Do I dare ... you have a say - on interloper (spoiler warnings)

[IamSameer]

Need your advice or taunts‼️

Well I have had a fun and epic 13 day journey so far with this Fearless Survivor 😎

This is my second loper run of significant value, first one ended at 23 days. Great Bear Island reminded me that a bow, arrows and hatchet means nothing, if respect is not shown to its lupine hunters. 

No crafted weapon/tools yet (inspired by @ManicManiac), trying for the Pacifist and moving fast with chain torches, no skinning of anything yet.

At a serious decision point, read below (TLDR at the bottom too).

The journey

Spawned in FM and went to Spences found matches & food, slept a night and then moved quickly to ML with over 30 cattails.

Straight to Camp Office where I found a bedroll, then to Lookout Tower (a favourite) where I found a mag lens, then straight to the Dam - quick looting, but no useful clothing, was still wearing battered dress shoes as I moved the next day!

Off to PV -> narrowly avoided a grumpy wolf in the Winding River, had a quick roasted rotting deer steak in the cave before rushing to the Radio Tower, where I found combat pants and more matches.

Slept there, eating found food and then roped down to get to The Farmstead, found a heavy hammer and food, basic parka & outer layer. Grabbed a pot and headed to Outbuildings found a saw (left the hammer), and XRoads where I got work boots and matches. Blizzard walked to Draft Dodgers - rested, eating stalks and found food. Moved same evening to crashed plane hopping for sweaters, found none and a second blizzard struck. Waited for a day, ran out of coal/wood so blizzard walked to Skeeters basement, got there almost frozen & rested!

Pushed around the back to Prepper’s Cache and dodged a bear on the way 😰 thought I was a goner! Had to skip a bunch of 🔒  lockers, to my frustration, no pry bar found yet.

Next day the weather was bad again, so skipped the falls cave and pushed through to TWM for treasure. Uneventful travel to Mountaineers cabin, found matches, flare, ear muffs and a ski jacket. Consolidated gear, boiled water and left a bunch of stalks - ready for the summit push the next day.

The plan was to go up the rope via Andre’s Peak route to Cave C-D to get coal, then around back via Deer Clearing to Secluded Shelf Climb to Cave hop B-A to climb to summit!

Delayed by due weather and almost getting munched by a wolf while returning to the hut in fog, holy crap that exhilarating - it ignored a thrown torch and followed me all the way back as I back-pedalled with a burning flare 😳

The next day the Summit plan worked well, found 4 cans of food in wreckage debris, which kept me warm on my trip. Avoided wolves and a bear to make the Plane Tail in thick snow 🏆

Treasure was new Trail boots, Combat boots, 2nd ear muff, wool cap, flare gun, food and my first loper summit - glorious achievement for me! 

The return was a bit more difficult, currently holed up in Deer Clearing Cave healing after running away from a bear and falling off a ledge as a result - did not want to shoot him as that would ruin the Pacifict try.

TLDR - loper newbie -  with a lot of luck, stalks and torches have had fast epic run from FM to Summit on medium gear with no bow, knife or hatchet, but now have a flare gun. 

Decision time:

BE SENSIBLE - head to CH & DP forge to make tools and arrows + craft deer & bear clothing?

GO FOR IT - head to Ash Canyon (never been) for pack, crampons & fun filled terror?

Let me have it straight and why 👍🏽

Edited March 20, 2021 by IamSameer
Grammar

[manolitode]

Congrats on your first summit on loper :) I say pick up your cattails and go for DP and do some crafting. While you seem capable you are also very under-equipped. If you go for the gold mine without AC map knowledge you're likely going to die on the mountain. It's about time you get a bow and start doing some hunting. There aren't many bears in AC but there are plenty of wolves so you need tools. 

It's preferable to go to any unfamiliar region with a full belly, well fed and a full set of animal clothing. But AC also means a lot of climbing. If you have a moose hide satchel you can climb with enough weight of coal to keep you warm at least through one night of blizzard in the wild. And even better, 15 sticks and 5 pieces of cloth. Long story short, you've been fast and visited some important locations. But you haven't prioritzed safety and the cold is about to catch up with you.  

 

[Guest jeffpeng]

Personally I think you can get to the mine with the same strategy of evasion relatively simple. This however requires you to know where you are going. If you do not Ash Canyon is a tough proposition on Interloper (Trust me, been there, done that). There is limited food, even more limited shelter (especially if you don't know WHERE it is), and the way is actually not that easy to find. Adding to that: As Ash Canyon is exceptionally cold and windy you have a timer on you the moment you step into that madness.

