The wanderer - nostalgic TLD version story

Mroz4k

By Mroz4k
in Survival Stories

Recommended Posts

Mroz4k Pathfinder

Mroz4k

Posted
Posted

This is going to be my first story. Not sure how it will turn out, but I have a clear idea of what I would like it to be like - imagine this from a roleplayer's point of view - this story is written in the first person, as seen by my survivor and written into a journal later on. This was a gameplay from an alpha version .183, back when Mystery Lake and Coastal Highway were the only two explorable regions and rifle the only weapon in the game.

----------------------------------------------------

Entry 1

To anyone who would find this journal... my name is... I don't actually know. A memory of my past life is... gone. Hence, I will call myself Wanderer. This is my story.

I woke up lying in a snow face down, next to train tracks. I see a collapsed tunnel in the distance, and when I turn around, I can see what looks like a train wagon in a distance. There is a male deer, magnificent in his posture, standing on the train tracks dozen meters from me. I feel a vague De ja Vu, I have been here before, and I loved this place. Perhaps that is why I found myself here again.

I must have hitched a ride on a train, and hit my head while jumping off. That was the only logical explanation I could find. And now I have amnesia thanks to it. I know how to speak. I know how to write. I know how things are named. But I cannot recall anything about myself in great detail. One thing I know for sure - I know how to paint. Even found some paints in my backpack. And it seems I have a great visual memory too, as I am able to replicate this picture out of my head, many hours after seeing it.
dMzEdqT.png


I stood up and started walking towards trees. All of a sudden, I hear growls and a bark. A wolf! I sprinted out, running, I could hear its growls behind me, gaining on me. It was no doubt hunting me. All of a sudden, a cabin showed up, with a great Canadian flag, and a back door. Somehow I knew it would not be locked - and I quickly jumped in, slamming the door behind me.
 

The interior was gloomy and dark. I tried to turn on the light switch but it wouldn't work - power must have gone out, probably a blown fuse. Nobody has been here for a while. Somehow, I feel like this is going to be true about this whole region - a quiet, deadly but beautiful place of solitude. I took a charge of looking around for anything I could salvage. Tucked away, I found a couple of cans, some smashed furniture, two bottles of lighter fluid, a can opener, and a storm lantern. By an armchair, I found a soda can. That was all, not enough for me to survive on for too long. I had to get moving again.I decided to leave the cabin, slowly checking its surroundings - could not spot the wolf, but I was sure he was out there somewhere.

There was a lake, below the cabin. Walking towards it, I spotted a gruesome scene - a wolf, feasting on a deer. They were some distance away, but that raw scene hit me like a hammer. This could be me if I am not careful. Somehow, the wolves seem to be really on edge. The wolf was a long distance away from me, and I decided not to bother it. But, now I was cut off from two sides by wolves - only place to go was a little passage into hills, tucked away behind the cabin. That will be my direction.

jAjvLXvh.png

I walked, for a half of an hour. The land seems familiar, and I knew I could use this trail to get to the lake from a different angle... somehow. However, I took a wrong turn - and soon enough, I found myself in a cave. Suddenly, I could hear a murder of crows, creaking around. Crows... they found something to eat. Perhaps it is something I could eat myself... 

I was wrong.

It was a man. It. It was not a man anymore, just a corpse now. Some poor hiker froze to death. Immediately I realized how cold I am myself - my clothes were not adequate at all for this weather. In his stiff hand, he held a knife. Somehow, the knife in pristine condition - signs of a good quality. I need that, and it won't help him anymore. As a vulture, I checked the corpse for some additional booty. But nothing. I tried to pull down his jacket, but it was frozen stiff to his body. Probably would not help me anyway, it was clearly too small for me to begin with.

I left the cave, shivering. I need to find some shelter soon, and I need more gear if I am to survive. I spotted cabins in the distance - signs of civilization, but no smoke, rising from the chimneys... I decided to explore them anyway.

Noticed a couple of fishing huts too, but sadly, a duo of wolves prevented me from checking them out. So I continued onwards for the cabins. Coming closer, I realized two of the cabins were ruined - a roof caved in on them. Must have been a long while since people were here. Freezing, I entered the last cabin. I was hoping to find some gear, but besides a single can of peaches, there was nothing here. Decided to stay for an hour to warm up a bit. In the meantime, I smashed two boxes I found for a reclaimed wood I will need in the future. I warmed up, if only a little bit, and my hopes were high again.

I continued along the shore and soon came across a couple of more huts, and another dead man. I scored a second knife, some firewood and newspapers, as well as a couple of more cans. My supplies are starting to look better now. But so far, no clothes, and I was shivering again. Took a risk and went for one of the fishing cabins - a score! Found an old, ragged scarf, but a scarf nonetheless, and an old woollen toque. Already had one of those, though. Took it anyway, you never know...

All of a sudden, all my blood froze in my body - a howl of a wolf, right outside of the hut! Slowly I sneaked around to see it, but could not. Decided not to take any chances, I quickly retreated. In a distance, there was a lonesome cabin I have not pillaged yet.  Even here, the pickings were slim, and besides an old bunch of tinder, there was nothing here. It was getting somewhat late, but I decided to challenge my cold and press on. Walking by another hut I looted, I spotted a river, feeding into the lake. I decided to explore it, hoping it would lead me to another structure. Rabbits were hopping around, and I felt really hungry, just looking at them. Opened a can of pork with a low expiration date, and downed my soda. Feeling better, I continued on. 

