Level 188
rating: +24+x


SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:

Class deadzone

  • {$one}
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  • Devoid of Entities
comet

A comet passing by August-1B.

Description

Upon entry into Level 188, wanderers are deposited on the surface of a small planet named August-1B1 bearing striking similarity to the planet Mercury. Resemblance between the two is noted in their size, grey, crater-covered surfaces, lethal levels of incident surface radiation, and extreme temperatures.

Although this may initially lead wanderers to believe that they have actually emerged on Mercury, several key differences quickly prove otherwise. Upon further exploration, one may soon notice the following:

  • Unlike Mercury, August-1B contains an atmosphere with breathable oxygen. However, the 10.2% surface concentration of O2 (as opposed to healthy levels of ~21%) is insufficient for sustained habitation without life-support systems.
  • Temperatures recorded on August-1B are less extreme. Mercury has temperatures ranging from -173°C (-280°F) to 427°C (809°F), while August-1B's temperatures range between -98°C (-144°F) and 221°C (430°F).
  • Despite similarities in the terrain of August-1B to that of Mercury, the former's ground actually consists of weathered metal oxides instead of metal silicates.
  • August-1B orbits a blue supergiant, termed "August-1A", rather than a yellow dwarf.

Most importantly, August-1B contains a sizeable terminator (or "twilight") zone. Unlike Mercury, which rotates about its own axis, tidally locked astronomical bodies such as August-1B do not contain a day-night cycle. Having one side perpetually facing the sun (August-1A) and one side perpetually facing away, half of the planet is constantly engulfed in blazing sunlight with soaring temperatures, while the other half is plunged into perpetual, frozen darkness. However, the area lying just between these two halves remains at a relatively safe low temperature. Though these may reach the likes of 40° C (104° F), the small, ring-shaped region is able to support life, and may be traversed even without hermetically-sealed exploration suits.


Other Planets

august1c

Crystals, apparently from the surface of August-1C. Photograph recovered from the Space Station of August-1B. Authenticity of image uncertain.

oceanlikeplanet

Artistic representation of August-1D.














August-1B is only one of three planets in its solar system. The other two planets, named August-1C and August-1D, can be seen directly from August-1B's sky. August-1C, the closer of the two, appears to be comprised entirely out of crystals. August-1D, on the other hand, is thought to be a vast, ocean-like planet, theorized based on its orbit to have its own moon.

Comets are also numerous in Level 188—as many as 1,000 distinct comets have been documented in orbit of August-1A. Consequently, the skies of August-1B are frequently visited by mesmerizing meteor shower displays, especially in the months between April and September. Meteors are often colored blue-green, but have also been observed in white, purple, pink, and orange hues.


Space Station

a1b-spacestation

Photograph of August-1B's space station taken by a very old camera.

August-1B is home to a massive, dilapidated space station. Exploration of the location has been limited, due to challenges posed by August-1B's harsh atmosphere and terrain.

Initial Observation Logs: Space Station


Location

~ 1 mile (1.6km) west of entrance. Station is located on a plateau within a large crater, approx. 350 yards (320m) in diameter.

Layout

Approx. 1300ft (400m) wide, 1600ft (500m) long, 3 storeys tall. Due to fire damage, upper floors were inaccesible for exploration.

Key internal facilities include:

  • 3 Mechanical workshops/garages (with non-functional air-locks)
  • 3 Greenhouses
  • 2 Scientific laboratories
  • 1 Medical bay
  • 1 Indoor gym
  • 1 Observatory with telescope
  • 1 Central operations/meeting room
  • 5 Personal quarters/sleep chambers
  • Numerous additional smaller rooms (bathroom, kitchen, storage, etc.)

Key external facilities include:

  • 1 Rooftop solar array
  • 1 Unmanned rover parking bay (14 rovers total)

Condition

  • Life-support systems offline
  • Internal facilities charred beyond repair
  • Fire damage external as well as internal, appearing to originate from overloaded electrical circuits. Solar flare suspected as primary cause
  • Observatory appears to have suffered cave-in well prior to facility's overall failure

Facilities bear marks of extensive and frequent prior repair, suggesting the station may have had numerous separate periods of operation.

Inhabitants

All inhabitants dead.

  • 7 corpses found total
  • Suspected cause of death: asphyxiation (5x), fire (2x)
  • Numerous unmarked graves discovered outside facility, in proximity to garage air-locks. Body count uncertain
  • Community of origin uncertain

Artifacts and findings

Identifiable artifacts are anachronistically mixed. 1960s, 1980s, 2000s and unknown (possibly Lost, Macchina, Steel?) tech are all present in varying degrees, suggesting periodic and varied use of the complex.

Markings from several unrecognized groups are present—"Cartographers' Republic", "Commonwealth of Space", "Backrooms Robotics", "Schola Obscura", etc.

Surviving documents/logs salvaged from station for further study.

Data compiled by Track Mappers 4-2 1st Sergeant Savant J. Pryce

The recovered records and artifacts appear to confirm the complex was operated by numerous distinct circles at different points in time. None of these communities are presently known to the M.E.G. or its affiliates.

In an attempt to make sense of its history and origin, the following artifacts have been recovered from the Space Station. In particular, journal entries from a deceased individual known only as "August" appear to originate from the group responsible for the station's initial construction and operation, and detail the circumstances which led up to her tragic death.

In view of August's heartbreaking sacrifice, the M.E.G. has elected not only to name each planet in Level 188 after her, but also to create an entire naming system for celestial objects within the Backrooms, known as the August Celestial Object Nomenclature Scheme (ACONS).

Guide to ACONS

The existence of entire astronomical/celestial systems within the bounds of Liminal Space (Level 227, Level 24, Level 78, etc.) has been equal parts puzzling and fascinating. The August Celestial Object Nomenclature Scheme (ACONS) has been devised to aid with documentation of such systems.

  • August-1A: This component indicates use of the ACONS. The name has been chosen to honor August's legacy, and should never be altered or removed.
  • August-1A: This number indicates the celestial system within the Backrooms to which the object belongs. In this case, Level 188 has been designated system 1.
  • August-1A: The letter A denotes the system's Central Stellar Object, or CSO. This may be a single star, binary star, black hole, or other similar celestial object. The letter B indicates that the planet or star in question is closest to the CSO, and so on.

A complete guide to the ACONS may be found here on the M.E.G. Public Archive.


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M.E.G. — Bettering Humanity


Discovery

Level 188 was discovered in May 2021 by an unnamed party of wanderers, who stumbled upon its entrance in Level 3 en route to M.E.G. Base Gamma. Following a thorough expedition by M.E.G. Team 'Troglodyte' of Regiment Track Mappers, the Space Station was discovered, and the artifacts above were collected for research and analysis.


Entrances and Exits

The only known entrance and exit to Level 188 is a single window within Level 3. The window opens up to a crater wall within August-1B's terminator zone, about a mile (1.6 km) from the Space Station.

At present, there are no other known entrances or exits.

Please note that additional entrances and exits found on other pages are not to be trusted. Their erroneous appearance has been attributed to the Mandela Effect.


Addendum

New file (188-LOG3.alog) added on date 10/10/2037. Proceed?



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