Drifter Man

Deadman 3 / Day 43

One rabbit caught, one snare lost. 2% condition lost to freezing. I harvest the deer carcass at Cave #1 for 1.8 kg meat, a hide and two guts.

Deadman 3 / Day 44

One rabbit caught. I collect a the remaining few cattails and starve. I check the derailed boxcar and find scrap metal and kerosene. I can't eat scrap metal. I tried.

There's no rope in the boxcar, so I can't go to the basin.

Guts are still curing. I'm thinking about killing a deer - there's only one - with the flare gun. But I don't know if I can do it, the deer can sense me long before I can see it and runs away. Frankly, I probably couldn't do it even with a bow. It's hard enough with the usual Interloper wildlife detection range.

In the morning of the next day, I'm at 69%, starving and with no food left.

Deadman 3 / Day 42

My first full day in the Ravine. I hit 0 calories before noon and begin starving. As soon as the winds stop for a moment, I leave Cave #2 (the one farther from ML) and run to check the snares. The plan is simple: collect all rabbits, reposition snares, run to Cave #1, don't freeze.

The first rabbit zone has bad news: one rabbit caught, one snare broken. I take what I have and run to Cave #1. Winds start again. I make fire, cook and eat the rabbit. Then it's time to visit the second zone. Good news - three snares, three rabbits.

I cook everything, eat everything and finish the day harvesting guts. I hesitate for a moment which tool to use. 15 minutes and 56 calories with the knife, twice as much with the hacksaw, even more by hand. I can't repair the knife though, and this will cost 1% of knife condition. I choose the knife. Later I can use hacksaw or even hand, but for that I have to survive in the first place.

All in all, I lost one snare, cooked and ate 5.2 kg rabbit meat and got 4 guts. I lost 1% condition to starvation, now at 73%. In the morning I wake up with the stomach still half full. I hope I can make it through the next few days like this.

19 hours ago, BareSkin said:

They were communists, the rabbits, right? After 1943 they swarmed your body into pieces?

Interestingly, you're the second person on this forum suggesting I should meet this specific end

A comment on snares - I've done a fair share of snaring, specifically in the Ravine, which supported me during my "1000 Days in the Dam" exercise. I caught 1943 rabbits in that run, that was before stones were introduced. A few updates later the "world decay" came and with it the possibility to exhaust local populations by excessive hunting. When I made the experience in TWM that snares indeed stopped working after one successful day - which may have been an accident - I stopped looking at rabbits and snares as a source of regular sustenance on Interloper. Deadman 3 may teach me to reconsider this.

15 minutes ago, BareSkin said:

Never seen a snare break before several blizzards spent outside. And I wouldn't grab them if there's a blizzard, for fear that the "catching timer" would be reset.

If you're not traveling anymore, as desperate measure the teas have some calories until the first rabbits.

Or maybe food poisoning on a thin deer carcass? Reduce average calories consumption to 75/h since you can sleep all you want.

Good Luck, UndeadMan!

Thanks - as far as I know, snares don't break due to blizzards. Teas are still desperately needed for warmth. And, no, I'm not doing the food poisoning trick. Either I can survive like a normal person, or I can't

Deadman 3 / Day 41

Everything has to go just right today or I'll end up seriously starving. I have 5 snares, but they will not produce any rabbits until tomorrow. There should be deer carcasses in the Ravine but they may not have enough meat on them to feed me. An by the way, I need at least 5 rabbits a day - preferably 6 - to stay fed. But I won't get new guts for about a week! In fact, some snares may break.

A fresh deer carcass would solve my problems for now. But can I get my hands on one? Steal a wolf kill close to the Dam, or kill a deer with the flare gun in the Ravine? And what if the weather turns bad?

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After I drop everything I'll only need for crafting, I leave the Dam perimeter and greet the local wolf. I just go on until I'm in the Ravine, the wolf does not attack.

