The Backrooms: Pantheon

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1. #1The Frontrooms

   Keys: frontrooms, real world, my reality, home

   The Frontrooms are the “normal reality” that humans will fall into The Backrooms from. In many cases, The Frontrooms are thought to be adjacent to or even overlap The Backrooms in some way, which is why so many things from between the two dimensions pass into each other. It is the goal of most if not every human currently trapped within The Backrooms to find a way back to The Frontrooms.

2. #2Liminal Spaces

   Keys: uncanny, surreal, liminal, deja-vu, nostalgia

   Liminal spaces are defined as physical points of transition between locations (staircases, hallways, doorways, etc.) and/or places associated with a surreal or uncanny feeling, with a possible hint of nostalgia or deja-vu.

3. #3The Backrooms

   Keys: Backrooms

   An alternate reality spanning infinite pocket-dimensions of liminal spaces.

4. #4The Broken

   Keys: the broken

   The Broken is a dimension equivalent in size to The Backrooms and Frontrooms, and is by far the most unstable of the three. It is a jumbled mess of fragments of reality, basically being a dumping ground for things that fall out of or break away from The Backrooms. This usually entails old dead levels, but even beings can end up here as well, as we’ll see in the next entry. It is theorized that The Frontrooms, Backrooms and Broken are all linked; with The Frontrooms representing order, The Broken representing chaos, and The Backrooms representing a liminal state between the two.

5. #5Levels

   Keys: levels, level

   The Backrooms are composed of an infinite number of individual yet interconnected realms, colloquially known as Levels. Each level is distinct and unique, with its own ecosystem, climate and laws of physics, acting as a sort of pocket dimension. Levels are typically designated by numbers.

6. #6Liminality

   Keys: liminal

   Phenomenon 0, AKA “Liminality”, is characterized almost as a sort of entropic force, slowly turning normal spaces and beings into liminal ones (see: the wretched cycle).

   Not all levels within The Backrooms are “liminal” from the beginning. Most levels, especially "newer" ones, appear to be an attempt to replicate vague environmental imagery from the observer's memory, in a manner akin to procedural generation. Said spaces tend to initially begin with perfect stability, seeming indistinguishable from locations in one's native reality and lacking any distortion. However, due to their imperfect and flawed nature, levels do not remain stable forever, and the cracks in their design begin showing as the entropic effects of liminality bleed through.

   The longer liminality affects a space, the further the space warps, abstracts and deteriorates. This process is known as “liminalization”, in which the space gradually adopts characteristics such as: Distorted lighting, Outdated aesthetics, Lack of furnishment/decoration, Repetitive features, Non-Euclidean geometry and a Labyrinthine layout. Levels that are not liminal are merely those which haven’t yet succumbed to the process of liminalization.

7. #7No-Clipping

   Keys: no-clipped, no-clipping, pass through, noclipped, noclip, noclipping, phase through, no-clip

   No-clipping serves as the primary means of accessing The Backrooms, as well as traveling within it. It is a form of temporal phasing in which one bypasses the boundaries of spatial reality. In layman's terms, it’s akin to a video game character "no-clipping" through a wall and ending up out-of-bounds. In this analogy, The Backrooms is the “out-of-bounds” of The Frontrooms. Within the Backrooms, one can also no-clip between levels, which is how wanderers progress further in their journey. No-clipping is a common occurrence with The Backrooms since the veil that separates it from other realities is heavily compromised.

8. #8Entities

   Keys: Monster, Monsters, Creatures, Entities, Creature, Entity

   Entities are the diverse array of creatures and beings that call The Backrooms "home". Their origin, appearance, nature, intelligence and morality vary greatly. They can be unique or common, abstract or humanoid, feral or sentient, good or evil, etc. Some are motivated by primal instinct, while others have goals and aspirations. Entities are typically designated by numbers.

9. #9Objects

   Keys: object, relic, item, artifact

   Objects with certain anomalous properties that warrant their documentation. Some objects manifest within The Backrooms as a natural occurrence, while others are created by certain people or groups for a specific purpose. Objects are typically designated by numbers.

10. #10Phenomena

    Keys: phenomenon, anomaly, effect, property, phenomena

    Phenomena are the anomalous events and effects that manifest from the inherent properties of The Backrooms. Phenomena are typically designated by numbers

11. #11Groups

    Keys: GOIs, G.O.I.'s, G.O.I., group, GOI's, GOI, G.O.I.s

    In a place as unfamiliar and isolating as The Backrooms, individuals are bound to form groups for any sort of shared goal, if not to combat this isolation in some way. Some groups are ancient, while others were formed more recently. Some may be composed of humans, others composed of entities, and others composed of a bit of both.

12. #12Persons of Interest

    Keys: Person of Interest, Persons of Interest, POI, POIs, P.O.I.s, POI's, P.O.I.'s, P.O.I., People of Interest

    Persons of Interest, often abbreviated as “POI's”, are singular individuals who are deemed important enough to warrant documentation. This could be for any number of reasons, such as holding a high position within a prominent group or having some sort of anomalous ability. Most are humans, but others could also be individual members of an entity species.

13. #13Level 0

    Keys: the halls, tutorial level, Level 0, the lobby

    Level 0 is most commonly the first area of The Backrooms that wanderers may find themselves in upon entering this reality.

    Level 0 is an expansive non-linear space resembling the back rooms of a commercial building. No two rooms are identical, though they all share the following superficial features: *Worn, yellowed chevron wallpaper *Damp, stained carpet saturated with an unidentified liquid substance (not recommended to consume) *Suspended false ceiling of 1.27m x 1.14m mineral fiber tiles *Harshly bright, audibly buzzing fluorescent lighting fixtures emitting a baseline frequency of 120hz, powered by an untraceable unidentified source. Experimental attempts to measure the complete hypothetical size of level 0 have estimated it to be approximately six hundred million square miles large. However, given the unreliability of the methods used in calculating the measurement, this should be taken with a grain of salt.

    The greatest danger posed by Level 0 is the stark lack of available resources; most are likely to perish of dehydration, starvation, and exhaustion before ever finding an exit, or even realizing just how far they are from home. Though uncommon, Level 0 is known to present environmental hazards such as shifting walls, falling ceiling tiles, exploding lightbulbs, and pitfalls. One must always remain alert and aware of surroundings to avoid meeting an untimely fate from these.

    The concept of linear space in Level 0 is practically non-existent; it is possible to walk in a straight line only to return to the starting point, and walking in the opposite direction will reveal an entirely different set of rooms than the ones originally passed through. Due to this phenomenon, and the visual similarity between each room, consistent navigation is extremely difficult. All technology relying on wireless signal will completely malfunction within the level.

    From within Level 0, contact/communication of any form with another is completely impossible. Attempting to enter Level 0 in a group will result in the immediate separation and isolation of each individual group member, even if they are all supposedly standing in the place at the same time. Groups will be unable to reunite until after exiting Level 0. A great number of people have presumably died within these walls, yet no bodies have ever been found.

    Spending an extended period of time in Level 0 may take a psychological toll, gradually chipping away at one's grip on reality. This may lead to delusions and hallucinations, such as: *Humming from the lights increasing to a deafening volume, then abruptly silencing. *Acute déjà vu. *Gibberish human-like speech resembling no known language. *Vague apparitions in peripheral vision, which immediately disappear when directly observed. *Scraping in the walls *The sound of footsteps and breathing not belonging to oneself It is believed that remaining within Level 0 for long enough will eventually trigger The Wretched Cycle. Level 0 is completely devoid of any life besides that of its given wanderer. No organism, living or dead, is known to exist within the level at the same time as the wanderer. Any "being" supposedly encountered is not real, and should be avoided at all costs.

    Level 0 — and by extension, The Backrooms itself — is first accessed via bypassing the boundaries of one's native reality. Within The Backrooms, Level 0 may be accessed from other levels such as The Hub. The only way to exit Level 0 is by no-clipping into Level 1, which can happen at any time in any place — meaning most escape only by pure luck, and when least expected. As newcomers to Level 0 are often unfamiliar with the mechanics of the Backrooms, it is necessary to keep your bearings and adapt quickly to the environment in order to exit.

14. #14The M.E.G.

    Keys: major explorer group, explorer, m.e.g., operative, meg

    The Major Explorer Group, currently standing as the most prominent human-led faction, was founded on the goal of exploring and documenting The Backrooms in the hopes of eventually discovering an exit to The Frontrooms. The group is divided into multiple teams which specialize in certain tasks. The M.E.G. is responsible for a large amount of the files and documents found within the backrooms' database.

    Who are The M.E.G.?: The M.E.G. (a.k.a. The "Major Explorer Group") is a group created by the people of the Backrooms. The group started out as an exploration outpost in 2012, but it grew to become a military government of sorts by 2014. The M.E.G. tries to keep wanderers safe from entities, traps, and other groups such as The Insurrection, which they are at war with for territory of levels like Level 3. To ensure the safety of the wanderers, The M.E.G. maintains multiple Teams for different purposes. This faction is extremely friendly, and will allow new members into a Team known as Team "Volunteer Squad" until they are ready to be in a Team of their own.

    List of Teams: Team "Overseer" Overseer A — Justin Rivers Overseer B — Katherine "Kat" Rivers Overseer C — Andrew Donovan M.E.G. Regiments Regiments are occupations which follow a more militaristic organization within the MEG. Most Regiments are composed of Teams which work together across missions, assignments, expeditions, and other dangerous work.

    Compass Point | Frontline Explorers Team "Reed" Wild Warriors | Entity Removal Team "Karl" Team "Nari" Lock Breakers | Level Key location and storage Team "Roy" Quick Match | Rescues and Raids Team "Micheal" Track Mappers | Mapping and Pathfinding Team "{Data Corrupted}" Life Line | Civil Aid & Recovery Team "{Data Corrupted}" First Response | Communications Team "Harry" M.E.G. Divisions Divisions are occupations which follow a more civil organization within the MEG. They often manage logistical or research based tasks, and are comprised of Teams who carry out orders for the Overseers.

    Postal Delivery | Mail & Logistics Team "{Data Corrupted}" Front Page | News Team Team "{Data Corrupted}" Location Salvation | Material Repossession Team "{Data Corrupted}" Secure Security | Municipal Security Team "{Data Corrupted}" Volunteer Squad | Militia & Emergency Volunteers Team "{Data Corrupted}" Trial Testers | Research Team "{Data Corrupted}" M.E.G. Outposts "Base Alpha" (Their first main base on Level 1) "Base Omega" (Their second main base in Level 4) "Base Gamma" (Their third main base on Level 3) "Base Beta" (Their fourth main base on Level 11) "House Keeping" (Level 5) "Level 6 Access Outpost" (Level 6.1) "Cave Raiders" (Level 8) "Desert Rose" (Level 46) "Doorstep Carpet" (The Hub)

15. #15Level 1

    Keys: warehouse, level 1, garage

    SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY CLASS 1 Exit: 1/5 Easy to Exit Environment: 1/5 Low Environmental Risk Entities: 1/5 Minimal Hostile Presence

    Level 1 is most often the second level of The Backrooms that wanderers will encounter after escaping Level 0.

    Description: Level 1 is a large, sprawling warehouse that features concrete floors and walls, exposed rebar, and a low-hanging fog with no discernable source. The fog often coalesces into condensation, forming puddles on the floor in inconsistent areas. Unlike Level 0, this Level possesses a consistent supply of water and electricity, which allows indefinite habitation by wanderers providing that appropriate precautions are taken. It is also far more expansive, possessing staircases, elevators, isolated rooms, and hallways.