I arrived at a clearing. There was a dead carcass of a deer which looked fresh enough, and an old deer stand. Took a look there, hoping for some major find. And I did! A bandage, no doubt useful if I get attacked by a wolf, and a box of ammunition! Looks like rifle ammo, hopefully, I will find a matching rifle soon. I feel hopelessly defenceless with the wolves around. All of a sudden, wind picked up. I noticed a giant cave facing the clearing, and took a shelter there. Painted a picture of the clearing as the sun started to set down and I was waiting for the weather to die down a bit.
skJeDnth.png

Luckily, the wind died down again. So I decided to take a risk and take the deer apart - it will hold a great importance for me later on, I am sure. Built a fire next to it. While warming up, I also boiled a litre of water, just in case. Then, I pulled a deer apart. It was easy enough with the knife, even though the deer was frozen stiff and the fire did not help at all. I was able to salvage meagre 1,2 kg of stale meat, and about 4 pieces of leather - when the weather took a turn for the worst. 

The strong wind blew out the fire, and I knew it was time to go. I was feeling the cold creeping up on me again, and the dusk was setting in. I wished to take the guts of the animal as well, but the weather was turning brutal, fast. As the wind was picking up, I ran for the lonesome cabin. Almost stepped on a rabbit, lucky little guy. Took a shortcut over a hill to save some time - but as I reached the peak, I spotted a wolf, and he spotted me. Barking it advanced towards me - but luckily, it is a lot easier to run downhill then uphill, even though he has twice as many legs as I do. However, I slipped in my rush, and fell down a cliff, right on my bum. It's still sore but at least I did not sprain anything. I calmed down a bit, but the wind and sunset did not let me rest for too long. I started running towards the cabin I saw initially, the big one with a Canadian flag. Neverminding potential wolves, I soon reached the cabin, as the sun was setting in. There was a corpse of a man to the right of it which I did not notice before. I quickly checked his pockets - nothing. I left the deer outside and went inside. 

VQ8GrnLh.png

But now is time to sleep. Hope I don't freeze to death tonight, but after eating some granola bars and a litre of water, my hopes for tomorrow are high. And so I arrived at this Mystery Lake, as I call it. The name seems oddly appropriate.
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mroz4k Pathfinder

Mroz4k

Posted
  • Author
Posted
17 minutes ago, JAFO said:

Thanks guys.. yeah, it kinda blows my mind too.. O.o

Doesn't surprise me none - you are super friendly and always very helpful with your advice. :D Congratz, me thinks you deserve much more, honestly. ^_^

And thanks, guys! I will do my best to make a second story soon, hopefuly I wont die... because from my experience, this early version of the game is just BRUTAL. I dont remember TLD being this hard in the Cartographer/Wintermute. Must be cause of those scary looking wolves, and that old struggle mode where you have to build up your strenght before smacking the wolf... 

I did a test run before this one and I died to a first wolf struggle, on a Voyager difficulty, some 3 hours into the game...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JAFO Pathfinder

JAFO

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

Doesn't surprise me none - you are super friendly and always very helpful with your advice. :D Congratz, me thinks you deserve much more, honestly. ^_^

Thank you, good sir. B|

11 hours ago, Mroz4k said:

I will do my best to make a second story soon, hopefuly I wont die... because from my experience, this early version of the game is just BRUTAL. I dont remember TLD being this hard in the Cartographer/Wintermute. Must be cause of those scary looking wolves, and that old struggle mode where you have to build up your strenght before smacking the wolf... 

I did a test run before this one and I died to a first wolf struggle, on a Voyager difficulty, some 3 hours into the game...

So you've gotten v.183 running on the ancient 'puter you're currently using? That's good!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mroz4k Pathfinder

Mroz4k

Posted
  • Author
Posted
3 hours ago, JAFO said:

So you've gotten v.183 running on the ancient 'puter you're currently using? That's good!

 

Surprisingly, yes. The lowest graphics also boosted with programs like game booster, but yea, somehow I managed to run this on my Win XP 2002 PC, and its running rather smoothly, too. Am very happy, though I admit it is very difficult to get accustomed to this old version of the game, luckily the general rules still apply! :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mroz4k Pathfinder

Mroz4k

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well, this is a shame. 

So, I decided to play the game instead of the story to get a bit into this version of the game, mostly learning to deal with wolves better because there is a LOT of them. So I fired up a new game and played for two hours or so.

Okay, now I am ready, time to continue on with the story!

Load the game...

Spawn in a Dam. 

Turns out this version of the game does not have 5 save slots yet. So, I mistakenly overwrote my saved story game.

RIP Wanderer, a victim to the worst enemy of all - the game save override.

 

Will probably continue on with a different story once I die a couple of times, getting accustomed to the game. It's not easy to play, wolves are everywhere & are deadly, the HUD is obnoxious and this old piece of crap PC is not making things any easier with FPS issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mroz4k Pathfinder

Mroz4k

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Holy smokes, the wolves are vicious in the earlier versions. I am having serious trouble handling them despite I am simply playing Voyageur most of the time. This version must have been before the amazing sneaking was possible because I am not having a lot of luck with sneaking around. And the weather is so much more brutal it seems to me - in Cartographer I am used to getting clothes warm enough to stay outside indefinitely on Voyageur... not in this alpha version. Better clothes make a difference of a few more minutes outside at most, and then hours of warming up.

I am loving it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing