36.52 Kilometers in Four Days, The Arrowhead Story


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{Location Spoilers, Stalker Mode}

It all started one day when I was exploring Pleasant Valley. I had plenty of Bear Meat stocked up, and I found the food bunker the day before, so I was ready to take in my surroundings. I had already explored the Skeeter's ridge area a couple days before, but farther down the road was a waterfall I wanted to explore. I heard in the patch notes that there was a place where I could travel from PV to Mystery Lake, and this was on my mind as I went towards the waterfall. It was a beautiful day, there was a purple sunrise this morning that was still fading away in the distance. I ended up climbing to the middle of the waterfall, and found a neat little picnic area. I found some wood and a few crows feathers, which only reminded me how much I wanted to craft that luxurious bow. Next to the campsite there was a cave entrance, not a little cave, but a full loading screen blocked cave entrance. I went inside and pulled out my lantern, as it was completely dark inside, and explored its various wings and rooms. In one of the rooms, behold, a bow and arrow!

I got home to Signal Hill, only to realize I still needed to take a screenshot of my house for the #mylongdarkhome photo contest. I decided that it would be a bit different if I took all of my "natural" and crafted items to a nearby cave, and set up a little campsite and take a screenshot there. I dropped down all my stuffs and arranged it in a "lived in" pattern, including my bow and single arrow that I found in the cave. I went to bed in my Bear Bedroll, getting up at midnight to make a fire and take a picture. I did so, and went back to bed and woke up in the morning in the cave. I gathered up all my stuff from the night before to head back home, but my single arrow had clipped through the ground and was gone!

I got back to Signal Hill with about 10 hours left in the day, saddened by my loss. Even though I had about 11 rifle rounds left, I knew that I had to get my arrows back. My goal was to travel to Desolation Point and use the forge there to craft new arrowheads. I packed up everything I needed to make the trip to Mordor and back; water, five kilos of bear meat, a flare, fueled lantern, first aid, coffee, warm clothing, knife, hatchet, etc. I had about 8 pieces of scrap metal in a closet inside the Pleasant Valley Farmstead that I picked up (to make arrowheads out of) on my way out toward the old mine connecting PV to the Coastal Highway.

On my way up to the mine, I spotted a wolf feeding on a fresh deer. The moment I noticed him was the moment he noticed me. Protective of his recent kill, he charged at me ignoring the bait I put down for him completely. I was able to whip out my only flare and scare him off. Eventually, I made it to the mine shaft on the other end of the map, and triumphantly devoured a well earned piece of bear meat. I spun around and walked towards the mine shaft entrance, knowing my journey had just begun, I would be moving into unknown, and more hostile, territory now.

The mineshaft was predictably pitch black, thank goodness for that freshly fueled lantern. The inside of the mineshaft held a goldmine of useful equipment and necessities, but I was already nearing my weight limit, and I told myself I had plenty at home, don't be greedy, greed kills in this world. I made it out the other side with about 4 hours left in the day, and with 10 pieces of coal I found inside, for the Skyforge. I had been to the Coastal Highway before, and I knew where I was going to find DP. I walked about 100 meters before I heard the dreaded, mood killing, low growl of a wolf coming up behind me. I didn't want to waste any valuable travel resources on a lowly wolf, so I ran towards the closest cliff and repelled down it. The wolf didn't follow, to my surprise, but I quickly found out why. Waiting at the bottom of the cliff, there stood yet another wolf, waiting for me to come down.

I hiked along the side of the cliff, hoping he wouldn't get any closer, luckily he didn't. I made a break for it to a few cabins I saw in the distance, with him finally catching on and sprinting towards me. I made it inside, adrenaline pumping, and slept for an hour in the bed there, hoping to wait off the wolf outside and catch some needed sleep, as I was already very tired from carrying all this metal and travel equipment around. When I awoke, I opened the door to go outside, ready to spring back in incase he was still there. Luckily, he was nowhere to be seen. I continued down the side of the mountain, until I came upon the Abandoned Townsite.

The town was swarming with wolves, five, from what I could see. The last save game I died after being consecutively attacked by three wolves in this same area, so I was extremely anxious about this part in the journey. I was able to, once again, hike along the cliff face in order to stay as far away as I could from those dastardly wolves, most likely still full from my last character. I made it to the road, and uneventfully followed it towards Commuters Lament, which seems like a suitable name considering what I'm doing, and how tired I am already. There was a parked car next to the road there, with a rifle and some crackers visible inside through the windows, once again, I resisted.

Making my way through Crumbling Highway, I followed the road to a couple burned out houses. From a distance they seemed habitable, but my hopes of staying there for the night were quickly dashed upon closer inspection of their charred remains. The moment I noticed another parked car not 75m from me, I heard, once again, that soul-crushing growl of a wolf closing in behind me. I ran toward the car, opened the door, and climbed in. To my surprise and horror, the wolf was still sprinting towards the car! He sprinted straight past the hood, then doubled back around, this time, chasing a rabbit. They moved into my blind spot, but I heard the scream from the rabbit as the wolf clenched it's jaws around him (or her). The wolf killed the rabbit right next to the car, so I could hear the wolf, ripping, tearing, and chewing the flesh, sending shivers through my body. In about half an hour game time it would be dark, so I decided, wolf right next to the car, that I would sleep in the car for the night. I was wearing warm clothes, so I had faith that I would not freeze during the night, but just in case, I only slept for five hours to start.

