A Survivors Daily journal - 192 Days in (Camping, Aurora and Wolves)

[Seshins]

Just an FYI to anyone that actually reads this - i'll possibly be putting this story on hiatus until the next sandbox update. I'm well setup but after playing this game for hundreds of hours since i first brought it i've found traveling to each region to be.....well boring. I've seen and been everywhere multiple times.

Hunting isn't a challenge but with so much invested and such a good run i'm still 100% committed to making it to 500 days - i just need a new region to make playing fun again.

I know i could start a new game in Stalker or even custom, but that doesn't solve my fundamental issue which is locations. Been there done that. I may start a stalker game but more than likely i'll just wait for the sandbox update and new region.

[Seshins]

Day 194 - Morning

I arrived back at the farmstead in PV late last night so i crashed for the night before waking up and boiling down some snow. All morning however i've been thinking - When i last left Milton, i had glimpsed a valley through a pass in the mountains. For some reason it's been on my mind since i got back. Part of me thinks i need to spend a week or so back home before heading out for another week long journey - this time to a place i havent seen before. It only takes a minute before my mind is made up.

I carefully prepare my kit before i set off and gorge myself on the remaining steaks of bear and deer. As i step outside into an overcast, cold dreary day i look back at the farmstead and wonder to myself what lies ahead.....

 

[Seshins]

Day 194 - Day 221

Much has happened over the last month - I returned to Milton and after a day or two of searching found a passable route up into the Hushed River Valley. I spent a week living out of a cave in this beautiful, untamed wilderness before my equipment forced a return to the more “civilised” regions. 

After navigating my way back through Milton and Mystery Lake I wound up back at the familiar and safe Pleasant Valley farmhouse. It was just as I left it. 

 

Over the following month I loitered around Pleasant Valley, turning my hand to fishing for a time to supplement my standard diet of venison, repairing clothing, tools and practising my archery. During this time though the Call of The Wild still burned within me. I had explored but a fraction of the Hushed River Valley, but the prospect of exploring more wilderness, finding more equipment and perhaps....finding an answer to the riddle of my existence become too much. I HAD to go back. 

I knew I had left behind a cave with some wood, frozen (but cooked) venison among other things. I therefore decided to prepare my pack, and head back to the valley for a more thorough examination. 

I left my rifle behind - my trusty rifle that had been through so much with me. It had fed and protected me, but I knew this time I had to test myself with bow and snare. I left it on the kitchen table, hopefully to witness my return. I forged on my remaining fish and stepped off. 

After travessing the now well worn path through Mystery Lake and Milton, I arrived at the pass to the valley, emerging some hours later into a cold, windy day. I found my cave with little difficulty and set out to make it like home. I knocked over a deer for a supply of meat, boiled some water and gathered a goodly supply of firewood, perhaps 48 hours worth for the interim and got ready to explore....

[Seshins]

Day 222

After collecting some meat and wood, i boiled up some water and prepared for my first trip up-country.

I took off North and immediately came upon the Hushed River proper. The gorge was deep so worked my way in. After scouting to the East i doubled back to find a way up onto the Northern plateau.

I heard wolves patrolling in the gorge but before i encountered one i found a rope heading up the cliff. I ascended and came upon a jumbled, undulating landscape of trees, boulders and ice. The weather had begun to turn now with low cloud and snow gusts blowing in - finding shelter had become my top priority. I found a cave at a base of a cliff and settled in for the rest of the day to wait out the blizzard. I got a fire going and had some of the venison i'd packed for dinner.

 

 

Day 223

The morning was calm but overcast, so i set off again.

More wolves were patrolling the area, but there are also good sized herds of deer - i spied at least two roaming the area so that will be good to remember for the future.

I found a few more caves, one containing the sad remnants of a previous survivor. I set in for the afternoon before making my final push to the North. After walking for what seemed like hours, i came upon a frozen lake. The lake was bordered by multiple waterfalls, with small cave on the North end.

 

After exploring the caves, i continue my push up to the North. I climbed a steep incline where I came upon cliff edge up past Monolith Lake which gave stunning views of the valley.

After stopping for this view and some lunch, i found yet another cave around the corner. Being at the peak of the region, i named it Peak Cave. I laid out my bedroll, got a fire going and set in for the night.

