The Final Dark - Endless Night Interloper

[Hotzn]

On 9/10/2021 at 2:07 PM, Drifter Man said:

Did I lose my bet?

Ha. I didn't actually place mine (said I would place it) ... but would still let it count against me as lost. @jeffpeng, you still alright? I also owe a continuation of my AAR, dammit. Since I became a father in late 2020, time has been slipping through my fingers since never before. If I had written a chapter every time I changed da baby's diapers, the story would be longer than 1000 days in the dam by now. Well, almost maybe.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Hello fellow survivors,

guilt weighs heavy on me as I know what treasure @Drifter Manhas wagered on my behalf. The save still exists, and I will try and see if I find the time and continue my journey a bit. I'd have to read up on my own progress to even know where I am and what I was planning to do, but the challenge still intrigues me.

And yes, @Hotzn, thank you for asking. It's been a few eventful months since my last foray into Great Bear. Mostly good, especially for business, as it turns out that putting the world into home office collectively sparks some demand in web solutions for all kinds of new problems. But not everything has been smooth sailing since while I was used to working from home long before anyone heard of the sniffles, my wife, who is studying history and in the midst of her masters thesis, was not, and neither was my son, who, now aged 8, hasn't had a normal day of school yet. So significant changes had to be made to our living space, which now doubles as a fully specked out office for 2 and a half people, and while things have been good financially for me, they have been twice as expensive for the three of us combined. But, and that's something I'm thankful for, we're healthy, and we manage better than most people having the privilege of having occupations that can be done from home rather good, and having ample space to not go on each others nerves too much.

Yet, there are more important things in live, and I cannot and will not see a seasoned survivor go with a single pair of underwear because of my selfishness. So expect more at this point - sooner rather than later.

Edited December 7, 2021 by jeffpeng

[Karl Grylls]

@jeffpengit happens that just yesterday (or today night) we talked in SteamTurkeys Stream about this thread. I think i said it will go on some day and i'm glad to hear that it will

Edited December 7, 2021 by Karl Grylls

[Guest jeffpeng]

Oh, so I am a celebrity now? 😅

[Karl Grylls]

when you finish this story here, yes. But not before that 😛

[Guest jeffpeng]

Hello fellow survivors,

after just catching up on my own adventures, which are, as I might add, probably my best "work" so far, I'm think I'm ready ready to continue. However, I'm sure there are a lot of things I simply forgot to write down, and also, despite having done 40 days of stalker to test the new region, I'm not sure I'm in as good a shape as I used to be. So I hope I will not disappoint my dear readers - and my deer readers.

Also, a few things have changed since then. First: I finally migrated to a decent monitor (my last one was a trusty 27" 1080 IPS from LG, thats now older than my son, and my son is 8 ...), so don't be surprised that the aspect ratio of the pictures is now 21:9. Then, of course, there is a new update, and with it some things might have hiccuped the run I'm not aware of yet. Finally: Despite my vow to keep this going I'm not at leisure to invest as much time as I used to. Although, with Christmas and New Years approaching, along with my first regular vacation time since the start of this dreaded "Episode" of world history, and also that this time will be spent at home exclusively, I have relatively high hopes that at least until mid January I will get a few new chapters of this book done.

With that being said ....

Ciaran 1 / Days 16 and 17 - Are we in a bit of a pickle?

First thing I realize looking at my inventory: I forgot to put down the cureables. Great start. With three hours of fire left, and a good bit of additional rest required while simultaneously lacking water I spend 2 more hours resting and boiling some. It's snowy, foggy and quite coldy, but it's not like I could get lost in the basin. Right?

I take the slow, safe route clinging to the mountainside. Seeing a deer I'm pretty sure the wolves are occupied elsewhere. I hear a rabbit dying far away, which puts me on alert, as they might actually be at the entrance to the basin. And I'm correct, as I witness a wolf hunting and killing another rabbit. Well, don't mind me, I'll just take this one and ..... get going. Ha, free food. The other wolf spots me, but too late, and nothing comes of it.

Freezing I reach the Marsh Ridge. I decide to take a risk and go looking for the deer carcass past the cave entrance. I'm lucky. I use my last stick for the fire, throw in a lump of coal and camp.

It's all about food.

2.2 kilograms of venison make taking the risk worthwhile. While taking apart the poor fella I gain Carcass Harvesting III. That's quite early, even for interloper standards. I realize that I could store the guts in the nearby cave, so I use everything nature offers me, fill up my growling stomach, also with 0.9 kilograms of rabbit (just imagine actually eating 3.1 kilograms of meat in one go ....) and goat down to the hat creek cave entrance.

I leave my impressive allotment of cureables at the mouth at the cave and make a pass through it for coal. 10 pieces count as a win in my book. Halfway exhausted, at around 40% health, and with no good stop between here and Spence's I decide to bid the torch farewell and rest in the dark.

Now the task ahead is daunting: I know need some additional metal scraps to make my travel to Spence's worthwhile. I think I remember I left some there, but not how much. So I will travel the cave once again, bootyslide from Marsh Ridge, hopefully find the abandoned camp, hopefully find some metal scraps at the wrecked train, and then hopefully somehow make it to Spence's in one piece. Lot's of wishful thinking here.

Sharp, cold winds make me freeze in no time. I make camp at a tree, score three quick rabbits (still 100% accuracy) eat them, but leave the rest of them behind. I use the occasion to cook some tea, including a cup of birch bark, and leave. Sliding down my wrist explodes, but who cares. The abandoned camp is missing. Shucks. Two pieces of scrap and the weather turns sub-blizzard. At least I didn't see a wolf at the tunnel, so I decide that my best bet is to probably hold out there, and upon reaching it it's a full blown blizzard, period. I cross the tunnel since it's much easier to keep a safe fire on the other side. Well, firewood will become a serious problem at Spence's. Then, sitting at the fire, something occurs to me.

Nothing to spur the imagination like a little life and death situation.

Spence is pretty far from here. The coal reserves there are depleted. But do you know what's also pretty far from here, while still having ample coal and hopefully also some scrap metal? Right - the Maintenance Shed. It also has a lot of wolves, yes. But then again: it's an indoor forge, which should allow me to get some much needed rest after forging without having to have firewood to spare. So if I can just weather this storm and get there without adding any surplus holes to my backside ....

It takes 4 hours for the storm to pass. I get two hours of sleep in and some experience cooking tea, further improving my Britishness - if that is a thing. I find some ketchup chips at the abandoned fireplace before I venture into the small basin. I know there is a way to skip it entirely, but maybe I find some firewood down there. I need it. But on the way down there the next blizzard starts. What the freeze?!

The spot I find in a hurry, even without losing my flame, is nothing but sub-optimal, but seems reasonably safe. I had rarely ever encountered such a happenstance, and up until now only in the Valley of the Damned. (Which, for the reader that is less familiar with my travels, is my name for Pleasant Valley. I find it quite fitting.)

Nothing to spur the ima..... wait what? It's groundhog day already?