It's sunny and the winds are still, but maybe I left too early. I make an emergency fire already before the bridge, and still bleed a bit as a result of freezing damage. What's worse, as soon as I make my stick investment to overcome air temperature, wind decides to strike and kills the fire.

At least I'm warmed up. I reach the first rabbit area and place three snares. Felt -36°C. The corpse and backpack have nothing for me. Then I run - yes, run - to reach the cave before my temp bar runs out. I grab two cattails on the way. I make it and warm up in the bedroll. When I wake up, winds are still again but it's snowing now. There's a carcass at the cave, but I need to place my remaining two snares in the other zone near the rope down to the basin. I place my snares there and start a fire next to another deer carcass. The wind lets me get the meat out but not cook it. Since this morning I've burned maybe 50 sticks for 1 hour of fire or so.

Not yet fully warmed up, I grab the meat and head across the fallen tree... felt -28°C... empty metal container at the place where railroad is blocked by rocks... more freezing damage as I dash for the second cave... a granola bar saves me from starving for now.

I sleep for an hour, start a fire, cook the venison - it's only 0.9 kg. Then I collect sticks and reishi mushrooms outside. The wind is still at maximum strength, three arrows down. I try to hit a rabbit with a stone but 3-4 attempts fail. I add coal, warm up, try again. And again. Until I have a rabbit.

I get 1.3 kg rabbit meat and a gut, ignoring the pelt - I don't have calories to spare for that. Finish cooking it at the fire and let the fire die. I go to bed in 74% condition. I kept my calories above zero today - at a huge cost in matches, kerosene and sticks - but tomorrow the struggle begins again.

21 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

Grats on 40 days and 100k!

Thanks! It's certainly a coincidence that I hit 100k and zero calories at about the same time. I'll have some serious balancing to do in the next two days if I want to avoid starvation.

Deadman 3 / Day 40

Wind, blizzard, wind... it's still windy in the afternoon but I have to go. The snare I placed yesterday did not catch anything. I decide to push on for as long as I can, sacrificing condition, fuel, flare shells as necessary. I have to make it to the Dam.

Since the Clearcut is effectively blocked, I take the way up Frozen Creek. Medium winds turn into strong winds as I cross the pond and I make my first fire halfway up Frozen Creek. Soon after I'm warmed up, the winds stop. I carefully pass Frozen Creek - no wolves are around, an exception - and then across the hills to the Logging Camp.

I hate the Logging Camp but of all the approaches that are available, I like the one from uphill, which lets me check for wolves. None are here today. I search the trailers and the corpse, finding just a piece of reclaimed wood and a soda. The soda is a welcome addition to my quickly disappearing calorie reserve.

Once I warm up in a bed - I don't sleep because I want to be on my way as soon as possible - I set out and make my next warming fire at the Loading Area. Again, it's my lucky day, I see only one wolf in the distance. I even check the train engine, but it's empty. The deer carcass isn't here, either. As I approach the engine, I hear an unusual sound and wonder for a second what it is. It's the aurora starting at dusk. The sooner I'm safe in the Dam the better.

A few minutes later I reach the Dam. I take advantage of the aurora to craft snares - four guts, four more snares. I sleep into the morning and eat my last food - the last box of crackers. But I'm alive, at 77% condition and have snares, knife and arrowheads, and saplings curing, and 3 flare shells, and 40 days survived (well, minus a few minutes, actually). [101640 calories consumed]

Deadman 3 / Day 39

In the morning I finish the cooking book - gets me to level 4 and it's another 0.5 kg I can leave behind. Then I repair the hoodie and eat some more cattails. My supplies are dwindling - I have food for two days at most. Today I'm making a fairly big and dangerous move, through Clearcut, Logging Camp and Train Loading to the Dam. If I make it there, I'll craft four more snares from the guts I left there and sleep inside before moving to the Ravine the next day, for my endgame (no matter how long that endgame may be).

I'm not going up to the Destroyed Lookout and I also hope to avoid camping at the Logging Camp overnight.

