Content Warning
This page contains discussions of addiction.
Habitats: Nocturnal/Isolated
Entity 78, known as Chrono-Wisps, are often found on dimly lit levels with little human activity. It is recommended to avoid being near Chrono-Wisps for extended periods of time, for the reality-bending and frequently abused effects of the entity do not make for ideal living conditions.
First ever photo of a Chrono-Wisp taken on an unknown level.
Description:
Chrono-Wisps are rare, almost transparent entities resembling glowing concentrations of mist that float through the Backrooms with an ethereal grace. These entities possess the ability to cause temporal anomalies within the confined spaces of the Backrooms. Wanderers describe encounters with the Chrono-Wisps as surreal experiences involving sudden shifts in perception, witnessing glimpses of both past and future, and feeling boundaries of time blur as if the walls of reality become fluid in their presence.
Chrono-Wisps are capable of accessing a threatening wanderer or entity's mind to trap them in a time loop, though it's rare for them to resort to this defense mechanism. The victim will be forced to relive the last minute for what feels like hours to even weeks with no control over their body, whilst externally almost no time passes. Another defense mechanism they have is the ability to force wanderers to relive some of their most traumatic memories. Though these memories feel like They last for a couple minutes, several days can pass externally, which causes wanderers to succumb to dehydration and starvation. This is commonly the fate of wanderers who ignore warnings and go out searching for Chrono-Wisps to satisfy cravings brought on by the phenomenon associated with this entity.
Despite this, there are some characteristics that still attract attention to Chrono-Wisps, like their beautiful and disconcerting appearance often described by wanderers. The frequent sense of timelessness during these encounters gives rise to a sensation both liberating and unsettling - a phenomenon dubbed “Chronobliss”. The effects of Chronobliss are addicting to many wanderers for many different reasons, the most prominent being because of the way that Chronobliss changes the way wanderers perceive time. Instead of it being linear and fleeting, time feels malleable and plenty. Chronobliss has a way of making wanderers enter a timeless state where one minute feels like forever, at least until the effect ends, which appeals to wanderers as many fear that death is always around the corner. This effect can take over even the strongest of minds and replace all reasonable thought and feeling with immutable desire. People affected by this addiction often lose focus, forget simple things, and don't recognize loved ones.
Being under the effect of Chronobliss for extended periods of time can cause wanderers or even entities to enter a truly timeless state where every second can feel like an eternity. This reaction is rare, horrifying, and causes wanderers to lose their sense of self. Wanderers in this condition are often found lying with their bodies contorted in unnatural positions, having several bones broken and muscles torn. Despite this wanderers in this state don't feel any pain. Nobody has ever recovered from this condition, with most patients dying within a year. It is believed that similar to the time loop defense mechanism, wanderers under this effect are trapped inside their own minds. For the final few months, an affected wanderer will become increasingly less reactant to touch. For the last few weeks a wanderer has, they will further lose understanding of spatial awareness and become even less receptive to any visual or auditory stimuli. Finally, for the last few days a wanderer has, their parietal lobe will be almost completely dysfunctional, rendering them almost unresponsive to all kinds of sensory information.
Behaviors:
Chrono-Wisps are often seen floating slowly, graciously, and almost aimlessly through the many corridors of the Backrooms. Wanderers frequently confuse this behavior for the Chrono-Wisps trying to lead them somewhere and will follow them, which has on numerous occasions caused the entity to feel threatened enough to use their defense mechanisms. Chrono-Wisps prefer levels with very little human development and activity, and will often disappear from levels that begin to grow in human population. Chrono-Wisps are usually very passive and simply pass by wanderers and entities. When they encounter others of their species they always stop for a minute or two before continuing on through.
Biology:
It is impossible to study the biology of Chrono-Wisps as no groups yet have the technology to contain their reality-bending nature and unusual form. Attempts to collect samples of the entity have all failed as the entity can just float through any barrier it is contained in. It is debated exactly how intelligent Chrono-Wisps are, but a majority believe that they are highly intelligent or even omniscient because of the way the entity accesses a wanderer's mind and memories.
Discovery:
The first recorded encounter with Chrono-Wisps was on December 15th, 1999 by wanderer Alistair Rose. He was found curled up and contorted in a fetal position, heavily under the influence of Chronobliss. At first, it was believed that the thing he encountered was not in fact an entity, but after several subsequent sightings it was determined otherwise.
Do's and Don'ts:
Do:
- Leave the entity be.
- Talk to an M.E.G. medical professional if you believe you are becoming addicted to Chronobliss.
Don't:
- Chase, follow, or touch the entity.
- Intentionally interact with the entity in an attempt to experience Chronobliss.