Things don't go well. I dance around the tree dodging ever shifting winds. At least the fire holds, for now, but I also realize that if it doesn't this could seriously do me in. I dump another lump of coal, pull torches, and recycle them. Both to hedge against the wind killing the fire while retaining (most) of the temperature bonus, but also to have a last resort option of a snow shelter if all else fails. It should be just enough to prevent freezing - or so my thinking. Then I do the math. 17°C minus 39°C from the fire = -22°C plus 18°C from the snow shelter. Still below zero. Dang. Ah well, let's hope this works out.

It doesn't. The winds shift unfavorably, and disaster ensues. I cling to the fire as long as I can, desperately trying to revive it with it with a stick - to no avail. I watch the embers go dark, pack some tea, and dive into the basin, where I immediately get lost, but trough some miracle find the tree bridge, and make it over there. I hold right, getting back on track, literally, and chug my second tea to stave of freezing just a little while longer. Having no torch, wolves ahead and no safe way to hide I ready my only flare as my last line of defense. If I can get to the wrecked train engine I might have a chance, I think.

Are we in a bit of a pickle?

I completely miss the engine somehow, and find myself at the car on the road to the yard. No wolves so far. Then I realize: when I entered the region there already was a blizzard. Maybe there are no wolves? Desperate I take my chances and run down the road. Jumping from car to car to just dodge the wind a little bit I make it inside. God, it's so warm in here.

I drink a cup of cold herbal tea and sleep as long as the gods permit. What a ride.

PS: Enjoy your underwear, @Drifter Man.

Edited December 13, 2021 by jeffpeng

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Day 18 - A day at the workshop

I wake up to the sound of blizzard. What the freeze is wrong with this region? I light a torch, and search the place.

I find some driving gloves, which might serve as leather in the future, banged up peaches, a pack of matches, a coffee in the microwave (savages!), a can of beans, ketchup chips, a jerry can with 1.5 liters of kerosene, a whetstone, 4 lumps of coal, 1.4 liters of pristine toilet water, a book about firing imaginary weapons, but just three scraps of metal, which puts me at six in total. Which is not enough. But no fear, hacksaw is here, and after sawing down a couple of metal pails and a control box using my torches as light source I deem 14 pieces enough, even if my hacksaw decidedly disagrees with this kind of abuse. Well, 41%, still good enough to cut rabbits.

I gulp down my entire non-cattail food reserves and get to work. A hatchet is a luxury item I rarely afford, and a heavy one at that, and this time is no other. The only thing it really can do nothing else can do is chopping away scrubs, and since I've been to the Hushed River Valley, and don't plan to visit Bleak Inlet, period, I can probably get by with the trusted knife and hacksaw combo.

You looking at me?

I hack downs two planks for firewood, then make a fire at the barrel in hope that I can use use the light from that to hack away the crate with my hammer that sometime contains a stim - but apparently I can't since it's still not enough light. So I pull torches, and break the crate barehanded instead - what for some reason works. But - no stim, just a whetstone and some beans. Well at least with a total of 6 of these magical devices my knife will never die.

I devour my newly found beans and enrich the experience with a selection of cattails, recycle a million torches, and sleep myself to full condition for the first time in a long time.

Taking stock I have 60 matches "left" now, 50 cattails worth of food, 20 arrow heads, which should last the remainder of this run (unless I am unreasonably successful), and actually somewhat decent clothing, that hasn't takes as much of a beating from the blizzard as I feared. But now that we found knife what are we gonna do with it?

Being here already and not visiting the lodge feels like a missed opportunity. Then again: every day I stave off visiting TWM my chances to get the clothing up there dwindle more and more. Although: there isn't so extremely much to be gained up there in the long run, since by now I'm pretty much sure I will get the satchel just to stay light and mobile. And the lodge has one of those places that actually can spawn a pair of underwear outside a container. Plus a stim which is never a bad thing. I just wish I could actually make use of the cattails on the lake, but without effective means to defend myself I don't see that working out. And yeah, food is not a problem yet - but it will become one sooner rather than later, especially considering that my way out of Broken Railroad and back to mystery lake is mostly devoid of cattails and carcasses now, at least until I reach the dam. I'm on a timer. As always. 😉

Edited December 13, 2021 by jeffpeng
Typos, formatting

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Days 19 and 20 - What is it with this place?

The outside shed doesn't yield anything. It's snowy, cold as ever, but with moderate winds, yet I decide to get inside and warm up again before I leave. I sleep another hour, then the place sparkles.

Maybe not the best time to go out and mess around with wolves.

I decide to use the light and fix a t-shirt, which apparently is a hard thing to do, since it fails twice. I read a page, then a few more, and end up reading the entire book about fixing holes in my attire, which will be greatly helpful in the future - or so I hope. And while it is no longer lit like a circus in here wires sparkle with deadly electricity, and the radio makes uncontrollable noises. More reading, eh. But just as I start another page - it's over. The world is dark and silent again. I rest two more hours.

While I welcomed the opportunity to brush up on my lackluster education, the timing wasn't exactly perfect. One more reason not to lose any more time. But the weather outside would kill any torch instantly. I feel locked in. I make a second pass through the outside shed and realize I didn't take a look at the lockers. Oh, what would I have missed:

The pinnacle of greatness one Interloper can achieve.

I wonder: is the trip to the lodge now even worth it? And I decide: yeah, I'd still feel like missing out. So I spend 30 minutes in the relative cold fixing my newly acquired knickers, dodge back in again, to warm up again, and then finally set out into windless yet snowy weather. At this pace.... I'm getting nowhere fast. At least I got Mending II now.

Outside I have three wolves at my heels faster than I can say "bark". All hopes to collect some cattails are instantly lost. I make it to the hunter's blind and they give up their pursuit. I find nothing there. The nearby cave, too, yields nothing but a bit of wood. I press on. Underwear or not I'm freezing in no time.

I cross the bridge and make it through the gate without raising further attention. The next cave has no carcass, but ample firewood, so I make camp and warm up an hour. Then I put on some tea and go hunt for some rabbits. I find one. Disappointed I cut up the little animal and eat the measly 0.9 kilograms of raw protein it provides. No use bothering about the hide or guts.

I leave and hold right, hoping for another carcass. Things get windy, again. I'm lucky, as the carcass is there, however I am not sure a fire will hold here. I try, nevertheless. I dump my last "get out of cold free" coal into the fire and hope for the best. 1.9 kg of venison. Not shabby at all. Waiting for my food to cook I get the hide. The winds subside and with a belly full of meat I make my final push for the lodge.

But, and this is when I realize that weather here is now totally bananas, subsiding winds result in an instant-blizzard. My torch dies, and with a flare in hand ready to defend myself I bolt into whatever direction I think must be the lodge - and I'm lucky, again.

Totally bananas.

I get inside asking myself if Broken Railroad was a good idea after all, or if one should simply avoid this region altogether on Interloper. I don't remember it to be this hostile, and maybe I'm just on a streak of bad luck, but with this unpredictable weather this is basically asking to get lost and end up between the fangs of a wolf - or worse - eventually.

Inside I find a pot, some maple syrup, which is welcome, the matches, some firewood, the stim I came here for, and another issue of A Sewing Primer. Maybe when I read it again I will get better at stitching up what goes for my sorry attire. Some sleep is in order.