This problem, however, at least in my rather humble opinion, does not really go away when you have tools or weapons. By any chance right now is possibly the best moment to explore Ash Canyon since you are relatively good equipped for still relatively warm weather. Since the world is getting colder by the day any progress you made with your gear will probably end up negated by the time you made your way back. While with weapons it might be easier to stay alive living off the land for a longer period of time, you still would have to invest a serious amount of time before you get to that point - a long time you would not benefit from the additional 5kg of the backpack, which is an even more serious advantage than the crampons.

So, yeah, what am I actually saying here? If I were you I'd go for it. Then again I'm the kind of player that is sometimes confident to a fault. The conservative approach would certainly be to gear yourself out, and then return once you are adequately equipped. But if you are confident in your ability to navigate a hostile environment successfully, understand how to stretch your resources and how play the margins to your advantage: go for it, and either succeed or learn from failure.

It's a wolf eat wolf world. Be a wolf.

[ManicManiac]

@IamSameer
Well done!
This was definitely a great start to a grand adventure.
You've been able to cover ground a lot more quickly than I've managed (though I admit part of that is my desire to take it slow).

As for the decision that lays ahead for you... I think it really comes down the question of how far you'd enjoy pushing the envelope. 
Again, well done.  I look forward to reading more of this adventure of yours.

Edited March 20, 2021 by ManicManiac

[IamSameer]

Bear Island is wicked‼️

Firstly for all the reasons @jeffpengsuggested, and particularly because I did want to make the trek back to this region for many moons - the Fearless Survivor plunged headfirst into the fabled Ash Canyon in search of more treasure!

Day 13

Rested, well fed and full of confidence, I left the Deer Clearing Cave with 15 cat tail stalks, water, 4 boxes of crackers & a good attitude! The ☀️ is bright, good things to come ...

In the connector cave, I stocked up on 7 coal and am set for the next couple of days at least!

The frozen swamp and low sections are known to hold terrors, so the plan is to move fast and carefully through the Pillars Footrest, then straight to the long ropes which lead to the Gold Mine ridge. I have coffee & tea from the Summit.

Out into a ❄️ day, where has the ☀️ gone?

I grab a few more stalks and scoot along picking up sticks and birch bark, stopping every so often look for for wolf or bear signs. Luckily there are none, so I keep pushing through the snow & wind.

Visibility is limited, which heightens the stress; I stop and make more hot drinks to help keep me warm, thankfully the wind is blowing from behind me. I notice the Stone Shelf Cave on my left and wonder if I should stop there for the night or at least a coffee, but fearing a blizzard I keep going.

There are two deer in front which is always a good sign, I run at them to push the further forward, to attract any predators. As I bank left past a log I heart a loud snort & stop to crouch. It’s not a bear, perhaps a wolf has killed a deer?

I can see the rope ahead of me about 30 meters away, I have enough stamina to climb. 

My heart drops as into view comes a furious moose -  I am a Pacifist and can’t shoot it! What would @ManicManiac do - I crouch, throw my torch and slowly turn, but the thing lowers its head to charge 😱

I run for the rope and as I reach it, the moose reaches me!

It pounds away at my chest, ribs crack and blood pours out my mouth ... the evil beast snorts hot stink into my face, walks away and leaves me in a broken heap.

@manolitode’s warning rings in my ears as my life force ebbs to less than half.nI bandage and crouch walk away from the trumpeting moose, the last thing I need is another trampling in this narrow space.

In what seems like forever, I slowly creep past the foul monster and limp back from where I came. To further madden me Bear Island summons a blizzard - further sapping my energy and damaging my spirit ...

Does the Fearless Survivor die in the snow, does treasure lust undo him ... stay tuned!

Edited March 21, 2021 by IamSameer

[IamSameer]

Ash Canyon starves you ... unless ... 

The Fearless and now Broken Survivor crawls back to the cave he saw earlier.

Wounds are bandaged and painkillers eaten, both thankfully found in the Summit treasure. It is a long and painful night, with the wind howling and the temperature dropping.

That night a realisation ... broken ribs means no climbing for many days and I am trapped ‼️

There is no way to back track to the Mountaineer’s hut - nor a climb to a cliff top house here in the Canyon. The Angler’s hut is hidden below amongst wolf trails - that would be suicide!

Apart from birch bark, there is no sustenance and already low on health, is this what happens to my epic journey? Slow cold death in a cave, crushed by a vegetarian beast?

In a pain induced haze, a vision comes to me - with bright searing clarity, I can see it plainly. I must light a glorious 🔥 on the head of the moose. Revenge is the only way ... I must leave Pacifism behind and become death 💀 

I clean the flare gun and check the shells, I have 7 and I must be focussed. I crawl out of the cave and stalk the moose, it is tense - a missed shot means certain death.