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Reality: It's a bit windy for my liking, but I can't choose the weather. As soon as I make a few steps towards the Clearcut, the wind turns into the strong, ugly kind that does not let you make fire. I push on nevertheless and make my fire at the other side of the hill, sheltered by slope and a tree, with a view of the Clearcut. While I'm warming up, I observe wolves. I see two at the Clearcut - what's worse, they keep sprinting around, running away from an unseen bear. The most dangerous of circumstances - you can't predict when the next wolf will be catapulted straight at you at maximum speed, I don't know how many times I was killed like this. I briefly consider taking a detour through the Lookout (the far end of the map), until I notice another wolf there, too. I stay until the wind kills my fire, then return to the cabin.

In the morning I have 8 cattails left, plus the two boxes of crackers. One day's worth of food and no more than that. I placed my only snare in the rabbit run, every bit helps now. [98750 calories consumed]

30 minutes ago, Hotzn said:

Push on. I like how you state that you are seeing this or that place for the last time, or leaving an area „forever“. Adds drama in a good way.  

I'm not exactly master of drama. The fact is that I'm not going back to these places in this life - it's a realistic assessment of the situation

Deadman 3 / Day 38

A blizzard raged all night and I can still hear the winds howling in the morning. At least I can focus on my overburdened backpack, currently sitting at an ugly figure of 38.91 kg.

• Clothing (4.98 kg worn): two pairs of socks, two toques, two pairs of jeans, two ear wraps, two ski jackets, a pair of work boots, a sweatshirt, fleece mittens and a hoodie.
• Food (2.50 kg): 31 cattails, 2 boxes of salty crackers, a cup of coffee (my last), 0.65 l water.
• Medical (1.30 kg): 10 antibiotics, 2 painkillers, 4 prepared reishi, 4 prepared rosehips, 2 reishi teas and 5 rosehip teas.
• Firestarting (0.68 kg): Mag lens and 69 matches.
• Accelerant (2.29 kg): 2.61 L of kerosene in a jerry can and a small bottle
• Fuel (16.80 kg): whopping 31 coals (over 9 kg), a piece of cedar, 2 pieces of reclaimed wood and 40 sticks. Also a book I'd like to read.
• Tools (7.72 kg): Knife, flare gun with 3 shells, hacksaw, prybar, bedroll, a can opener, two pieces of fishing tackle, three hooks, three cans, two flares, four sewing kits, one snare, 5 torches
• Material (2.64 kg): 10 arrowheads, 5 saplings, 7 cloth, 19 crow feathers, one reishi mushroom.

Clothing, food, medical, firestarting and material have no expendables - I want to keep all items in these categories.

I can leave the prybar behind - it's not a critical item. The extra can from last night's pork and beans can go too. Also, the can opener, I can now smash cans without losing calories, I should just remember to drop my knife before smashing. Which reminds me, it would be nice to find a whetstone - just one would do.

I don't need four sewing kits. I left at least one in the trailer at the Dam. I'll drop two. I'll also drop 15 sticks - I can get more on the way. Nope, twenty. 4.60 kg saved. This brings me down to a more tolerable weight of 34.3 kg. Just keep in mind that coal can't warm me up in an emergency. I need enough sticks + cedar alone to overcome the felt temperature.

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In the end I swapped 5 coals for 10 sticks. It sounds like a bad trade, but having enough sticks is critical, while a ton of coal is just "good to have".

The wind stopped, fog descended on Mystery Lake and I checked the rabbit run behind the cabin for berries. I found none and decided to wait for better temperatures - it was still felt -21°C, even in fog. The late interloper world is already biting.

I leave at felt -17°C for Unnamed Pond. I light a torch for a bit of warmth, which delays the need for my first fire. I spend good 2 hours at the fire making some water. Then I take my usual detour above Unnamed Pond, to check the situation. The usual carcass is there. I see no wolves or the bear.