When I get back up I tear up two curtains to have some cloth on me again, but leave the rest. I simply don't have the time nor the spare inventory to lug around cloth I might actually never really utilize. I'm heavy as it is. Outside I find the firestriker in the truck, but just that little trip cost me half my body warmth. Any ideas of searching the lake up here for cattails are swiftly thwarted by a wolf howling frighteningly close.

I contemplate how to get back to the shed. The ravine here is out of the question, stim or not. With this weather I might just find my end down there, or using a stim to get a stim at least. So I might as well take the longer, mostly safe route across the Rickety Foot Bridge, and maybe make a sapling or two on the way. I warm up an hour, "refresh" myself on the syrup, and head back to the cave.

The wolf spots me again, but I light up, torch it once, twice, and finally lose it crossing the fallen tree. I warm up an hour at the cave, ready some tea and chance my expedition over the bridge. For once the weather is favorable, and I even find five more birch sapling. If I ever get to build that bow and arrow I'm more than well equipped to hunt for ages. I make it back to the climb, slide down, and jump across the fence just as the next blizzard starts. What is it with this place? But I don't particularly care as I get inside and sleep, happy I've got this part of my journey behind me.

Edited December 13, 2021 by jeffpeng

[Hotzn]

Kept your word, rep earned. On a side note, if your son is 8 years old... let me think... no... no, he was born before TLD went to early access. 😉

[Guest jeffpeng]

2 hours ago, Hotzn said:

Kept your word, rep earned. On a side note, if your son is 8 years old... let me think... no... no, he was born before TLD went to early access. 😉

Just barely 😄

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Day Night 21 - Caught between a rock and a sharp place

Or: Sometimes the game is just out to kill you - of course.

It's a good time as any to get moving. The weather seems okay, but we know this can change literally at any moment with no notice whatsoever. I've got 34 cattails with 1/3 left on the hungermeter. And it's, well, night. Surprise. Yeah I know, shocked you there for a second. I leave everything above 45 kilograms behind and get going. Calm winds, snow. No wolves out front. Almost too good to be true. We'll see.

I make camp between two trees near the engine and get some tea going. Having no coal left really is a problem and makes these stops quite inefficient. Then, just as I leave, the next blizzard starts. I return to the fire, and scramble to get it hot enough. All my torches but one go, and I just hope the fire survives somehow. I'm less than optimistic.

Why?

Winds shift and take away two hours worth of fire, but I somehow keep it alive. Over an hour later the fire finally dies, with the winds making a turn I cannot recover from despite doing my best staring in the most favorable direction I can image. I bolt, freezing instantly, make it over the landslide, and head for the abandoned campfire, where I find a neat little cranny that just has to do the trick - otherwise I'm out of sorts. Of course starting the fire fails 3 times with 75%. Of course. But with my last tinder I actually get it going.

The last bastion of hope.

Maybe the weather is this terrible because I am bound to perpetual night? Would the Valley of the Damned be just as bad or even worse? I know there is "some" component of time of day to weather, maybe being stuck at midnight is just the right recipe for this kind of erratic weather behavior in some regions. If so, this is a complication I clearly did not foresee.

The blizzard gives in, and to ensure me everything is back to normal a wolf howls dangerously close by. I ready two teas, pull my torches, and leave this forsaken hellhole. Not gonna miss it here.

The way back to Hat Creek won't be easy as well. At least two wolves on the way, and I spot the bear out on the ice, huffing and puffing his massive body over stretches my feeble appearance would just plunge into. But the way via the absent abandoned campsite is also blocked by a wolf I luckily spot before it spots me. Caught between a rock and a sharp place.

Careful maneuvers and a lot of patience allow me to navigate between the two. I make it to the low blind, which outs itself as the resting place for this bear, and find a boot about the careful proliferation of forest fires. I'm freezing - again. I can't afford to just freeze my way back to the cave. I have neither the condition nor the calories to afford that. So camp again it is.

I have to craft some tinder. When did I ever have to do that? But of course I fail twice, again, and I'm out of tinder again. Crafting some more costs me a few percent health just for that. The game really is out to kill me. I fail again. Of course. And again. Of course. More crafting tinder. Out of the last 8 tries with 75% I succeeded at ONE. I will die trying to start a fire. But no - finally it works.

Recovering from this will take some time. If I make it to the cave. And even if: there is the looming question how I'm gonna feed myself going forward. There should be cat tails at the cave on the way, the one that sometimes has a hacksaw. But that piece of land also has a wolf and a bear. Maybe there is something at the radio tower provided the wolf isn't there. But in all of this I have to factor in that I'll be heavy as fudge. Big chunky fudge, the kind that has heavy, oily bits of chocolate in it. .... I digress.

Then "finally" a wolf spots me, and I wave a stone at him - but I have to leave. I pull a few torches, leave the fire behind and hope I can make my last leg to the Hat Creek cave. I'm mortally exhausted, and at maybe 30% condition. Any struggle, even with a old rabbit, would have no hope of ending favorably for me. I make it.

Sanctuary. Finally.

Beat like a drum I reach the cave. I did accomplish my mission, yes. But I paid deerly for it. And it had too many close calls for my risk averse taste. Anyways: ten hours of sleep. Thank god.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Night 22 - The long haul

First things first: coal. I really hope there is some.

Lantern in hand I go spelunking. 3 pieces. Not great - not terrible. Outside yet another blizzard has commenced. Sigh. It takes 5 hours for the calamity to move on, which I spend sleeping and crafting. I pick up my things, and I am way too heavy. 51kg. I'm not gonna win any competitions this way. I'm also down to 15 cattails. Hoping for no wolf but some food I head for the radio mast.

I'm lucky, in both regards. No wolf, but ketchup chips. The disinfectant stays behind. I stay up here for now, hoping to find the deer carcass - but no dice. Down I go. At least the weather has cleared up. Best it has been in.... a very long time. I get down bruising my spare wrist, but otherwise fine. I see two maple sapling - I think - in the distance, but I need to get to the cave first. Inside I find the hacksaw and make camp. I will lug it around until I reach the next hub, replace the old one I have with it, and leave it behind there.

After warming up a bit, and consuming yet another tea, I unload enough stuff to make a quick sprint to what indeed turn out as two maple saplings. I consider resting, but then again the weather is too good to sit on my behind. So I pack up again and crawl on. Reaching the ice I see multiple things at once:

Bad news.

For once: there are cattails. That's good. Then: my ankle just went bust. That's not good, but fixable. Also: two wolves. That's like really bad. I fix my ankle, but then the first wolf is already on me. I torch it away for now, and it disperses in a favorable direction. Same with the second wolf shortly thereafter. So far so good. A few steps further, and I make camp to warm up some tea - and get Firestarting III. Finally. Man, I could have used that yesternight. I pull new torches - and onward.

The wolves leave me be for the time being, and I find more cattails. The weather holds. I don't find any more cattails, as my former self was apparently greedy enough to collect them, but on the other hand I should be home free and on my way to mystery lake. Then I remember the little pond next to the tunnel, and yes, I find a few more munchies, and more tea gets cooked. I'm burning through my tea pretty fast at this point, but at least I stay somewhat healthy. I just hope I won't regret this going forward. Then again: for that to worry I will have to stay afloat in the first place. I reach the tunnel in still pristine weathers.