Lining up a headshot is difficult as the vile Moose moves constantly ... the deer dung I have smeared on my body works, the beast can’t smell me as I crawl towards him. 

After an eternity, he lowers his head , I take a deep breath and shoot the flare. At the last moment the Moose moves 😱 the flare misses.

The beast is enraged and runs in the opposite direction, looking for me. I crouch and reload but it’s too late - the ravine is narrow and he has heard the click - he is now charging right at me ... will my crushed bones will be found here in this foul place ...

 

[IamSameer]

Meat glorious meat‼️
 

The moose was dodged again and as he blundered past, the Fearless Survivor took careful aim and shot him between the antlers.

With a loud bellow the moose falls to its knees and stops breathing - a flare gun one-shot kill , the stuff of legends!

I quickly build a fire using charcoal to ensure it burns hot and start carving the moose. This is done carefully as not to attract wolves, 36 kilos come off the thing, but most importantly the hide - which will make a good satchel.

The next days are tedious ->  gathering firewood, birch bark ans cooking 🥩. There is not much else to do but wait for the ribs to heal ...

Blizzards become more frequent and I start to run out of coal & larger pieces of wood. A foray to the Angler’s cabin is cut short by a pair of wolves, one of whom is particularly nasty. I don’t try it again - another close call with death.

120 hours never seemed so long, until you are stuck in a cave 🤪 the meat however is divine, after eating stalks for so long, this is the way to recuperate!

Gold mine here I come ...

[Syraith]

Nicely done and written!

I was going to say, it’s not the best or wolves, it’s the moose in AC that get you. After getting out of the gold mine and going down the double rope climb, that chance for a moose down there scares the crap out of me. It’s narrow, and he’s usually pretty angry. Gotten me a couple times. You can at least get out of AC with broken ribs from there but not a whole lot further.

 

Good luck!

[darkscaryforest]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:45 PM, IamSameer said:

With a loud bellow the moose falls to its knees and stops breathing - a flare gun one-shot kill , the stuff of legends!

Now THAT is improvising, quick thinking on your feet. You have way more than enough meat to recover and now a moose skin for a satchel. I probably would have panicked and tried to head back. FWIW, the rope climb is very difficult without a stim (I suppose you could make a snow shelter?)

[IamSameer]

Off to the Gold Mine

My ribs are finally healed and I have gorged my way through 30 kilos of moose meat - praise the spirits of Bear Island for providing me with precious meat.

I have stocked up on birch bark tea, made the last of my coffee and taken two slabs of moose steak for my climb. Remembering the advice of @Syraith about coming back to find a moose lurking and @darkscaryforest about the dreaded long climb - I remember to ensure I have my last stim & trusty flare gun with me!

Waking early, the ☀️ greets me and I use the mag lens to brew a hot cup of java - well rested, I head to the ropes. The climbs up are long and tiring, but I make the top without issue. I wander over to the overlook ridge and see the mine below ... however there is no rope to climb down?

I decide to walk around to the cave close by and grab a nap, I fear it will be a treacherous climb down the left ledge soon. But the treasure awaits!

A howling blizzard greets me when I wake and mindful of dwindling food supplies, I push out into the snow. It’s slow and tough work, I sprain my hand sliding down the rocks and in pain make it to the mine entrance! 

I am inside and remember to strip boots off to wade through to the middle section - to my relief I find enough coal, wood and snacks to keep me comfortable. As I feel the way along the rocks I see the abandoned sleeping bag and technical pack! Next to them on the ground are the crampons ... I have made it to this rare treasure!

Giddy with delight, I brew up some tea and warm the moose 🥩 before I fall into a deep sleep!

Next stop the barn in Pleasant Valley to pick up the heavy hammer and then the long trek to a forge to craft arrowheads and tools!

I hear the gale outside and worry the broken ribs have put me behind the creeping cold which will freeze me, if I don’t start crafting some warmer clothes ... 

Next decision I need your help with ...

Which forge to travel to - Desolation Point with a dangerous wolf gauntlet to avoid or Forlorn Muskegee which is closer, but full of thin ice, bears and wolves?

Friends I could use your wisdom ...

@ManicManiac  @jeffpeng  @manolitode

 

[ManicManiac]

@IamSameer

I'd say that both can be relatively safe options, but that would come down to your playstyle.

