ManicManiac

@Leeanda There were, thank you. I had to remember not to get too enamored with what I was seeing. It was still rather cold and dangerous. Made it through another day.

The choice had to be made... so after a few more moments of consideration, I opted for the more direct route. It was a short, but nerve-wracking little trek... but apparently I chose correctly. When I got back up to the base of Pensive Lookout... I didn't see any trace of the Timberwolf Pack. Possible they are now on the backtrail... but also possible they have moved on, and not on the upper shelf at all today. I wasn't going to waste any time to risk going to find out. I dropped off a few items I knew I wasn't going to need (at least not right now), and took a nap to rest up my ankle. Hopefully the weather holds... otherwise, I'll be stuck up here for another day. After my nap, I found the weather was still clear, and I was ready to descend down the climb. I checked again for the Timberwolves... still no trace of them, but I'm still going to keep low until I get to the climb. Unfortunately, the extra sleep means I won't be very tired by the time the sun sets (which is only in a couple of hours from now). However, better that than trying the much riskier way of goating my way down. But of course... as soon as I committed to sneaking down to the climb, the Timberwolf Pack showed up and soon was skulking around by the climbing point. I even had to slowly backtrack as they started wandering closer to my position. I waited to see where they were ultimately going to wander off to... and thankfully they went back up towards the backtrail again; allowing me to slip past. I took a quick peek over the edge to see if I could spot any Timberwolf Packs down below... but so far it looked like the coast was clear. I kept low, and slowly crawled closer to the nearby cabin... as I made my way, an Aurora started. The last thing I want now is to run afoul of an aurora charged Timberwolf Pack. There's my shelter just ahead. However, before getting there to settle in for the night, I decided to make a quick visit to Lower Raven Falls first. Between the picnic table at Lower Raven Falls and the cabin itself, I found a fair bit of supplies. Sadly, most of the canned goods were ruined... but still found a bit more food to help widen the food budget. I feel that progress through Bleak Inlet is going to be slow, so the extra days of rations is going to be important.

I decided to take a closer look around the Echo One Radio Tower before trying to head up the "backtrail" to return to Pensive Lookout. Found an emergency stim... must have missed it when I was searching around yesterday evening. Even though I have no plans to use it... it's still always good to have these kinds of things in case of emergency. Perfect! Now I have the flare I wanted to help ensure I can get in and out of the Cannery Workshop without having to harm Fluffy (or more importantly, be harmed by her). It was a rather cold morning... but the view was gorgeous. I stop back inside to try and warm up a bit before committing to trekking up the backtrail. There was a not much to be found in the vehicles parked outside. Just a little bit of food and just one battery between all three vehicles. Getting up to the safest entry point to the backtrail cost me a twisted ankle... which of course means I'd need to either rest it or waste a bandage in order to make the climb down from the upper shelf. This cozy little nook is not only relatively safe... but also a good spot to hole-up (provided you have some coal/firewood). It's still bitingly cold. It's nearing noon, but the air is still leaching heat out of me. At the moment I don't have any decent amount of campfire fuel... so I just have to carefully press on and hope it warms up soon. 🤭 If I go up to my left (over that smaller rock formation), I'll likely have the better chance of spotting the Timberwolf Pack (if it's prowling along the backtrail today). If that's the case, this is also a good spot to pivot and use the more direct trail back to Pensive Lookout instead. I don't see hide nor hair of the Timberwolves on either side. So then, I'm going to have to make a decision. If I take the backtrail and the pack is prowling back in the area more towards the cave... then crossing back over to get to the Lookout and the Climb is going to be a bit trickier. If the pack is actually on the main trail... then I'm almost sure to be spotted if I don't take the backtrail... 🤔

It was a rough and uncertain day in Bleak Inlet. I'd gotten an early start out of the bottom of Raven Falls Ravine... It was time to steel my nerves and head into Bleak Inlet... And just as the sun was coming up... a very dense fog rolled in. 😖 I have to keep a sharp ear... the Timberwolves could be skulking around anywhere. I decided it would be wise to wait here for a while. I was very much hoping, the fog would lift soon. Thankfully, it did. There was no rope at the climbing area. While there was a good chance I'd find one either in the tower or the Echo One Radio Tower's control station, I knew that couldn't necessarily be counted on. However, I also knew a way to goat down from the upper shelf (if push came to shove). I spotted the first Timberwolf pack of the day... I kept low and watched them pass by. I needed to know how many there were in the group, and if any had a habit of wandering off from the rest. That would be crucial if I found myself needing to slip by them again. I kept an eye on the Timberwolves while I made my way up the Pensive Lookout. They seemed to be prowling around that area a rock formation from back the way I came. Hopefully they would keep milling around there a while. Nice... this should come in handy. I decided to leave the Mackinaw Jacket and the cooking flower behind in the tower. It would be easy enough to pick them up some other time (should they be needed). I made my way back down and deployed the rope... however, I've lost sight of the Timberwolf Pack. I stayed put for a few minutes hoping I might spot them milling around, but I didn't see hide nor hair. This would make trying to get to the Echo One Radio Tower's control station very tricky... there was a lot of blind spots on the way down the path. So, rather than risk it... I decided to take a bit of a longer way around. This would afford me some potentially better vantages if the pack had taken the back path back down that way. This stop-off was rather profitable. I'd found at least enough food for a good night's sleep to add to the few days' worth of supplies I'd brought with me. The part that troubled me was that the weather was starting to take a turn. The wind was starting to kick up, and it was just beginning to snow. I won't lie... all these blind corners are terrifying. With the wind kicking up... I wouldn't be able to hear any wolfish footsteps. I'd have to proceed very slowly and cautiously. I was sure I'd caught a glimpse of a Timberwolf in the area just ahead. The weather was getting worse, and I was actually starting to get a little cold. No sooner had I rounded the bend that heavy blizzard hit. I'd managed to make my way around up on top of the log retaining walls. If there were Timberwolves up ahead... then there was a good chance this might be my end. I took a moment to try and see through the storm (to no avail), settle my nerves and press onward. I'd passed by the abandoned cars... I was already starting to freeze to death, and at risk for hypothermia. I'd have to try to check the cars tomorrow. I kept low and continued pressing onward. With the storm raging on... I knew this would be my shelter for the night. Found a few more clothing items I don't need, a little more food (though mostly ruined), and the code for the workshop. Tomorrow, I'll have to get back up to Pensive Lookout to drop off some of the stuff I won't be needing to haul around with me... and then make my way down the climb. There's a good chance the Timberwolves will be prowling around a different part of their territory by morning. Needless to say, I'll need to be especially careful on the way back.

Day 100 and entering Bleak Inlet with no weapons... I did allow myself one marine flare, but that's only as a last ditch. I did forget to grab a regular flare with me for the workshop, so I have to hope I find one somewhere in Bleak Inlet. That could be a problem... if I can't find a flare for the workshop, then I'll have to pick up stones. [Addendum] I acknowledge that (strictly speaking) the prybar can be used as a defensive weapon in a struggle... however, I've only brought it for locked trunks and lockers. If I do end up in a struggle... it's going to be bare hands only.

By the time I was done searching through the Camp Office again and doing a final sort & stow... it was already early in the afternoon. I decided I would try to get to Bleak Inlet's upper shelf before dark. I'd sprained my wrist on the slopes just coming out of the woods, so I decided to take a couple hour's rest. I'm not about to waste a bandage when I can just sleep it off. However, Great Bear Island decided it was going to punish me for it... I decided to tank the blizzard... I wasn't going to spend an extra night in Mystery Lake if it wasn't necessary. I also figured I'd probably find some cloth/leather in Bleak Inlet to mend up whatever damage to my clothing the storm could inflict. Once I got to the bottom of the Raven Falls Ravine, I decided it was better to wait out the storm from there.

When I got up and took a look around the Camp Office, I found that someone had left me some supplies! Molly must have felt bad when she found out she'd stollen my water supply from my encampment at Grey Mother's old place. All things considered, more than a fair trade. 🤭 Thank you, Molly... wherever you are.

@Duke Marmalade Oh, and art that was commissioned...

@Duke Marmalade Welcome to the wilderness. Not sure how I missed your previous posts. From what I've seen, your work is very well done.

Demon Bear Boss Music: Lex Digital - Pain

@xanna I think it's certainly worth asking them about it.

Indeed, several posts are missing. 🤔 odd...

Recommendation: File bug reports/trouble tickets with Hinterland Support (link below).

...actually performing maintenance on a weapon generally requires taking it a part (or at the very least clearing the chamber/breech to be able to properly scrub the bore), not pulling the trigger (or fumbling with the hammer/striker). Are their dummies out there who manage to negligently discharge a weapon anyway... sure. But I kind of doubt Will or Astrid are that kind of stupid. Frankly, I'd rather not have something like this added... I think it would be a better idea to simply have the UI not allow a cleaning action to be started on a loaded weapon.

I won't lie... part of me is really looking forward to meeting the next contender in the fight for Great Bear Island:

IRL: Flemish Giant Rabbits

...Dire Rabbit...

Also, some good stuff in these previous threads:

The dumbest way I've died that was not (strictly speaking) "my fault:" Instant kill-walls while goating in an otherwise safe looking area (so no, I'm not talking about trying to goat down cliff faces at Raven Falls Ravine). There are at least six spots that I know of where kill-walls just "are." The dumbest location I remember finding a kill-wall was on the rock formation just behind the trailer at the Train Unloading area in Coastal Highway. As for dumb ways I've died that where absolutely my fault: When I first started playing TLD in the later part of 2014, I made all the misstates and stupid deaths that any new player makes... but I think one of the most memorable examples would be:

@bysinda The Demon Bear, from Wintermute (episode 2) and The Hunted Challenge (parts 1, 2, soon part 3). It's a particularly nasty bear that seemingly cannot be killed by bullets or arrows... and seems only to be taken down with the Bear Spear. And the Demon Wolves were from the old 4DoN Halloween events.

@GothSkunk You know, I'd welcome this sort of thing as a Custom Settings option. Not only just a Darkwalker "threat presence" option for custom survival, but also perhaps the same option for the Demon Bear, or even the Demon Wolves from 4DoN.

@Just some guy being a dude I don't know that it would make a good poll. There are so many different ways to go about a hunt. =================== But now back to the question at hand: Under most circumstances, I like to hunt more out in the open, going more "toe-to-toe" as it were. I will usually approach until the bear spots me and starts stalking. I'll then use myself as bait and lure the bear to where it will be more convenient for me to harvest the carcass. In other words, I lure the bear to me and then I control where the skirmish takes place. When the bear is more or less in the area I want it... I'll get low and let it stalk closer. The idea is to get into "charging range," so that when I take the first shot... if that doesn't drop it, then it will charge me rather than flee. If the first shot doesn't knock it down... then I take the additional shot(s) while it's charging at me. On average (whether it's a moose or a bear) it only usually takes 1-2 shots to take down large game. That's how I hunt bear on Great Bear Island.

Further explanation and demonstration of the exploit: