Entity 73, better known as Silhouettes, are entities that are usually present within the Void Subcluster, and any level that possesses an entrance to any of its levels. While there have been reports of Silhouettes being present on other levels of the Backrooms, it has not been confirmed as of the present moment.
Silhouettes take the appearance of humanoid figures that resemble shadows, varying in age from a 6-year-old child to a grown adult. Similar to normal shadows, Silhouettes are more pronounced in light, although their appearance is more vantablack. Some Silhouettes possess facial expressions, which can either be static or dynamic, meaning that the Silhouette has the ability to alter expressions at will. A wide variety of facial expressions have been reported, ranging from regular, uncanny-looking smiley faces to sinister, wide grins.
Silhouettes usually stick to walls, mimicking the physics of regular shadows; however, they also have the ability to detach themselves from walls and form a 3D version of themselves. Their 3D form also works similar to a shadow, with their form being more pronounced under light. Their 3D form seems to be metaphysical in nature, meaning that they phase through objects and living beings as if they were nonexistent. Silhouettes also possess an ability to phase out of their metaphysical nature and become able to interact with objects in the physical realm. While in their physical state, they are capable of seeing and manipulate thoughts of any living organism, becoming able to control an individual similar to a puppet. This process is painfully temporary, and a Silhouette will automatically demanifest from the physical plane in a varying amount of time, with the highest reported case being 26 days and the shortest being 16 minutes.
Silhouettes possess different styles of behavior similar to homo-sapiens, however the full behavioral chart of Silhouettes is difficult to truly examine. Their behaviors can be divided into two separate core classes: Regular and Psychopathic Silhouettes.
Regular Silhouettes are the most common type of behavior observed by Silhouettes. Most Regular Silhouettes possess no facial expressions, and if there are any, they are restricted to smiley faces and sad faces that appear similar to a crudely made drawing. However, most facial expressions of Regular Silhouettes are unable to be altered, mainly staying as regular expressions.
Regular Silhouettes are not hostile and usually prefer to steer clear from any presence of subjects. When an individual approaches a Regular Silhouette, most of the time they will quickly scurry away, mainly to another area of its assorted level.
However, some Regular Silhouettes do engage in the presence of individuals, mostly approaching one either to help guide them to safe exits out of assorted levels or guide one towards areas with vast resources/safe areas. However, it is not recommended to trust any Silhouette that appears to interact in a helpful way, as it may be a trap set up by Psychopathic Silhouettes.
Psychopathic Silhouettes are a rare but dangerous type of Silhouette that are present in similar areas as Regular Silhouettes. Unlike Regular Silhouettes, Psychopathic Silhouettes possess dynamic facial expressions and are able to change them at will to camouflage more easily among Regular Silhouettes. Their default facial expression is a large sinister grin with deep white eyes and the presence of sharp teeth on the grin itself.
Also unlike Regular Silhouettes, Psychopathic Silhouettes are incredibly hostile to all individuals, though they attack in very deceptive ways. They pose as Regular Silhouettes and will begin to lead one to wherever the trap they initially set beforehand is located. Psychopathic Silhouettes are easily able to camouflage traps as regular base camps/exits. Many types of traps are able to be set by Psychopathic Silhouettes, which include the following:
- Leading individuals to an “exit” only to lock the door behind them and trap them inside with other Psychopathic Silhouettes.
- Leading individuals to “resources” that are harmful substances, such as Cashew Water or Liquid Pain disguised as regular almond water. The versions present in traps of this type are a less potent version of the aforementioned substances.
- Leading individuals to “colonies” that would help them survive the level that they are on, only to be presented in a dummy area filled with fake rooms and materials.
Once one is lured into a trap set by Psychopathic Silhouettes, they will begin to subdue their victim, beginning by biting the victim in the leg, specifically the calf muscles, which slips the victim into a coma. Individuals will experience the coma for roughly 36–120 hours before waking up uncontrollably with fear in their eyes. Testimonies from past victims of Psychopathic Silhouettes have revealed that nightmares and traumatic memories have all occurred after attacks from Psychopathic Silhouettes. Their motive for this is unknown; however it’s theorized that they live on fear, power, and control and use it as nourishment for themselves.
