Level 153 - "Brock's Book Shop"

SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:

Class 3

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A picture of the entrance to the bookshop.

Level 153 is the 154th Level of the Backrooms. It was found by M.E.G. member Adeline McCaffery when they involuntarily no-clipped during a rescue mission.

Description:

Level 153 takes the form of a looping bookshop. Every wanderer who comes here will always end up at the outside of the bookshop within a city-like setting. The exterior sports pale cream-beige wallpaper, decorated with intricate designs including two images of women in what is assumed to be Greek clothing. As seen in the picture, there is no sign that indicates the true name of the bookshop. The scent outside smells faintly of spearmint and vanilla. This Level also lacks a day-night cycle and is in a constant state of daytime.

The road in front of the bookshop is impassable, as it is found that when making attempts to step onto the road, there is an invisible force stopping one from crossing. An wanderer may explore along the sidewalk - however, every building besides the bookshop will be locked with no way to open - and turning the corner will always lead back to the same pavement.

As mentioned previously, the bookshop within this Level loops. It is to be noted that the loops have a peculiar time-changing effect, and as such require in-depth descriptions. Pay no mind to the length of them, as the changes in these levels can determine one's hopes of leaving this level safely. Below are the descriptions of the loops in which wanderers are able to see, beginning with the Starting Form.

Deceitful Veracity State - Starting Form

Once a wanderer enters the bookshop, they will find themselves in a setting similar to that of the 1950s. Soft music can be heard from the corner of the shop, played by a polished phonograph. The smell of vanilla and spearmint will be far stronger here. On the right side upon entrance, will be a counter where one can purchase their books. Leather chairs are scattered about the shop; beside it, a small table, usually paired with a tea set and a kettle filled with Moroccan tea. This tea is found to be safe to drink, has similar healing effects to that of Almond Water, and is the source to the spearmint scent of the Level¹. The ceiling is smothered with vines and plants, a few examples being white lilies and asters. Natural light fills the shop so every instance of a light fixture is turned off.

A picture of books taken by M.E.G. member Adeline McCaffery found in the Deceitful Veracity State.

Everywhere else are bookshelves, all filled to their maximum with title-less books of every size and color. Upon first glance, the contents of any book opened will seem completely blank. However, after about 2 minutes upon opening will reveal pages that describe joyous events that happened to one's past. 30 minutes in, one will begin to hear the voices of their loved ones as they read. While this may bring a temporary sense of security and happiness to a wanderer, prolonged exposure to the contents of these books will subject an explorer to a feeling of desolation and loneliness. It is best to stay away from them.

Any attempts to open the entrance again will be proven futile as it will be locked upon entering. There is, however, a door to the storage room in the back of the shop which will be unlocked. Inside will be boxes and shelves filled with books and a small bookbinding station. Going inside, closing the door, and opening it again will reveal the bookshop from where you first entered, in a new setting. This new form is called the Dreadful Desires State.

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Dreadful Desires State

As mentioned previously, opening the storage door and leaving will lead you to the place where you first entered the bookshop from, with one exception; the era has changed to the 1970s. The leather upholstery of the chairs is now changed to chenille and the drink within the tea kettles is replaced with Hibiscus tea. Drinking the tea is still somewhat safe, with minor symptoms such as dizziness and confusion. The scent of cranberry and chocolate fills the air, the vines are replaced with stars and a radio will play music. The light outside seems to be in a perpetual state of what most call the "Golden Hour," which is most commonly witnessed during the first hour after sunrise and the last hour after sunset. As such, a few candles within the shop are lit and are unable to be taken out. asters and floribunda roses are commonly spotted on the windowsills and counter.

"What? The books were getting more scattered, and I'm not using my B.O.A. in Photography for nothing!" - Adeline McCaffery

Wall Masks will start appearing on the walls of the shops, the most common being Oni Masks and Pantalone Masks. There are reports of a single Colombina Mask being found atop a chair seen in the far-left corner of the bookshop, but this is not confirmed.

Opening the books found upon the chairs and shelves will also reveal nothing for the first 2 minutes. After that time frame, wanderers will be able to read about their past with one minor exception: rather than joyous events, the books will be about things explorers wanted to happen in their past but never occurred. One will feel a momentary sense of satisfaction before that feeling is replaced with extreme regret and longing. Despite these symptoms, wanderers report having a need to stay with the material. Prolonged contact with the contents of these books may lead to psychological damage (such as memory loss and an inability to decipher fact and fiction) so it is highly recommended to stay away from them. There are also reports of hearing louder voices.

Once again, the entrance door will be locked. To go to the next form, enter the storage room², close the door, and leave the room after. This will lead to the Vehement Visions State.

