Level 47
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Info

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SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:

Class 3

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Level 47 is the 48th level of The Backrooms. It is a primeval, old-growth forest that is highly resistant to both entropy and man-made alterations.

Adderwood.jpg

Level 47

Description:

Level 47 is a temperate forest consisting of both deciduous and coniferous trees. Many of these trees exceed a hundred feet in height and appear to be hundreds to thousands of years old. Thick green moss and lichens cover most surfaces suitable for their growth. During daylight hours, the forest is uniformly covered in a thick, damp fog, and no direct sunlight has ever been observed.

Each night, however, the fog will disperse without fail to reveal a full moon. This moon appears visually identical to the Moon from The Frontrooms, albeit several times closer and with the far side facing towards Level 47. Stars and the Milky Way are visible as well, but do not match any constellations visible from The Frontrooms. Though rare, silvery-white auroras have been seen on occasion.

Mapping Level 47 has proven to be impossible due to exaggerated space-time distortions. In addition to the non-linear/non-Euclidean topology that is a common occurrence throughout The Backrooms, any part of the forest not under direct observation seems to be in a state of superposition between all possible states, and does not exist in any fixed state or location unless seen. Due to the relatively homogenous nature of the forest, these changes are typically subtle and not immediately noticeable. This effect is often extremely unsettling to new wanderers, who will frequently doubt their own thoughts before doubting the stability of their external reality.

It also appears that time is suspended when objects are in a state of superposition, and returning to a state of superposition will often revert any damages or alterations that an object may have incurred while under observation. This means that any campfires or improvised tools and weapons will often (though not always) vanish or revert to an earlier state when direct observation is broken, complicating attempts at survival.

Streams and other natural water sources are common on Level 47, and are generally safe for human consumption. Mushrooms are the most plentiful and accessible food source, though some species are poisonous or hallucinogenic, and documentation of all native species is incomplete.

Entities:

Level 47 supports a large and diverse population of numerous species of snakes, who feed upon small birds, mammals, and amphibians. While not all species are known to science, none of them appear to be anomalous, with one notable exception. Harming or killing any of the snakes on Level 47 will result in the immediate appearance of a bright crimson Titanoboa, referred to by the inhabitants as the Great Old Adder, or simply Great Adder, which will then proceed to hunt and devour the offending parties.

There is no known instance where killing or harming a snake has not resulted in the appearance of the Great Adder, or of anyone successfully evading it or fending it off. Wanderers must remain vigilant and avoid accidentally injuring any snakes in order to avoid the wrath of this Entity. It's worth mentioning that the snakes' only natural predators on Level 47 are crows and ravens, and this predation does not appear to upset the Great Adder.

The Great Adder, along with the sacrosanct status of snakes on Level 47, has resulted in it receiving the nickname The Adderwood.

At night, packs of large black canids become active and will prey upon humans if presented with the opportunity. These canids, sometimes referred to as Black Shucks or Adderwood Wolves, appear to use the protean nature of the forest to their advantage. Their long, baleful howls travel for miles, and serve as beacons to other pack members in the ever-changing landscape.

When a scout finds prey, they will not let it out of their sight until they are joined by the rest of their hunting party. This typically results in the scout stalking their quarry at close range for prolonged periods of time without ever attacking, simply terrorizing them to the point of exhaustion. The Shucks themselves also appear to be able to translocate short distances when unobserved by their prey, albeit in a far more controlled manner than the indigenous flora.

Wanderers that find themselves pursued by the Black Shucks should climb the highest tree available. Waiting for the dawn is the best survival tactic, as the Shucks have never been encountered during the day and always appear to return to their dens before daylight. For this reason, it is also advisable to sleep in trees whenever possible and avoid drawing attention to yourself at night.

Aside from wanderers, the Shucks' primary prey appears to be a subspecies of Irish Elk endemic to Level 47. Bucks and does with young can be highly aggressive. If encountered, break bi-directional line-of-sight immediately to evade an attack. Note that this tactic is ineffective when trying to evade the Black Shucks. Wanderers should not attempt to hunt these Elk unless they have the firepower to take them down in one shot, as they can be extremely dangerous when threatened or enraged.

Bases,Outposts,and Communities:

Some wanderers have encountered a single, serpentine trail running through the forest. The trail, though still non-linear/non-Euclidean, does not exist in a state of superposition and will not vanish once spotted. Those who find this trail naturally follow it in the hopes that it will lead to a way out or some other point of interest.

Some follow it for days until they are forced to abandon it to find water and never get anywhere. Others have claimed that the trail ended at a glade after following it for as little as seven miles. This glade contains either a large manor house, or an ancient megalith. The two appear to exist simultaneously in a state of superposition. In either case, the glade appears to be the headquarters of a group that refers to itself as the Ophion Occult Order.

Little is known about this order, as they are typically hostile towards any wanderers who come across their secret glade. They have no interest in providing any assistance, and generally regard wanderers as trespassers. It is, however, known that they hold The Great Old Adder in great reverence, believing it be a scion or avatar or emanation of a Divine World Snake, which they worship as a source of occult knowledge and power.

Members of this order have also been spotted along the trail or in the forest itself, typically clad in hooded, crimson garb and ivory masks. Though normally indifferent to wanderers, encounters have varied from abduction to proselytization. During the later event, they will often boast about the arcane secrets and miraculous powers their order possesses, including the ability to travel The Backrooms at will. While no doubt grossly exaggerated, they are evidently much more confident at navigating the forest than ordinary wanderers, have demonstrated an ability to summon and to some extent command The Great Adder, and the Black Shucks have been witnessed fleeing from even a lone member of the order.

Wanderers are advised to avoid interacting with members of this group as much as possible. Do not antagonize them, and regard any promises of aid or salvation as duplicitous.

Entrances and Exits:

No-clipping is the only confirmed method to either enter or leave Level 47. Fortunately, due to its high level of ontological instability, no-clipping to or from Level 47 is easier and more frequent than average. The hollows of dead trees appear to be especially prone to allow wanderers to no-clip out.

Members of the Ophion Occult Order have demonstrated an ability to direct the trail, and they claim that it's possible to steer or summon it towards specific no-clip points. One member even claimed it was possible to reach The Frontrooms using this method, but he was immediately silenced by the rest of his party. The wanderer who was speaking with them suspected this was a deliberate stunt in order to get his hopes up and his guard down.

To date, the usefulness of the trail in leaving Level 47 remains unconfirmed.


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