    Crates of supplies appear and disappear randomly within the Level, often containing a mixture of vital items (food, Almond Water, batteries, tarps, rudimentary weapons, clothing, medical supplies) and nonsensical objects (assorted car parts, boxes of crayons, used syringes, partially burned paper, live mice, mice in a catatonic state that have been injected with unknown substances, shoelaces, loose change, bundles of human hair). The crates should be approached with caution due to their contents, but are a valuable resource.

    artistdiesinme.jpg A hallway of Level 1.

    In addition, crude paintings and drawings with no apparent origin or meaning appear on the walls and floors. They are known to change in appearance and disappear when not in a direct line of sight or when unlit. The light fixtures within Level 1 are prone to flicker and fail at inconsistent intervals; when this occurs, supplies are liable to vanish inexplicably and hostile entities may appear unexpectedly. These entities rarely attack in groups and tend to avoid light and large gatherings of people. It is advised to carry a reliable light source and sleep holding whatever items you do not wish to lose.

    Bases, Outposts and Communities M.E.G. (Major Explorer Group) Base Alpha: This is the first main base of the M.E.G. About half of the group's Teams live here, mainly housing explorers and supply outposts shared with the B.N.T.G. The base is close to one of the entrances of Level 1. Heavily guarded against threats such as entity attacks. B.N.T.G. Trader's Keep: Trader's Keep is a large city-like complex. Around 412 inhabitants, non-hostile. Possesses rudimentary societal infrastructure. The main supply hub for wanderers. Trader's Vault is set up in the Storage Hall in Level 1. Keeps communications and friendly relations with The M.E.G. Tom's Diner: Run by Tom, a former chef before noclipping into The Backrooms. Has plenty of food in storage, resupplied by the B.N.T.G. every few months. Tom is an amiable and optimistic person, and his diner serves as a small social hub. Entrances And Exits: Entrances Get here from Level 0 by noclipping. This Level has many entrances; opening ordinary doors in many Levels has a good chance of leading to Level 1. Additionally, climbing one of the trees in Level 11.1, the end of the fifth event in Level 92, and completing The King's trial in Level 94 are all reliable ways of returning to Level 1.

    Exits You can leave Level 1 by simply continuing to explore the Backrooms. Wandering down any extended hallway often leads to Level 2. Finding holes in the wall will lead you to Level 19. Where the ceiling has paintings on it, noclip through and you will be at a party!

    Additional Material: Recovered Documents The following notes have been recovered from various locations in Level 1. No apparent source has been found.

    "the artist lives in me. the artist dies in me." "Won't you stay for the afterparty? =)" "Burn my fucking body." "The bluebird beckons you, soothes you. You'll feel safe here." "Black queen to h5, and thaaaaat's checkmate~" "𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫."

16. #16Level 2

    Keys: Level 2, pipedream, pipes

    The Backrooms: PantheonA World of Gods and Monsters. Home Wiki Join The Wiki Top Pages Most Recent Top Recent Tags Random Page Sandbox Library Levels Unnumbered Levels The Hub You Cheated Level 51 Entities The Keymaster The Pillars Baughust Objects Level Keys Phenomena Liminality Avatars & Champions Forbidden Knowledge Groups The Lost The Iron Fist The Pantheon POI's The Pillar Scribe Tales Timeline Rebirth Sins of The Father Info Discord Site Rules Guides Meet The Staff Authors Artists Themes Mctoran Mctoran | My account ▼ Activity Messages Sites Settings Upgrade Sign out Tumblr

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    Level 2 rating: 0 + x

    Info

    "I think Level 2 looks even better than they did before. It was easy, really. You just have to look at things objectively, see what you don't need anymore, and trim out the fat."

    Originally made by u/M654z, subsequently rewritten by user 1000dumplings 1000dumplings . Rewritten again by greggita mahayfio does not match any existing user name X_X

    Close LEVEL 2

    SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY CLASS 2

    Exit: 1/5 Easy to Exit

    Environment: 2/5 Some Environmental Risk

    Entities: 2/5 Some Hostile Presence

    2first.jpg A modern-day image of Level 2, taken by Overseer-C. This one is one of the most well known.

    Level 2, once regarded as being one of the main levels of The Backrooms, is an infinite array of complex yet Euclidian maintenance tunnels that range in size, and once had a variety of uses.

    Description Level 2's physical layout, whilst complicated, has certain commonalities in its design which allows it to be mapped and understood. The tunnels themselves, despite following no strict flow on how they are structured, all contort at strictly 45 degree angles, and the rough length of hallways has always measured to approximate multiples of 5 when measuring in the metric system.1

    The various tunnels also are usually rather tight and narrow, either because of the original dimensions of the tunnels (which sometimes barely fit those of larger builds from shoulder-to-shoulder), or by the machinery, wiring, or other industrial equipment strung up along the walls and ceilings. The walls are built of withered, dirtied concrete, or even bricks in certain areas, the latter of which are usually in muddy brown or black hues. The texture of all wall surfaces are somewhat chalky, regardless of the material of the wall itself, and usually leaves powdery residue on one's fingers if touched or rubbed across. In extremely tight corridors, this even leaves marks and stains on clothing, or occasional bruises on skin.

    2piping.jpg A thin corridor of Level 2, made even thinner by the heavy industrial piping on the rightmost side of the image.

    In a majority of hallways, however, the chalky and tattered walls are often obstructed by imposing, rarely operational machinery that usually covers one or both walls from floor-to-ceiling. These pipes and machines, whilst being identified as various actual types of machines from former engineers in the developed eras of the M.E.G, do not work at all in tandem with one another. Instead, each of these industrial appliances are placed in arbitrary locations across Level 2, and do little more than connect to one another with piping and working electricity. In the modern era, these machines usually create little more than quiet internal whirring noises, as if the machines are faulty. Additionally, each machine is usually connected by long, thick pipes that transfer fluids, electricity, gasses, or even solid objects on sparse occasions.

    Whilst piping and odd machinery are an ever-abundant sight, similarly industrial handheld equipment scatters various halls. Flatbed trolleys are one such common appearance, which usually possess items such as miscellaneous machine parts, oil drum barrels,2 and metal, cardboard, and wooden boxes oftentimes chocked full of livable materials. In addition, scraps of paper, old tools, and shattered glass from old light bulbs also cover the level's floor in random areas, usually without much rhyme or reason.

    Other, more miscellaneous and unremarkable objects include the following:

    Toolboxes. Wood piles. Dismantled machine pieces. Rusted pipes. Stepladders. Large extension cords. Power tools. Foldout chairs. 2fluorescent.jpg A disorganised row of fluorescent lights, believed to have been displaced by either entity or human intervention.

    2fluorescent2.jpg A set of two, differently colored fluorescent lights found within a darker area of Level 2.

    Level 2 is lit predominantly by buzzing fluorescent lights, similar to that found on various levels between 0 and 4. These lights, whilst sparser than in the likes of Level 0, still coat a predominant portion of the level in industrial white or orange hues. The wiring for these lights is more often than not exposed,3 which has led to various groups harvesting the level's copper, and occasionally even the fixtures themselves. In addition, the lighting in Level 2 is not even distributed, oftentimes leaving some areas in darkness.

    Due to the exposed nature of the wiring, and due to the fact areas of Level 2 seem to be wired in series circuits instead of parallel ones,4 it is extremely easy for the wiring inside lighting to be disrupted. This can happen for a myriad of reasons, ranging from accidental, purposeful espionage, and even entity interference. Regardless of intent, however, if one light or wire is damaged for any of these reasons, all lights within a set space will immediately deactivate, plunging the local area of Level 2 into darkness.

    The affected areas after the destruction of a set of lights is virtually arbitrary, as there are no easily identifiable signifiers to determine what sections of Level 2 are wired up to which areas of circuitry, and testing to figure out such things would be a fruitless affair. However, from what few times this has intentionally been done, anywhere between a rough 3x3 to 6x6 grid of lights will deactivate.5

    2door.jpg An example of a common door within Level 2, one which lead into a simple and unlit room that was entirely devoid of furniture.

    Whilst narrow corridors, thick machinery, and various industrial props take up a majority of Level 2's landscape, the walls not coated with wires and pipes instead contain doors ranging in various colors, materials, sizes, and types. The "default" designs for these doors are usually of a steel construction that swivels inwards to whatever lays on the other side of the room,6 as well as usually being painted in various shades of white, gray and cream. More often than not, these doors also contain various amounts of additional decoration on top of them, usually in the form of patterns like embossed or debossed squares, locks, signs,7 spray-painted symbols, windows or even damage to their main structure. It is unknown how many of these are generated by the level itself, or if some of these are created via humans or other sentient entities.

    Normally, a large majority of these doors will be locked, regardless of what may be visible through their windows on the opposite end. For the doors that aren't locked, and for doors that don't lead to other levels, they will usually open into a variety of different possibilities, some of those being:

    Sprawling complexes of hallways and rooms of various sizes, which will usually contain larger industrial equipment, dozens of wooden boxes filled with the same supplies as the ones in the halls, an abundance of large PC's, or more commonly, empty atrium-sized packing warehouses. These areas usually connect to every single door inside of the square they're built in, but only a select few of these will actually open. These rooms were most commonly used by groups that used to inhabit Level 2, and are still used relatively frequently by modern groups to quickly access the internet. It is also believed that these rooms would later be terraformed into Office Space EL3A. However, no surviving records exist to confirm nor deny any terraforming took place. A long hallway, or oftentimes a multitude of hallways, that all loop back around to the same door one came from. These hallways, more often than not, are completely devoid of any sort of decoration other than fluorescent and incandescent bulbs, and also resemble office hallways rather than industrial ones. A singular room of varying size, usually just a simple square or rectangle shape. A select few rarer rooms possess a compound shape design, though these are usually nothing more than two squares or rectangles attached to one another. These rooms can usually contain any items and furniture mentioned in the first bullet point, though more often than not, they are completely unfurnished. It is also believed that one of these varieties of rooms later went on to be used in Office Space EL3A's construction. For a large majority of specifically locked doors, and for the even fewer amount that have windows built into them, the views into the other ends of these doors will be that of an entirely black void. In most cases, this form of room is inaccessible due to the doorway to enter it being in a permanently locked state. However, especially in more recent years during the heavy industrialization of Level 2, certain doors that previously onlooked into voids have unlocked. The area inside these voids is an infinitely wide, infinitely long space that disregards the exterior dimensions of the hallways themselves. These spaces are devoid of sound and light, meaning that the only source of illumination comes from the doorway itself, which sits in the middle of this void as the only way to return. It is extremely easy to get lost and perish in these infinite, lightless voids, and entering them is not recommended.

    Bases, Outposts and Communities Level 2, for hundreds of years, had acted as somewhat of a nexus for various groups to converge in one common area. Its landscape was, for many groups, a decent area to attempt settling due to its hub-like nature to many different levels, many of which had food and water, and the fact that many people enter Level 2 straight from The Frontrooms. The lattermost reason has often been a calling for the more charitable groups of The Backrooms to set up bases, signs, and send out volunteers to pick up the new wanderers to acclimate to their new, permanent way of life.

    Level 2 has been a home to far too many groups over the years to count every single catalogued group from the smallest rag-tag group of people to the largest industrial monopolies, so as such only the important and noteworthy groups have been listed.

    The Lost The Lost are the earliest catalogued settlers of Level 2, previously residing in it countless centuries ago.

    The Aiding Stragglers 2stragglersbase.jpg The main hall that the Aiding Stragglers used to occupy, pictured years after their liquidation, and after their supplies were raided.

    Between 1995 and 2013, a small and short lived group operated by approximately 35 individuals ran a temporary rehousing and education group designed to home wanderers who arrived in Level 2 directly from The Frontrooms. Once within the camp, the various leaders of the group—who had all been in the Backrooms since as early as 1890—would help educate individuals on various properties of The Backrooms, such as its entities, its vast catalogue of levels,8 the various objects individuals could find, and even a few other groups to look out for that existed on other levels at that time.

    The long-goal of the group was to help freshly noclipped individuals find their way across the Backrooms more easily, and to help remove the hands-on and dangerous learning curve when it comes to living outside of any group. To compliment their altruistic teaching, the Aiding Stragglers also homed individuals, and gave them small jobs such as scavenging with trained teachers to gather supplies from Level 2 and other surrounding levels.9 No single resident—besides its teachers—stayed within the base for long periods of time, as the final stages of their teaching process was to let their residents out into the wider Backrooms with enough knowledge to survive on their own.

    During the first year of the M.E.G's existence, the Aiding Stragglers were overrun by a large, migrating murder10 of Hounds. As many of the M.E.G's very first members originated from the Aiding Stragglers, the two groups had a very close-knit connection to one another, and were quick to attempt to save the base from the attack when word of it spread. However, whilst en-route, the group of M.E.G. volunteers tasked with pushing back the Hounds were flanked by a Wrangler. After regrouping, the base was already deemed lost, with many of its inhabitants either having been killed or fled during the panic.

    Whilst not the same in spirit, a few of the original group members,11 as well as many willing participants, set out to recreate the base idea of the group under the new name of "The Survivors". Whilst operating under the same ethos as the group they were inspired from, they also offered permanent residency for many people they helped who had just arrived from The Frontrooms. This allowed them to collect more food supplies and to ward off entities. However, between January and March of 2014, they suffered semi-frequent attacks with what would later be recognized as Wretches. After their issue was resolved, the group resumed normal activities.

    Followers of Jerry Although not having much of a mainstay presence within Level 2 itself, the main base of the Followers of Jerry can be easily accessed through virtually any door of the level. Rather obscurely, however, many of the measurements of Level 2 originated from this faction in order to draw size-accurate maps that would lure people to their main base. Whilst some of these measurements were often regarded as crude and inaccurate, many were later used by the M.E.G. for their level examinations.

    The M.E.G. The M.E.G. briefly occupied a small section of Level 2, originally created to act as a secondary base to Level 1's Base Alpha. However, the tight space coupled with semi-frequent entities made occupation difficult for the small and expanding M.E.G. As such, the group moved the base to Level 3—which whilst still being a tough level to survive on—was deemed a better candidate to erect the base, which would later become the organization's third most active and most important location.

    In the early years of their existence, the M.E.G. still sought out to use Level 2 for semi-frequent supply runs, mainly to scavenge its mechanical tools and assets. They also indulged in attempting to map out Level 2, mainly to function as an experiment for mapping out more levels later down the line.12 However, after a splinter group known as the B.N.T.G. diverged from the M.E.G., practically all interactions between the M.E.G. and Level 2 ceased.

    The B.N.T.G. el3adevelopment.jpg An image retrieved from the B.N.T.G's database, believed to be an image of Office Space EL3A during its supposed construction.

    As one of the the biggest inhabitants of Level 2, The B.N.T.G. has occupied the level ever since its inception in 2016. Primarily, the group's main base of operations has been within Office Space EL3A. However, The B.N.T.G. has previously saw fit to occupy and adapt more of the level's environment, to varying levels of effectiveness.

    After establishing Office Space EL3A as their main base of operations, a process which is theorized to have required heavy terraforming, the B.N.T.G. were quick to attempt to establish Level 2 as a level exclusively occupied by only them, given the lack of any other competition besides the Survivors and the FoJ.

    Whilst ideas were tossed around between the B.N.T.G.'s higherups, which included creating safe walkways to each of the known exits and attempting to terraform out entire chunks of the level to build homes with,13 it was decided that a narrow-gauge tramway would be constructed along a vast chunk of nearby land close to Office Space EL3A. This tramway would be seldom used by passengers, and would instead be used as a means to transport vast quantities of acquired goods to and from EL3A to sell to other groups, as well as between the B.N.T.G. bases that were already established.

    After deciding the train would be powered via Level 2's electricity, various car batteries and generators were salvaged from Level 11 and Level 35, as well as various trades from Level 82, in order to collect enough units to store and transmit the needed electricity to keep the trains running. Approximately 20 were created, which would all be powered by the various batteries the group acquired. With modifications, these batteries would later be able to be recharged from Level 2's natural electricity each time they depleted.

    2trainprogress.jpg The modification work done to one of Level 2's tunnels before rails were implemented.

    2track.jpg A section of The B.N.T.G.'s finalized track.

    After enough drawings and plans of which routes the train would take were devised, deconstruction of a vast quantity of Level 2's tunnels began. In order to clear room, tunnels that were extraordinarily slim had much of their piping, wiring, and machinery stripped from their walls, which would later be repurposed as trading materials. Many of these supplies and components were also recycled to charge these batteries, which aided in preparations for the tramway's completion.

    This process, despite causing semi-frequent blackouts whilst attempting to understand which sections of wiring attached to the lights, was completed without any real hitch. Afterwards, the more difficult process of acquiring and gauging rails was initially done by measuring grooves into the track, which were used by upscaling the measurements of the model tracks present on Level 111, and subsequently sourcing rails from Level 172. Though this caused issues with the track being overly thick, as well as being extremely awkward to fit around the 45 or 90 degree corners of the level, enough modifications to the rails eventually secured the finalization of the track system.

    2terminus.jpg The terminus for three of The B.N.T.G.'s many railways, pictured with the direct access to EL3A on the right, hopper wagons within the middle track, two locomotives, and a flatbed of wires harvested from Level 522.

    Although initially hailed as a success, being able to transport all sorts of goods from various levels and speed up trades with minor, unsubstantial groups within Level 2,14 mechanical problems were quick to manifest. Despite the work done to widen hallways, the trains would frequently hit walls whilst swinging around corners, and were also known to derail due to uneven gauging of track, the aforementioned tight corners, and general poor track quality.

    Despite the faults, however, the operation kept running as standard, even incorporating occasional passenger excursions for those requiring safe transit to other levels. This, as one may expect, added extra strain and usage to the locomotives, as well as the batteries they operated on. As no new batteries were ever harvested after the workload of the trains increased, the batteries were needing to be charged more often—sometimes midway through journeys.

    Not even two weeks into beginning to haul passengers and increasing the amount of daily freight services, the entirety of Level 2 short-circuited. According to miscellaneous reports from the organization, when a third—quite possibly faulty—battery was plugged into a designated charging area, the entirety of EL3A was plunged into complete darkness. Initially, it was believed that the blackout had only affected EL3A itself. However, it was quickly discovered that the lack of power was level-wide after a few of the organization's members set off to find help from other B.N.T.G. bases on other levels.

    2dark.jpg The state of Level 2 after its complete short-circuiting.

    This blackout ceased all mechanical and electronic operations within Level 2. After the machinery failed, the pipes of Level 2 began to accumulate the various solids, liquids, and gases that they transported. This, on sparse occasions, caused certain pipes to burst, leak, or leave certain areas of Level 2 with a thick, pungent smell similar to that of rotting meat.

    Alongside the pipes ceasing operation, the usually abundant lights of Level 2 immediately faltered as well. Most simply deactivated. However, a few of the fluorescents are known to have burst due to the sudden power outage. During this time, many flashlights were being given to any explorer from any group who wished to explored Level 2 after the word had travelled far enough of the damage. After a few days, violet lights seemingly began to activate at sparse portions of the level, resembling a form of soft, emergency lighting, which aided wanderers in navigating the level.

    In addition, a select few entrances and exits ceased to work, and some of the previously locked doors of Level 2 reopened. This subsequently lead to the ability to enter the void rooms, which has unfortunately caused certain wanderers to go missing within them in their curiosity to see what was within them after the blackout itself ended.

    Overall, this blackout lasted a total of two years, with all life suddenly springing back into Level 2 when the main lights reactivated and the pipes began their transmission of anomalous items again. After the blackout, the railway system The B.N.T.G. created was left to the elements, and the group quietly regained its main base in EL3A after a majority of its staff migrated elsewhere during the blackout.

    Additionally, very few groups have shown interest in occupying Level 2 since its blackouts. Though for a myriad of reasons, from its claustrophobic design to the inherent danger, the main reason occupation of Level 2 has been so infrequent is due to the fact that any group, regardless of age, sees it a better fit to occupy elsewhere. Whilst a hub of a select few levels and mechanical tools, Level 2 has a severe lack of edible foods and medical supplies, with those that do live on Level 2 relying on imports or going to other levels for their needed materials.

    After the lights reignited, virtually all of Level 2's machinery ceased functioning, only producing quiet and internal whirring noises as if pieces of their construction were dislodged or broken. In addition, there are still portions of Level 2 that are still trapped within a brownout, having only a few lights operational, and all machinery and piping quiet. As such, especially in the face of far more habitable levels such as Level 11 or Level 186, many major and minor groups have opted to migrate to levels with better standards of living, as well as better supplies. Whilst the B.N.T.G. still used Office Space EL3A as their main base of operations, no notable groups have occupied Level 2 since the blackout.

    Entities Due to the extremely explored and mapped nature of Level 2, a variety of common and exclusive entities reside on this level. Additionally, due to Level 2 once being a "social hub" level, many entities that are well known in the current day were originally discovered within Level 2. The complete list of entities, as well as the discovery documents for the creatures that were discovered on 2, are listed below.

    Display list of Level 2's entities Entrances And Exits Level 2, due to how well-understood it has become over the last few decades, has had a variety of entrances and exits discovered that lead to other normal levels, sublevels, and unnumbered levels. This list is actively updated, and the entrances and exits currently known are below:

    Entrances Level 2 is most easily accessible from Level 1 via traversing down any corridors that appear to go on for longer than most corridors do in the level. Many individuals have also noclipped into Level 2 directly from The Frontrooms, which is supported by groups such as The Survivors, and allows them to continue their main ethos and work even after the blackout.

    These exits, whilst not necessarily common Level 1, are common enough that they are one of the main ways individuals access Level 2, especially those fresh inside of The Backrooms from Level 0. However, there are a large array of other entrances into Level 2, which are as follows:

    Office Space EL3A Office Space EL3A exists within a certain area of B.N.T.G. occupied Level 2, which can be discovered by either following direct signposts, or by following the long-defunct railway tracks. As EL3A is one of the B.N.T.G's industrial complexes, trespassing is barred by those not affiliated with the group. Level 8 Within this level's sprawling and confusing cave system, small air ducts or vents occasionally manifest within the stone walls. Whilst most are too small to climb in, entering the ones that are large enough lead to Level 2. Level 11 Entering the doors of random buildings, mainly the ones that lack interiors, have the potential to lead to Level 2, among other levels. Level 522 By submerging oneself into the thick sets of wiring on Level 522, one can arrive within Level 2 when they re-emerge.

