The Hidden Root[]
Entity 60[]
Avoid the rocks where no light shows.
Do not disturb what hides below,
For sticky fins are quick to throw.
Stay calm, move slow, and do not tread;
It only strikes when it feels the dread.
Description[]
The Sticky-Centipede is a marine entity that closely resembles a centipede from The Frontrooms but is significantly larger in both size and length. Its skin is initially soft and easily damaged, which has led to an evolutionary adaptation: the development of multiple protective scale layers on its back. These scales grow thicker and more numerous with age, providing increased defense against physical impacts.
The entity’s limbs occasionally function as fins, allowing it to maneuver smoothly through water. In addition, it features short, and spiky fins along both sides of the entity, and covered in a viscous, and adhesive liquid. This sticky liquid is used to ensnare prey and extract edible chemicals from the surrounding environment.
Its head includes four small, and dark eyes that provide limited vision. It also has two fur-covered tongues, which are used for capturing food. Below the tongues is a standard mouth, and a gill is located just above it, enabling the creature to breathe underwater.
Sticky-Centipedes have two biological sexes, although external differences between males and females are minimal. Females are generally slightly larger and have thicker scale layering on their dorsal region, especially near the tail. Males tend to exhibit faster swimming speeds and more active hunting behavior.
Behaviours[]
Sticky-Centipedes commonly hide in narrow holes, coral structures, and beneath rocks, debris, or layers of sand. These hiding spots serve as both protection from predators and vantage points to catch unsuspecting prey. Their ability to be motionless for prolonged amount of time makes them efficient ambush predators in their environment.
Underwater, the entity moves with surprising speed and smoothness. It flows through water as if unbothered by obstacles, and showing no signs of navigational difficulty. Its limbs and fins work in coordination to create swift, and gliding movements that allow it to escape danger or pursue prey with ease.
The Sticky-Centipede feeds primarily on small marine animals and aquatic entities. It is also known to consume salt deposits, sponge corals, and the decaying bodies of once-living beings. Its digestive system appears to be adapted for processing a wide range of organic and mineral matter.
Despite its appearance, the entity is not aggressive toward humans or larger beings. It is passive unless provoked or handled roughly. Studies and field reports indicate that it tends to avoid areas where human activity is common, which suggests a natural instinct to stay hidden and undisturbed.
Reproduction & Growth[]
Reproduction occurs through external fertilization. During mating season, believed to be triggered by specific temperature changes or chemical changes in the water, females release groups of soft, and transparent eggs into shallow crevices or within coral structures. Males then release sperm over these eggs. The eggs are coated in a naturally adhesive gel that anchors them in place and protects them from minor disturbances.
After approximately 10 to 15 days, the eggs hatch into small, and soft-bodied larvae. These youth forms are highly vulnerable and lack scales, and rely on constant movement and concealment to avoid predators. As they grow, a thin layer of flexible scale begins to form along their back. This scale thickens with age and continues developing into multiple protective layers throughout their lifespan.
Growth is steady but varies based on environmental conditions such as salinity, food availability, and water temperature. Juveniles reach partial maturity after about two months, at which point their limbs begin functioning as fins. Full maturity is usually achieved within 8 to 12 months. Older individuals may carry over ten layers of hardened scales and show clear territorial behavior around their nesting zones.
Habitat[]
Sticky-Centipedes are most commonly found in aquatic or semi-aquatic Backrooms levels that feature expansive water, submerged structures, and complex underwater terrain. They favor environments with ample cover where they can be concealed while hunting or evading threats. Officially documented levels where they frequently occur include: Level 8, Level 7.1, Level 7.5, Level 30, and Level 43.
Discovery[]
The Sticky-Centipede was first documented on Level 8 by an anonymous individual in 2017, who reported seeing a "long, and scaled creature with too many legs" flowing in a body of water. Initial accounts were dismissed as mistaken sightings of known aquatic entities, until consistent reports across Level 7.1, Level 30, and Level 7.5 began to surface within the following year.
More detailed reports came from a research team affiliated with the M.E.G. during a 2019 expedition through Level 30. While surveying the chemical pools, they captured partial footage of the entity using a submersible drone. The entity was seen moving between underwater drainage systems and anchoring itself to submerged pipes with the sticky fluid on its fins. Tissue samples were later retrieved from residue left behind, which confirmed that the organism was biologically distinct from any known marine entity in the Backrooms.
The entity was then officially named as "Sticky-Centipede" by M.E.G. Archivist Unit 4, based on its adhesive secretion, long body, and behavior. Its passive nature and rarity near populated zones delayed its classification compared to other entities.
