The Backrooms | Kane's Version

Entities:

The Lifeform: Also known as Bacteria, is a humanoid creature (or possibly a group of creatures) that inhabit the Backrooms, preying on victims that have found themselves in their presence. They're extremely hostile toward humans and have been cause for concern among the Async Research Institute in their mission to study the Backrooms.

The creature seems to "come to life" from a black substance resembling black or grey mold around the Backrooms. The entities presumably killed who is theorized to be Nicolas Bolton, evidenced by the severe tissue damage and mutated Hay bacillus inside his body. It most likely killed many other people who ended up inside the Backrooms too.

The Lifeform appears to wander the Backrooms randomly, often making noises which seem similar to human speech, however it is unclear if the creature understands the meaning of these sounds.

The origins of the creatures are debated. It could have been in the Backrooms long before Async created the Threshold entering via unknown means, it could have entered after the discovery of the Backrooms, or it could've been the work of the Backrooms by gathering deceased victims and mutating them.

The still life: the still life are a failed recreation of humans that the backrooms' itself tried to make, they are twisted or distorted versions of humans, they can repeat facial features like noses, eyes or even the entire face! They can be tall, like up to 8 feet, large or any size, but the tallest that is documented is 8 feet tall.

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The corporations:

ASYNC Research Lab: The Async Research Institute (also known as the Async Foundation or simply Async) is a research organization responsible for opening the Threshold (using the Low-Proximity Magnetic Distortion System) or KV31 into the Backrooms. It is located at the Async Research Facility in San Jose, California.

Before opening the Backrooms: They originally created MRI Machines for use in hospitals, however in April of 1988 Async started an experiment on opening a doorway into the Backrooms based on the research by Oak Ridge National Laboratory six years prior. The experiments were directed by vice director Ivan Beck and were described as a solution for all future storage and housing needs. The experiments continued as they got funding from the government.

Opening the Backrooms: On July 2, 1988, the third test to open the doorway resulted in failure. The sixth test on October 17, 1989, was successful. Two scientists argued whether to shut down the machine or not. Some form of obstruction was also detected. The experiment was not shut down and after the machine almost broke, the Backrooms were finally opened. But the opening of the Threshold is theorized to have caused an earthquake that knocked out all electricity in the building and killed 63 people.

Discovery: In 1989, they used a device called the Low-Proximity Magnetic Distortion System or KV31 to inadvertently open a portal (the "Threshold") into a vast, empty, yellow-wallpapered dimension they called "The Complex".

What are their goals?: Initially, Async did not have malicious intentions. They sought to solve global crises—specifically overpopulation and mass storage shortages—by using the infinite space of the Backrooms to house people and store materials.

Why are they important to the story?: Async's attempts to map and exploit the Backrooms cause disastrous consequences.

The Catastrophe: Opening the portal caused an earthquake that created "null zones" in the real world. This accidentally caused everyday people to "noclip" (fall) into the Backrooms.

The Entities: They continue to explore and expand their facility inside the Backrooms despite knowing about deadly, hostile creatures roaming the halls.

The Cover-up: Rather than stopping, Async continues their experiments and recovery missions, attempting to cover up the dangerous reality of the dimension.

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Locations:

The Complex: The vast majority of The Complex mirrors generic, late-20th-century public architecture. It consists of an estimated 600 million square miles of interconnected, randomly segmented rooms.

The "Common" Area: This is the most iconic zone, featuring faded yellow floral or patterned yellow wallpaper, damp and stained brown carpeting, acoustic drop-ceilings, and the ceaseless, deafening buzz of fluorescent lights.

Replication and Flaws: The Complex is essentially a flawed "drawing from memory". It copies structural and biological elements from the real world—such as office buildings, suburban streets, houses, and even plant life—but repeats them endlessly with incorrect proportions and misremembered details.

The Gallery: Areas transition into different aesthetics, such as empty spaces with white plaster walls and dark oak flooring, resembling empty art galleries.

How it was Created (Async): In the 1980s, the Async Research Institute developed the Low-Proximity Magnetic Distortion System (KV31). In 1989, during their sixth test of this technology, they successfully opened a permanent doorway dubbed "The Threshold". Their intention was to explore a seemingly infinite, empty volume of space to ease the burden of the standard world. The

Null Zones: The dimensional barrier between our world (the frontrooms) and The Complex is surprisingly thin.

Accidental Access: Random spots in the real world can intersect with The Complex in what are called "Null Zones". When individuals accidentally step into these zones, they "no-clip" and fall through the geometry of reality, plummeting directly into The Complex.

Physical Dilation: The space does not obey standard physics. Falling into it can cause erratic time-dilation, transporting the victim forward or backward in time.