Where do I go from here? The plan is still TWM, but a detour, yet another, is in order. I haven't been at Trapper's yet, if I recall correctly. Trappers should yield some loot, especially coal in the cave, a bunch of rabbits, possibly a carcass and an opportunity to craft the satchel, which will not only lighten my load by 5 kg, but also extend it by the same amount.

I dodge the wolf at the tunnel successfully and hold left, and make camp halfway along the way, this time to actually warm up. But being 3 quarters exhausted time is a luxury I can only afford in small doses. I reach the transition cave to Milton. Almost there.

So, so close. Yet so, so far - because I'm so, so slow....

Reaching Safehouse 1a I immediately stoke a fire, put up some water with the tow pots I find here, and sleep an hour. My day ... eh night... is not yet done. I run out, quickly stone two rabbits - albeit having my first miss this run - and get back in, eager to tear these little rascals to pieces. It's not much - 1.9 kilograms in total - but enough for a good night's sleep. I'll also get Cooking IV - and I still have two books to read.

Only now I take the time to loot the place. Yet another hacksaw, a sewing kit, the third book I now own about cooking, the storm lantern, a 14% candy bar I will chance before bed, and my third Mackinaw in the safe - on top of some soda. Not great, but well.

The candy bar is still good, and totally exhausted I lose consciousness in the bed, sleeping 10 hours.

Edited December 14, 2021 by jeffpeng

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Deliberations III.

It's been a while since we've done one of those. Only a week in Ciaran's world, but half a year in ours, and it feels like a short eternity.

Looking back my foray into Broken Railroad was maybe not the smartest idea, but then again: I've got that behind me now as I found the interesting loot minus a stim that I am just not willing to risk this run on - so no reason to go back there, period. I knew that getting from Hat Creek to Mystery Lake would be quite the ordeal. But as I accumulated more and more stuff along the way things really got out of hand.

Just to put this into perspective: I brought 5 maple saplings, 12 birch saplings, two wolf pelts, four deer hides, four rabbit pelts, 6 guts and a freaking moose hide to Trapper's. That's maybe a bit light on the guts, but it's enough for pretty much everything else, including enough arrows to live 100 easy peasy lemon sqeezy. A right, and 20 arrow heads to boot. That's enough for even more. I have a knife, which will, thanks to now 7 whetstones, never die, enough hacksaws for a long time, even if I had no tool box, which I do. I've got my Mackinaw, my ear wraps, my underwear, my rabbit hat, parts for the mittens, parts for the boots, almost enough for pants, and even halfway a wolf skin. And on top of all that 67 matches left plus at least 33 charges in my fire striker. Plus I know guaranteed spawns for at least 120 more.

What I'm saying: even for a normal Interloper run this isn't totally shabby for day 22. It's not fast by any means, but normally you don't play at midnight all the damn time. And considering I set out to "survive" 30 days, which I yet have to do, three quarters in I feel more like aiming at a hundred.

Now what's next? If I want to stay fed - as I usually do, I just kinda "softened" this rule for this challenge - then I need more effective means of procuring food, and as it happens I have everything for a bow and a few arrows. The only problem with that: I also need enough firewood for light. The bow is 6.5 hours, the arrow shaft 39 minutes, the arrow 67. That's 8 and a half hours of firewood, roughly. Nothing monumental, and I can cook enough water that I won't ever need any again, but especially at my current location firewood is not exactly abundant. And I need another 10 hours of firewood for the satchel later. At least there is the cave, that should solve part of this issue.

All of this sounds like it will take time, meaning days as in multiple, and that's exactly where the crux lies buried: time. It's day 22, and TWM is a week away at least, probably more. How much a summit run will even make sense at day 30 is questionable. But then again: how much a summit run will matter at all is questionable anyways. Sure, for the fire striker and the matches, but those do wait a long time. I got my ear wraps. I have no need for anything else up there. The thin wool sweater would be nice. Some wool socks would be nice. But even if I don't get the ones from TWM there are other places, especially in PV.

So I guess, despite my "final destination" for Ciaran being TWM, it might be my first no-summit run in a very long time. Bow first, satchel second, then it's probably time to move on, delaying better clothes, possibly even until I reach TWM. We'll see. Tomorrow night I'll first go spelunking in the cave and grab a few cattails on the other side, maybe even boink me a rabbit or two below Milton. Then I'll take a trip to the Unnamed Pond (which is sorta its name) on a mission to acquire both firewood and some additional food.

Things will remain interesting.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Nights 23, 24 and 25 - Food and Firewood

Well, let's first clean up the mess, and then do something worthwhile with the .... eh... night. I really need to stop using the word "day".

Being admittedly a bit short on guts I take at least these from the two rabbits, and leave them to cure. Maybe I will stay the duration - although I doubt it. Well, we'll see. For once I'm light as a feather - a 20kg feather, that is. But it's a welcome change from the ridiculous hauling of the last days. I grab my lantern and go.

9 pieces of coal - not too bad, not at all. A handful of cattails wait on the way down to the area below Milton, where I score 4 bunnies, all of them malnourished, however, some much needed firewood, and the matches, of course. Back at Trapper's I take a nap, and then cook my rabbits. Having some on the stove I take a look and see if I can find the carcass in the barn - I cannot. That's not good.

Would snares help? I mean they certainly will up on TWM, and here is one of if not the best places to use them. Without making it a math contest I spontaneously break the two crates, and invest two of my cured guts for two snares. Let's hope I get my return.

Warm, relatively well fed and mostly rested I leave and place the snares.

Will it even work?

No more time to lose I head towards the unnamed pond, sticking to the mountainside. Another maple and one more birch sapling fall prey to my hacksaw. At the pond I find the carcass. Sadly, just 1.2 kilograms of venison, but I also take the hide, hence completing my second deer skin item, at least resource wise. The guts I leave - I got enough of those at home, albeit stuck in rabbits. I make a good few cattails, and after warming up at the fire I used to cook the deer I decide to visit the small cabin nearby. I notice the pond bear is not active on this run - caution is advised elsewhere. Especially at my current home.

I find three bunnies going about their "night" at the hut, so I relieve them of this depressing existence in perpetual darkness. The hut itself yields some books, which I actually take for firewood, and a bit of cloth. Since I am pretty tired, and actually too fed to eat the rabbits now, but at the same time not brave enough to carry them over to Trapper's I decide to kill the torch, break the small bench, harvest the rabbits in the dark - and three chungusses I caught myself there, 3.8 kg in total - and sleep.

I wake up almost back to full condition, light a torch, and cook the meat outside. Since the weather is as calm as its ever gonna get I decide to trust my torch enough to bring the leftovers and even the rabbits, still having guts and pelts, all the way to Trapper's. I don't even meet a wolf on the way.

At home I get to work immediately, and investing all my firewood, including all coal I just acquired, I finish my bow and two arrows. And yeah. This:

That's 25 liters of finest, purest water. Almost toilet grade.