 

Day 224

I woke up to some average weather, however i was limited in options as i hadn't hunted yesterday and was down to my last venison steak. I decided to chance the weather and push on regardless.

I set out back down the pathway and crossed the frozen lake. The rest of my Journey back to my cave was relatively uneventful. My haul for this trip was two hatchets, an additional hunting knife, some flares, a whetstone and a cooking pot. Overall not bad, however i get the feeling this region isn't going to be heavy in equipment. I'll make a decision tonight over a fresh venison steak on how to proceed - do i run a trip to the West or East. I'll also need to decide when to call this expedition and start swinging back to Pleasant Valley.

 

[Seshins]

Day 243

20 days have passed since my last journal entry. I found, after writing to no-one but myself for so long that i had nothing to say. The added solitude this self imposed exile forced upon me has brought me back to this Journal.

What have i been doing these past 20 days? Surviving. I spent my days either patrolling, hunting, mending and little else. I did however recently set off on a week long expedition to the forge out in the Muskeg. That was a close run thing - i was attacked numerous times by wolves in the muskeg but somehow fought them off each time.

In fact - the entire trip seemed to be plagued by bad luck, poor timing or a bit of both. I started off in good weather, but as soon as i reached the train tracks out at Mystery Lake the weather broke and i was forced to take shelter in the abandoned rail car

 

 

After waiting out the worst of the wind next to a campfire and a meal, i set out on the long journey to the Muskeg with only the wind as company.

A few hundred metres before the tunnel, i was approached silently and without warning from behind by a wolf. I locked eyes with it as i continued to back towards the tunnel. He looked ravenous and was intent on me. I looked back over my shoulder to check the distance to the tunnel before turning and sprinting towards the entrance.

After a short while i was into the Muskeg, however night was approaching and with it the beautiful Aurora.

 

In the morning i set out for the forge by crossing across the Muskeg - the weather was fair and visibility was good. Once i reached the shed i setup camp, relieved to see i had left it well stocked with wood, coal, scrap metal and, with a sigh of relief, the heavy hammer. I also have a heavy hammer back at the PV Farmstead, and agonised over the course of a day as i packed and prepared for the Journey - Do i take the hammer, perhaps for nothing and carry the weight the whole way? Or do i risk not taking it and risk wasting an entire expedition. I will now keep notes about what tools are where!

 

I set about forging 20 arrowheads, 2 x knives and 2 x hatchets. A good haul. The cost in time had been reasonable though, food wise i had packed in only a few kg's of Venison and had made no effort to put in any more meat before forging. I did have my emergency supply of cat stalks though and ate while i walked.

It was at this time that i was attacked, but really it was just a blur. Before i knew it a wolf crested a small rise in the ground and pounced. I fought the beast off with my hatchet. The wolf ran off howling, and whilst i was assessing myself for injuries or torn clothing, his companion ambushed me. I fought him off in good order with my hatchet before setting off again.

 

The journey back to PV was calm - there was a light snow falling for most of the trip, but this didn't cause me any problems. I found myself back at the farmstead and spent the next few days repairing clothing, eating the venison stored at the farmstead and resting.

 

Just yesterday, an old black bear wandered out into the orchard at the rear porch. He was a good 150-200 metres away, and i setup on the corner of the farm trailer. It has been a while since i stored the rifle and ammunition and switched to the bow. It took 3 rounds to get my eye in - a waste of good ammunition - before my 4th struck him. He turned to charge but i put another into his head and he collapsed, 50 metres from the back door. I've spent the last 24 hours quartering him, butchers and cooking.

I will need to head out and focus on firewood collection as soon as the valley is settled - my wood store took a hammering cooking this old bear. I also need to turn my arrow heads into arrows. i'll also head back out into Great Bear looking for a sidearm - surely folks living out here would've had pistols of some description. Bear meat and birch tea for dinner and off to bed.

 

(P.S could an @Admin please remove this part of the thread title since i no longer can - 192 Days in (camping, Aurora and Wolves). thanks)

[Guarded]

I read all of your journal entries, really enjoyed it! Thanks! Hope to see more updates. 

[Seshins]

2 hours ago, Guarded said:

I read all of your journal entries, really enjoyed it! Thanks! Hope to see more updates. 

Thanks mate! I’ve got another two - three weeks worth of in game shenanigans to write up which I’ll do in the next few days!