    Exits The most well-known, easiest to find, and most commonly used exits from Level 2 come in the form of exits to Level 1, Level 3, and oftentimes even Level 4, all of which take the form of unlocked doors. These exits, especially in recent years, are especially easy to spot, as wanderers of years past often leave signs or engravings in the walls of anomalous doors that lead to these above levels.

    The Hub Following the same entrance scheme as is suggested to do on Level 1, one can access The Hub from Level 2. However, the location in which to do so is not officially known by most main groups, and exists mostly as talk between their members. Office Space EL3A As Office Space EL3A exists directly within Level 2 itself, exiting this area will place individuals back into Level 2.

    Footnotes:

    1. Only when rounded up to the nearest whole number, with occasional errors from the lack of equipment in the early days of experimenting with Level 2.
    2. Usually filled with liquids like water, oil, an anomalous corrosive goo, Almond Water & its opposite Liquid Pain, Memory Juice, and Liquid Silence.
    3. However, they are still usually insulated via plastic or rubber.
    4. Meaning that each light lit on the same wire, instead of each one being powered on a different wire.
    5. Breaking any light does not deactivate the area around oneself, it simply deactivates the series circuit the light is attached to.
    6. Which is detailed further on in this text.
    7. Usually, these signs will denote warnings about machinery or piping, do not enter warnings, flood warnings, or general industrial jargon, though what is written on these signs seldom correlates to what is on the other end.
    8. As the terms for both "entity" and "levels" had not been coined up until the same year as the group's demise, this group used the term "animals" and "worlds" respectively.
    9. Which can be found in the exits section of the article.
    10. "Murder", in this context, refers to what a pack or group of hounds is referred to as.
    11. Including one of the original Aiding Straggler inhabitants, Austin.
    12. These experiments were short lived.
    13. This idea was only scrapped due to what was witnessed on Level 22, which saw a similar venture turn sour.
    14. Usually containing no more than approximately 4-6 people within them.
    15. More information on the Entity 7 article.
    16. Not that Facelings are ever known to create any in the first place.
17. #17The Hub

    Keys: , nexus, tunnel, hub

    The Hub is the nexus of the entire Backrooms, containing an entrance to every single level including those yet undiscovered. It appears as a vast network of subterranean traffic tunnels lined with evenly-spaced doors bearing designs representing the respective levels that they lead to. The order of the doors does not correspond to the order of levels in the database. There is only one door for each level, marked by a unique runic symbol. A level door can only be unlocked by its respective Level Key, which is engraved with a symbol corresponding to that on the door. After being unlocked, the door will immediately lock itself upon being entered. Hostile entities are unable to enter The Hub, but benevolent ones are able to. One can access The Hub from any level of The Backrooms, either by accidentally no-clipping into it or finding a door that can randomly manifest. Or, you can simply follow a specific sequence of turns in Level 1 to reach The Hub.

18. #18Level Keys

    Keys: level key, key

    For every level in the Backrooms, there is a Level Key, which varies in appearance depending on its respective level. Said level is identified by a runic symbol engraved into a small rectangular label on the handle of the key. Each symbol on each key for each level is unique, corresponding with the symbols above their respective level doors within The Hub. All Level Keys resonate with their respective levels at a degree of intensity relative to their proximity to an entry point. As such, a Level Key may act as a "compass" of sorts towards its respective level. The frequency of a level key’s resonance is used to determine the number that is assigned to a level in the database.

19. #19Almond Water/Liquid Pain

    Keys: almond water, object 1, liquid pain, object 12

    Almond Water and Liquid Pain are essentially the same substance in different forms. Almond Water is a liquid found within the Backrooms that treats most minor ailments and injuries, and also serves as a source of nourishment. It can also reverse the effects of the Wretched Cycle at an early stage. It has a vanilla, almond scent and bears a pearlescent color.

    Liquid pain, meanwhile, is the exact opposite, inflicting physical agony upon any who interact with it. It bears the same vanilla almond scent as Almond water, but the color of the substance is instead a deep crimson,

    What’s interesting, however, is that minute traces of one substance can be found in samples of the other during analysis. It has therefore been concluded that both substances have the same origin.

20. #20The Keymaster

    Keys: key master, Keymaster, key, hub

    Entity Χ: The Keymaster is an avatar of Kei’, the Pillar of Access. He is the creator and overseer of The Hub, and is the sole creator, proprietor and distributor of Level keys. He is the husband of Solaris and the father of Ceres and Nebula.

    In ancient times, The Keymaster was formerly known as Gatekeeper, reigning as a Liminal deity over The Backrooms and being worshiped by ancient humans. He served as a guardian of thresholds, a guide to travelers and a jailor of the wicked. However, his heart hardened when his contemporaries began dying off or became estranged from him, and he turned cruel. Gatekeeper was ultimately assassinated by someone infiltrating his inner circle of worshippers. His essence was then infused into his own cloak by his oversoul, forced to seek out the most compatible host to wear the cloak and bear the title of The Keymaster. The most recent wearer of the cloak was a human named Brian Smith, who had been The Keymaster from 2014 to 2024. Currently, however, there is no wearer for the cloak, and The Keymaster is now instead a completely independent being which has regained all of his memories.

    The Keymaster’s associated aspects of The Backrooms are The Hub, Level HELP, Level Keys, The Hermes Device, The Catmaster, Liminality and No-Clipping.

21. #21The Game Master

    Keys: game master, entity 99, gamemaster, penelope, gaming hall, 389

    Entity 99: The Game Master is the second avatar of Komo’oide, the Pillar of Humor. She appears as a life-sized marionette with a yellow and blue Jester costume, concealing a deformed face behind a mask that digitally displays a red pixelated face to convey her emotions. She has a rude, obnoxious personality and is obsessed with games, memes and brainrot.

    The Game Master is bound to Level 389, “The Gaming Hall”, but she commands a nigh-omnipotent degree of influence over the realm. To entertain herself throughout her imprisonment, she likes to lure wanderers into her level and force them to play games with her. These games are generic knockoffs of more well-known ones, and more often than not have some sort of sadistic twist or are rigged in The Game Master’s favor.

    Little is known of her past, but The Game Master was once a human girl in The Frontrooms named Penelope Ludumson, living in London in the 1920s before falling into The Backrooms with her sister Diana Ludomson. Diana would be transformed into the entity known as “The Dollmaker” by another entity known as “Mother”, though she still did what she could to protect Penelope. Eventually, however, Penelope would die. The Dollmaker constructed a new body in an attempt to revive her, but she lacked the power to give it life. That was when The Comedy Creator, the first avatar and direct incarnation of Komo’oide, intervened and facilitated the transfer of Penelope’s soul into the body. She was thus reborn as The Game Master, but was bound to The Comedy Creator as their champion before eventually becoming an avatar of Humor herself.

    Her associated aspects of The Backrooms are Level 389 and The Game Player.

22. #22Blanche

    Keys: cygnus, level 906, Blanche, library, entity 140

    Entity 140: Blanche Von Haderach is an avatar of Azel’kyra, the Pillar of Curiosity. To most, she is a humble librarian overseeing Level 906, the Cygnus Archive, which is regarded as a safe haven and a hub of knowledge and wisdom in The Backrooms. Kind, polite, and a firm advocate for pacifism, Blanche's respect for her guests is matched only by her eagerness to learn more.

    In ancient times, she was known as Cygnus, among other names like Khari, Azkhari, and Vashaya. She was revered as a goddess of knowledge and wisdom, appearing in myths such as "The Book Of The Moon - Verse 1" and "The Scroll of Azkhari". When humans rose up against the Gods, however, she distanced herself from most of the others, not wishing to retaliate against humans like they did.

    Today, she remains isolated in Level 906, though she does still maintain relationships with some of her former contemporaries. Her associated aspects of The Backrooms are Level 906, Berry, Tom Von Haderach, Object 96, The Cygnus Order, and the Visionaries of Berry.

23. #23Argos

    Keys: entity 74, sinners, argos, eoa, eyes of argos, justice

    Entity 74: Argos is an avatar of Savi’nex, the Pillar of Justice. He was the husband of Protastheia and is the father of Hubris and Humble. He is the patron deity and supposed founder/leader of The Eyes of Argos, self-proclaimed vigilantes of the Backrooms who operate in several distinct patrols each exercising a different form of justice but all unified in their objective of purging so-called “sinners” from the Backrooms in Argos’ name.

    In ancient times, Argos was known as-Tlamelahuacachinaliztli, the Aztec word for “Justice”.

    Argos has appeared throughout the ages, and to a variety of collectives, as the embodiment of however they perceived Justice. This means that his appearance was unique to whoever perceived him, but he generally appeared as a tall humanoid wearing tactical armor under a ragged black cloak, wielding a spear and possessing clusters of glowing orange eyes — some of which externally orbiting his physical body. It is from him that mortals structured their laws and morals, and many have prosecuted the guilty and liberated the innocent in his name. He is the self-proclaimed judge, jury and executioner of the Backrooms. He is known to strictly uphold and enforce a set of rules known as "The Law", which he claims to be the highest and most objective moral code. If someone is discovered to have "sinned" (or rather, violated "The Law" in any way), Argos will proceed to hunt them down and deal whatever punishment he deems fitting of the supposed "sin". The exact definition/contents of "The Law" have never been revealed, making it impossible to know how to avoid "sinning" and thus leading to quite a few diplomatic incidents with other groups. His associated aspects of The Backrooms are The Eyes of Argos, Lawcrows and Retributors.

24. #24The Red Knight

    Keys: claudius, entity 71, crimson wanderer, knight, red knight

    Entity 71: The Red Knight is an avatar of Jaga’dain, the Pillar of War. He is also the husband of Shani, his former champion who later became an avatar of War herself. He is a mysterious warrior that often appears to save newcomers to the Backrooms from deadly situations.

    In ancient times, he was a beautiful God with red ribbons known as Claudius, holding many titles such as “The Champion” “The Grand Empyrean” and “The First of Knights”, striking mortal fear into the hearts of his enemies. He is also credited as the creator of Almond Water, which he created from his own blood Liquid Pain. He was close with several other godlike entities, being Brothers-in-arms with Argos and fighting many battles alongside him.

    Following a deadly battle with Augustus, Claudius died and returned as The Red Knight. He now wanders The Backrooms and saves mortals, seemingly as a form of atonement for his past actions. His associated aspects of The Backrooms are Liquid Pain (his blood), Almond Water, The Squires, and the Order Eleison.

25. #25Nostalgi gaius

    Keys: fragmented, gudang, gaius, null, 404

    Entity NULL: Nostalgi Gaius is an avatar of Ka’rot, the Pillar of Art. She was the wife of Augustus and is the mother of SHALTOKOL. In ancient times, she was known as Gudang, a muse who inspired and reflected the works of art created by mortals. However, she was also obsessed with perfection and beauty, which made her constantly dissatisfied and insecure. When the veil of The Backrooms teetered on collapse, Gudang created Level 404 in a last-ditch effort to mend it and prevent cataclysm. However, it led to Claudius and Augustus killing each other and completely destroying the veil. She was unable to cope with this and process her grief, and so she effectively lobotomized herself by literally carving memories out of her head with a shard of the sky. Gudang was then reborn as Nostalgi Gaius, a corrupted husk of her former self who preyed on nostalgia for sustenance. Her appearance resembles the real-life sculpture "Diana of Gabii", albeit with minor distortions such as a pastel hue.

