First seven nights
Keep the story, farming and unlock routes moving together.
MINING ROUTE
Turn Cave of Echoes into tool upgrades
The first dependable ore route is the Cave of Echoes in southwest Misty Shores. Mine copper, smelt three bars, upgrade the pickaxe, then push deeper for iron.
Quick answer
Complete A Bridge Too Far → enter Misty Shores → go southwest/lower-left to Cave of Echoes → mine copper → smelt 4 Ore + 1 Charcoal per bar → buy Copper Pickaxe → take the left-side cave route for iron.
MINING ROUTE
Find the cave
Misty Shores is story-locked behind A Bridge Too Far. If the bridge is still blocked, finish Orlock’s Wine Scheme and the bridge quest rather than trying to reach the cave from another map edge.
MINING ROUTE
First copper run
- Enter with inventory space and food.
- Break copper-bearing rocks and pure copper deposits with the starting pickaxe.
- Return the next night for respawned nodes.
- Use the Furnace recipe: 4 Copper Ore + 1 Charcoal for a Copper Bar.
- Keep the first three Copper Bars for the pickaxe upgrade.
MINING ROUTE
Reach iron efficiently
Iron is in the same cave but needs at least a Copper Pickaxe. After entering the cave system, favor the left-side path for iron; the right side is more copper-heavy. Break the stronger iron-bearing nodes and deposits. Keep the first Iron Bars for the Iron Pickaxe before selling surplus metal.
Bad early sale: ore and bars may have a coin value, but selling the first batches slows every later tool and mining route.
Research notes and source links
This fan guide paraphrases launch-version gameplay coverage and separates confirmed steps from recommendations. Screenshot annotations are added by Moonlight Peaks Companion; source publications retain ownership of their original captures.
Version note: checked 2026-07-08. Quest timing, prices and requirements may change in patches.