SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:
Class Mirage
- Illusory Paradox
- Reality-Warping Geometry
- Deceptive Influences
The Bloodcurdling Nightmare, named after a brief note1 left by a wanderer who explored the level in early 2013, subjects wanderers to phantasms created in the mind. Visual and auditory hallucinations, ranging from mildly-disorienting to mind-shattering, are frequently described as psychological torture for those who dare to enter the level.
Description
A sculpture in The Bloodcurdling Nightmare composed of several mirrors.
Initially considered a sub-level of Level 57 before its reclassification as an enigmatic level after the M.E.G. discovered new information2, The Bloodcurdling Nightmare appears to be a continuation of Level 57's art exhibition. However, instead of showcasing paintings created by The Artist, The Bloodcurdling Nightmare seems to display abstract sculptures of supernatural origin.
Despite the sculptures' innocuous appearances, upon close contact with any of them, the entire gallery will begin to distort. The extent of distortion depends on the sculpture, but the majority of them will alter the level's appearance, whether by moving the walls, changing the color, or dissolving the art gallery illusion completely. Despite attempts to understand this phenomenon, the M.E.G. has not been able to determine whether close contact with the sculptures reveals the level's true reality or simply replaces the current illusion with another.
An artist's rendition of the level's true appearance.
Researchers have theorized that The Bloodcurdling Nightmare's art gallery façade serves primarily to convince unsuspecting wanderers of its safety. Before the art gallery illusion collapses, wanderers within the exhibition report possessing an unusual fixation with the sculptures, as if the sculptures are beckoning humans to approach them. This compulsion is relatively strong—few wanderers will successfully resist the impulse to walk towards the sculptures.
While in sculptural ecstasy, wanderers can expect to hear incomprehensible whispers, a constant ringing in the ears, and the deafening sound of glass shattering. Affected wanderers will stand perfectly still, quietly chanting the word "consume" periodically. According to eyewitnesses, breaking wanderers out of the trance is difficult and hazardous. Common procedure is to push or pull the victim far enough away from the sculpture for the effects to disappear. However, many wanderers have unfortunately become victims themselves while performing rescue attempts.
Photograph displaying the final moments of a wanderer absorbed by a sculpture.
Visual and auditory hallucinations will vary between wanderers, but those stuck in a trance will slowly approach the sculpture affecting them. When an endangered wanderer is approximately one foot away, the sculpture glows brightly, draining the victim's life force and temporarily blinding everyone currently looking at it. After that, the dead victim slumps to the floor, no-clipping through it and disappearing into an endless abyss.
M.E.G. Researchers Report #824 – Missing Painting
Released By: Dr. Parksons
Published: February 10, 2022
Subject: Level 57.1's Classification
Although there is a clear visual similarity between Level 57 and Level 57.1, we have concluded that Level 57.1 can no longer be considered a sub-level of Level 57. This is because the painting used to access Level 57.1 simply doesn't exist. While this was a shock to many of us, we stand by our conclusion.
As many of us know, Level 57 can be exited by no-clipping into certain paintings on the gallery walls. The accepted method of entry into Level 57.1 was once no-clipping into a painting depicting a room with green walls and a glass sculpture in the center. This painting was located on the second floor of Level 57, next to the staircase. In fact, last week, we spoke with The Artist about this painting, and she replied, "I'm not proud of that one." When asked why, she refused to answer.
However, yesterday, when arrived at the second floor of Level 57 to access Level 57.1, the painting had mysteriously disappeared. When we asked The Artist about what happened to the painting, she "played dumb" and refused to acknowledge the painting's existence.
We soon discovered that this painting was not the only method of entry. We found a second method of entry… but not in Level 57. While searching for the painting, we stumbled across an entrance to Level 57.1 in Level 321 below a storyboard desk. As a result, we no longer believe that this level is tied to Level 57. The painting in Level 57 was merely an illusion created by the glass sculptures. While we swear it was an entrance for a brief period of time, any mention of the painting's existence has mysteriously been wiped from our database. Not even the archived pages mention it anymore. It's like… its mere existence shattered.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
The Bloodcurdling Nightmare can be entered by accessing the secret compartment located under multiple storyboard desks in Level 321.
Exits
The doors located below the various green "EXIT" signs will all lead wanderers to Level 57.
Supplementary Note
This note was found by the M.E.G. in The Bloodcurdling Nightmare nailed to one of the exit doors. Assumed to be written by a survivor, the note details his experience with the sculpture's hallucinations.
None of the unusual dreams could have prepared me for this bloodcurdling nightmare in Level 57.1.
Where do I start? I stumbled across this place approximately two weeks ago, thinking nothing of it.
An extension of Level 57—can't be too horrendous, can it? Boy, was I wrong.
Those things… I'm not sure what they did, but I no longer felt in control of my own mind.
I felt manipulated.
Reality appeared to shatter all around me—I no longer recognized the landscape I was in.
Shades of blue engulfed my eyes.
I tried calling for help, but no words escaped out of my mouth.
I was confined.
Someone… or something… whispered in my ear: "I hope you're not afraid of the dark…"
As if on cue, I heard the sound of glass breaking.
My vision immediately turned black, but I certainly wasn't sleeping.
I was still conscious.
I couldn't move, speak, or even see, but I still sensed… something.
Then, the thing whispered again: "I hope you're not afraid of death."
At that moment, I felt my heart stop, but I was still conscious.
I thought I was dying, slowly witnessing my soul leave my fragile body.
Then, it just… ended.
I woke up in Level 57, rope around my body.
Two strangers were scolding me for getting too close to the sculpture.
I don't know what the hell just happened!
Maybe none of this was ever real.
Just another "out of body experience" that those twats in Level 321 keep telling me about.
Nothing but a bunch of star gazing hippies…
But even still…
That thing…
It broke me.