    In the modern day, a senior archivist in the M.E.G. named A. River discovered Nostalgi Gaius, and merged with her in an attempt to prevent her from threatening The Backrooms. An internal war ensued as both River and Gaius fought for control, but with the help of other Godlike beings like Blanche and The Keymaster, they eventually perfectly merged into a new being named Symmetria, also known as the Blue Angel, who resembled a distorted version of the real-life "crouching Venus" sculpture. This being is helpful to wanderers and saves them. Her associated aspects of The Backrooms are Level 404, Strange Pills, Anemoi Syne, The Muralist, A. River and Eden G.

26. #26Icarus Procidens

    Keys: shady grey, sh4dy gr4y, augustus, shady gray, 555, sh4dy gr3y, icarus

    Icarus Procidens (formerly known as Augustus) is an avatar of Kuri’mas, the Pillar of Creation. He was the husband of Gudang and is the father of SHALTOKOL. In ancient times, Augustus was an angelic being of unrivaled beauty and ambition. He spun flesh, blood and bone from his fingertips, being responsible for the creation of several common entities. Following a deadly battle with Claudius, Augustus fell and became a charred skeletal being trapped within TH3 SH4DY GR3Y. Now known as Icarus, he will often project an apparition of himself across the Backrooms to torment others as a means of coping with his own eternal torment, even if only temporarily. Various murals of a dark, shadowy figure and maniacal laughing from behind the bars of Level 3 are perhaps the only thing left of what Icarus once was. His associated aspects of The Backrooms are TH3 SH4DY GR3Y, Level 3, Archem, The Highborn, and The Ultimate Backrooms Cookbook.

27. #27Solaris

    Keys: starmother, solaris, cosmic, entity 700, outer space

    Entity 700: Solaris is an avatar of Al’kawn, the Pillar of Space. She is the wife of The Keymaster and the mother of Ceres and Nebula. In ancient times, Solaris was known as “The Starmother” to her worshipers, and was responsible for maintaining the heavens by creating and destroying celestial bodies. After the death of her husband, and more recently the cataclysmic collision of Level 78’s space station with Ad Astra, Solaris became much more reserved and isolated, feeling as though she “failed” her purpose. Her associated aspects of The Backrooms are all of the space levels like Level 78, and all the space entities like Null-06, The Death of a Star, Aster and Insulinniq.

28. #28Philia

    Keys: entity 59, goddess, level 150, philia

    Entity 59: Philia is an avatar of Æga'ph, the Pillar of Love. She is a merciful and compassionate Goddess who loves humans dearly, having a more humanoid form than other gods in order to be closer to them. She is always seen around people and animals, warmly offering unconditional love and kindness without expecting anything in return. However, she is incapable of handling negative emotions like sorrow or heartbreak, struggling to process them. She is very kind and forgiving, having a bleeding heart almost to a fault. Her associated aspects of The Backrooms are Level 150, Mother and Olivia Bellerose.

29. #29Y'liad Elyion

    Keys: Y'liad, greyflesh, greymount, greyking, greyrealm, stupor, Yliad, elyion

    Y’liad Elyion is an avatar of Two-Faced, the Pillar of Stupor, and is the husband of Olivia Bellerose. He has had many titles and forms – but most commonly appears as a tall, long-haired, pale man, cloaked in an ashen-blue royal robe and wielding a living sword made of silver flesh known as Bittersteel. By all accounts, Y’liad is a master combatant, but not exactly for the right reasons. He was indirectly responsible for most of the conflict in The Pantheon’s narrative, having committed the massacres which led to the uprising of The Iron Fist. After this, he went into hiding, only reappearing recently in the modern day. His associated aspect of The Backrooms is Greyrealm.

30. #30The Pantheon

    Keys: avatar, god, pillar, cygnus, goddess, pantheon, the lost

    All godlike entities within The Backrooms were all once part of a Pantheon that ruled over The Backrooms in Ancient times. Practically every element of The Backrooms is in some way attributed to The Pantheon or a member of it, making them responsible for the very creation of The Backrooms itself.

    In the beginning, these beings were abstract, formless bodies of light like living constellations, inhabiting the void. Eventually, they grouped together and formed a close bond, symbolically regarding each other as metaphorical siblings. They decided to create a universe together as a personal paradise, which we know today as The Backrooms. This means they are responsible for most if not all of The Backrooms’ levels, entities, objects, phenomena, etc. However, they neglected to fully mend the veil between their reality and others, leaving it vulnerable to potential contamination from other universes. This led to the eventual arrival of the first humans in The Backrooms.

    Upon discovering the avatars, the ancient humans couldn’t properly understand the true nature of such powerful and incomprehensible beings. They could only equate them to “Gods”, and so that is how they perceived them. The avatars, meanwhile, couldn’t understand why the humans were worshiping them. But they decided to lean into it and form a group they called “The Council” to govern the inhabitants of this reality. The mortals instead saw this council as their pantheon of gods, and so that is what it became known as. Following the pantheon’s foundation, the humans went on to form “The Lost”, the oldest and largest human civilization in The Backrooms.

    For centuries, The Lost worshiped The Pantheon without hardship or struggle, as this universe was a paradise. Over time, the Gods’ forms gradually became more comprehensible and humanoid, due to interacting with humans more regularly. But everything changed one day when one of the Gods, Y’liad Elyion, suddenly “snapped” and massacred entire villages of mortals for unknown reasons. This is the turning point in history where humans grew distrustful of the Gods, who also grew distrustful of each other. A group of humans eventually formed a rebellion known as “The Iron Fist” to revolt against the pantheon. As The Iron Fist discovered certain weaknesses to the Gods and the means of exploiting them, an all-out war spiraled between The Pantheon and The Iron Fist, with numerous casualties on both sides. In the end, several Gods were killed or crippled as the result of this war. The Pantheon collapsed alongside The Lost, and The Iron Fist went into hiding. This was also the point in which The Backrooms transformed into the desolate, liminal state that people recognize today. This essentially means that The Backrooms was once a pure paradise created by and for Gods, but ultimately corrupted and perverted by the intervention of humanity.

    Today, The Pantheon as a group is nonexistent, but some of its members still remain, albeit in a much weaker state. Some of them have reunited, but not all yet.

31. #31The Lost

    Keys: ancient times, The Lost, the pantheon, ancient humans

    "The Lost" refers to the collective civilization of all ancient humans within The Backrooms. Although once the most powerful and prosperous group within The Backrooms at their height, they have long since fallen from glory, and are now on the verge of complete extinction.

    The exact number of remaining members within The Lost is unclear due to their seclusive nature, however may be anywhere 500 to 1000 individuals. Relations with The Lost should be held in high regard, as it is difficult for outsiders to earn their trust.

    Members of The Lost all originated from different parts of the ancient world in The Frontrooms, no-clipping into the Backrooms over the years. However, what is rather interesting is that, when those people slowly gathered, even though they originated from different cultures and empires (some of some of which enemies), these ancient people set aside their differences in the face of this harsh alien environment, coming to form a collective common culture in order to survive together. This is a behavior we can also find nowadays, with a lot of different people from different countries allying themselves to form big outposts or even entire factions (as is the case with groups such as the M.E.G. or Ariane Circle).

    Obviously, resources can only help a civilization so far, as they also need political stability. While they tried to build a utopia at first, the nature of mankind made dictatorships very easy to emerge, even in harsh times when collaboration was crucial. However, it took an unusual form as powerful beings manifested themselves, trying to help mankind thrive in this place. They were personifications of concepts, sometimes tied to mankind, sometimes more wild and esoteric. As was the case in the Frontrooms, the civilization needed to reassure themselves by creating hypotheses about how the world around them worked. Those beings, representing aspects of the world, allowed them to have a direction and most importantly hope. As they did on Earth, they prayed to those otherworldly aspects, and they, as twisted and different as they were, still answered their call. The Lost was governed as a theocracy. The leading powers were effectively priests, channeling the will of the gods. They were the ones asking those beings about the rules of this world, using offerings. Some examples of said offerings were Royal Rations, which were as rare as they were today, or Warpberries, which albeit useless for nutrition were hard enough to cultivate that they quickly became known as a divine fruit of mystical powers. Human sacrifices didn't exist in this community, as it was something quite rare in their country of origin, to begin with. However, divine punishments existed in this religion, with things like losing a loved one by the Wretched Cycle or having his culture salvaged by Plague Rats being considered as the vengeance of the gods for a lack of faith or offerings.

    With the nature of the town, a lot of temples were repurposed because of the will of the gods (according to the priest's scriptures), being made bigger, or changing their aesthetics to better match the god whose temple was dedicated to. One of the few that still stood the test of time was the Mausoleum of Philia, which was a round structure with five entrances (for the five petals a rose usually possesses), that didn't possess any door, as the goddess was so welcoming everyone could enter the temple at any time, seeking medicinal help. Although it is now destroyed, mosaics on the rose-shaped ceiling depict indoor gardens where medicinal flowers were being cultivated by the philiacs, priestesses who devoted their lives to helping everyone who was in need.

    Religion was more than a simple part of the life. It oversaw their entire life. This can be seen in the way each member of The Lost was conditioned in their jobs by their entire belief system. Indeed, unlike other civilizations of old earth, that used physical ways to differentiate the different levels of society, like with cranium deformations, The Lost relied on something purely psychological, based on faith. As explained, The Lost maintained a close relation to religion, especially towards the powerful beings that helped them settle in the city they renamed Hoofstad. To pay tribute to them, each citizen and each family swore allegiance to one of those gods. This was decided by the priests of a given temple, meaning that they would announce when a god "claimed" an individual, who would then be taken to perform the job linked to this given deity (for example, the chosen of Philia would mainly become nurses or herbologists). It seems it was mainly a fabrication of the priests, as today's evidence shows us the aspects didn't interact with mankind much as the priests led their society to believe. Nevertheless, this allowed for a rigid cast system without the need for any physical harm or tyrannical reign. The pious citizens would accept their fate with happiness, training to become armorsmiths, farmers, cooks…

    Families were also created within those social classes. It was extremely rare to see couples created from people originating from different jobs, and therefore different allegiances. The gods decided everything, as their rights were, according to the priests. Descendants of a family would also work for the same god as their parents, except in rare cases where a temple announced another god chose them to work for them. Some old accounting tablets seem to indicate that those announcements were rigged, as all temples made sure all roles for the city were equally taken, in order to balance everything and allow for the most socially accepted jobs (like clothes creators) to be rarer, and the most important ones (like fishermen of farmers) to always be able to sustain the community. They were listening to the will of the gods (or at least what they claimed it to be) for political reasons.

    Impersonating a job was rare, given how the priests insisted on its blasphemous nature, telling monstrous and worrying tales about people who defied the gods in order to fulfill their own gains, instead of being punished by the beings they wronged. Psychological control, however, was sometimes inefficient, usually with people with strong independence needs, who wished to control their destinies. Those people were made quick examples, as the punishment was to cut one of their hands so that they would never dare to work in a field that wasn't chosen for them. Such action usually resulted in the detractor becoming a useless member of Lost society, because of his difficulties to now physically work.

    The priesthoods weren't bloodthirsty dictators, however, as they have actually proven themselves to sometimes be quite magnanimous in the system they oversaw. Indeed, in the case of slaves (usually prisoners of war, or people who committed minor crimes like robbing), it was possible for them to be claimed by a god like any other people, which meant they could gain their freedom back, and work the city as a normal citizen. As slaves belonged to the temples rather than to an individual as it was the case in Greek cities like Athens, this again allowed the temples to if needed manipulate those events to the advantage of the city. However, those rigged decisions varied from year to year, as there were periods where priests from a particular temple could be harsher, and more egocentric than other time periods where they would look to the well-being of the city more. This, frankly, wasn't that far from classic kings and emperors of ancient civilizations.

