For ten years, the Office Market has provided wanderers and groups a place to buy and sell goods from all over the Backrooms. As a way to celebrate its tenth anniversary, it is time to return to its roots, telling the story of its past, present, and future.
Info
seems like the infobox doesn't work on this theme for some reason lmao.
Anyway, if it ever gets fixed-
Written by Praetor3005 (author page)
Created for Promptcon2024 using the prompts "Peace", with secondary themes being centered around the prompts "Friend", "Family", "Travel", "Liminal", "Encounter" and "Safety".
Out of all the strange events occurring in Level 4, perhaps the strangest of all was groups working together to create a haven of neutral trading for everyone to enjoy. For five years now, the Office Market, located within the Abandoned Office, has provided people with not only a place to shop and sell goods but also a social platform. Every Friday from 8 AM to 6 PM M.S.T. (M.E.G. Standard Time), the Office Market sets itself with many stands made by all sorts of traders, whether they are professionals from groups or simple wanderers. There can be found food, tools, medicine, and much more. Thanks to its community aspect, many wanderers from Level 4 and beyond now shop there every week, making this place a true pillar in the human life of levels adjacent to the Abandoned Office and Level 4 itself.
Collaboration Makes History
The Office Room back in 2012, with Rowan and John setting up the racing event.
Of course, this particular room in Level 4 hasn't always hosted the Office Market. Before 2017, this part of the Abandoned Office was bland and untamed, and nothing from it could have hinted at its grand future. Yet the place wasn't purposeless either, as its large nature allowed Backrooms Robotics to use it for an event just as social as what would be hosted there years later.
While technocratic, some of its members still enjoyed the little things from time to time. In this case, it materialized in the form of an annual toy car race organized by two engineers of the group, named "The Backrace". There, anyone was encouraged to create their own motorized miniature vehicle out of what they would find in the Backrooms to compete in a friendly competition. "It was just a silly event Rowan and I wanted to do each year, we never would have expected it to start something so much bigger." says John Knight.
From 2009 to 2017, each installment showcased wacky makeshift cars compete for the first place. "It was a fairly small event we held each year on the same date." recalls Rowan Frouze, who co-founded the event. "We never had more than a dozen participants, who usually were regulars, sometimes passionate about electronics and miniatures, sometimes simply amateurs."
Yet, something changed during the yearly installment of 2017. While the event has never been stranger to participants coming from different groups of the Backrooms, two of the contestants were like none other this time. Enter Sebastian Muller, a renowned M.E.G. Entomologist from Housekeeping, and Derrick Meran, a B.N.T.G. trader working in the Trader's Keep. The two did hold the same common interest to an extent, yet their background sounded like a recipe for disaster. "At first we feared the two were gonna break the fun atmosphere since, you know, the two groups were still in a bad relationship back then." Narrates Rowan. "Thankfully we couldn't be more wrong".
The vibe between the two was instantly set as a strong friendly bond. While both contestants were from different fields and shared different visions and groups, they immediately sympathized with each other, sharing stories of their lives, or advice for their shared hobby. Sebastian recalls this day very well "I used to see B.N.T.G. traders as cold-hearted, only looking for profit and nothing else. But Derrick proved to me they could be caring individuals willing to genuinely help people and make friends.".
One of the few images of the 2017 edition of the Backrace.
While the event unfolded as usual, it was the aftermath of it that truly got felt within the two groups. Of course, it has been a slow process, with a lot of word of mouth. But as time went by, the preconceptions each group had for each other started to fade as their members started to interact with each other more casually. With the cold professionalism aside, their members slowly opened themselves, realizing they weren't interacting with greedy capitalists or hopeful dimwits. The Backrooms tells the tale of many people, each with their own lives, hopes, and dreams. With time, the two groups realized the wrongness of the cliche they had for each other and the collaboration they could pursue.
The toy car race of 2017 was not, of course, the only event leading to the two groups' rapprochement, but many believe this has been the catalyst of it. As such, when the M.E.G. and the B.N.T.G. started to envision a way for each other to both help wanderers and celebrate what brought them back closer, this small room of Level 4 became an obvious answer. As such, and with the help of Rowan and John, the two groups established on May 12, 2017, the first hosting of the Office Market, where the B.N.T.G. offered many items for wanderers to buy, while the M.E.G. helped manage the event and propose activities.
