⠀⠀Backrooms Dossier | Sluggards 
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An instance of Entity 115 in an unidentified level.
Sluggards, designated Entity 115, are humanoid slug-like organisms that average around 5'4". They are characterized by their sluggish behavior, high intelligence, and abnormal convergent evolution to that of Frontrooms slugs. Sluggards communicate with a variety of clicking and throat noises, making human to sluggard communication exceedingly difficult. Prior to the human colonization of the Backrooms, sluggards lived alongside Old Birds and various other sentient creatures that inhabited the Backrooms prior.
Sluggards live and have lived in tribal-esque societies for thousands of years. Sluggard tools have been found littered around levels, often dating back at least 500 years prior. It is likely that sluggards pass down tools between generations to save on resources, as seized items have wear that would depict such. It should be noted that sluggards must make specialized tools due to their peculiar arm structure, that being reminiscent to a slug's foot. This arm structure makes it challenging for sluggards to work with tools made for humans and other similar entities, such as Cascadans.
From the waist down sluggards have a singular appendage that is near identical to a slug foot. Sluggards move by producing waves with muscular contractions in this foot. They additionally produce a similar secretion to Frontrooms slugs in order to lower friction, making movement much easier. Sluggards can walk at a similar pace to the average human, though they are easily outran due to their method of movement. Because of this reason, sluggards often find themselves hunting from afar. Utilizing spears optimized for throwing and wooden crossbows. It should be noted that regular bows are challenging for the sluggards to use due to their unique arm and hand shape.
Sluggards, while they do hunt, prioritize scavenging over anything. Some sluggard habitats were found within moderate distance to Old Birds settlements. Some sluggard tribesman are occasionally spotted inside of the Old Bird habitats, eating edible litter and some forms of discarded trash that is inedible to humans. In this way, it is a sort of symbiotic relationship between the two species: the sluggards remove and eat the discarded rubbish and the Old Birds benefit from this as the litter is disposed of.
Culture and Society[]
Culture[]
A major cultural belief shared amongst most Sluggard tribes is virtue in slowness. It is the belief that the faster one is indicates recklessness, as slow and deliberate action is deemed noble. Most tribes preform an annual ritual where the hastier of the tribesmen have certain parts of their foot's muscles remove in order to forcibly slow them down. Tribes lacking on resources may simply exile the faster members instead of doing this ritual, sending them to roam the Backrooms on their own.
A traditional sluggard necklace, utilizing parts from damaged tools.
A popular tradition within sluggard societies is the reuse of broken tools in both necklaces and bracelets. Other times, sluggards use tools from deceased tribesmen in the creation of these necklaces. These are often used as a good-luck charm, with certain sluggards being gifted them by nobles if they notice that said sluggard is falling behind while hunting or doing basic work. The necklaces made with the tools from deceased tribesmen, however, are worn by mourners and close relatives to the expired sluggard to keep the memory of them surviving.
Sluggards have several more postmortem rituals, one of which being the removal of slime from a deceased tribesman. This removed slime ends up being sent to large 'slime vats' that are used for multiple purposes. Swimming in this slime is viewed as a coming-of-age ritual, as many sluggards believe that the essence of these deceased sluggards is beneficial for one's continuous development. Additionally, the slime is sometimes sold to humans under the guise of it being a medicinal product. In reality, sluggard slime has no beneficial nor problematic properties besides it being slightly bitter when ingested.
Society[]
A photograph from a sluggard tribe.
Sluggards live in tribal societies and have lived in these societies for thousands of lives. Unlike Old Birds, sluggards are not nomadic and tend to stick to certain areas, particularly resource-rich areas. Sluggards do not have the capability to make buildings out of brick or stone or anything of the like, sticking to wooden logs and various fabrics to make tents and huts out of. Sluggard societies typically have a select few sluggards as nobles or leaders for the rest of the tribe, and every other member - while still important to the tribe - is viewed with relative unimportance in the grand scheme of things. It is not usual to see sluggards using this as an excuse to act out with other members.
In terms of food, sluggards have a relatively strong digestive system and are capable of eating almost anything. Foods revered in sluggard society, however, include a variety of mushrooms, plant life, Wallpaper Marshmallows, and rotting plant or animal matter. In times of celebration, sluggard secretion is sometimes fermented into something akin to alcohol and enjoyed en masse. This beverage has almost no effect on humans, though has been noted to have a slightly sweet taste due to numerous additives mixed in.
Author: Fungrly Scrunkly
Broogli Certified
Fun facts about the sluggard:
- The sluggard version of a handshake is where they just rapidly shake their antennae.
- Sluggards can learn English, though their pronunciation will be botched due to the shape of their vocal chords.
- Sluggards cannot use guns.