Level 499

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SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:

Class 1

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level-499.jpg

A sculpture found within Level 499.

Description:

Level 499 is a complex maze where a variety of settings seem to have crashed together. The forests, caves, jungles, and adobe structures clip in and out of each other, bending and blending to create a complex whole. Brick halls abruptly peter off into woodlands; large rivers cut through catacombs. The only thing constant about the level is the multitude of vines and other plants that cover the walls and fill every crack in the stone. The level extends vertically as well as horizontally, not just in the way of multiple layers, but in the way that some sections of the level ignore conventional orientation with doorways in the ceiling and forests growing upside-down. Even bodies of water seem to disobey the laws of gravity, allowing for streams to flow up and ponds to occupy large craters in the walls and ceiling. Wanderers traversing the level are not so lucky, however, as they only experience gravity in one direction; down.

Despite large portions of the level taking place in natural settings such as forests and rivers, no part of the level is truly "outside". At all points, if one travels high enough, they will eventually come across some sort of ceiling or other structure. This means that the level has no natural light except for the "Ghost Lights". Aside from the plants, the Ghost Lights are the only semblance of native life on the level, though some wanderers consider them more of a natural feature than an entity since they haven't shown any clear signs of sentience. The Ghost Lights are orange orbs of light that float aimlessly throughout the level and emit light comparable to a torch or flashlight. They are extremely prevalent in the level, which means that in much of the level, there is enough light to clearly see the path ahead. There are, however, several unexplained voids where there are either very few Ghost Lights or a complete absence of them. These areas are extremely dangerous, as the unpredictable architecture of the level makes it very easy for wanderers to get lost or fall into lower portions of the level should the various holes and checkpoints be hidden by the darkness.

Level 499 is also home to the religious group of interest, Amor Incrementum. Due to the vast size of the level, and the elusiveness of this group, much of their inner workings are completely unknown to the M.E.G, but investigations are ongoing.

Relevant Documents:

To: Overseer A, Ashley Blanchet - Science Fiction Team
From: Ophelia T. Robinson - Science Fiction Team
Subject: Research notes on the plant life of Level 499
Date: 10.15.22


To Overseer A and Team Captain Blanchet:

Here is the update from your request to thoroughly investigate the plant samples from Level 499 provided by Mx. Rizal (as shown below).

plantsample499.jpg
Plant samples from Level 499.

Unfortunately, some of the plant samples upon arrival at the Base Beta laboratory have wilted. I would like to reach out to Mx. Rizal personally and also temporarily transfer to Base Omega to make plant sample exchange more efficient since Amor Incrementum's only other presence is in Level 4.

Attached below is the full research document including observations on the properties of the plant life in the level.

Sincerely,
Ophelia T. Robinson
Science Fiction Team Researcher

To: Ophelia T. Robinson - Science Fiction Team
From: Ashley Blanchet - Science Fiction Team
Subject: Re: Research notes on the various plant life of Level 499
Date: 10.17.22


To Mrs. Robinson:
Your request to be temporarily moved to Base Omega has been approved. However, as per Overseer A's request, you have to be accompanied by another member of a M.E.G. Science Fiction Team alongside Elijah Makaraig of Team Lavender from Level 11.
Good luck with your endeavors, Ophelia.
Regards,
Ashley Blanchet
Science Fiction Team Captain

Entrances and Exits:

Entrances:

  • Certain hallways in Level 4 lead to the level, with the walls and floor of the office building slowly transforming into forests or tunnels.
  • When traveling through Level 135, one may occasionally come across holes in the ground which will exit in various parts of Level 499.
  • In the ocean of Level 134, one may come across holes in the ground which lead to various rivers and ponds in Level 499. Despite the fact that water flows between the two levels through these passageways, no bodies of water in Level 499 have ever shown signs of saltwater contamination.

Exits:

  • Though it's difficult to pinpoint where exactly the crossing occurs, wanderers have reported entering certain forests in Level 499 and emerging from Level 62 on the other side.
  • Some tunnels exit into large deserts which are a part of Level 648. After entering these deserts, wanderers have reported turning around only to find no trace of the tunnel they had just emerged from.
  • On the ceilings of some forests in Level 499, there are holes which open into the ground of Level 39 when climbed through.
  • A hallway constructed from reddish-brown mud bricks contains a door which leads to Level 499.1.

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