SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:
Class 4
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Photograph taken on the 26th floor of Level 489.
Description
Level 489 is the 490th level of the Backrooms, and is composed of 64 miles2 of prison architecture, arranged in an 8 mile by 8 mile area divided into an unknown amount of floors. Currently, only 30 floors have been mapped out completely due to the near-constant Shimmer Events that occur at this point, as well as the dangerous environment caused by The Melding. The layouts of Level 489's floors are all distinct from one another, though typically they all consist of at least two cafeterias, two infirmaries, a warden's block, and seven cell blocks of one-hundred cells. For further floors, however, there is no guarantee of this pattern's continuation.
The Melding
Prior to the M.E.G.'s discovery of Level 489, this level was thought to have been a safe haven of the Lost Ahati for a considerable amount of time until an unknown event took place. It is not known how long ago this event had occurred, but recovered texts from the Lost Ahati seem to suggest that the group had at least established a primary base here before this event. Private researchers have taken to calling this event The Melding, in reference to the human bodies melded into the architecture found deeper within the level.
The Melding appears to have been an extinction event that occurred within the bowels of Level 489. The current accepted theory proposed by M.E.G. researchers is that an as-of-yet undiscovered object of mass potential had fused the entirety of the Lost Ahati with the structure of Level 489 and its lower floors. It is also theorized that this event was the progenitor of the level's Shimmer Events as well as The Warden, as there have been no Lost Ahati records that suggest these occurrences had taken place prior to The Melding.
Shimmer Events
An image taken during a Shimmer Event on the 13th floor.
Shimmer Events are localized events that occur periodically within Level 489. These events are characterized by the shifting and melting of the environment, as well as an unusual increase in the amount of entities, most prominently The Warden, within the locale. Shimmer Events occur throughout the entirety of Level 489, though happen at an exponentially increased rate the lower the level. Shimmer Events tend to result in headaches, nausea, loss of bearings, memories being altered or even lost, and a dangerously high fever. Precautions one could take to lessen the effects of Shimmer Events are unique to the individual but are usually related to methods of general stress relief, such as tea or breathing exercises.
Shimmer Events seem to be able to "create" entities that should not, and in some cases could not, appear within Level 489. Most often these events simply attract entities such as Skin-Stealers, Deathmoths, and Hounds, however some extreme cases include entities such as King Rasputin Bartholemew III and, in one particularly disasterous case, a Wrangler.
These Shimmer Events typically last only five to ten minutes, though reports state that they can be as short as ten seconds or as long as an hour.
The Warden
Possible sighting of The Warden, taken by an anonymous M.E.G. researcher on the 21st floor.
The Warden is a unique entity found only on Level 489. They are a feminine humanoid of dark complexion, approximately 2.5 meters (8 feet 2 inches) tall. Reports of The Warden's appearance change from individual to individual, but all accounts say that they appear to wear an ornate red-gold "crown" of sorts. Records from the Lost Ahati do mention an object of immense power in the form of a "deshret", the symbolic crown of ancient Lower Egypt, though the terminology used may instead refer to the crown's red-gold material.
Although The Warden seemingly prefers to patrol floors 20 through 30, there have been numerous documented cases of The Warden appearing on floors as high as floor 7. When patrolling, The Warden will attempt to capture and meld all humanoid life into the level that lies in their path. It is extremely rare for an individual to escape The Warden, and as such few sightings of them have been reported.
The Warden exhibits some semblance of human intelligence and personality, as well as the aforementioned ability to meld their victims into the level. The Warden seems to be able to maneuver through the environment through melding as well, though it is unknown to what extent they are able to do this.
Communities, Bases, And Outposts
The Lost Ahati
The Lost Ahati are an extinct sect of The Lost that had lived primarily within Level 489. Very little information has been recovered by the M.E.G. regarding this sect, however three historic artifacts have been recovered from Level 489 that have a high probability of originating from The Lost Ahati;
- The first artifact recovered appears to be an ornate bronze-tipped spear of ceremonial design. This spear was found on floor 30 in the grasp of a melded individual. The spear has inscribed on it numerous heiroglyphs, as well as a Hebrew translation of the assumed name of the piece, that being "At Soldier's Rest". It has been determined that the piece was created within the Backrooms itself, rather than having origins from the Frontrooms.
- The second artifact seems to be a tablet of names carved within a 1ft by 2ft piece of slate found on floor 12. The names have been determined to relate to the fallen members of The Lost Ahati, as each name is prefixed with "αἁτι" (which phonetically translates to "ahati" in modern English), as well as suffixed with "μετ" (which phonetically translates to "met" in modern English).
- The third and final artifact recovered is a bound book made from papyrus found on floor 28. This artifact appears to have beeen some sort of journal used by a member of The Lost Ahati. Translations of the book are ongoing, but the little that has been deciphered supports the theory that this was kept by a scribe of a royal guard, initially tasked with transporting a "Mewetenib" to an unknown destination. The journal continues for seventeen pages before ending abruptly, leaving twenty unmarked pages.
Entrances And Exits
Entrances
Entering Level 489 is relatively simple and consistent, needing only to have access to Level 2 and a simple barring method. In order to enter the level, a wanderer needs to find an open doorway within Level 2 and must bar access through the door. Doing so, and subsequently attempting to open the door, will result in the inexplicable opening of the barred doorway, regardless of efficiency and quality of restriction. The doorway will then be a temporary access point for travel between Level 2 and Level 489 for approximately 10 minutes, after which the door will close once again.
Exits
Exiting Level 489 can be done through finding the portcullis of floor 3, which leads directly to Level 5. An exit to Level 654 can also be found by locating a manhole cover found throughout the level itself and descending through it.