    The rarest and most craved job was the one of priests. Becoming a priest was something extremely rare, even rarer than other job changes. While most temples allowed for marriage and families to be created between members of the same temple (except for some rare cases where some temples were more open to the idea of romantic love and freedom), those children were still quite rare seeing how few priests there were in each temple. Nevertheless, becoming a priest, according to the very rare scriptures we have, was a very tedious learning, but is ultimately a mystery for both the population and us. It still remained, even with this mystery, a position of high respect, as any rank of power is in civilizations. It is also one of the rare cases where priests seem to never rig the apparition of new priests, and it is very well possible the influence of the mystical beings they claimed to look after was higher than we are led to believe. It is very important to understand that in The Lost, priests occupy such a crucial role and are so respected they can be seen as the political part of the city. They are the power who decide of the future of the town, and although they claim their actions to be only be the will of the gods, it is nowadays well-known that they used to tend to take their decisions to keep their power around, but also to maintain the cultural influence of the town over the Lost colonies in general. They are also the richest individual of the Lost society, usually living in the luxury of villas, showing their power and wealth by owning art pieces, fancy clothing or slaves.

    Like any culture, The Lost, even in a place as harsh and unforgiving as the Backrooms, needed ways to have fun and make the most of their lives. Arts and amusements were common in the town, as a way to for anyone to distract themselves and forget the difficult conditions caused by the Liminality of the Backrooms.

    The inhabitants of Hoofstad enjoyed spending time in the thermae. People from the city, as well as metics, used to spend their free time there several times a week, as a way to purify their body of illness and filth so as to put their soul at peace and therefore sleep better.

32. #32Avatars

    Keys: avatar, god, pillar, goddess, pantheon, phenomenon 10

    Even within the depths of this broken and twisted labyrinth, scarce shreds of divinity may yet be found. They are avatars — many of which walk amongst the masses without betraying their true nature or even their existence.

    Avatars are incredibly powerful and influential beings, so godlike in stature that many were in fact deified in ancient times. The source of this vast power/influence are The Pillars, serving as oversouls for their respective avatars. Each avatar holds command and mastery over a particular concept, embodied by their respective Pillar. Individual avatars have the capability to alter and impact specific aspects of The Backrooms itself within their respective conceptual sphere.

    Avatars exist to spread the influence of their respective concept in the mundane reality. An avatar may naturally manifest from or be directly created by a Pillar, or result from a being embodying a specific concept so strongly that they forge a connection to the Pillar of that concept. The nature of an avatar’s relationship to their Pillar can vary widely. Some may be considered separate, with the Pillar indirectly guiding the avatar or having no involvement. Others may be one and the same in consciousness, with the avatar being a direct incarnation/manifestation of their Pillar.

    Avatars are exempt from mortal needs such as nutrients, hydration and oxygen — though they may still indulge in such things for their own reasons.

    Yet for all their power, avatars are not entirely invincible. A part of their nature is dependent on their relationship with mortals, and with the Backrooms itself. As such, there are several means by which one may render an avatar vulnerable to mortal death — some swift and merciful, others slow and agonizing. The first weakness is for the link between an avatar and Pillar to be weakened or completely severed, for avatars lose all their power and immortality without it. The second weakness is death at the hands of another avatar, for they are of relatively equivalent power. The final weakness is being forgotten, for avatars only remain in power as long as they are known of and recognized. They may only truly die alongside the last to remember their name.

    Championship: If avatars may be considered gods, their champions may thus be considered akin to demigods or mythological heroes.

    Just as avatars bridge the gap between Pillars and mortals, champions bridge the gap between mortals and avatars. They are highly similar in nature to avatars, though with several distinguishing features making them less powerful and influential than the latter. While an avatar’s connection with a concept is direct, a champion’s is secondary; they draw power from avatars in the way that avatars draw power from concepts.

    Champions come to be when an avatar creates life in their image, or imbues a mortal with a portion of their essence/power. Depending on the circumstances of their creation, a champion's degree of power relative to their respective avatar (and even other champions of said avatar) can vary, though it is never greater than the avatar's. Furthermore, avatars are not always aware of the existence of their champions. When an avatar is indeed aware, they may revoke the power granted to their champions on a whim as seen fit — particularly if the champion is deemed “unworthy” through certain actions.

    There is much debate in regards to whether becoming a champion/avatar makes one greater or lesser than human — though such philosophical discussions are beyond the scope of this writing.

33. #33The Pillars

    Keys: pillar, avatar

    The most fundamental and powerful force in all of existence are concepts. Concepts are personified as “The Pillars”, the highest authority responsible for everything. They have created, oversee and encompass every reality, and therefore every version of The Backrooms. Each Pillar represents a unique concept, and every possible concept theoretically has a corresponding Pillar. They even transcend all forms of narratives and fiction itself, with the real-life authors of Backrooms lore being influenced by The Pillars to write whatever they dictate.

    Pillars are less characters and more background forces of nature, pulling the strings from behind the scenes and spinning the threads of fate. The objective of a Pillar is to spread the influence of its respective concept. Their primary means of achieving this is creating or adopting beings throughout every reality to serve as their avatars, like pieces in a game of 4D chess.

34. #34The Iron Fist

    Keys: downfall, The Lost, iron fist

    The Iron Fist is a group dedicated to the sole purpose of eliminating godlike beings, specifically avatars. It dates back to the time of The Lost, having been founded by Kushim in the wake of Y’liad Elyion’s massacre. It consists of five divisions, or “Fingers”. There is the Mars Finger, known in the modern day as The U.E.C., who are the militia of the group and participate in most of the direct offensive operations. Then there is the Jupiter finger, focused on research and experimentation. The Saturn Finger oversees the entire group and governs all other fingers. The Sol finger, known today as Backrooms Robotics, specializes in technology and engineering. And finally there is the Mercury finger, the infiltrators and assassins of the group.

35. #35Forbidden Knowledge

    Keys: Witnessing the Beyond, forbidden knowledge, forbidden information, Phenomenon 43, forbidden info

    Phenomenon 43, “Forbidden information”, is basically the reason that most mortal humans who come into contact with something related to avatars or Pillars end up having their brains melted. To most, reality only consists of 3 spatial dimensions, since normal humans like you and I can only experience and comprehend these three dimensions. But in truth, reality is formed of infinite dimensions. Phenomenon 43 is the effects that result from the interaction between humans and knowledge that comes from these higher dimensions.

    Discerning the nature of the Pillars is nigh-impossible to lesser beings. A mortal mind is naturally averse to such knowledge, and when confronted by it, will degenerate in failure to comprehend it. To understand the Pillars is to understand the truth of reality itself, which shatters the common ego.

    Any depictions of the Pillars, including all the art I've shown in this video, are merely those which are projected onto them by the observer – for they have no true form. Still, for a mortal to directly observe a Pillar, or even a depiction of a Pillar, would cause catastrophic psychological and even physical damage.

    In Layman's terms, phenomenon 43 is basically like a Psychic zipbomb, in which your mind is overloaded with infohazardous forbidden knowledge from higher dimensions. Most of the time, this will break your mind if not kill you. Though there are rare instances in which beings are able to withstand it, gaining power and possibly becoming avatars themselves – such is the case with the Pillar Scribe – but only through extraordinary circumstances and with grave cost.

36. #36Wraiths

    Keys: wraith, undead, entity 112

    Wraiths are the spectral remnants of souls in a state of perpetual unrest and cyclical revival, often vengeful in nature. In most cases, typically with mortal beings, wraiths do not retain the mental faculties that they held in life.

    However, the concept applies somewhat differently to avatars, since they cannot die like mortals and thus don’t have to truly die in order to spawn Wraiths. They can have a sort of "false death" leaving them fragmented, or be split at the point of inception. In this regard, Wraiths are essentially fragments of an avatar's soul or personality or memories that splits off into an independent being. Examples of this include Philia with Mother, Lorenzo Windsor with The Animated King, and Nostalgi Gaius with Anemoi Syne.

37. #37Kushim

    Keys: barzil, igi-bala, Undertaker, kushim, barag, barsil

    Kushim, also known as “The Undertaker”, “Barsil Barag”, and "Barzil Igi-bala" is the second avatar of Il’thli, the Pillar of Mortality. He was once a mortal human from ancient sumeria who fell into The Backrooms, before eventually meeting Lilith, the Goddess of Life and Death who served as the original avatar of Mortality. He would train under her, becoming her champion and eventually her lover. Sometime shortly before or after Lilith’s death, Kushim founded The Iron Fist – an action he later regretted. Kushim went on to become an avatar of Mortality after reclaiming the essence of all his champions to narrowly survive death in a battle with Gatekeeper. After this, he abandoned The Iron Fist, which only became further radicalized in its god-killing ideology. His associated aspect of The Backrooms is The Grave.

38. #38The U.E.C.

    Keys: u.e.c., partisans, uec, mercenary, unbound, iron fist

    The Unbound Explorers Coalition, or U.E.C., is a para-militaristic mercenary group, standing for outspoken ideals and values which they claim the M.E.G. has failed to uphold. As previously stated, they are a modern front for the Mars Finger of The Iron Fist, though this isn’t common knowledge.

39. #39Backrooms Robotics

    Keys: sol, iron fist, robotics

    Backrooms Robotics is a company which develops and manufactures technology for the benefit of wanderers, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of life within The Backrooms. They have had involvement in the creation of most technological objects and entities, such as the Artificial Intelligence-Driven Entity Neutralizer, or “A.I.D.E.N”. Despite their public intentions and the stated goals of their creations, they seem to harbor ulterior motives and have been linked to several scandals and conspiracies, such as Whistleblowers dying under mysterious circumstances. As previously stated, they are a modern front for the Sol Finger of The Iron Fist, though this isn’t common knowledge.

40. #40Anemoi Syne

    Keys: wraith, anemoi, eden, gaius, river, 403

    Entity 403, Anemoi Syne, is the wraith of Nostalgi Gaius. She was formed from the memories that Gudang carved out of her head after the deaths of Augustus and Claudius. Those memories ended up in The Broken, where they laid dormant for eons. After the merging of Nostalgi Gaius and A. River into Symmetria, the memories were stirred from their dormancy and formed into Anemoi Syne, escaping from The Broken into Level 404. She would eventually merge with A. River’s lover, M.E.G. operative Eden G, into a new being known as Rhythmos, who seeks to reunite with Symmetria.

41. #41The Pillar Scribe

    Keys: theta, pillar scribe, terminus, scribe, paris

    The Pillar Scribe is the second avatar of The Terminus, the Pillar of Balance. He was once a human named Paris who fell into The Backrooms, before finding himself in Level Theta where was tortured by The Terminus. He would eventually be rescued by Blanche, but by then, he was already irreparably disfigured. He had become an avatar of The Terminus, being forced to transcribe everything that The Terminus dictated. Due to this, the Pillar Scribe is the primary source of knowledge regarding the pantheon, notably the nature of Pillars and avatars.

