If you find yourself wandering into the realm of creepy online urban legends, it’s only a matter of time until you run into something related to the Backrooms. An alternate dimension that swallows those unlucky enough to “no-clip” out of reality, the Backrooms is one of the most popular internet phenomena ever conceived. Originating as an eerie picture on a 4chan board, fans of the Backrooms have expanded upon the initial lore by adding additional layers, or “floors,” many of which are inhabited by bizarre and often terrifying creatures known as “entities.”
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Because the Backrooms’ narrative is entirely fan-generated, hundreds of floors and thousands of entities exist within the Backrooms’ established lore. However, fans of the Backrooms have collectively agreed that the first nine levels of the Backrooms, often referred to as “The Main Nine,” form the backbone of the Backroms’ nebulous canon. To keep things from getting too complex, this article will explain the nine primary levels of the Backrooms and the entities that haunt them.
All Entities on Every Level of The Backroom
Level 0 – “The Lobby”
Inspired by the eerie image that started it all, Level 0, also known as “The Lobby,” is an endless labyrinth of nonsensical hallways decorated with yellow wallpaper and lit by fluorescent lights. Like many other floors in the Backrooms, Level 0 doesn’t adhere to the laws of physics, with the rooms appearing to shift and change constantly. This leaves those trapped within with no other option but to wander until they find a way back to reality or down to a deeper floor.
Unlike other floors, however, Level 0 is devoid of native entities. While this means that Level 0 is technically one of the safer levels in the Backgrounds, many “new arrivals” succumb to hunger and thirst or are driven to madness by Level 0’s sheer monotony.
Level 1 – “Habitable Zone”
Level 1, also known as the “Habitable Zone,” is a massive warehouse that, true to its name, is habitable. Not only does Level 1 blessed with a seemingly endless supply of water and electricity, but crates full of food and other supplies regularly appear at random. As a result, Level 1 is home to various survivor communities that sustain themselves through scavenging and trade.
However, while Level 1 is arguably the most “friendly” floor in the Baxckrooms, it’s also home to several deadly entities. The most common are Hounds, hostile dog-like entities that will aggressively hunt any humans they encounter. Other types of entities found in Level 1 are Skin-Stealers, which prey on humans by disguising themselves with the skin of past victims, and Dullers, grey humanoids that ambush prey by pretending to be puddles.
Level 2 – “Pipe Dreams”
Accessible from Level 1 through doors, Level 2, “Pipe Dreams” is a maze of concrete maintenance tunnels lined with steam pipes. While the leaky steam pipes are dangerous enough on their own, the danger of Level 2 lies in the sheer number of hostile entities that live there.
The most dangerous entity found on Level 2 are Smilers, terrifying creatures that stalk their prey from the shadows and can only be identified by their piercing eyes and glimmering teeth. Other entities include Scratchers, who make their presence known by dragging their claws along the walls, and Facelings, which resemble regular humans but often lack distinctive features like faces.
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Level 3 – “Electrical Station”
Connected to Level 2 via fire escapes, Level 3, the “Electrical Station,” is another labyrinthian floor dotted with bizarre machinery. Possessing a unique day-and-night cycle, Level 3 is inhabited by several entities that tend to avoid “sunlit” rooms.
Level 3 is home to one unique entity, the Wretch, a human being mutated by the sheer existential dread that permeates the Backrooms. Level 3 is also home to several entities found on earlier floors. These include Smilers and Scratchers.
Level 4 – “Abandoned Office”
Accessed through a door labeled “office sector in Level 3, Level 4, the “Abdonded Office” resembles an empty office building. Outside of its uncomfortable affiliation with office work, Level 4’s main feature is its windows, against which falls seemingly-endless precipitation. Following a “seasonal cycle” of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the weather outside Level 4 can be calming and terrifying.
While no entities roam the halls of Level 4, some rumors claim that opening the windows will result in you being dragged outside and killed by unknown monsters. Fortunately, Level 4 is home to various human outposts that will lend aid to wanderers.
Level 5 – “Terror Hotel”
Those who open the ornate doors that occasionally appear in Level 4 will find themselves in Level 5, the “Terror Hotel.” Level 5 consisted of two distinct areas, the luxurious main lobby and a grungy labyrinth of maintenance tunnels known as “The Boiler.”
Level 5 is believed to be the home of the Deathmoths, acid-spitting moth-like entities that can occasionally be found fluttering around in other areas of the Backrooms. This level is also home to Growlers, aggressive but dim-witted creatures made of pipe-cleaners that hunt through echolocation.
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Level 6 – “Lights Out”
Wandering too far into Level 5’s Boiler will land you in Level 6, “Lights Out.” Arguably the scariest level in the Backrooms, Level 6 is a pitch-black labyrinth devoid of light and sound.
As a void of total darkness, Level 5 isn’t inhabited by any entities, not even Smilers. However, the sensory deprivation that Level 5 inflicts on wanderers has driven many to insanity.
Level 7 – “Thaslassophobia”
Should you stumble down a flight of stairs in Level 6, you will splash down into Level 7, “Thaslassophobia.” Outside of one room, Level 7 is a vast, shallow ocean. Appropriately, this level is home to some aquatic entities.
Level 7 is home to two entities. The first of the two is “Tiny,” a fish-like humanoid that hunts everyone it encounters with a spear. The second is “The Thing on Level 7,” an unfathomably large eel-like creature in the depths of the sea.
Level 8 – “The Caves”
Located at the bottom of Level 7, Level 8, “The Caves,” is the deepest of the Main Nine levels in the Backrooms. Made up of a massive network of underground caverns, Level 8 is the deadliest of the Main Nine by far.
Not only is Level 8 inhabited by nearly every previously-mentioned entity, but it’s also home to some unique horrors. The Camo Crawlers, four-armed arthropods that can blend in with the walls, are the most prevalent native entity on this level. However, the Camo Crawler is tame compared to the parasitic snake-like Paralie or the murderous child variants of the Facelings. Even if you avoid these terrifying beasts, you could get caught in the web of a Giant Spider.
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