The lone flame - A Stalker journey

fighter1934 · January 27

This is a retelling of my current Stalker playthrough in survival mode. I had originally planned to write it as I played, but Hinterland took their time approving my account. I'll write the story until my current stop point as I remember.

Day 28 | Mystery Lake, Camp office | Morning |
Been a long day in this freezing cold. My trip up to the clearcut proved both useful and terrifying.

Good news: I found a note book and a pencil that I can finally write my journey in. Also got a bunch of birch saplings I can use to craft arrow shafts with. (Once I get them dried anyway)

Bad news: I almost got yeeted by a bear.

I thought my insane luck would have continued. I mean, a double moose sighting in mystery lake on day 1 and 2, the hunting rifle in upper dam, killing the second moose.
My trip up to Pleasant Valley. Finding a distress pistol at signal hill. The expedition parka in Pleasant Valley Homestead.

So, blindly trusting to my luck, I just had to climb that stupid hill hoping for some supplies at the destroyed lookout tower.

Didn't realise a bear had followed me up there until I started making my way back down. Ended up having to goat my way down a sheer cliff.

I still have no idea how I made it with nothing more than a sprained ankle...

Priorities, priorities. Need to boil more water. And catch some fish. I can feel the scurvy coming on quick.

At least my hide collection is getting on fine.

Hmm, lots of cured guts for lines. Not enough scrap metal for hooks. I can fish with what I have made, but a metal run to the dam is needed soon.

The pack of wolves along the way will be a major issue though...

And of course, mother nature decides to give me the middle finger as soon as I step out to go fishing.

Time to go read books and boil water until the weather improves.

FaT McMarlin · January 28

It's always when you have a plan to get something you need that a blizzard rolls in and dashes your plan to bits!!!

fighter1934 · January 28

Day 28-32 | Mystery Lake |
Hiked out to the fishing huts to catch some fish for some much needed vitamin-c.

Of course, the local wildlife didn't take too kindly to the intrusion.

One dead wolfy

His buddy hightailed it outta there.

Also makes me mad that my tip-up is catching fish left and right while I'm sitting here getting nothing (except the occasional line snaps).

Tip up 1 - Human 0

Day 29-30 was basically a metal run over to Carter's Hydroelectric dam to get some scrap metal.

And guess who came back for round 2?

You have a death wish mate?

Here's a photo of the pack living near train loading area.

How many wolves can you count?

Made it back to Camp office with my haul after using a torch to tell the wolves to fug elsewhere. And as I light a fire to cook some rancid venison I got off a deer corpse along the way...

Firestarting level 2 baby!

Day 31 is more fishing to replenish my depleted calorie reserves, then day 32 was arrow crafting with some earlier dried out birch saplings.

I need more carry weight. All this gear is getting heavier and heavier. Looks like it's time to go canyon hunting!

New Objective: Retrieve the Technical Backpack from Ash Canyon

Edited January 28 by fighter1934

fighter1934 · January 29

Current Objective : Retrieve the Technical Backpack from Ash Canyon

Days 34-38

As if mother nature hasn't had enough of torturing me, I lost day 33 to a blizzard howling all day long...

Made my way to the Carter Hydroelectric dam as soon as the the next morning came.

Yup, our old friend is still here...

After getting past some rather frisky wolves at the base of the dam and passing through an old cave system, I arrived at Pleasant Valley.

While hiking through the snow on the way to the Farmstead, I noticed a run down shed and went to investigate it.

Better you than me buddy

He did yield a can of tomato soup and some salty crackers. Yum.

Dropped off a package containing gunpowder and noisemaker crafting materials (as well as some marine flares) at the homestead and stayed the night before pushing up to Timberwolf Mountain the next day.

Along the route to Mountaineer's hut, I heard a familiar bellow nearby.

Seriously bud? Are you intent on following me all over Great bear?!

Gave the moose more space as I trudged on to my destination.
Was hoping for some supplies and a place to prep before the push into Ash Canyon, and this place did not disappoint.

Loot glorious loot

I will be boiling water and prepping my pack before the push into Ash Canyon (and the gold mine the backpack is located in).

Edited January 29 by fighter1934

fighter1934 · February 3

OP notes: So apparently I got the days mixed up. Got to the mountaineer's hut at day 36.
...This is probably going to be a recurring theme so please bear with me.

Day 36-39 | Ash Canyon |

Current objective: Retrieve the Technical Backpack from the Gold mine in Ash Canyon

Hiked up half of Timberwolf mountain to get to the cave connecting to Ash Canyon close to nightfall after a blizzard left me trapped in the Mountaineer's hut for the better part of day 37.

Would you please fug off you stupid mutt.

Headed for the upper entrance to Ash Canyon as it's a more direct route to the Gold Mine.

Spent the night in the Transition cave to Ash Canyon next to the body of another poor soul that didn't make it.

And mother nature hasn't quite let out all her fury yet...

Waited a couple of hours for the weather to clear before starting my hike to the base of the cliff which lead to the mines.

The secondary exit from the Gold Mines. Too bad I can't climb those rocks...

Took me until the night of day 38 before I made it to the cliff over looking the Gold mines. (Thank god for my improvised Crampons. The triple climb would have taken much longer otherwise.) Spent the night in a nearby cave before getting this shot.