The blind has a bandage (useless, wolf = death) and a hacksaw, which at 90% is better than my current one, so I swap. Then I start a fire by the carcass. Wolves patrol the slopes on the far side but the bear isn't around. I get 0.9 kg meat from the carcass, 5 cattails and a few reishi mushrooms. Then I make it to the cabin, spraining a wrist on the way. The cabin has no resources for me apart from two pieces of cloth to harvest.

I wake up during and aurora and try to use it to read a book, but as usual, the aurora stops before I can get a full hour of reading. [96230 calories consumed]

48 minutes ago, Ruruwawa said:

Maple found, salut!    But will it cure before you hit 100k calories?

It won't - but the more urgent question is, will it cure before I hit zero calories?

On 26/09/2018 at 9:20 PM, Murpharoo said:

Hi guys. What is the double boiler bug that @TheEldritchGod refers to ? Thanks 

When you build a campfire on a sloped surface, you may be able to place two items on a single cooking spot - so with enough cans you get double water output. I think that's what he referred to as double boiler.

Deadman 3 / Day 37

So yes, this visit to Mountain Town was unplanned - in fact I'm close to Milton Basin again - I wanted to spend the night at Trapper's, not here in the cave. But since I'm here, I should see what resources can be gathered at this level between the ropes up and then return. If the weather is good and I have enough time, I might try pushing on to Unnamed Pond.

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It's a sunny day, but at felt -20°C I can't last long outside. I start a fire in the cave (with the mag lens) and, using it as base, radially search the area. I only find a few sticks and rosehips - I almost think I found a sapling twice but it turns out to be a sign post every time. The wolf is not around.

In the afternoon I climb back up and return to Trapper's Homestead. Since it is foggy again, I push on to see if there is the deer carcass at the rock formation on the way from Trapper's to Unnamed Pond. On the way I collect four birch saplings near the cabin. The deer is there and I make fire - only 0.6 kg meat is on it, some 600 calories. Although I keep hot reishi tea next to the fire, I choose not to drink it as it's still warm enough at dusk - my supplies are running out, I only have about 10-15 drinks left. When leaving for Trapper's Cabin I catch a glimpse of a maple sapling and take a detour:

It starts snowing as I cut it with the hacksaw and strong winds soon follow. The drink in my backpack is still warm, so I take it to warm up and return safely to Trapper's Cabin. The fire is still burning next to the deer carcass.

Trapper's Cabin looks like someone has looted it before me, I only find cooking utensils, a book on cooking, a ruined granola bar and a piece of cloth. Then I search the safe and at least I get pork and beans in 33% condition and a prybar, which allows me to open the locker. The locker is empty. However, there is a jerry can with over 2 liters of kerosene, that's 7 emergency fires. It's heavy though and I'm hitting 40 kg in my backpack - I'll have to think about what to leave behind next morning. I finish the day crafting a snare from the gut I found at Old Spence Family Homestead. Then I undress, eat pork and beans and go to bed, saplings curing on the floor. [93690 calories consumed]

3 hours ago, selfless said:

Well that's where being nearly dead and unable to heal pays off .  Food poisoning stops doing damage when you are at or below 15% health.  You still get tired really fast and you can't heal and your sick so you aren't going to get much done with food poisoning.  But you do get to sleep unrestricted until it wears off.  And I think it lasts 20 hours untreated... its definitely not a full day.

That explains it all. The unexpected perks of being nearly dead  Thank you.

Deadman 3 / Day 36

The possibility of missed maple sapling is tempting, but I'm not going back there. I'll keep an eye out as I continue my final journey. A long trip awaits me today: through the north-eastern part of FM to the Rail Tunnel, then by the edge of the map to Trapper's Homestead. I hope for good winds (i.e. no winds) helping me on the way.

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The morning is foggy and quite warm at felt -18°C. At first I scout towards the muskeg to see if I can observe wolf activity or catch a glimpse of the sapling. I can't. Back to the cave, warm up and sleep.