If the player is good at evading and avoiding wolves, then OIC isn't much of a problem.  I find that I have the best luck if the path down to the Ice is clear... then I'd just hike over to the cave next to The Arch in order to warm up.  Then, make my way up the bank on the other side of The Arch... which leads to the road heading straight to the Mine entrance.  (Note: this can be trickier if there are wolves prowling on the other side of the Arch... but even in that case it's still possible to crouch and slip past).

If the player is better at dealing with thin ice, then I'd say the Muskeg isn't much a problem.  If the player plays close attention to their route across the marsh, then they don't have to worry much about either wolves or bears (I mean still keep an eye out... but there aren't many threats out on the marsh - relative to the "shore").  I find that the easiest route to the Old Spence Family Homestead starts from the Poacher's Camp.  All wolves can be easily avoided, but it's a long hike for interloper weather.  I say that because between warming up at the Poacher's Camp and arriving at Spence's Barn, the player would likely take a condition hit due to the cold (in my run right now I can barely stay out 30 minutes in game-time before starting to freeze ).

As I said both could be good options, it just depends which you feel you'd be better at.

Edited March 26, 2021 by ManicManiac

[IamSameer]

What an amazing 51 day journey & learning experience!

Long post warning & hope you enjoy - it has been one of my best gaming experiences in 35 years, thanks Hinterland Team 🥇

TLDR: Epic 51 day run - ➡️ML➡️PV➡️TWM➡️AC➡️PV➡️ML➡️FM➡️MTB➡️MT➡️HRV➡️ MT➡️ML

Death at every corner - loot & scoot, flare gun blasting 🧨Moose & 🧨 Bear - freezing most of the time. Early TWM summit, Ash Canyon Gold Mine & HRV cave diving /scrambling on low health 🥶 was great atmospheric fun!

Yes interloper is horrible and unforgiving - I hate it ‼️  - starting a new survivor soon 😝

————————————

The Fearless Survivor met his end early this morning, after an epic romp of 51 days - 49 of them without a bow and 28 of them without forged tools.

After stopping in The Mountaineer’s hut to make the Moose satchel (was an error should have made the coat) and picking up both Ear Muffs and supplies; the Fearless Survivor pushed  through PV (gathering coal) to the Dam to chop up metal for forging in FM - thanks to @ManicManiac suggestions.

Stayed the night at Trappers - dropped off all extra gear and skins (deer/rabbit/wolf) for the return crafting session!

The trip to Spence forge started well in bright but cold weather; loads of cattails are found and a pitstop at Poachers to warm up helps, but fog rolls in and tests my ice pathing knowledge. The crampons keep me dry, but a wolf spots me, growls and starts trailing me - red flare to blue fare and a second 🐺 joins in the chase across the 🧊 I make it to the forge and use an accelerant to fire it up as my health and marine flare starts to sputter! 

18 lumps of coal make for relaxed tool creation. I make 2 x knives, a hatchet and 12 arrowheads plus lots of water. A blizzard rolls in and I am forced to use my last food & wood to sit through it. The lack of warm clothing is hurting me, health hovers at 60% @manolitode‘s warning rings loud in my ears.

Fog rolls in again and I can hear the wolves waiting on the ice for me ... lots of arrow heads but no bow or shafts available (a mistake). I need to move as I am down to my last stalks ... so I decide to move north along the lake towards Mountain Town, though I have not been this way often and it’s unfamiliar to me.

Soon I hear then see a 🐻  and dash across some 🧊 to the next safe spot, the crampons keep me from falling in thankfully. I have no emergency flares left just my torches and flare gun. A wolf appears but I sneak past and cross the tracks heading to the transition area of Hat Creek - some stalks and coal see me through that night.

I push through to Milton basin snacking on some deer 🥩s and make it to the Hermit’s camp, a blizzard strike and I sleep in a cave. Next morning the push to Paradise Farm ...kill some rabbits & narrowly avoid a wolf, so far no attacks suffered!

I creep through town and hope for decent clothing treasure at Grey Mother’s home, but nothing to wear - found a second mag lens. I find a crow bar in the bank which will be useful, but Orca gas station is uneventful, as is the Picnic overlook. Clothes are in short supply, Blizzards are making things hard and I 🥶 a lot!

Once back at the farm, I have enough rabbit and deer skins but no cured guts (have avoided carrying them), the three on the floor are not ready yet. What to do - food is getting low and I need at least another night before I can make warmer things?

I decide to check the crafting hut up past the church and scoot past the frozen pond & wolves to get there. Nothing of note in the hut either - I have an idea, I need food and warmer clothes‼️

Off to HRV I go, there are ice caves and fires, which have treasure 🎁  this is where I perhaps should have gone back to ML to consolidate and craft!