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Vehement Visions State

Upon entering this new form, the bookshop's appearance will change to that of the 2000s to the current year. There are somewhat fewer chairs than the previous forms, and half of the chairs present will either be wooden or plastic. The tea kettles upon the tables are simply filled with warm Almond Water. It has been noted that the aforementioned drink will not have all of its usual mental and physical advantages as it normally does on other levels and the effects that do take place aren't as helpful³. The sight of the sky is what most call "civil twilight," which describes the period before sunrise or after sunset. In this form, many will find lamps and other light fixtures turned on. More instances of roses will appear within the Vehement Visions State, and the few asters present will have their buds closed. You always loved your asters….

Wall Masks are more common within this form. Wanderers have mentioned feeling as if they are being watched we see all , though these are only classified as mere speculations caused by the mental affects of this loop in general. The urge to put them on is more apparent in the Vehement Visions State, so it is best to stay away from them as best as one can.

Another picture of books taken by the same M.E.G. member in the Vehement Visions State.

The context of the books varies but they all share a common subject: the future. Frequently, wanderers will read about events that will happen in the future of the Frontrooms. One may read about something that will happen in the Backrooms as well⁴ - however, instances of this content is quite rare. Extended exposure to the pages of these books will lead to temporary vision loss, moderate migraines, and restlessness. It appears that the desire to foresee and change time will also lead to wanderers becoming more aggressive and irritable. Finally, there are descriptions of minor visual hallucinations, such as seeing a family member, a friend, or a pet.

Leaving this form is the same process as the previous forms. Get in, close the door, get out. Get in, close the door, get out. Get in, close the door, get out. This will lead to the last form documented: the Virulent Decay State.

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Virulent Decay State - Final Form Documented (As of Now)

The Virulent Decay State contains futuristic properties that none of the other forms have. Every chair floats off the ground and will carry any weight placed upon them; a few buttons on the arm will allow one to be lifted higher into the air. The bookshelves are now stacked atop one another and every book in the bookshop is replaced with tablets the size of a clipboard, similar to Frontroom devices such as IPads or Kindles. The bookshop is now completely silent, though few mention they could hear violins playing outside of the bookshop. The tea kettles are replaced with floating dispensers that carry warm or cold Cashew Water. Poppies and red roses are scattered about the walls, ceilings, and bookshelves - vines and rose stems are covered in thorns, so it is highly recommended not to pick them. The light outside is extremely bright and prolonged contact with the light may cause burns. Because of the light, no light fixtures are turned on.

Oddly enough, there is only one mask in the shop: the Colombina Mask. Rather than being bolted to the wall, it can be found in the far-left corner of the bookshop. M.E.G. members have mentioned hearing whispers coming from the mask and therefore have made all attempts to avoid it.

The content within these books is considered extremely dangerous, if not lethal. Reading it will trigger total auditory and visual hallucinations, where wanderers believe they are talking to someone (most commonly someone close to them from the Frontrooms) and that they have a way out. Below is an audio log transcript, where Adeline McCaffery, a M.E.G. rescue trainee of team Quick Match falls victim to the illusion.

McCaffery: "Log 09, this is M.E.G. rescue trainee Adeline McCaffery, reporting from… eh, you guys know. I'm in another bookshop, surprise surprise, but this one's all… modern. Too modern, actually. It kinda looks like an office from a book I read once- Cinder? Or whatever? I dunno— Ha, look! The chairs are magic, it's floating off the ground!"

[ A few minutes of silence, followed by the sound of liquid being dispensed out, the sound of a plastic cup can be heard hitting the ground. ]

McCaffery: "O-okay, uhm, quick note, the Almond Water in this thing is… not… Almond Water, it's that other nut drink- whatever they call it… There are a lot more Readers than usual. I suppose the subject in these books must be even better than the last."

[ 2 minutes of silence. ]

McCaffery: "Alright, I figured out how to turn this bloody thing on and I've been waiting for about half a song. Ooh, it's all holographic and stuff! Huh… wait… there's nothing on here. I don't understand…"

[ 5 minutes of silence. ]

McCaffery: "…Mum? Mum, what are you doing here? What happened? How did you get here? …What? No, there's no way, everyone says there's no way out…. ….What about pops? Really! You'd think he'd tell me. Can everyone else leave too? Wait, I can't leave too soon, I need to tell everyone else. …Huh? No, of course, I want to be with you back home, but… It would just be selfish for me to just leave so abruptly wouldn't it?"

[ 2 minutes of silence. No noise can be heard except for McCaffery's breaths. ]

McCaffery: "No…. you're right. I'm sure they'll know, just as you told me. RIght? Okay, okay, let me put this book where I found it- I'm so glad to have found you, Mum, I thought you'd left forever… I can't wait to go back."