I leave in late morning. First warming fire is maybe 200 meters from the cave. I confirm no wolves are in the way, warm up and collect cattails. In the distance I see a slowly moving shadow: Bear B-2 on its regular patrol route. A while later, light fog turns into heavy fog, just like yesterday, but I don't mind much this time because I won't be passing through any wolf areas. The only problem might be that I won't be able to see any saplings.

Second warming fire in the moose area in the north-east corner of the map. Only a deer is around, the moose is at Marsh Ridge. More cattails on the way to the railway tracks, then into the tunnel. I'm leaving Forlorn Muskeg behind, forever.

I get barked up while passing near Max's Last Stand, the same place and wolf that brought death to poor Snowball 53. I stumble with the fire, first I can't find even surface, then the game gives me a mag lens (in the fog) and reclaimed wood as default. Grrr... I click "start fire" while the wolf is already charging. That was close.

The attempt fails but the wolf is gone. I start a normal fire, warm up and carry on to Trapper's Homestead.

I process a thin deer carcass in the barn (0.9 kg), cook and eat the meat on the spot, and although it is already dusk, I decide to push on through the cave and to Mountain Town. I don't even stop at the cabin. The cave has coal - maybe the last substantial supply of coal I'll ever find - and there are more cattails at the other end.

I don't want to go back now, I'm tired and night is approaching fast. Instead I rope down and run to the cave, reaching only seconds before my temp bar runs out. The cave has matches, a tin of sardines and a few coals (quite a few in fact).

I'll check out the area tomorrow if the weather and wolves permit, before returning to Trapper's. I spend the night in the cave. [91290 calories consumed]

Edit: there was no wind at all, all day.

20 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

BUT, did you check for maple near the rope on Marsh Ridge (rather, several meters to the west of it)?

Didn't... passed through the area but was too busy surviving...

Yep, fantastic story from one of our most veteran players I guess! Solved Deadman on the first go.

One thing I don't understand - even if you immediately use antibiotics/reishi tea and immediately go to sleep, the condition loss from food poisoning is fairly quick. How does one prevent condition loss in that situation? I lost 3% when food poisoning happened to me (unexpectedly), I suppose I could do 1% if I was ready and really quick with everything.

Deadman 3 / Day 34 (continued)

Today I want to follow Hat Creek, turn east and end up in the only other cave in the northern part of FM, back to back with the B-2 bear's den. On the way I should be able to get some cattails, possibly harvest a deer carcass and hopefully also a maple sapling. I will also be passing through or around three wolf areas so I need to be on my guard. I'm encumbered and only have three flare shells left.

It may seem like a modest goal for a day - and it possibly is - but the next shelter is Trapper's Homestead, and I want to have a whole day for that move.

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"Modest goal" took me two days to accomplish. First day was just too windy all day, so I stayed in the cave, finished my second copy of "Stay on Target" and dreamed of maple saplings.

Deadman 3 / Day 35

Clear, still winds in early afternoon. Fog by the time I reach the end of Hat Creek and start a warming fire. Thick fog by the time I'm warmed up.

I wait for the fog to disperse, but it doesn't seem to have that intention. Hours pass. I can't wait here until nightfall. I carry on through the fog, no matter how risky it is in this relatively unfamiliar, wolf infested area. At least I try to make myself "visible" so that I get a warning before wolf attack. I do get attacked after a while and start a defensive fire. I wait by the fire for another hour but dusk quickly approaches. I have to move on.

At first I almost end up back at Hat Creek but realize I'm going in the wrong direction, and turn around. After a while I feel I'm close to the cave. Fog finally lifts and I see the familiar contours again. I reach the cave (4 coals inside), collect sticks and mushrooms around, then go to sleep.

I didn't find anything to eat, except a few cattails. I didn't hear any crows, so I don't think there were any deer carcasses nearby. The net result is that I made a big hole in my cattail stash. And obviously, I didn't find my maple sapling... [88310 calories consumed]

7 hours ago, JAFO said:

Congratulations, mate! And still in fine form, I see!