The connector caves give me plenty of coal and I have some deer 🥩 stolen from a wolf kill. As I step out of the cave, HRV greets me with clear skies but a strong wind, 🔥 has not been an issue for me and this continues, I chain torches and pick up stalks on my way down to reclusive falls. I arrive full of sticks, coal and with 20 stalks - ready for adventure 🤞🏽 The free 🚿  is refreshing and the first cache has ✨combat trousers, another ear muff (my 3rd set) and a shirt✨ What a super start!

After 2 days nosing around the dark and a few brief forays out, nothing further of note found apart from an arrow head - the hoped for bow was not in the ice cave. 

I decide to leave and hit a blizzard, the freezing waterfall exit does not help ... I scramble my way back inside and wait out - using the last of my food and hot drinks. I need better clothing! Unfortunately the next day is cold and though I get back to the MT cave connector, I can’t afford to stay and look for the Mackinow jacket or dead moose - it’s too 🥶 .

Back in Mountain Town, in true Fearless Survivor spirit I push further north to hunt the bridge 🐻  ... It’s exhilarating, I stalk him twice but miss twice, escaping half dead to the cold - in worse shape than I when I started, with no mountains of meat or hide‼️

Cabin fever risk growls, so I spend a freezing night in a cave, condition loss is bad but I make it to the farm. I gather my belongings, craft a bow, some arrows and move as I am out of food.

The trip to Trappers is uneventful, no Moose or Bear around; so I push to Camp Office where I now have a lot of crafting material and stay in the Cave overlook to mitigate Cabin fever for the next day’s clothing crafting bonanza!

It snowing hard when I wake, wind blowing out to the lake - so I drop down the rope instead of trudging into it. The plan is to pick up a few more skins stored at the dam, the Office Camp is nicer to work in (this was a mistake, I should have planned to craft there and brought my materials with me).

At the bottom of the rope, I am greeted with a growl - my first wolf battle ... I line up a shot and hit him, but he comes on and we struggle, a few hatchet hits and he runs off. I bandage and apply Old Man’s beard, health down to 60% with a blizzard starting and wind blowing from Camp Office to the lake - won’t be easy! As I round the corner I see not 1 or 2 wolves but 3 blocking my way! I can’t make it and change plans as I am 🥶 

I was in rough shape, 40% health, low temp, no food & sideways snow!  So I cut across the rabbit section & climb over the slope to the lake to get to fishing hut & stove.

As I come across, I see the bear on the lake ‼️ So I duck into the hut, start a 🔥 to warm up and drink some warm rose hips (for 🌡) I gain fire starting 5 💪🏽. Decision time - I need food - so I can try to 🎣  in freezing temps, which will likely kill me or get the lake cabin, but won’t have enough calories to survive the blizzard.

High risk, high reward it is - Flare Gun Bear Hunt!

I can’t depend on a long shot  - so have to creep over, position myself into his path as the wind is coming from behind him and he won’t be able to smell me.

Wait a nerve racking long amount of time, seeing his head get bigger & breathe freezing as he exhales - memories of the Moses in Ash Canyon flash by 👀 . On and on he comes, I aim ... shoot him directly in the head 🤩  he lights up red and charges right at me ‼️ I’m a goner 😱 but he keeps on going 🙏🏽

I run to the closest cabin and see him running about the lake - glowing red and he dies an hour later near the cabin, the wind has died down and wolves are no where to be seen!

I field dress the carcass, hit cooking level 5 💪🏽 as I do - 20kgs of meat, a hide and loads of guts 🏆 life is about to become very easy. I sleep well in the cabin belly full of greasy 🐻 🥩 

The next day I head to the Camp Office and decide to leave the meat for later. I craft deer boots + legs and rabbit gloves + hat & 8 more arrows - now we are talking!

Time for more bear 🥩 and rest, health is at 100% for the first time in weeks - I have weapons and will hunt here until I can make a 🐺 jacket then onto CH!

The evening is in a similar heavy ❄️ , as I cross the ice a wolf growls and comes at me - full of confidence I shoot and miss, he attacks and instead of choosing the hatchet, I draw my knife - we struggle and to my horror it continues because my stamina is so low.

The savage 🐺  avenges his beloved friend the 🐻  and leaves me torn open on the lake close to the where bear blood still stains the ice... 

 

Thanks for the inspiration to start this  @ManicManiac and the advice @manolitode @jeffpeng @Syraith @darkscaryforest  and the many others here who have posted their interloper stories.

 

 

[Syraith]

Epic journey! Makes me want to do my first interloper run soon 😁

[ManicManiac]

@IamSameer

Well done... that certainly was a harrowing adventure.
I tip my hat to you, the range you've been able to cover was really impressive.