When I awoke, I drank some water, and all my conditions were normal. There was still about six hours left in the night, thus I slept for that amount of time. I awoke with no wolf in sight, thankfully, but I was cold, minutes away from freezing cold. I got out of the car, not wanting to build a fire in the territory of a wolf. Luckily, about 300m out, there was a cave. I ducked in, built a fire, and warmed up, simultaneously boiling some more water, as I was running low. Outside, there was a frozen deer carcass. I knew that I needed some more deer hides for repairs, but I couldn't carry another kilo. I kept on moving, eventually finding the mine shaft No. 3, connecting CH to DP.

I entered in, lantern lit, once again finding another gold mine of equipment and coal. I resisted. coming out of the mine, I made my way across the frozen sea towards the the lighthouse, staying close to the road. I went wide, and cautiously rounded hilltops, wary of another wolf. Luck was on my side that day, and there were no wolves joyously waiting at the top of a hill for me. I spotted the Wrecked Ship in the distance, and I made straight towards it, across the frozen bay. I heard that the forge was inside the hull of the ship, and I knew that I was just minutes away from smelting iron into those wonderful arrowheads.

Inside the cold dark Ricken of the ship, I found the forge, standing at a tilt, at the very back of the ship. I was livid with excitement to get smithing. I opened up the furnace, selected my wood and match... no tinder. I was in the middle of the frozen bay, where was I to find tinder? I searched the ship for a plug or newspaper, but there was nothing. Outside there was a small island in the distance, with a couple of old trees. I walked over, and only found two sticks. That should be enough, my fire starting skills were toned. I went back in the ship, broke down the sticks to make two tinder plugs, and successfully started a fire inside the furnace. I added 7 pieces of coal, and after waiting a few minutes, the forge was at a sweltering, 150 degrees. I was ready.

I clicked on the forge, selected arrowheads, and before I could start crafting, I noticed something. In the top right of the menu it said, with an almost mocking tone, "Heavy Hammer Required". I lost. What was I to do? was there enough coal to start a fire once again and get it to this heat? I searched around, and thankfully I found six pieces. Adding in the two left over that I had, I had enough to get it hot once more. I left the Ricken, 5 hours in the day left, in search for that little heavy hammer. Outside the ship there was a large warehouse in the distance, and I thought that such and industrialized area must contain something as commonplace as a hammer.

Once I reached the warehouse, I dodged into the first trailer I saw. No Hammer. I searched some metal boxes outside. No hammer. I expected the hammer to be there, right out in the open on a tool bench somewhere, so I headed inside the great warehouse.

Inside there were whale bones and boxes littering the floor, crunching beneath my feet as I searched tool benches and tool boxes, lantern in hand. I moved my search farther back into the building, and the first thing that caught my eye was a little hacksaw. I already had plenty of metal scrap, so I didn't even bother picking it up, I simply made a mental note of where it was, perhaps latter in the game I would come back for it. A few paces to the right, on a separate shelf, sat my lovely little hammer. I grabbed it, went back outside, and made my way back to the ship.

I got back to the ship with about 3 hours left in the day, and was finally ready to get that forge roaring. I light the furnace, threw my coal in, and waited until it heated up. Once it was at 160 degrees, I once again attempted to forge some arrowheads. This time however, I succeeded. 9 Hours later I had 16 Skyforged arrowheads and 2 liters of boiled water. I was ready to hit the hay, feeling exhausted but content. I drank some herbal tea, and went back to bed for 6 hours.

I awoke feeling rested, the herbal tea had done wonders to my sore muscles. I said my final goodbyes to the old forge, a bitter-sweet goodbye, thankful that the deed was done, but sad that I had to leave this new place of power so quickly. I dropped the rest of the coal I had on the ground, as well as the hammer. I gathered up my bedroll, and begun my long journey back to Signal Hill.

I came back the same way I came, getting growled at by the same wolves that caused me trouble before. My backpack was lighter now, and I was able to score two deer hides that I found on my way back, although I did lose the rest of my bear meat to a few pesky wolves. I made it all the way back to the Forestry Lookout, a short jaunt to the mine back to PV, before night fell once more. I spent the night in the lookout, taking in the orange sunset and purple sunrise on the porch.

The next morning I made an effort to reach the mine, but blocking the road were the same three wolves that caused me trouble before. I tried going high, but they ended up right in front of me, albeit, far away. I eventually just repelled down the cliff a bit and tried to approach the mine from the other way. Luckily, the wolves never caught me by the time I made it inside the mine, even with a sprained ankle and wrist.

Once I reached the other side of the mine, I was able to Christopher Columbus (tack) down the hill into the abandoned village in PV, and finally across Heartbreak Bridge and up to my lovely home, Signal Hill. I entered inside, finding everything how I left it, 4 days and 36.52 kilometers before. I was done. My quest has been completed.

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