Entity Number: 250 - "Wheelfolk"
An image of a Wheelfolk taken on Level 9.
Habitat(s): Metropolitan and Residential Spaces
Description:
The creatures known as “Wheelfolk”, or Entity 250 formally, are a general class of entity that takes the appearance of wheelchairs ranging in quality, age, and size. They are known to be helpful and are considered a good omen by wanderers who see them.
Wheelfolk are a species characterized by their solitary and elusive nature. Most often, they are nomadic and in a constant state of aimless movement. Although they are mostly solitary by nature, it is possible—although rare—to discover them moving in groups of up to three individual wheelfolk.
As previously mentioned, wheelfolk are known to be helpful to wanderers, but the reason for this is unclear. When a wanderer comes into contact with a wheelfolk, it will most likely attempt to hide or flee to escape direct line of sight. This is due to a commonly observed pattern of various hostile entities going out of their way to destroy wheelfolk. It is unclear as to why this occurs, but researchers from The Charles Darwin Center for Biological Research assume that other predatory entities view them as prey.
It is only common to be in the presence of a wheelfolk under three scenarios.
- A wanderer pursues and catches a wheelfolk after they have fled to hide.
- The wheelfolk is approached when it is unaware of a wanderer’s presence.
- A person within a group receives a disabling injury.
In the last of these scenarios, a wheelfolk will appear to assist the wanderer, hastily rolling to their position and using some form of telepathy to lift the wanderer onto them. They will then transport the wanderer to a safer level.
If members of Entity 250 are socialized with enough, they are known to become attached to certain individuals and familiar items. Because of this, certain medical institutions have made use of and befriended wheelfolk to use as an assistance device for patients and those who require care.
Regardless, entities in the wheelfolk family have a few quirks. Despite a lack of proper features associated with any living creature, wheelfolk are still able to move independently. They additionally grow an interest in certain items, repeatedly rolling over things they enjoy being around.
Most wheelfolk stick to certain areas within whatever level they may reside within. These areas are known as “ranges”, much like the lands that animals would commonly navigate in The Frontrooms. Within these ranges, multiple wheelfolk will be present, and may even interact or travel in small groups. However, these wheelfolk always return to their own separate areas that act as their dens or nests. Entities in the wheelfolk family will often adorn these spaces with items they grow attached to, rolling or pushing them into these areas to mark them as safe areas for themselves and others.
Wheelfolk may often share and exchange random items in order to make dens more accommodating to one another. This also applies to humans whom they might frequently visit or encounter. However, if a wheelfolk feels as though their space is in danger or unfit, they will most often scatter the items from it until they find another sufficient space. Most often, the items from the previous den will be abandoned or taken by others.
Due to their physical form, not much can be said about the physical biology of a wheelfolk. Analyzing the remains of wheelfolk found on Level 9 has shown that regardless of the age or style of the wheelchair they are, the wheelfolk possesses no remarkable features which would make them capable of living. On top of this, it is unknown how wheelfolk are able to sense their surroundings or how they telepathically lift wanders.
However, it is known that members of Entity 250 are capable of rudimentary communication via the squeaking and movement of their wheels. Despite this being known, it is also unclear how the intricacies of this language work. Although, it is known that wheelfolk are capable of understanding human speech regardless of the language spoken.
Wheelfolk are capable of being injured and also seem to age as time passes, similarly to any other living thing. This aging process happens at rates that differ depending on what material the wheelfolk is made of, taking the form of rusting metal, splintering wood, worn rubber, and tearing canvas. During this aging process, a wheelfok’s abilities will be significantly reduced, including the ability to transport wanderers and travel to other levels (although the process of inter-level travel is uncommon unless a wheelfolk is bringing a wanderer to safety).
The initial discovery of Entity 250 is unclear, though reports dating back to the Late 1800s mention an elusive type of creature which many believe to be wheelfolk. In more recent times, much of the modern knowledge on Entity 250 can be attributed to Anastasia Quinn, the current Zoological Assistant of the I.M.B.H.
This modern discovery occurred as part of a larger research project to understand mostly overlooked and trivial entities. In this study, the ability to befriend and communicate with wheelfolk was properly understood and studied. Anastasia Quinn has archived most of their study, however, an audio transcript of this interaction has been preserved and can be read below.