42. #42The Gearmaker

    Keys: time keeper, timeline, divus, 151, gearmaker, gear maker, timekeeper

    Entity 151, The Gearmaker, is an avatar of Chrono’lektra, the Pillar of Time. Ae was formerly known as Divus, the Keeper of Time, until the fracture of the Pantheon. Ae constructed a machine, the Enigmachina, to automate aer duties before disappearing. Now, as The Gearmaker, the full extent of aer duties is merely maintaining the Enigmachina. Rumor has it that ae has turned to alcoholism.

    Something else to note here is that The Gearmaker, alongside every other avatar of time, are all part of a multiversal council known as The Timekeepers, which are dedicated to preserving the stability of timelines throughout the multiverse.

43. #43Integration Points

    Keys: timeline, integration point

    An Integration Point is a phenomenon in which one experiences a point of convergence between timelines, where every single possibility is simultaneously true. Specifically in regards to themselves, in which they receive a glimpse into every possible version of themselves. Integration points are commonly experienced by “falling out of time”, so to speak.

44. #44Temporal Apotheosis

    Keys: timeline, gearmaker, stopwatch, clock, object 95

    Object 95, AKA Temporal Apotheosis, is basically an in-universe explanation for retcons in the lore. It was believed to have been created by The Gearmaker, but in the timeline which the object was documented, The Gearmaker apparently never existed. This in itself is believed to be another consequence of the object's properties.

    The premise of Object 95 is that old retconned lore belongs to alternate timelines that were erased by the object, and any existing remnants of that retconned lore in the current timeline are believed by its inhabitants to be a result of the Mandela effect.

    Visually, the object appears like a Victorian-era pocket watch, but it conceals a digital timer underneath its case that counts down from two months. Once the timer reaches zero, a cataclysmic event almost like an integration point on a mass scale will supposedly occur, in which multiple timelines collide – effectively erasing them and resulting in one new timeline. However, some people will still be able to recall fragments of the erased timelines as quote-unquote “false memories”.

45. #45Ad Astra

    Keys: astra, aster, ad astra, solaris, level 72, space station

    Blip-03, also known as “Ad Astra”, was a localized distortion of spacetime within Level 78, with certain properties that classified it as a sub-level.

    On January 18, 2022, Entity 405 was consumed by Null-06. As a result, Null-06 unleashed a massive energy wave which destroyed most of the devices in level 78’s space station. This placed the space station on a crash course with Ad Astra. It was originally calculated that this collision would occur on July 26, but then it turned out that people would only observe it by then, and the actual collision would occur on January 27. And so it came to pass on that date, as Level 78’s space station collided with Ad Astra, killing all who remained on-board. Solaris had apparently attempted to prevent this from occurring, but failed, and so she harbors a great deal of guilt.

46. #46The Blue Channel

    Keys: universes, timeline, blue channel, void, multiverse

    The Blue Channel is a hazy blue void which encompasses and contains the entire cosmology of The Backrooms, meaning that every version of The Backrooms is within The Blue Channel. Not only that, but it is also implied to contain every version of The Frontrooms and other unknown realities, including the real world. One can swim through the blue channel just like water, and The Blue Channel is home to its own races of entities, such as the saberzoa.

47. #47The Middlesorts

    Keys: middlesorts, blue channel, nexus, multiverse

    The Middlesorts serves as a nexus to every possible version of The Backrooms, residing at the center of The Blue Channel at the coordinates of 0,0. It physically appears as a waiting room, in which visitors can be transported to any level of their choosing out of any backrooms canon, which are all compiled in one conglomerative database.

    The Middlesorts are operated by a group of beings named Molly, Simon, Ben and Ava, belonging to a species known as the corpus cores. Despite the importance of their role, The Corpus Cores themselves don’t really appear to have any kind of godlike power, nor do they seem to take their job that seriously.

48. #48Level 3

    Keys: level 3, electrical station

    SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY CLASS 2

    Exit: 1/5 Easy to Exit

    Environment: 3/5 High Environmental Risk

    Entities: 3/5 Major Hostile Presence

    Description Level 3 is a series of long, dark, twisting hallways that work similarly to Level 0. They all consist of randomly segmented rooms, which form in no particular pattern, and are extremely loud with the noises of machinery. The hallways are very narrow and enclosed, some even requiring wanderers of average height and build to bend, hunch, crawl, or walk sideways through them.

    The walls are comprised of dusty, brown bricks, usually covered in segments of copper pipes and mechanical components. The floors are made of an even dustier grey-tiled floor, whilst the ceiling is made entirely from metal.

    Level 3 is one of the larger levels of the Backrooms. Estimated at around 350 million square miles in area (~563 million square kilometers), this presumed size makes sightings of fellow wanderers scarce when traveling through Level 3. It is recommended that you enter Level 3 only if you are properly prepared to defend yourself from anything lurking in the hallways with you, as it is highly unlikely that any aid will come to you should you need it.

    As mentioned, Level 0 and Level 3 share some similarities. The rooms are of similar size and layout, and the hallways of both are long and winding. However, the levels also contain some striking differences. One such example would pertain to the rooms of Level 3 themselves, which sometimes contain objects inside of them that help differentiates them from other rooms, something which Level 0 lacks. One of the more notable examples of this is that of a set of rusty prison bars, captured in image form by The M.E.G. in the initial exploration of the level in 2012 (see the image attached to the right for a reference regarding the appearance of the bars). Further tests have demonstrated that no matter what methods were attempted, bars could never be removed or opened, nor the walls around them.1 Such obstructions have made it impossible to traverse certain portions of Level 3, so the level cannot be fully mapped at present.

    M.E.G. field explorers have reported that areas, where prison bars are more numerous, tend to instill a heightened sense of fear and extreme discomfort in wanderers. Wanderers often claim to feel as if they are being watched, and have even claimed to see strange figures lurking beyond the bars. The M.E.G. has concluded that such phenomena are either the result of hallucinations, or merely rumors.

    Level 3 shares many similarities with Level 2, such as the fact that walls are typically lined with pipes. The pipes are far less abundant than those of Level 2, but can still be found lining the corners of most hallways. The echo of the viscous, black sludge that flows through these pipes is one of the main sources of noise within the level. The sludge in question is highly toxic and emits deadly fumes that cause damage to the body’s nervous system if inhaled, as well as 2nd/3rd-degree burns upon direct contact with skin. All studies attempting to analyze the chemical composition of the sludge have yielded inconclusive results. This in itself poses an obstacle to research on the substance’s properties and potential functions.

    Out-of-place electrical rooms can also be found randomly throughout the hallways of Level 3. These electrical rooms can vary greatly in every single aspect, but the majority of them are extremely dark and contain a single generator. Electrical or electronic appliances such as breaker boxes, computers, loose wires, security camera monitors, and fluorescent lights have also been reported.

    Level 3, while relatively dangerous, is considered a hotspot for supply bases. This is because Level 3 is rich with resources such as Almond Water, False Outlets, Liquid Pain, Firesalt, Royal Rations, Squirt Guns, and Bottled Lightning. Along with the aforementioned items, other objects not native to The Backrooms can be found throughout the level, such as knives, lighters, bolt cutters, flashlights, and other miscellaneous weapons or supplies. Notably, Level 3 is also the level in which Wi-Fi in The Backrooms is at its strongest, sitting at a consistent three or four bars instead of fluctuating randomly like in the majority of other levels.

    The abundant machinery within the level causes temperatures within Level 3 to be uncomfortably warm but generally bearable, with the average temperature ranging widely from 66 to 93°F (~18 to 33°C). Long-distance travel across Level 3 is made difficult by regions in which the temperature may rise dramatically to become entirely inhospitable, with the highest temperature ever recorded being 135°F (~57°C)2. Reports also exist of regions with damp, thick air, which makes the air in these areas difficult to breathe.

    The machinery of Level 3 is quite possibly the most dangerous aspect of its ambient environment. The machines found throughout the level operate autonomously without the need for external intervention. Wanderers may benefit from useful machinery or tap into the apparently infinite extranormal supply of electricity powering them. However, the autonomy of these machines also makes them hazardously volatile. Machines often break down and require regular maintenance, which is dangerous since their power supply cannot be turned off by any means. Furthermore, the machines have been known to spontaneously combust or explode on several occasions, causing grievous injury to Wanderers unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity. Despite this, the danger of machinery can be easily avoided if one does not act rashly while traversing the level, and instead scouts out a safe route.

    Entities Level 3 contains many dangerous entities. It is almost impossible to traverse large distances without encountering them at least once. Hounds, Facelings, Wretches, Male and Female Deathmoths, Skin-Stealers, Dullers, Smilers, Clumps, and Bursters all seem to inhabit this level, preying on anyone unlucky enough to succumb to them. The Crawler Fungus has been found growing here, and the high humidity makes it easy for The Disease to spread here as well, so you are advised to maintain proper hygiene practices while making your way through the tunnels.

    Whilst these entities do not appear at every corner, their large numbers have caused countless casualties among wanderer circles and M.E.G. operatives alike. These entities have even been reported to actively seek out hubs of human activity — particularly minor bases —in hopes of dismantling them and feasting on their occupants. Attacks on M.E.G. Base Gamma are frequent but often pose little to no threat due to the size and defensive capacities of the base in question. Smaller groups, such as the FOJ, have reported difficulty in keeping their outposts intact. Many of them have experienced near or total collapse of their outposts as a result of multiple attacks, and live in constant fear for their safety.

    Bases, Communities, and Outposts3 Numerous groups have consistently attempted to set up bases in Level 3 in order to make use of its abundant assets. A large proportion of these attempts fail merely days after they are established, as entities can and will attack vulnerable bases that are not prepared for the onslaught. The high failure rate should serve as a warning—do not attempt to settle in Level 3 unless you have the resources, manpower, and tenacity to do so.

    M.E.G. - Base Gamma Third-most important M.E.G. base. Around 300 operatives permanently stationed here, and a large number of others lodge here, oftentimes seeking refuge from entities which are contained within the level. Originally constructed by M.E.G. operatives out of makeshift bricks which were made of shredded toothbrushes, shoelaces, toy plastic horseshoes, and bottles of glue, all found in level 3 itself. The inhabitants of the base armed themselves with makeshift slings which were made of electrical cables and rubber bands bound to bones of some entities they had previously slain. They used capsules of Liquid Pain as ammunition for these slingshots. Open to trading. Commonly attacked by swarms of entities. The most well-powered base in the Backrooms, and is also targeted by humans for that reason. Largest documented base on Level 3. B.N.T.G. - Storage Facility Used as a primary storage facility for the B.N.T.G. A multitude of resources belonging to the B.N.T.G. are stored in it, all prepared for trading in other levels. Open to trading, but their trades have been known to be unreasonably high. Around 150 permanent members, with the majority of visitors staying in for less than an hour due to the speed at which the B.N.T.G transfers resources between levels. 2nd largest documented base on Level 3. Followers of Jerry - Blue Salvation Only 15 permanent members. Set up for the purpose of resource collection. Very small in size, and has come under siege and teetered on the edge of destruction multiple times. Hostile to those not willing to learn of Jerry. Unpredictable threat level. U.E.C. - Base Scylla Unknown amount of members. Likely set up to collect resources. Not open to trading. Should not be approached. Entrances and Exits4 Entrances Unlocked doors on Level 2 commonly lead to Level 3. Elevators on Level 4 and Level 5 can lead back to Level 3. Entering bunkers on Level 10 can sometimes lead to Level 3. Buildings on Level 11 that have a similar look to Level 3 on the inside can sometimes teleport you to it. Rusty pipes found inside Level 13 may lead to Level 3 should you make contact with them. The Metro is also an easy way to access Level 3. Exits Elevators on Level 3 can usually lead to Level 4 and Level 55. Wooden doors lead to Level 31. Sitting in the front seat of cars that are found in the electrical rooms will cause you to fall unconscious. Upon waking up, you will be in Level 69. Footnotes

    1. Methods tried ranged from lock-picking and the usage of pliers to the eventual usage of industrial flamethrowers and explosives.
    2. It is worth noting that this temperature was recorded within an electrical room with a boiler inside it. The room was already considerably warm due to the generator and other running machinery inside. Such occurrences have been documented only once in a while, but in all cases, the areas in which they were recorded were walled off.
    3. Listed here are only the bases of major Groups of Interest. There are many more outposts across this level established by minor groups and communities.
    4. More entrances and exits exist than this. The ones of most importance are listed.
    5. Elevators are rare, but typically used as an easy back and forth between Level 3, 4, and 5.
49. #49Level 4

    Keys: abandoned office, level 4, office

    SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY CLASS 1

    Exit: 1/5 Easy to Exit

    Environment: 0/5 No Environmental Risks

    Entities: 1/5 Minimal Hostile Presence

    level4basic.png A typical room in Level 4

    The Blue Office, designated by the M.E.G. as Level 4, is commonly regarded as the safest level of the Backrooms. It serves as a hub for wanderers to congregate or rest in and provides ample supplies with which to construct bases and set up camps. It should be noted that Level 4 is the level on which almond water is found most frequently.