Seeing the success of it, the two groups hosted the market again the week after, and then again and again. It was clear that there was a demand for a social place where people could meet while restocking. As time passed, more and more people started to learn about it and participate, whether it was by selling their goods or buying what they needed. The collaborative nature of the Office Market strengthened with each holding of it, becoming way bigger than either group initially envisioned. "With so many other groups and wanderers selling what they could grow or create, the Market started to become a standard within the Level 4 routine." Tells Katherine Zimals. "With time, people started putting their own stands without the need of the M.E.G. or the B.N.T.G. We simply became part of the sellers, part of something greater.".
A Purpose for Everyone
Everything the Backrooms offers can be found in the Office Market, a feat only possible thanks to the incredible variety of sellers from all across the Backrooms. Whether they belong to a major group or are just simple wanderers, whether they produce what they sell or collect it from where they live, everyone is welcome to set their own stand.
Pottery sold by monks from Level 718, usually called "Clear Blue Skies".
While EL3A or the Trader's Keep are far more well-known and more accessible thanks to being present in Backrooms entrance levels, many wanderers nonetheless prefer shopping in the Office Market. "It's just far safer and closer to where I live.", explains Mattieu Boulanger, a citizen of the Endless City. Wanderers of Level 11 are indeed, with people from other levels close to the Abandoned Office or living directly in it, the most common type of clients, but also sellers. "Every month we sell parts of our harvest from our Terrestrial Paradise." tells Aster, a member of Amor Incrementum. As for Matthew Hammons, a wanderer living in the Terror Hotel, he sells various objects he finds in the rooms of the level. "Lamps, silverware, elegant clothing… You can't get that everywhere in the Backrooms." he explains. "The Office Market allows me to trade them for other things I don't have access to.".
Baked pastries from Las Panaderias, also known as Level 304.
As Matthew mentioned, trading is a key part of the Office Market. Indeed, without actual currency to use in the Backrooms, transactions are made through bartering, even between wanderers. Agrugua Fruits for 4.5lbs of Firesalt, two blocks of Royal Rations for a handmade Worn Sack or even a Pocket… Whether they are monks of Clear Blue Skies or wanderers living in Las Panaderias, anyone can trade anything. Prices are usually set by the seller, who tends to look for specific items or types of items, such as food or clothes, but are usually open for different exchanges. Disagreements remain rare, as wanderers usually use the Trading Worth Scale of the G.P.D. as an indicator of prices like most other market spaces do. "People can be surprisingly chill when making deals, even in this harsh world" confirms Antoine Talor, a Housekeeping volunteer among a dozen regulars ensuring safety on the site. "We used to prohibit bringing guns or selling them, but we removed this rule after two years and incidents are still at an all-time low. This is a place of mutual benefit after all, and the occasional madman never gets to enter thanks to us."
However, the Office Market isn't defined only by its trading nature. This event remains a social one, where people from all across the Backrooms can meet and discuss, sharing their lives from the many dimensions they live in. Similar to Tom's Diner, some strong bonds can be forged in there. "I met Sasha here five years ago. He was shopping for Mural Meringues, and I was selling the ones I harvested from Playland. The week after, he came back to discuss, and then again and again. He was such a charmer!" recalls Laure Delâcre "After a month, he proposed, and now we are a happy family of 4. Living in Beastland, but still shopping here every week!" She happily adds.
Volonteers installing an improved makeshift racetrack for the 2024 edition.
And who could forget the many activities that can happen there? Organized by volunteers, they can range from improvised sports matches to roleplaying sessions. Some events are even planned directly on-site, at the heart of the moment. The only truly planned event is the yearly toy car race, still realized by Rowan and John on the same date. "With the Office Market, new people have discovered this original hobby. We are so grateful for what everyone created ten years ago and equally delighted to see more people interested in our small project each time." explains Rowan.
A Bright Future Awaiting
In the last ten years, the Office Market has changed the lives of many and made a name for itself beyond the Abandoned Office. Thanks to new people constantly joining the market, the market has connected lives and made the exchange of cultures far easier. "People don't realize it that often with the existence of the BackWeb, but people have such different lifestyles depending on which pocket dimension they live in." Explains Anthony Kelvin. "It's been the result of centuries of their environment shaping the needs of wanderers living there, and how they can solve them. The Office Market acts like a window for all of those communities, since people can showcase all sorts of goods from where they live, like specific food or tools.".
