquarters are like a beacon in the falling snow. This place is warm. This place is large. This might be just the right home, a place to live.

Dec 22nd

This trip did cost my health quite a bit, but in the evening when the temperature reached about -4C, I've decided to head for the Lake Cabins. Giving the lonely wolf plenty of room, I checked a couple of fishing huts and holed up at the cabin for the night.

I've left a pair of mittens at the lake house for the next survivor.

There were more lake cabins along the shore, they served me as night refuge.

A red wool scarf will be waiting for the next survivor there.

Another blizzard howled in the morning. It's a good thing I have a ten hour field dressing book. I check the weather. Ugh! Dense fog and snow. The perfect visibility to get eaten by a bear. More reading. Past noon the fog clears up.

It is fairly cold, -11C when I reach the last cabin closest to the bear den. I can't see him anywhere, though, the bear was around the previous day. I decide to leave the cattails closest to the bear den alone and travel back to the headquarters.

Since the water is running low, I dedicate an entire evening to boiling water and reading. I also begin working on a W sign next to the headquarters. This will indicate a warm welcome to any survivor. Perhaps, after another supplies trip, I will find another person waiting. My cabin is their cabin, my home is their home.

Dec 23rd

Bedroll ready. Hacksaw ready. I have coal and I have lots of metal. I am ready for the Forlorn Muskeg!

It's rather cold again, yet, the weather is crystal bright. It might turn worse if I wait and I don't want to remain too long. The wolf was guarding the tracks very closely and kept howling. It was tricky to crouch past him.

Once he was cleared, I sprinted down the rail tracks away from the Mystery Lake. I grabbed cattails on the way and bee lined for the red wagon as soon as possible. Hypothermia got me rather good anyway, but the bright sun allowed to make a free fire with a shiny magnifying glass I found at the headquarters. In the wagon I found another storm lantern.

I filled up the lantern and left it for the next adventurer.

The next part of my journey was filled with peril. Wolves! Wolves here and there and everywhere! Lurking around each cattail! I changed direction three times trying to cross the treacherous muskeg and ice that kept cracking under my feet. No matter how much I sneaked, one of the wolves spotted me. Due to the blocked routes, I had to get close to him. I sprinted crazy across the cracking ice away from the snapping teeth.

The escort hounded me all the way to the farm where he tag teamed another local resident. I bolted up the barn boards to the second floor and crouched behind some green crates listening for the wolf who was refusing to leave. His footfalls lingered around the barn for many hours. And then he howled pitifully at nightfall having lost his prey.

December 24th 🎄

I have a good feeling about this bright day! Having fired up the forged in the middle of the night, it was two coals away from being able to put to use my good heavy hammer!

At noon when the weather turned bright, I risked peeking out of barn and then tiptoed towards the docks that led me to a small shack on an isle. I picked up more metal and coal along the way. Then tiptoed around another barn on shore in search of wood and metal. Living at the forge sure is fuel costly.

Another night at the forge and a raid in the morning for the larger logs. I only found one cedar nearby and caught a cold chopping it down. More forging and one more night before all my metal was converted into knives and hatches and many many arrowheads. All the while the wolf kept checking on my barn and howling. In the middle of the night, through dreams, I heard an attempted attack, but the fire blazing inside the forge kept the intruder away. Only by noon the following day was I ready leave this wolf forsaken marsh and return to the cozy mystery lake.

The hammer was going to stay at the forge for the future use regardless. Given the spirit of the holidays I could not in good will leave this wonderful place without some presents!

The next lucky survivor will find wrapped in birch bark ribbons.

A hatchet.

Four arrowheads.

Three matches.

One vest.

Five cattails.

A cup of the birch bark tea.

And one accelerant.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! ❤️

[dbmurph22]

What a generous haul for the next survivor at Spence's who will find it looted, but not cleaned out, and a great help for themselves in their own survival.  It's truly in the spirit of Christmas.  That it was preceded by peril just prior to arrival infuses it with even more empathy in my mind (of course the next survivor will never know, but could maybe imagine the possible stories of one that came before or who may still be out there).