[ Sounds of the recorder being placed on the table. ]

McCaffery: "Welp, this is goodbye! I'm sure the M.E.G. will find this eventually. You guys better hurry up and get over here, freedom's one step away! …Hm? Coming, Mum! Rescue trainee out!"

[ No sounds of movement. Complete silence. ]

[ Within the next 10 minutes, quiet laughter is heard. Gradually, it grows louder. This doesn't stop until 2 hours later when the recorder dies. ]

Two to three days after the incident, M.E.G. members were able to locate McCaffery in Level 153. Although they were still alive, they showed many signs of delirium - any attempts to break them away from the hallucinations were proven futile. Members were successful in retrieving McCaffery's book, but further experiments revealed that the book no longer showed anyone their past, future, or hallucinations. Medics estimated they would only be able to stay alive until a week or so and they are unable to be talked to. Within that week, however, they disappeared. Investigations are still taking place to explain their disappearance.
She was saved.

Join us, and you will be too.

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Entities:

Alexander Brockovich
Alexander Brockovich is the proclaimed owner of the bookshop⁵. Standing at 6 feet, Brockovich can be found behind the counter - his appearance and speech will always change according to the form one is in. He encourages to buy the books - however, anytime one will attempt to buy one, he will simply respond with, "Sorry, that one's reserved for someone else. Come back in when it's back in stock!" Attempting to question him will always lead him to shake his head, walk into the storage room, and disappear. Provoking or assaulting him will cause one to be promptly kicked out and into any Level before Level 10.

The Readers
The Readers are wanderers who fell victim to any of the books read in any of these forms. They are will not move - however, in the first three forms, attempts to take their book from them or to destroy the book will lead to them assaulting the provoker. It is still possible to save a Reader only in the Deceitful Veracity State by splashing water into their eyes.

Evocationaries
Evocationaries are less common within the first form, but their number will grow the further one travels within the loop. It is vital to be hasty with finding and destroying the Entity if need be.

Deathmoths
Male Deathmoths are commonly found within the bookshop; female Deathmoths less so. So long as one avoids contact and aggression, they should fare just fine.

Bases, Outposts and Communities:

M.E.G. (A.k.a The "Major Explorer Group") Base "Bookworms":

• Consists of 8 members. They are willing to take in volunteers, trade, and are open to questions.
• Can be found near the entrance of the bookshop.
• Stays in the Starting Form and will do their best to keep anyone from going to the next state.
• Takes one hour in their day to read their books together and reminisce on the past.

Entrances And Exits:

Entrances

• No-clipping through a bookshelf with a sign that says, "Autobiographies," on it in Level 75 will lead to this Level.
• Finding a book titled "Origins" on a table in Level 67 and walking out of the entrance with it will lead to the outside of Level 153.
• Finding any book titled, "My Story," on any level will lead here.
• It is also possible to no-clip into Level 153 by happenstance, but it's quite rare.

Exits

• Rarely, one may discover a book that has none of the personal properties of the level, and instead is a book written in an incomprehensible language that contains Madame Blanche's signature. Dragging your index finger through Blanche's signature, from left to right, will lead you to Level 906.
• Attempting to assault Brockovich will cause a wanderer to be kicked out into any level before Level 10.
• One may no-clip in the same spot they came from whilst leaving Level 75. Doing so will bring a wanderer to the same spot within that Level prior to leaving. However, this will only work in the Starting Form.
• There is a small chance that in any form, a strudel can be found next to the drink on a golden plate. Take a bite, and only one bite, and you will end up in Level 89.
• No-clipping into a window that faces a doll shop⁶ will lead to Level 520.
• Wear the Mask. Wear it. Hurry.

In which order of the story do you seek?
Are you to find tar or taste something sweet?
When nothing is perfect, even your desires,
Bear the mask and reign in hellfire.

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Author(s)

Written by TrailmixNCocoa.
"File:Old book bindings NR.jpg" by Tom Murphy VII is licensed with CC BY-SA 3.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/.

"Law books on a shelf" by umjanedoan is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ (note: this picture was also modified to fit my needs, and I did make sure I was allowed to before doing so.)

"Stack of Books" by Sam Howzit is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.

"Lello Bookshop" by Yellow.Cat is licensed with CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ (this photo was also modified).

Footnotes

1. However, note that it is not possible to bring the tea outside of the Level, as every attempt to take it out has lead to the drink evaporating completely.

2. Oddly enough, this storage room doesn't follow the same time-shifting properties as the bookshop itself.

3. Those who have drunk the Almond Water describe its usual almond taste to be far stronger than normal.

4. Experiments have proven that this kind of content is reliable and has led many from getting into more danger than they were already in.

5. Evidently, his last name is what led to surviving wanderers nicknaming this Level, "Brock's Book Shop."

6. This exit was found on accident by a wanderer who, oddly enough, had just no-clipped into the Level from Level 75.