Thanks! I'm doing fine, let's see how long it lasts.

7 hours ago, JAFO said:

Heh.. I seem to recall someone (not naming names!) stating they didn't think it was worthwhile doing so.. good to see you've changed your mind, somewhat.

Actually, only because I needed firewood at that time and had no other way to get it. I'd still go outside and collect sticks if it was an option.

7 hours ago, JAFO said:

I'd add one more proviso to this.. barring bad luck or getting wolved, I think the real limiting factor will prove to be the ability to make fire. When the matches and firestrikers are gone, being forced to fall back on the magnifying glass will severely cripple one's playstyle.

If I can get enough food regularly then yes, fire will be the next main concern. Snowball worries again.

7 hours ago, JAFO said:

Did you encounter any during your first 30 days? (I don't recall).. because if you did, not grabbing them while you had the chance would be a tactical error, I'm thinking..

I don't recall but I'm sure guilty of that error. It wasn't until I arrived in FM that I started to realize I can actually make it and that I'll need some material. Until that time I'd just ignore all saplings - just dead weight.

21 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

Bottom line for BR: I strongly recommend against going there before you make your bow.

Thanks for the investigation. I don't really know BR, I've never really played there. Something is telling me I shouldn't learn a new map on Deadman mode  Of course I know the general layout but not the details. I could easily get lost.

18 hours ago, Ruruwawa said:

I also found 2 maple in Marsh Ridge itself.  Repeated with two more sandboxes, both had maple at Shortwave Outlook and Marsh Ridge.  You may be very close to your maple, @Drifter Man!

I know the pair that grows on Marsh Ridge, unfortunately it's not there in my game. And I'm not going to the Shortwave Tower  But I have another possible location for the maple that I will be passing through today if all goes as planned. Fingers crossed...

Deadman 3 / Day 33

It might be a good idea to pack up and return to ML, every day I put it off will make it harder later because of the temperatures getting lower. After all, I got the stim I mainly came for. But I decide to stay for another day and try the Milton Basin. There's a good chance there will be enough food for a day, so I don't end up with a net calorie loss. I may find the maple sapling I've been looking for. Hermit's cabin had some medical supplies last time I checked, and I could use some more painkillers. I may also find wolves, but Nhotz needs some heroic stories for his readers!

"The moose lay dead, the red light of the burning flare still shining from its gaping mouth. The intrepid Drifter Man sat down and got to work, but the wolves were alert. Soon they surrounded him on all sides, more than a dozen, yes indeed. But Drifter Man feared not. He stood up and looked the leader of the pack in the eye, man against wolf. Then he took the dead moose by the antlers and swung its massive body around, yes he did, and for a moment the air filled with the crash of hooves shattering canine skulls. Those wolves that did not die on the spot ran away, crying. Yay, the intrepid Drifter Man put the moose in his backpack and walked back towards Marsh Ridge."

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The reality is considerably less dramatic. In the morning I finish the "Sewing Primer", sleep for a little more, then take a look outside. Light fog, excellent. I light a torch when I enter Milton Basin. I don't see any wolves, only deer near Hermit's Cabin. But there is no deer carcass, so my theory about a good chance of breaking even on calories breaks down. Nevertheless, I choose to stay.

First I start a fire on a small island with rosehip bush and warm up. I search the cabin - some firewood, nothing else. There is a firewood bin behind the structure I wasn't aware of before. Collect a few cattails and return to the fire.

Snow starts falling, but there still isn't any wind. Maybe I should go back, but I went this far, so I want to finish the search of the basin. I notice wolves patrolling on the far side, and there's no moose, so I should be safe. I find a good amount of cattails, quite possibly I do break even after all. I make it to the cave and find more firewood, a piece of coal and a pair of wool socks - I already have two but this one is in better condition, so I swap.