    Description Level 4 is an infinite empty office space, characterized by blue or gray floors and pristine white walls. The level is non-linear – within a room, space appears perfectly linear, though returning where one came from via doors or stairwells is impossible1. The atmosphere on the level is calming, yet tinged with nostalgia and hollowness – windows line the sides of most rooms, appearing to lead back to reality.

    The rooms of Level 4 are generally quite similar to each other. Adjacent rooms appear nearly identical, as though they come from the same real-world building, small differences accumulate as one progresses to reveal rooms that look quite different. Level 4 is devoid of long hallways between rooms, instead doors lead directly into other offices.

    Level 4’s walls are smooth and cleanly painted, all in the same white colour. Often the walls are divided into panels, though this is not always the case. Some rooms contain boarding on the base of walls, which is a valuable source of wood aside from the level’s wooden doors.

    Flooring on Level 4 generally comes in two varieties; carpeted, and smooth. Carpeted floors generally appear worn, with balls of fluff accumulated from apparent previous use. That being said, they are in otherwise good condition, being far cleaner than Level 0’s soggy and moist rugs. Smooth floors do appear relatively clean as well, being generally devoid of obvious dirt. Some floors exhibit dents in the shape of chairs and table legs, leaving the ghostly impression of a once-full workspace.

    Water coolers appear frequently on the level, filled with almond water which is safe to drink. As well as these water coolers, 90s-era printers, and computers2 can be found plugged into the outlets lining Level 4’s walls. Most usefully, worn-out electric kettles can be found here too, an invaluable tool for boiling almond water.

    Elevators lead to other floors within the level.

    Survival Guide level4water.png A water cooler in Level 4.

    Stock up on as much almond water as possible, and boil all of it as soon as you find a kettle – you never know when you’ll next have access to a means to boil water. Bottles of almond water can be found here with which to contain it, and some water coolers come with paper cups – take some of these, even if you don’t need them right now, you might need them later.

    The main threat on this level are the windows, which appear to lead outside of the Backrooms into the real world. Although the Backrooms seem to be on a different plane than the Earth, newcomers may believe that they have simply been stuck in an absurdly large building – when humans are confused, they tend to rationalize. If a wanderer has been wandering through the more underground levels such as Level 2 or Level 3, it could seem that upon entering Level 4 that they have exited the underground portion of whatever building they are trapped in. The windows appear to offer an escape from this nightmare. They do not. Consult the main page on these false windows for more information.

    Groups Amor Incrementum: This group is a religious cult that worships agriculture. This group is very small, having only around 10 members. The only plants they grew were various species of mould, harvested from walls in Level 0 and Level 1. They're incredibly hostile and not normally up for trade (unless you have religious objects - such as objects depicting Jesus or other religious entities - in which case they most likely would be willing to trade).

    Access Entrances Enter via stairwells in these levels: Level 0 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 9 (indoors only) On Earth, entry is possible via any office building or skyscraper, usually via stepping through a glitched door. As with all levels, entry is possible via no-clipping on Earth. Exits Rarely, stairwells and doors can lead to any other level, excluding Level 8. If entry is made into Level 9, it will always lead one indoors. Footnotes

    1. Re-entering a door or stairwell will lead to a new room instead.
    2. These computers run an unfamiliar BIOS and operating system. The operating system used appears based on systems like OS-2 and Microsoft Windows 2000, though it does not resemble either of these exactly.
50. #50Level 5

    Keys: Level 5, terror hotel, hotel

    This could be Heaven or this could be Hell.

    SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY CLASS 2

    Exit: 1/5 Easy to Exit

    Environment: 2/5 Some Environmental Risk

    Entities: 2/5 Some Hostile Presence

    Level-5-1-cc.png A photo of the Main Hall.

    Description Level 5 is an infinite hotel complex with many rooms and halls. The level itself appears to have been constructed in the 1930s, with furniture dating back to 1920. There are three (3) main areas in Level 5 that are fully accessible.

    The surroundings of Level 5 are littered with decorations and furniture from the early 20th century, with The Main Hall being the most object-populated area of Level 5. The level is mostly clean, with little dust and dirt lingering on surfaces. It seems to clean itself, as unclean spots disappear only a few minutes after appearing. The oddly pristine floors and well-cared-for areas make Level 5 utterly unsettling when compared to other levels close by. Smooth jazz plays quietly throughout the halls via vintage turntables and speakers hooked up to a sound system, though the choice and switching of music is random and out of place. It is unknown how this feat is completed.

    Level 5 is fairly mysterious and infamous for the strange noises that can be heard, such as distant party chatter from the other side of the wall. People claim that there is an unseen presence watching them around every corner, as evidenced by reports of incoherent whispers from behind them, something tapping their shoulder despite being alone, and the supposed watching eyes from the aged paintings scattered about. Throughout Level 5 are three (3) main areas that are listed below.

    The Main Hall This area is the main section of Level 5 and is the most common area to discover. The walls are covered in mahogany-red and gold-ornate wallpaper. Wanderers have even reported that the wallpaper has faces that stare at you, but the authenticity of these reports is questionable. The floors come in many variations, such as dark walnut wood, white marble, and exotic red and gold carpets. The halls themselves are very furnished with the previously mentioned decorations, including bookshelves, cabinets, sofas, and much more.

    The walls of The Main Hall have antique candle holders scattered across the halls, some of which are actually electric lamps that produce a constant buzz similar to Level 0. Most rooms in this area are empty, but some have fully furnished living quarters that are capable of sustaining life. Doors in this area are labelled with gold placards with a room number that doesn't follow any recognizable pattern. Many of these doors are locked, but some have miraculously unlocked over time. Some can even open and close randomly.

    This area of Level 5 also holds many elevator shafts, which can range from modern elevators to antique elevators with a copper cage. Inside the elevator, there are many buttons that lead to floors 1 to 382. Accessing floors 1–12 will see the wanderer to another part of Level 5 on the same floor rather than rising upwards. 13 or higher will either result in death or disappearance. It is unknown what is above floor 12.

    The Beverly Room Some dance to remember, some dance to forget…

    Also known as "The Eternal Ballroom", The Beverly Room is the main hub area in Level 5. The room itself is very spacious, with many doors on all sides. The number of doors seems to be random, and one wanderer reported hundreds of doors on the walls, floor, and ceiling. The room only contains a small, fanciful table in the centre, illuminated by a large chandelier. The contents of the table include many drinks and an unfinished game of Mahjong. Attempts at finishing the game were unsuccessful, as this object forces a desire to stay away from it. The doors of this area will either lead to The Main Hall or The Boiler Room, with the former being the most common occurrence. Entrances to this room will be labelled with a small silver placard reading "The Beverly Room".

    The Boiler Room Level-5-2-cc.jpg A photo of the Boiler Room.

    Level-5-3-cc.jpg Another photo of the Boiler Room.

    This area of Level 5 is fairly large and is cluttered due to the mass amount of old machinery placed within. The area contains large vintage machinery and intertwined industrial pipes littering the walls, causing the layout to be very claustrophobic. Exhaust valves line the pipes on the walls as Almond Water flows through the pipes. The pressure of the water causes the pipes to leak.

    The temperature of this area is fairly high, and most surfaces are dry, despite the steam that fills the air. Most rooms are filled with boilers, though some have furnaces. The noises heard here are mostly loud machinery that constantly runs or Almond Water dripping from the pipes. Wanderers report faint whispering emitting from the large smoking furnaces, but investigations about this are ongoing. Maintenance elevators are present, but it is not advised to use them.

    Reports of a fourth area named "The Lobby Room" have been made. No one knows how to enter, as wanderers who have experienced this anomaly only respond with, "You're not supposed to know". Witnesses lose all memory of this room in the span of a few weeks, leading investigators to believe this phrase refers to the inability to remember how to enter this area. In fact, many of us may have already entered this room. Investigations of this area by The M.E.G. are ongoing.

    Entities Normal entities are fairly scarce in Level 5. However, there is a large population of Deathmoths that have created nests all around this level. This level is considered to be one of the many central hives for these entities. Most fly out of dark rooms, swarming the halls. Level 5 contains a mixture of both Male and Female Deathmoths, though, fortunately, the Females seem to stay in their nests despite their abundance in Level 5. The only other entities that are known to appear in Level 5 are Hounds, Skin-Stealers, Nguithr'xurh, and Plague Goblins. There were also reports of a Wrangler in The Boiler Room.

    But enough of all that chatter; I'm sure you're bored out of your mind already. Why don't you come to my office? I'd like to have a chat with you. No need to go further here.

    Bases, Outposts, and Communities M.E.G. Outpost "House Keeping": This outpost is made to protect other groups from entities and to study Level 5. They help guide wanderers looking to move through The Boiler Room. They usually assists groups like Homely Hotel with their service. Homely Hotel: This group has a running hotel service in Level 5. This group is set in The Main Hall, with custom signs leading to their area. This group is open to new wanderers to fill in their applications to stay. They have active food and room service to keep the wanderers safe. This is their first base, with their second being in Level 11. The Lost Hall Society: This was a group created by an unknown entity species. The population is unknown, located in a wing of the level filled with libraries. It is rumored that they spend most of their time collecting, studying, and debating over historical and geographical information. They have a reputation for their vast collection of tomes, maps, and other media containing a wealth of knowledge. High value to any wanderers in need of information on just about anything, as their work is still here to this day. Entrances and Exits Entrances Access an elevator in Level 3. Follow an old-fashioned stairway in Level 4. Houses in Level 10 may lead to Level 5. Exits Get back on the elevator to re-enter Level 3. Return back up the stairs to re-enter Level 4. Travel deep into The Boiler Room to get to Level 6, although this is not advised due to the extreme heat. Taking a dark wooden door can lead to Level 9. Enter an airlock door within The Boiler Room to enter Level 78. Last thing I remember, I was running for the door. I had to find the passage back to the place I was before. “Relax,” said the night man, “We are programmed to receive. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave…”

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