The steady expansion of the Office Market has even exceeded the confines of the already large room it's held in. As the years continue to pass, it is likely stands and alleyways will be extended beyond the original borders. "Maybe the Remodelling Company could make the room larger to fit everyone who wants to participate nowadays." Jokingly wonders Katherine. "This place has taken a special place in the hearts of many of us. What started as a reconciliation between our two groups became a way for people to meet others from many other levels and exchange goods. I couldn't be prouder of what we managed to create.".
So, whether you are looking to find something you can't get where you live, trying to sell what you grow or find for profit or simply wanting to make new friends, then the Office Market is here for you! Each Friday, from 8 AM to 6 PM S.M.T., there is a little something for everyone, even for you!
Thanks for reading!
This page is a special one. It was supposed to come out for the Return to Roots event (which is why it uses so many Hobbytown images), but due to IRL difficulties, coupled with difficulties in defining the format, I never managed to get the concept going let alone the page posted.
But here it is at last! For promptcon, the page uses the prompts "Peace", with secondary themes being centered around the prompts "Friend", "Family", "Travel", "Liminal", "Encounter" and "Safety".
The concept was to fill a gap within the universe. How could people get their hands on stuff from all over the Backrooms? How does the Backrooms monetary system work? What would a social place in the Backrooms look like? and most importantly, how did the MEG and the BNTG better their diplomatic relationship since they splintered?
The format was something I wanted to try for a while. I’ve been trying to find a way to make clinical more appealing since the start of the year, and this was one of the ideas I had. A journalistic writing style can hopefully be more catchy and therefore more interesting. Logically, this is also a Daily Rooms article, a GOI
Red-eyes Dragoon and I are slowly but surely working on. It also features the character of Dan Abbolt as the author, a name that might feel random but which is actually linked to a POI I’m working on, a liminal photographer whose overall story intertwines with the long-gone era of the antiquity Iron First, although it is not relevant here. Dan isn’t the only character to get namedropped too, actually. I tried to use characters that already existed, such as:
Tried to display some other pages in a natural way, such as Level 304, Level 718 or Level-159, the two latter being connected to Level 4. Same with objects, I tried to showcase some real-world things and some anomalous stuff to make trading feel more linked to the universe. The Object 85 trading comes directly from its page!
Worldbuilding-wise, the events of the Bakcrace leading to the BNTG and the MEG getting closer is inspired by how the “Ping-Pong Diplomacy” which led to the USA and China bettering relations between the two countries. I tried to adapt the idea with images of Hobbytown, which led to the whole toy car race thing, which sets up some interesting worldbuilding about what kind of hobbies Backrooms people are up to. In a place where so much stuff gets handmade, it’s only a logical outcome, isn’t it?
You can also see two unexisting links on the page, one for the BackWeb and the other for the GPD trading scale. Both are in-universe elements I’d like to expand at some point as they are interesting parts of the universe.
And that’s… Basically it! I hope you liked the page. I also want to thank
Greggita Mahayfaio, 
Spectre48 and 
Super-Robot14 for the reviews they provided on the page. Y’all are great people!
This is the best page.
This page is excellent! Good to see more insight into people's livelihoods as it makes the Backrooms feel more alive.
I absolutely ADORE this wholesome page! Such a great idea for worldbuilding, will definitely use in the future ;3
This is… ADORABLE.
It encompasses everything wholesome about humanity!
Thank you.
Your friend and colleague,
Goerman
http://backrooms-wiki.wikidot.com/goerman
I do like how you used the images. They really compliment the page. However… I just couldn't read the page. It took me a couple attempts to get through the first paragraph, and the tone just isn't doing it for me. It feels like you were attempting to do a newspaper article, but it didn't pan out imo.
If you were to do this over, I would recommend looking at what fluff pieces for newspapers look like. There should be more quotes and the inverted pyramid structure. I think it would do a better job of investing me in the worldbuilding by making it about people rather than an infodump.
I like this
Not a fan of the theme choice but everything else is good.
I, too, am not very fond of the theme; it's just really empty if you ask me, lacking plenty of gray. Nonetheless, the contents themselves are alright, although perhaps the story of the market sounds somewhat too romaticised and a bit utopistic, an aspect which, even in the most colourful of adveritisements, usually comes with some neutral comments by visitors or at least the explanation of a relevant inconvenience. This advice could be slightly inaccurate in general, though.
Please mind the Forest.
I love it :)!