Crafting at night has some unforeseen consequences, I guess. At least I won't die from lack of hydration as long as I'm here. Checking the snares I find a single rabbit caught. I dodge back in, manage to cook the little guy with sticks I harvest from torches, and finish the day getting a few more guts from the rabbits that seriously start to pile up in my cabin.

Yeah, I got the bow, and two arrows adding to that, but tomorrow the same problems that pestered me this episode will remain: food and firewood. Because I'm all out of both, again.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Nights 26, 27 and 28 - The juggler

Like the health-oriented person I am I start the day with the two cans of soda I found below Milton and in the small hut at the pond. Not for hydration, but for calories. I got 25 cattails left.

What are my options? My best is probably the camp office and the lake. I even consider packing up shop and moving, but I'm not totally sure I could craft at the camp office using the pot belly stove, so I forget about that plan quickly. I will have to commute for a bit, I guess. But something else alarms me: my socks are at 2 and 8% respectively. I will need to fix that, too. At least one of them I get done outside, but even the 13 minutes it takes to fix one depletes my warmth two thirds. Altogether my attire isn't exactly in ball room condition, but it can't be helped right now. I'll have to make due. Although: I could probably attend some of these issues in the lave view cave. And I need that rope anyways. So yeah, camp office sounds like a good idea.

I get going, and meet the bear which I expected to live nearby. I'm not brave enough to risk my run on taking it down, especially since it would not solve any of my more pressing problems. A wolf spots me at Deadfall, and with it in tow I reach the camp office, already frozen again. I rest an hour to warm up. Only now I light a torch, and actually search the place for once. A book, a pot, another book about shooting gunpowder propelled bullets (silly idea), herbal tea. Three crates and a chair I could break in 1.5 hours total for 6 reclaimed wood. Maybe later. I leave, heading for the overlook.

Winds kill my torch, and I sprain ankle and wrist doing the ascend clumsily in the dark. In the cave I sleep two hours to warm up and at least fix the wrist. I find a firestriker I didn't expect (yay!), some firewood and a book. The Polaroid reminds me of a better world that still had light.

Is that.... a sunset?!

What others would consider Interloper sacrilege I consider target practice. Two bunnies succumb to my arrows swiftly, and I at least have some food for the next leg of my travels. A carcass, however, I do not find. But another bunny, and kill it the same way. Ha, 3 out of 3. I still got it. I get the rope, finish cooking my food, and fuel myself with some tea. I leave in clear and calm weather.

If our planet only had one of these thermonuclear spheres of gravitationally compressed hydrogen.

I make a good amount of cattails at the lake, and the first fishing hut yields not only some very suspect 12% sardines and tomato soup, but also a magical everything deterrent, also known as a flare. I warm up at the one cabin with the two others burned down. I even break down a chair, exchanging a cattail for 3 reclaimed wood. By the time I reach the next three cabins thick fog has swallowed the lake. I use torches to break crates, so I actually make some headway towards gathering some firewood. Some peaches find their way into my backpack as well.

But it's that moment that I cook up another idea how to make the satchel work: I could craft it in 30 minute increments as long as I have enough 35% torches. Which half should be, and I still could recycle the rest at basically no cost. Hu! Why didn't I think of that earlier?

The last cabin is a bust, except for some books. The lake bear ... is absent. Right, it has to be - I met the one at Clearcut on day one. The last two huts on the lake have the bedroll, which I decide to bring, at least as far as the camp office, as well as a book about fishing, which I actually plan to read at some point. Maybe Ciaran has a future as a fisherman on Crystal Lake. Wouldn't that be a happy ending?

However, sadly, the weather develops mighty unfavorably, so I decide to take shelter in the first cabin I visited, instead of risking being stranded blind on the ice in a blizzard with no obvious direction to go if I only turn one bit too much once. Risk aversion, you see. I rest 4 hours.

Now that I've got most of the cat tails there honestly is no good reason not to take the safe route out of here. Maybe I even find a bit more firewood. I reach the office with nothing worth reporting, leave behind the two pots I carried with me, silly as I am, plus the bedroll and the rope. Visibility is still negative, but I should find Trapper's one way or another.

You see it? Nah, neither do I.

And yes, despite almost running into the bear I make it home alive, find another rabbit in the snare, but the other one sadly broken. Although, the alleged perpetrator is seen fleeing the scene, and brought to justice swiftly. Since I let my torch die during the pursuit I get inside, harvest him and his accomplice and rest. So, yeah, two rabbits to eat tomorrow night.

After sleeping 6 hours I get to work. Just sticks alone make for almost 8 hours of fire, but we have different plans as you know.

How many torches do you need? - Yes.

It works just as I envisioned. Sadly the pair of socks I never got around to fixing wears out. Well, that's an unfortunate oversight. The last two hours I finish with a regular fire. And since I was at it, and two guts just conveniently cured while I finished the satchel, I did my bunny mittens as well. Outside another rabbit wanted to complain about how his brethren were handled, but got caught up in bureaucracy, and ended on my platter as well. I add a few cattails and the sardines, that give me just the food poisoning I expected, and sleep 10 hours.

Despite having achieved a good bit more than I set out to, my food situation is rather serious, with less than a night left. Firewood for once is almost comfortable, and with the satchel ready I could move out. I, however, will use the next night to procure some food, and wait for a few more guts to cure. With those I should have enough for pants and boots once I reach TWM.

And, just in case you beautiful people at Hinterland read this: If I haven't proven once and for all that the torch pulling mechanic is broken beyond repair .... yeah, I don't know.

[Karl Grylls]

Stop spamming, i can't keep up

Just kidding, thanks for the stories and the plenty of content you are posting. I'm glad to see this project continuing, especially after this long pause time 👍 (gibt es ein englisches Wort für Verwaisung/verwaist sein?). Will read it afterwards/tomorrow

[Guest jeffpeng]

31 minutes ago, Karl Grylls said:

(gibt es ein englisches Wort für Verwaisung/verwaist sein?)

Ich glaube das richtige Wort hier wäre "abandonment". In anderem Kontext würde man sagen "orphaned".

[Karl Grylls]

1 hour ago, jeffpeng said:

Ich glaube das richtige Wort hier wäre "abandonment". In anderem Kontext würde man sagen "orphaned".

ach stimmt, ja, orphaned....wieso ist mir das nicht eingefallen? Da hat mich leo.org im Stich gelassen

[DsnowMan]

On 12/13/2021 at 2:57 AM, jeffpeng said:

But, and this is when I realize that weather here is now totally bananas, subsiding winds result in an instant-blizzard. My torch dies, and with a flare in hand ready to defend myself I bolt into whatever direction I think must be the lodge - and I'm lucky, again.

I get inside asking myself if Broken Railroad was a good idea after all, or if one should simply avoid this region altogether on Interloper. I don't remember it to be this hostile, and maybe I'm just on a streak of bad luck, but with this unpredictable weather this is basically asking to get lost and end up between the fangs of a wolf - or worse - eventually.

I'm in a loper+ run where I thought to myself "Self, you haven't hung out in BR for a while, we should check it out and try to live at the Lodge". But that place is bananas! It is so cold and windy, you can't go anywhere.

[Guest jeffpeng]

4 minutes ago, DsnowMan said:

I'm in a loper+ run where I thought to myself "Self, you haven't hung out in BR for a while, we should check it out and try to live at the Lodge". But that place is bananas! It is so cold and windy, you can't go anywhere.

The point kinda is: I've DONE that. I've lived for weeks there in the past, feasting myself silly on wolves and bears. I cannot remember it being this hostile. Or do I actually misremember a Stalker run? It's really long ago since I've done those extensively.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Days 29, 30 and 31 - Dinner for two, with a side of boredom

It's not that I don't have any ideas where to get food. It's that the bear might complicate this beyond feasibility. But let's see. Time is running. I cross the hills left to the barn. There be rabbits.

"Erste." (Bonus points for anyone who gets that reference.)

I score 3 rabbits in commanding fashion (7 for 7 with the bow so far) and bolt before the bear really registers much of what is going on. Upon returning I find a forth in the snare behind the house. Yes, I ruin an arrow doing so, but that's just life, and it's not like I'm short on saplings. I even have 4 shafts already ready. With all the firewood I should probably craft two or three more. It's enough to get my fill, and afterwards I indeed craft 3 new arrows. 6 guts at 70% tell me that this won't be enough. 36 hours to go.

Then I have an idea, and it's not as crazy as it sounds: I should get me a wolf. I can live with a 1% risk of parasites. Heck, even 4% isn't as bad as it sounds. If I fail 7 of 8 tries of with a 75% chance, no way in hell I'll get parasites from 4%.... rrrright? And I'm hella confident in my archery skills. So .... well, here goes nothing. I pack two "old" rabbits and head out.

The plan is to just sit here, and it work: It doesn't take long for a black dot to come rolling down the hills. It doesn't end well for it. 8 for 8.

Wasn't aware the invitation to dinner was about, not for him: A wolf.

I cook 4 kilograms of meat, and, of course, take the hide. No way I'm leaving that behind. Only one left for my wolf skin. But now I still have to kill some time. The cave won't have coal again. Plus there are no rabbits behind the house. Well sometimes the best thing you can do really is to sleep.

8 hours later I start the "night" with 2 wolf steaks. 4% risk, eh. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, or so they say. Also: it's aurora time, but apparently still to dark to read anything. Meh. I manage to repair a shirt outside, as half an hour is the maximum which I can take the cold as long as I don't have to suffer any winds. I recycle torches, ready my loadout. I even consider making torches so I can read, but upon realizing that it would cost me 0.1 liters of kerosene plus 1 cloth per page I abandon this plan.

I manage to repair my underwear, my jeans and my combat pants in the same freezing fashion, craft all the tea I can craft, sharpen my knife until it can cut lasers. Even my ear wraps get an overhaul, despite not really needing it, and the cotton toque, too, because... well, why not. If there's one thing I hate... it's waiting and wasting time. Better spend it bad instead of full on wasting it.

Then, finally, all the guts I waited on are cured. I make a last check to not leave something I would miss behind, and leave. I still have two kilograms of wolf on me, but I just hope they do not attract half the island. I can't afford to stay any longer. Even leaving now is actually too late.

I try to think of some place else to get some food. I can, and will, eat the two wolf steaks I've got, but they will carry me only so far - provided I don't contract parasites. If I do....well, it's wolf from here to the mountain. But it passes just when I make a stop to warm up, so in the rest goes, and with shedding some water I get myself below 50 kg - which should improve travel significantly. 1950 calories. Enough to reach the dam? Maybe. But I better find something in between.

I skip the camp office, but instead camp at the clearing on the way to the new outlook tower. Sadly the weather doesn't play ball, and I end up with a fire to babysit while trying to catch rabbits in a snowstorm. Which, eventually, works, but I have my first two misses. Also the weather doesn't budge. I consider both the camp office and the overlook, and decide to make a stop at the latter, simply because it might have food while the office definitively has not. Sadly my hopes are in vain, and I only find a sewing kit and a bandage. Well, at least hunting those rabbits bought me some time. Time to sleep.

Yeah, quite the vista, indeed.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / NIGHTS 32, 33 and 34 - The Valley of the Damned, Darkmode Edition, Part I

It's a beautiful new d.... night.

The only piece of cloth you can't harvest.

I kinda missed something yesternight, something actually profound: I finished the 30 day challenge. So Ciaran is kinda .... done? What kind of an ending is that? That's never gonna make it to TV. No. We need some proper goal now and go on. I mean I kinda already am on the way somewhere, and I'll stick with TWM. So, without pomp, honors and celebrations: Congratulations Ciaran .... now, keep moving. Onto the Summit!

Coming from the lookout I manage to skip the derailment and the wolves patrolling it. Near the stranded cart I camp and get some water going. Yes, considering I've got like 7 or 8 gallons back at Trapper's, now sitting here boiling snow feels silly. At least I have saved two lumps of coal for this occasion, and having the two pots with me makes this rather convenient.

31 cattails and 5 birch sapling richer I reach the trailers - no wolf. Searching them, this time with proper lighting, I even find some tomato soup I didn't "see" last time. Since I didn't bring the rope I will skip the ravine. I'm well armed, and over a week late as it is. Maybe I'll make it there at some point in the distant future.

I pull new torches out in the yard, and then give the dam a proper inspection. Ah shucks, I left the wolf pelt at the overlook. Sigh. Well, back down to two again. Searching the upper levers I finally find a can opener. In general the loot isn't as bad as it usually is with some chips, beef jerky and a can of soda, plus my second tool box and a sewing kit. I've had games where I didn't find anything edible. A can of gunpowder in the safe. Ah well.

The lower levels yield a wool toque in fairly good condition, another hammer, yet another sewing kit, and a third tool box, which I leave at the exit to winding river, along with the surplus hammer and some other things that will primarily weigh me down. Two thirds to exhaustion I leave. I want to make the cave in winding river before I call it a day... night. Ah, and right: no parasites for me. 4%, pah!

The weather is calm. Not a guarantee here.

Let's see what this might bring.

I manage to skip the wolf on the river without bruising myself for once. I had hope for a rabbit or two, but I find none. That's disappointing. Since I have nothing to cook and subsequently nothing to eat I abandon my idea of maybe reading a book in here. Instead I warm up some tea and leave, utilizing the favorable weather while it holds.

In the transition cave I luckily find the carcass, and even with 1.9 kg. I cook and eat what I get, and then continue, approaching exhaustion, to crawl through the cave. I find a good amount of coal and some much needed firewood, along with some surprisingly well preserved peaches. Finally, at the mouth of the cave, I put down my bedroll and rest 6 hours.

Things are calm, but snowy when I leave. I plan to make it at least to the Hilltop Cave before putting in the remaining sleep. The reason: with that much time spent in buildings lately I have the uncanny suspicion that cabin fever is creeping up on me. Also I really want to read those books about cooking - I own 4 now - so I can finally eat all the wolf I like.

Reliable as ever.

Sleeping I dodge my first blizzard in "The Valley". I leave most of the excess stuff in the cave, and go hunting. It's rabbit season. It's always rabbit season. I get three, sadly two of them pretty malnourished. Looks like I will have to resort to more drastic measures. Again. I load up my rotting rabbits, and find a nice place to wait, out in the forest. Not long after they - yes they - answer.

One more than one is two.

Luckily I manipulate the two dropping my smellies so, that only one of them comes close enough to see me. I lure it back to the cave, where it soon wishes afterwards it had taken the day off.

Had its expectations thoroughly subverted: A wolf.

I take 4 kilograms and the hide, and cook it at the cave. But I'm not done yet, as the carcass in front of the cave is also present. 1.6 kilograms of venison on top. Yeah. provided I remain lucky with those parasites I'm actually in a pretty good position for once.

I get two hours of reading done, finishing the first book - then the next blizzard is upon me. But, just in time, I sleep it away. Four more hours and book number two is done. Then the next blizzard arrived, number three, and while the risk of parasites passes I lose Well Fed trying to sleep it away - what just barely works. But Meh! I gulp down my wolf meat, finish my last book about actually making food that doesn't suck, eat all the remaining meat from other creatures and leave. I mean, yeah, nice idea, man, but lackluster execution. Ah well. It'll come back.

I head for the signal tower. I never understand how this patch of forest can be so devoid of firewood. A felt eternity  later, and after almost taking a wrong turn in very little visibility, I reach Signal Hill, frozen solid, of course. A tin of coffee, peaches, suspicious sardines, a sewing kit and another can opener. Oh well, why not. Outside I ready some tea and cook my peaches at the fire barrel and warm up. I want to make it to the farm this night, if at all possible.

I'm mightily annoyed that I lost Well Fed, but at this pace I'll have it back long before I reach the climb. And that's assuming I don't get bogged down in a blizzard. I butt slide down the hill, and even manage to keep all limbs attached. I reach the small barn and decide that this is good enough for today. But not before shedding my excess weight and hunting me myself some adequate dinner: 3 rabbits. Another arrow gives in, so I am back down to two. This should still be enough to reach Crystal Lake.

Let's see how far we'll get tomorrow night.

 

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Nights 35, 36 and 37 - The Valley of the Damned, Darkmode Edition, Part II

It's only a small walk to the farm. Yet - it takes so long.

Inside the farm I reason that I should leave some things behind. I will return here at some point to properly explore the region anyways. I won't miss an additional pry bar, can opener or tool box until then - if ever, and I don't think I won't find much use for the gun powder anytime soon. Also 3 whetstones are probably enough for now. I don't need 9 of them. While I stuff that .... well, stuff ... into the Fridge I am informed that I again have no parasites. Told ya.

The place itself has another pot, peaches, maple syrup, yet another book about preparing food from gross things, and a 20% granola bar that in all honesty gives me food poisoning. Seriosly?! Well. Pills and to bed you go. Just my  luck.

10 hours later I continue, notably grumpy, my tour: a sewing kit, a ski jacket, ketchup chips and a tin of coffee. Downstairs it's new antibiotics (how fitting), the matches, the hacksaw, quality tools, and yet another whetstone. I sort out things and leave. It's a starry night.

Almost looks like it doesn't try to kill you, right?

My torch dies hardly out of the gate. I just love this place, and then winds immediately calm down again. Like a subtle "freeze you". Once I reach the burned down house on the fork between Draft Dodger's and the Burned Ridge I'm drowned in thick fog, and since I am in need of firewood, food and especially tea I decide to detour right. I find the cabin despite negative visibility, make a fire out front and throw my last lump of coal in it. I venture out, using the smoke as my only point of reference. I'm successful.

4 out of 4.

My last remaining arrows take some serious beating. 12 and 46% left. It will have to do. I eat my fill, with a bit to spare for the way, and as the fog lifts I leave towards Burned Ridge. Freezing and pretty beat up I arrive. The carcass, however, is missing. I read my new book about adequate preparation of makeshift food and sleep 10 hours.

Leaving I see three maples, but leave them for now. I've got enough of those for a long time, and really no time to lose. I sort through the upper part of the crash site, and then make camp. I need new water, and new tea. This last leg might be going to be quite tough, despite me being mostly lucky with the weather. There's hoping.

I go on, and sorting through the remaining crash site yields its usual high quality item.

What else can an interloping citizen of Great Bear wish for? An almost perfect Thin Wool Sweater!

Sadly no socks, but at least a decent plaid shirt that's significantly better than what I have.

I reach the hunting blind in still clear and calm weather. I really am lucky this time. A book about carcass harvesting is welcome, but I'd have preferred the book about archery. I haven't found a single one, yet. Then I'm there. The bunker. Outside I find yet another pot. And yes, I wouldn't have had to bring the two from Mystery lake, but now that I've got three .... I might as well use the third one for fishing, if I ever get to that. Inside I find literally nothing - but that's okay, I made it this far. The rest is relatively easy.

I sort out my stuff as I plan to leave everything not immediately essential here, and make the climb in one go. 35 kilograms isn't much to bring, but it should be sufficient for now. The bunker isn't far from the hut. Then I rest for 4 hours - and I've got well fed back. Amazing timing. More clutter to bring!

Fully rested the climb is easy. Onto the hut! Ecstatic I almost run into one of the locals.

Thinks I'm new here: A moose.

But I get away after a hearty honking from our meaty friend here. I ram the snare I brought all the way from Trapper's into the ground like a flag at the rabbit grove, and then I'm finally there.

Home!

Warm and cozy my new home welcomes me. I actually made it.

I really did.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran 1 / Deliberations IV - The great wide open

Now - wasn't that a ride? 37 days in perpetual darkness, from Mystery Lake to the Muskeg, Milton, the Hushed River Valley, back to the Muskeg, a neck breaking adventure along the Broken Railroad, and a grueling trek from Trapper's all the way through The Valley of the Damned to Crytal Lake. Who would have thought it possible? I, admittedly, didn't believe in it until I reached the farm in PV, and back at the Broken Railroad I was almost sure I'd run out of steam somewhere in the muskeg. But now I'm here, and despite being somewhat beat up I've got everything to make this triple digit.

Will I, tho?

First: yes, the plan is there. Short term there are a few things to take care of. I'm okay, but not great. I need food, and I have some serious crafting to do. But there is also a particular container in the engine gorge that has a pair of socks and a thin wool sweater - or at least had. Both items are on a timer, while this simultaneously being the lowest hanging fruit to notably improve my situation. But can I even dare to undertake this endeavor with just 48% health? Wouldn't it be prudent to wait another day, get those deer skin pants or boots done, and face the mountain with that much more room for error?

Frankly I would love to say: freeze it, let's go, we'll never gonna be this young and stupid again. But honestly: this run, this survivor has grown on me. I don't feel like risking it all on the idea that this one day I wait may or may not lose me an item or two I may or may not find elsewhere. Que sera... sera. Although .... it's day 38. Those things won't be in pristine condition, but they should be fine, even on day 39.

So, good thing we've settled this. Crafting it is. And it's gonna be the boots. I left my day 1 boots behind at the crash site in favor of some running shoes. Not exactly best in slot, but they at least weren't primarily comprised of holes. Never the less: some replacement is in order. But also do I need food and as important: more guts. Not proverbial guts, those I guess I do have in abundance, but literal guts to make those pants.

Alrighty then, this is the plan:

1. Kill a bunch of rabbits, at least all of them
2. Eat them, harvest their intestines (this sounds so psychopathic)
3. Make actually decent shoes
4. Sleep a lot
5. Make two more arrows
6. Venture into the engine gorge
7. Get the stuff from the container
8. Profit

Where I come from we call this a plan. Although... where I come from we take 20 years to build an airport that then never goes into operation. So .... don't quote me on it.

As for the mid and long term.... mid term there is the summit which I will visit if I live that long. The matches, the fire striker and the flare gun are too valuable to pass up, even if the rest of the plan was empty. Once I've done that.... let's see. There is Ash Canyon, and I'd really love to have those crampons and the backpack. If even that works out .... heck, what do I know. Maybe on day 100 we'll party at the prison.

The future is wide open.

[Guest jeffpeng]

Ciaran / Nights 38, 39 and 40 - Domestic Nightlife

As an administrative note: I have decided that Ciaran 1 will remain the only one of his kind. Having achieved the initial challenge this thread is his, and his alone. No one will follow him should he ever perish or decide that his work is done on Great Bear. Hence: no need for numbering any longer.

Then, "first" first things first: looting the place.

I find a 27% granola bar (not again....) and a book about fishing. The matches, of course, and the assortment of firewood that's always here. Also a Ski Jacket, the useless mag lens, a sewing kit and a down vest. After having put things where they belong I'm 26 kilograms light - amazing. I catch two rabbits with stones at the lake. As that is just too slow for me three more at the rabbit grove near the landing gear get sniped. One arrow left, ah well. Practice.

After disassembling and cooking the little rascals I get to work on my boots. Being able to craft in a warm place without having to think about lighting is just the kind of advantage I needed. The only time I cannot craft is when there is a blizzard - then the lights go out. And frankly this is even advantageous, as I then know what to do: sleep it away. This is borderline OP.

Space, the final frontier. Also: helpful crafting aid when there is no sun.

Still, just living on rabbits won't cut it. I need more calories than two mediocre rabbit groves can provide. Still no Cooking 5 - but almost. I'm like 95% there. If I only can just stretch myself on non-predator meat for a little while longer... I would love to kill the moose - if it is even still there - but that would be a little too brave, even for me. Especially since I got a single arrow left. Fishing? Too expensive in terms of firewood and time. Speaking of .... I wasn't in the fishing hut yet. Time to take a break from crafting.

A ruined cotton toque, some wood, some cloth, some scrap metal. At least making tackles shouldn't be a problem. I shoot another rabbit on the way back - last arrow gone. Yeah, I'll need new, and I'll need better targets than rabbits, soon. And I should consider snares.

I get back in, harvest the rabbit, and make three new arrows. Then I break a crate and invest the spare gut I have in my second snare. At the snare I already placed I find a rabbit. I arm both snares, and get back home. For now I can live on cattails quite well, so I can postpone cooking what meat I have a bit to conserve matches. Sadly, without the sun there are no free lunches, period. The ultimate limit to Ciaran's existence is his supply of matches and fire strikers. Two more hours and my boots are finished.

Also, stylish. Ha.

Time to sleep - the gorge beckons tomorrow.

As I get up I fire up the fireplace and cook what rabbit parts I possess. Only then I realize that the sky looks extremely funky.

It's not a bug, it's a feature.

Do I dare run around in an aurora? No I don't. But I don't want to let the match go to waste. Well, let's see. I boil 3 liters of water, and fix myself another arrow in that time. Then, with the aurora still out I simply start cooking tea and coffee. Maybe I'll get Cooking V this way.... and indeed I do.

I'm an actual person now.

I keep boiling and resting, but it just won't budge. It looks amazing, however.

World was on fire, and no one could save me but .... moose.

I'm more or less out of firewood, and I can't imagine the aurora to stick around much longer, so I pull torches and head out despite better judgement. This exactly is one of those things I advise other people not to do.

I make it past the bear cave and into the Echo Ravine, and finally into the cave down there. And just when I want to take a peek what funny things my neighbor is watching on his chonkbook .... it's over. Just like that. I stoke a fire with my torch, put on some water, and sleep an hour to warm up.

When I get up it's hella windy. A wolf spots me approaching the container, but I torch it away. However, it smells like blizzard, and it's blistering cold. I just open the containers, take everything inside, and then bolt for the cave connecting the two engines. Only then I take a look at what I got.

The wool socks are a good 71%. The thin wool sweater is beat up at 17%, but intact. Good. I traverse the cave, mostly for firewood, but then think to myself: why not hunt a rabbit or two while you're at it? And the next thought that enters my mind: just like Sasquatch would do it. Ah, better days.

I snipe two rabbits outside easily, and get beck in to cook them. Taking them apart I get Harvesting IV. But the fact remains: I won't get too far on just rabbits. I check the weather outside again. Snowy, but calm. Well, here goes nuthin'. I grab the two rabbit remains and get outside. It doesn't take long for the wolf to pick up scent. Retreat to the cave..... but where is the wolf? A rabbit, which I must have missed, lets out its last cry - and I put 2 and 2 together. Well, can't say no to this.

Won't smell anything ever again: A wolf.

I take two kilograms and cook them, then go for the hide - and suddenly stand in a blizzard. I cut my losses, and get back inside. Time to rest.

When I wake up and check the outside world the weather is calm, but snowy. With the wolf gone I want to make a quick foraging trip around the hill to the left - but it's already back. Or are there two wolves now on Interloper? Were there always two? Curious. I turn around and go the other way, towards the ramp. Arriving there the aurora is back. Not good.

Looks amazing, but just might be the harbinger of my demise.

Coming down next to the rope I sprain my ankle, and two wolves instantly spot me. Bandage, quick, and I grab my flare just to have it ready and bolt. Sprinting across the lake I gain the attention of yet another wolf - but I reach the hut in one piece, and slam the door shut. Holy hell. That was much too close for comfort.

I fix my second sweater, tear down some surplus clothing, and restock on bandages. I've brought some cloth, and there are still some clothes to tear down on TWM, but I will need to hunt for some in PV eventually. I quickly check my snares - two rabbits, and both are still intact. I return and dress the rabbits up - and meanwhile the aurora passes. I take a peak outside: the wolves on the lake are gone. Suspicious.

I make a quick trip around the lake collecting cattails, then sleep an hour to warm up. About warmth: my situation is much better now, but considering the advanced state of the game this little reprieve won't hold. Before long day 50 will be upon me, and I haven't even started with my wolf skins, let alone my bear skins.

I wake up to what I can only assume will grow into a blizzard. Not trusting the weather one bit I read - about fishing. The dream, you know. Two pages later the aurora is back. What? I keep reading - and an hour later I at least know what a fish generally looks like. With the lake wolves still absent I sprint across and gather those cattails otherwise not easily accessible. In the distant I see Harvey breakdancing to the sound of the aurora. Uncanny.

After a quick sprint around the hut to gather some sticks I decide it's finally time to call it a night. The sky is still burning.

"The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you."