There's no maple sapling though. My arrowheads won't do me any good if I don't get a bow! Winds start blowing, so I light another fire in the cave, make a warm reishi tea and protect myself with a burning flare on the way back. I reach the safety of Marsh Ridge without incident.

The stim brings me back to 77% condition.

Deadman 3 / Day 34

Encumbrance is starting to be a problem. As deadman, you carry everything with you because you generally don't come back. Right now I have 17 coals, 50 sticks, 50 cattails, about 15 drinks, knife, hacksaw, books... it's hard to keep the weight limit and even after drastic reduction (most books and some firewood has to go), I'm still at 35 kg. With this weight I pass through the cave to the Waterfall in the morning and check the conditions outside - windy, felt -21°C when shielded. I sleep in the cave and wait for the day to warm up. [84480 calories consumed]

14 hours ago, Timber Wolf said:

P.S.  I was so happy to see you are still rocking it out, @Drifter Man!  Thank you again for all of your awesome contributions to the knowledge base of this game!

Thanks @Timber Wolf! You must have been busy lately - how's you new job on the Committee for Ethical Animal Research?

I did go for the Summit but not straight away - my start was in DP. I still didn't have a bedroll but I was already somewhat geared up, in particular I only had to scrap my socks and underwear for the shelter (shelters, in fact). Unlike @Ruruwawa, who had to scrap his pants as well... we all know how the story went from there

Deadman 3 / Day 32

The adventures yesterday reminded me how difficult it is to move any appreciable distance in this world with unpredictable weather and temperatures dropping every day. My journey will soon have to come to a stop as I won't be able to afford exposing myself to the weather.

Today should be a relatively easy day - I hope! There can be up to three deer carcasses around Marsh Ridge - in the cave, on the ridge and in Milton Basin - that I want to process for meat. I should replenish my stick supply and get a maple sapling (and birch, too) - if available. Most importantly though, I hope to find an emergency stim here. If the weather is good, I'll search the Milton Basin as well. In any case, tomorrow I want to see myself on the way back to Mystery Lake. Milton Basin is as far as I'm going.

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First thing in the morning, I search the cave and collect coals, then locate the deer carcass and harvest it for 1.6 kg of meat. I cook it while in the cave and make some water.

Outside it's foggy but cold, -17°C, still too early. I move to the second carcass on the Marsh Ridge - 2.8 kg, perhaps the biggest I've ever seen. I start a fire and get all the meat out. Fog gives way to strong wind, but my fire is sheltered by a small terrain wave and I finish cooking without problems.

There are moose marks on the trees so I'm cautious, flare gun ready. But the moose is not around. I'm wondering, can the flare gun kill a moose? Probably yes, but I won't be trying. I collect sticks and reishi mushrooms - I find at least a dozen, which is great, because those warm drinks go quickly. The maple saplings are not here. But the emergency stim is, bundled together with salty crackers:

The winds are too strong, so I'm not going to Milton Basin. I try again in late afternoon: heavy fog this time. I finish the day by reading a book and preparing mushrooms. I forget about the stim - I'm still in 62% condition. [82130 calories consumed]

22 hours ago, fauxjargon said:

If you have a bear kill or a big stash of wolf meat, along with enough reishi/antibiotics to cure yourself it is perfectly reasonable to get parasites. 

I won't be trying to invite parasite infection unless it's the only way to survive. I don't remember ever getting parasites in this game - it does reduce condition, right?

11 hours ago, Kinnasmash said:

Congrats!

Been loving watching the tale unfold. Looking forward to seeing how long he can hold on. With 62% and the gear that you do, I would venture you could make it at least to 50, maybe 70 and beyond. I think your play style matches well with the challenge, so I feel a lot can be learned here for those who are struggling and frustrated.

With only 3 files, you've absolutely crushed it. Well done!

Thanks! You guys are putting a lot of trust in my abilities (and the potential to survive in TLD). I'm confident about the next 10 days unless I get very unlucky, make a major mistake or get wolved. What's after Day 40 is a big unknown.