Subjects have reported reoccurring nightmares, hallucinations, memory loss, and even episodes of grief and anxiety for approximately 180 days after a Psychopathic Silhouette attack, after which they would gradually recover. Due to the immense damage that could be caused by simply falling victim to Psychopathic Silhouettes, it is advised to never trust any Silhouette one encounters and express caution, especially if they seem outgoing or helpful.Contrary to popular belief, there is a way to rid another individual of the symptoms of a Psychopathic Silhouette attack, however, the chances of this method working are slim to none, and it involves a careful number of steps to be performed with no error whatsoever. The procedure must also be performed within 24 hours of the subject falling into the attack coma, due to the procedure requiring victims to be in a partially awake stage to be rendered successful. After 24 hours, the subject will fall deeper into the coma, and the window of opportunity for the method to work is lost. Additionally any error will only exacerbate any symptoms and potentially lead to death of the subject.
The exact steps for the method are as follows:
- 1: Remove the subject from the area. After a Psychopathic Silhouette attack, they appear to maintain a connection with the recipient until the 36-120 hours are up, so it is advised to move the subject to a different and safer area of the level one is located in, as the attackers seem to sense that their connection is lost and will relentlessly hunt for the recipient. Be ready to defend yourself or run away in these situations.
- 2: Pour Almond Water into their mouth, specifically the green type. Testing on Psychopathic Silhouette induced victims has shown that their heart rate completely stops beating upon being attacked, and it appears the connection they have to their attackers helps keep them alive. Pouring a drop of Green Type Almond Water down their esophagus helps the subject partially wake up from their coma and helps their heart rhythm start again. This reduces the possibility of cardiac arrest upon waking up. However, be careful not to pour too much Almond Water, otherwise, subjects may wake up too early and exacerbate their symptoms from the sudden hypnic jerk.
- 3: Pour Almond Water down their bite wound(s). This is the most crucial step of the curing process, and any type of Almond Water appears to work. Once poured, the subject will begin to convulse uncontrollably as the Almond Water travels through their bloodstream and energizes the heart, causing it to suddenly wake up. This step also severs the connection the victim has from their attackers, and their brain will swiftly regain control and attempt to wake the subject up. However, just like the first step, one must be careful not to pour too much Almond Water into the wound, as that would only exacerbate the symptoms even further. Watch for any signs of convulsions; if subjects do not show any signs after 10 minutes, pour more Almond Water into the wound until they begin to convulse.
If all of these steps are performed perfectly, with no error whatsoever, the subject will spontaneously wake up from their coma, free from the influence of their attackers. Make sure to leave the area one is in once the process is complete, as the subject’s attackers will hunt for them relentlessly; however, their pursuit appears to be halted whether one puts enough distance between them or if one enters another level.
I wake up in a hospital room, with no idea how I even ended up here. The only thing I know of is that I’m in the Backrooms and my first name. A man wearing a doctor’s uniform handed me this journal and told me to jot down anything I remember. I think I have lost my memory, but I am not sure. I immediately feel tired after the whole session, even though I believe I have woken up from a nap. I might drift off to sleep; I cannot write right now. I’ll probably write some more after I wake up, but I’m not so sure. Goodnight, for now.
Day 2: Hello again. I have officially had the first weird ass experience since I woke up. As soon as I fell asleep, I was present in a massive hallway with a grayscale appearance. I was exploring the hallway and made a left turn down a corridor into a different hallway when everything went black. That’s all I remember from my dream, nothing else. When I told the guy in the doctor’s outfit about my experiences, he told me to keep sleeping, keep dreaming, and write about my dreams when I wake up. If I am right, the dream I had yesterday may be the key to unlocking my memories. They are now rolling in food for me to eat, so I’ll stop writing for now. Best of luck when I dream. Goodnight.
Day 3 The dream I had yesterday just continued. This time, I don’t remember the specifics of the dream; however, there is one moment of the dream that I do remember, and it’s THEIR FACES. My vision turned dizzy, and I saw their face; it looked like a sinister grin, and they were looking over me, watching as everything slowly turned black, and I woke up. I feel like I’m closer to remembering everything. My mind is also in a state of wack; hallucinations about the gray hallways rock my mind every day. The doctor guy said that I might be reaching the final stage of what he called'"The Changing." '. I have no idea about what the “Changing” means, but the way he said it in, it’s probably not good. I’ll try to remember what happened, as he said that it may be my best chance of ever surviving whatever I have right now. The doctor also told me to stop writing in this journal for the time being, as I might be very close to remembering. Anyways, goodbye. Wish me the best of luck.
Day 15: I haven’t written in this journal in a while, but I finally remember what has happened—I've been attacked by something. It explains my memory loss and the wounds that I have just discovered all over my body. It was a dream—another dream—that put both the gray hallways and the face dream together. I was walking through the gray hallway and turned a corner just like last time, when suddenly I came across a shadow. I don’t know how to describe what I just saw in the dream, but it appeared right in front of me and beckoned me to follow it. I followed it, to a supposed “colony” on the level I was presented in the dream. As I looked around, I felt a sensation of something biting me in the leg, and I fell down to the ground with a clunk. As I lay there, I noticed the face of whatever bit me, and it looked exactly like what I had seen in the second dream, and then everything went black, and I woke up again, to the predicament I am currently in right now.
All of a sudden, I begin to experience a feeling of self-awareness of the condition of my body, which was covered in scratches and scrapes. I immediately get up and begin looking around, now feeling grounded and in reality. I was inside a rundown hospital room inside a MEG base, and there happened to be a window to the left side of me. The window showcased a thunderstorm going on, which suggested I was currently in Level 4. The doctor came into my room, sat me back onto the bed, and told me that I shouldn’t push myself right now because I was going through “recovery” from my attack. I will stop writing now, as I need to process what just happened to me. Goodbye.
Blending In
The nature of Silhouettes is as mysterious as it is two-faced. On one side, you have the regulars, the nice ones, who either avoid wanderers or try to help them as they navigate the hell that is the Backrooms. They are among the most common types of the mysterious Silhouette, and encountering one will be a massive benefit to one’s journey, even if one has to get lucky if they want help from a regular.
On the other hand, you have the mentally ill subjects, who want to add to one’s misery and control them. They appear nice and helpful, seemingly serving as one’s beacon of hope throughout the Backrooms. However, they have more diabolical intentions. They lure individuals into various “traps” set by the aforementioned subject, which also appear to be as helpful as the facade they are trying to play. As soon as one wanders into these traps, they attack subjects and create painful nightmares, memories, and fear, which they happily feast on.
All of this brings up questions that remain unanswered: why do the mentally ill exist, what is their motive, and how do we stop them for good? Well, the simple answer is that we don’t exactly know, although hypotheses could be made on the nature of these beings. Most simply state that their behaviors are similar to those of evil individuals who want to camouflage behind the sight lines, beings that want to see us suffer and be reliant on their control. It gives them pleasure, joy, and amusement. For these beings, the exact same can be assumed of them, as they seem to rely on fear, control, and sadness as nourishment.
So, what am I referring to when asking these questions? Well, what I am saying to you, the reader of this note, right now, is that they evolved to blend into a culture of docile entities, and they use that docility as a disguise. This is certainly not impossible. The Kauer Thesis states that the Backrooms were created by human imagination and fears. The original image posted online only expanded the Backrooms as a concept, and when people came up with the concept of other levels, the Backrooms adapted and added all of the levels we see today. It’s not a far stretch to assume that entities were created as a result of this process, and Silhouettes, especially the mentally ill ones, are no exception.
Humanity has always been afraid of being unaware. There’s a reason why we consume true crime novels, or we are interested in serial killers like Ted Bundy. We want up-to-date information on how to avoid a particular situation from occurring, and we want to know what to look out for to avoid that particular situation. So, according to the Kauer Thesis, the Backrooms created Silhouettes, both Regular and Psychopathic, out of human fears and imagination. This would make sense considering the nature of the Silhouettes themselves, as well as their properties. The Psychopathic are beings that appear to hate humanity and want to harness those fears becoming true. The Regular Silhouette is the perfect disguise for such evil and hateful beings, and as such, they roam around their specific levels and cause harm and destruction to anyone who encounters them and their wrath.
The source of their hatred is unclear; however, they might have been created that way to fulfill the fears of humanity that the Backrooms graciously recreate. Whether the case may be, their origins are the result of human consciousness and the recreated fears of humanity itself.
- Do not trust any Silhouette that appears to be helpful.
- Be careful on levels known to be a hub for Psychopathic Silhouettes.
- Do not try to defend anyone who is attacked by a Psychopathic Silhouette.
- Immediately trust any Silhouette you encounter
- Try to defend any individual in the process of being attacked.