SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:
Class 2e - Environmental
- Safe
- Unsecure
- Non-Entity Hazards
A picture of the main path.
Level 166 is the 167th level of The Backrooms. This level appears to be a small neighborhood suspended over an abyss.
Description:
Level 166 consists of several households and paved streets arranged on a massive chunk of terrain which is floating in mid-air . The architecture of the level's many houses is reminiscent of 20th-century suburban homes, with horizontal sidings, gabled roofing, double-hung windows, and paneled doors. It is worth adding that the ledge of the chunk is a perfect circle, and any houses that would pass through this border are simply cut off, revealing the houses' solid interiors.
The lifeless vegetation — defoliated trees, shrubs, and grass — adds a dark brown tint to the tenebrous environment.
The level boasts an unchanging, clear, twilight sky. While many have theorized that the sky could possibly be artificial because it fails to provide light, this cannot be proven.
The Bright Path:
Although the level is mostly unlit, there is a single path illuminated by the orange light given off by the lampposts. This path is the only safe way to traverse this level, as those who venture off into the darkness disappear upon breaking eye contact with other wanderers. However, this effect can be avoided by constantly maintaining eye contact with the deviants.
Even so, the illuminated path is not entirely risk-free. Occasionally, all of the level's lampposts turn off, lasting from 5 minutes up to whole weeks at a time. Dozens of wanderers and M.E.G. agents have already been presumed dead as a result of this effect.
To avoid the dangers of outages, wanderers must:
- Travel in groups;
- Bring light sources, preferably headlights or anything with a strong, bright light;
- Always keep one another in sight.
- Avoid blinking as much as possible.
Remember that even a fraction of a second where one of the group's members is not looking can be fatal to the entire group.
The Void:
When looking down from the level's edge, a dark void can be seen. There is a seam where the nothingness and the sky meet, as if they have both blended together, causing a clear contrast in the margin of the horizon. Since the gap and the level's pitch-black ground blend in together, light sources are crucial to ensure wanderers do not fall into the void.
Anything dropped into this abyss falls until it reaches a visible point where everything stops in mid-air. As a result, numerous objects can be seen clumping together to form large mounds. There are also unidentified bodies floating, presumably from desperate groups of wanderers attempting to pillage these object heaps. This strange property is also thought to be what allows the terrain to float freely.
Various beliefs have emerged, including the notion that one could reach the "end" of this area, leading to other levels or even The Frontrooms. It is requested that no one attempt to prove this, as rescue has proven difficult.
Structures:
In this level, most of the buildings are unexpectedly full. Most of the structures are intact on the outside, but opening their doors or looking through their windows shows interiors filled with construction materials like stucco, mortar, plaster, or concrete.
Several homes located further from the main path appear normal from far away, but a closer inspection reveals this to be an illusion of perspective. Each of these homes are simply a conglomeration of disjointed walls that appear to form a believable home exterior when viewed from the correct angles.
Warning:
For those that, for any reason, intend to head into the level's dark areas: You are fully responsible for any dangers you may encounter.
At the ends of the path are two normal homes, contrasting with most of the peculiar houses seen in Level 166; they contain rooms typically seen in a suburban home — such as kitchens, living rooms, and bathrooms.
These houses contained a variety of common household objects such as furniture, kitchenware, and so on. Interestingly, the nothernmost house contained a crushed camcorder and a ruined diary, both of which indicate that a group of people lived in this level prior to official documentation.
Notebook:
The book, discovered in House B's secondary bedroom, contained writings and appears to be the diary of one of the people who lived here, although a large number of pages have been lost.
The contents of the diary have been scanned and are shown below:
Entrances and Exits:
Entrances:
- When inside Level 90's house, opening the backdoor can lead to the backyard of a house near the main path. Upon entering, it is recommended to retreat to the path as soon as possible.
- While on Level 69, the main highway can "branch off," getting increasingly narrow as the road progresses. Driving down this "branch" can lead wanderers to the start of the bright path in Level 166. Upon entry, Level 69’s fog will dissipate.
ONLY USE THIS ENTRANCE WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. It is advised to slow down, as it is very easy to run over fellow wanderers and/or disappear in the darkness.
Exits:
- Manholes on Level 166 may open for a brief amount of time. Entering these manholes will lead you to Level 183.
- Two houses to the right of House A, there is a house with an operating television that shows constant static. Entering this house will lead to Level 104.
- Trying to set any houses on fire via matches, lighters, or even cigarettes will place wanderers in The Blackout.