Joining Just Before Winter - A Short Tale

[Mencken]

I entered the world with three days to spare before winter, there was a fairly big camp somewhere in the northeast but I decided to go it alone (and this actually helped me later on).  

Working at a fevered pace I found a location on the edge of a savanna with rabbits and set up the most primitive camp you can imagine.   One stone fireplace, one chest, a science machine and an alchemy engine.   For the winter I had two sets or earmuffs, a meager supply of food but I was building traps quickly.     Five to six peaceful days went by before a Tree Guard spawned right near my camp, and not being skilled in kiting I tried to set it on fire.  That worked but it wouldn't die and I was running low on supplies so I decided to temporarily abandon the camp and lure the tree elsewhere.   

In the middle of the night two new players came to the portal, I offered them help to my camp and went all the way down there.   By the time I arrived one player had only 5 health left, I gave him/her 4 berries and we were to set off in the morning.   Suddenly the Tree Guard appeared out of the dark and in one swipe killed me.   The other two players helped themselves to my stuff (told them to) and ran for the camp, one died on the savanna, the other made it but didn't go to my camp.

I was resurrected by someone at the large camp, food supplies there were almost non-existent and there was no winter clothing.   Every day was a battle just to stay alive between eating, sleeping and making very short trips outside the base (no grass, no torches).   My hunger level never went above 75.   Finally I managed to cobble together just enough stuff to make short journey with a torch, I took a razor along with me because I had spotted beefalo not too far away.    In the middle of the night I got enough wool for two hats, returned to the base, found silk and crafted them.   At the base it was a frenzy of activity everyone going about their business.     Deerklops came in the base on night 30, a few died, I stayed away having no armor.   The base had a lot of berry bushes, some grass and sticks (all barren of course), a few empty fridges and a couple of birdcages, but no farms!    

By Spring I was near starving and made a field trip to my old base, picked up a few rabbits and thought I could make a go of it.   Things went from bad to worse and hunger dropped to 10 while the rain was pouring down.   The rabbits?   5 traps and not a single one was capturing a rabbit.   Sanity was falling fast as well.   This is when another player spawned (robot) and I gave the player instructions to get to the base.   We met up, I was sure to die that night, he wasn't doing well either and said he would leave me his personal effects.   One of those burrowing creatures came by and I killed it (didn't know you could) which gave me 13 food.   I then raced in between the rabbit traps, nothing.   Back at the base Mr. robot had passed away, a ghoulish skeleton was resting next to my stone fireplace.   

0 food, 5 food, 10 food, 5 food, living on the edge.   Someone announced that the berries were growing back but every bush I hit had nothing.  Sanity was near 0 and I was only managing to stay alive on seeds.   I headed back to the large base in a last desperate move, racing through a field of logs and then there was a beautiful sight, 40 berry bushes all ripe with fruit!    Gobbled two down and started freezing (in Spring), took two steps to the fireplace and I passed away on the spot.   So close and yet..so far.

 

[Tford554]

Thank you for your posting. I also like to Winter a lot. Actually there are six seasons in Bangladesh. And Winter is one of them. From every 2 months changes on season. But out of all 6 seasons I like Winter a lot. And of course I wait for this Winter.