[Seshins]

Day 260

 

Nearly three weeks have passed since my last entry. I have been busy, with much traveling and chores.

I started off with heading over to the back of the Lonely Homestead into the birch forest to collect fallen birch bark for Tea. Since trying Birch Bark tea, i've taken to drinking it regularly, particularly when pottering around the Farmhouse or watching blizzards from the (relative) safety of the back porch.

 

The following 3 or four days were spent restocking my woodpile. I put in much effort a few months ago in building up my woodpile, which was supplemented every so often with Cedar and Fir when the limbs were close or i had the time free. It had been some time and overall the amount of wood available had slowly dwindled (on a side note i'd love an ability to make wood piles!) so the order of business was wood. I set out in a different direction each day, braving the weather and wolves to collect. I mostly targeted Cedar, but built up mu Fir pile. I also moved a good portion inside next to the stove, with some also by the fireplace in the living room (more on this later). Over these few days i saw some foul weather, but also some beautiful scenes.

 

 

Once i felt the wood pile was sorted, i then went for a roam up to Signal Hill, hoping to rustle up a Revolver but i've picked the place clean. I also took the time to craft some more deerskin pants due to my glut of cured skins. I'm considering a hunting trip for a Moose for a new coat.

 

Around Day 250, i decided to expand my travels further, this time setting out to the town of Milton. I ensured my kit was in order, i took the Rifle this time, ensured i had a hatchet, knife, bedroll, medical kit, sewing kit, fish hook and other assorted items. It was at this moment i made a mistake that while not deadly, could've been.

When i set out, i had only 3 matches on me. Usually i'm pretty fastidious about my fire lighting kit, but this time i glossed over it. All was not lost - i had my trusty magnifying glass, however i could only light fires in good weather and during daylight hours. The trip over into Mystery Lake was uneventful, with a light snow for most of the trip.

I briefly stopped by the Trappers Cabin, but still had daylight so set off for Milton.

I picked my way through Milton carefully, but with the exception of some Revolver ammunition, i wasn't able to find anything of value. It was while in Milton i used my last match, so spent the night hoping for fair weather the next morning.

 

The next morning, the weather was awful, though i had slept soundly so set out for Mystery Lake without delay. On arriving at Trappers, i was now out of food, matches, with nightfall approaching. Fortunately the weather broke while the sun was still reasonably high, and i was able to get a fire going and get some water on the boil. I considered staying in the Trappers cabin for a few days, in the hope of shooting some game and collecting some wood, but decided against it. I had meat prepared back at the Farmstead. I went to bed, before waking early and setting out, arriving back in Pleasant Valley with only a wolf trailing me for a time as company.

 

 

Once back at the Farmstead, the weather broke in typical Pleasant Valley fashion, and i went through my (130th?) blizzard - averaging one every two days! It was at this time that i lit the fire in the living room, and while the wind howled its fury outside, i sat by the fire and just listened. It was comforting listening to the blizzard outside, the crackle and pop of the fire inside and just reveal in the fact that i was still alive. I sipped hot birch bark tea, before climbing into my Bearskin Bedroll and falling asleep.

 

 

Following a few more days of chores, i decided to head up to the Pensive Pond for a spot of fishing and camping. All this lumber jacking, hunting and chores had given me a spot of cabin fever. The weather was calm but with a light snow as i set out for the fishing cabin. I collected sticks and some Cedar on my way up there, as i was unsure as to what state i had left it - it feels like months since i've been up. I was pleasantly surprised to find that i had put in a cache of wood, water and tools (hatchet, some matches, sewing kit, fishing tackle etc) when i was up here last, so i repaired the bedroll to keep it good and set about building camp.

Once the cabin was ready (bedroll down, fire going, wood stacked) i cracked on with fishing, landed a few, smallish trout, which i fried up and ate with relish. By now darkness had fallen and the fishing hut looked welcoming - a small beacon of light and warmth amongst the dark.

 

 

 

I still have much planned. I'm determined to find a Revolver, which means wider excursions back into places i've been. The benefit is know the area, the downside is i've picked it clean so i will need to be self sufficient. I now want a Moose skin jacket, i need more Maple for bows and who knows what else? Maybe i'll find a new region to explore some day. Some fresh fried trout and off to bed.

 

(sorry to bother you @Raphael van Lierop but i've asked with no result - can someone change the thread title to just A Survivors Daily Journal please?)