The Keg Got Me Good

[Comet777]

I am a bit of an outlier in the community, I absolutely love Forlong Muskeg, definitely my favourite map. Spend most of my time on interloper on this map (or on Marsh Ridge and Milton Basin) and I know the map very well. Couldn't tell you the last time I fell through the ice or got stopped by a predator crossing the frozen bog. However, than all changed today. 

I started off a new interloper run, FM spawn, yuss! I was feeling like getting some early forging done this time, so I ran to trappers (not my normal play), and it had the heavy hammer. Rushed to the pond at dusk to grab the firestriker, and in the dark got back to trappers to spend the night, ready to hit the forge the following day. Woke up and the fog was so thick, something FM would be proud of haha! Knowing that wolves like to patrol the route back to the tunnel and FM, I decided to hold off and let the fog pass. It did, and mid afternoon I made my way back to FM, arrived to clean and pleasantly warm conditions. However, within a minute it all changed. A blizzard start but whatever, I run through blizzards all the time now in TLD, so I made my way to the poachers camp and then set off to Spence's Homestead. 

But this was no normal Muskeg blizzard, not at all. The howling winds and zero visibility was expected, but the -40 in the keg, are you kidding me. I have never found the Keg to be quite this cold, despite my many, many hours trekking across this frozen wasteland. I quickly became disoriented, the landscape become unfamiliar, and what is normally a simple path even in a blizzard, became an absolute nightmare. I was only a day in, so I hadn't come across any matches and the flare from the poaches camp I picked up on the way through the trappers to boil up a few liters of water for the night. Otherwise I would have taken shelter against a rock, lit a fire, and ride the blizzard out, like any desperate but experienced loper player would. 

No matches meant that wasn't an option. I had confidence though, I would correct my path, surely, I mean come on, I know it so well. But this blizzard, it was unforgiving and the line of site was next to nothing. I didn't have a choice, I simply had to make it to the homestead for the matches and coal (or die trying). I stumbled around for a while before finally finding the edge of the frozen bog. As the homestead was still my best option, I hugged the edge and made my way around. Naturally, the hypothermia risk had been present for a while, but I wasn't concerned. Frost bite on my hands had just kicked in though. After what seemed like an age I stumbled across the bunkhouse, I was alive and relatively healthy. Stay calm and don't panic, that is was loper is about right. 

I stumbled up past the fence with the homestead almost in sight (but not because of the visibility haha). When it happened, FROST BITE AFFLICTION.... the keg had got me... it had been a great run for so long. I heard all the time of people getting frostbite on the keg and often wondered why this place was notorious for it - how can people have 4-5 frostbites from the keg and why do people hate this place so much, it is fantastic. However, that insane blizzard so early in the game. well that made the keg a completely different prospect. 

And for all you confused people wondering about the firestriker? It was only hours after I hopped off the game and was thinking about what happened, that it dawned on me that I had the firestriker the whole time. I am not used to having one so early, so used to relying on matches in the early game of loper that it didn't even cross my mind. Experienced loper player maybe, but an absolute fool this time around!!!

I am left with a knife, some arrowheads, and 90% max health. The adventure continues, but this one is going to be that little more tougher. Oh and I thought my luck had changed with the Mackinaw Jacket in the safe, however it was 30% and my first repair failed, so I tore up clothing and the second repair failed - 4 cloth down the drain and a very average jacket. 

[Leeanda]

Lol! You forgot the rules, never think you're safe and always keep tabs on your inventory! Glad you survived though!

Good luck with your journey