Backrooms Wiki
Advertisement


CUIcon.png

Survival Difficulty: Class Undetermined
》Mysterious Properties
》Unknown Information
》Undocumented Entities

Level 169 is the 170th level of the backrooms.

Description

Level 169 is a large circle of fields and forests about the area of Texas with a large city resembling a giant petroleum refinery at the center and a very dense forest around the edge. The outskirts of the level, extending from the city to the edge are many miles of expansive and intricate jerkerline/rodline oilfields with pumpjacks, powerhouses, and tanks scattered throughout. Underground pipes connect the pumps to the tanks, and the tanks to aboveground pipelines that carry fluid to the center apparently with gravity as the level seems slightly bowl shaped. Miles of both metal and wooden linkages and mechanisms, called "shackelwork", connect the powerhouses to the pumps, constantly moving and swinging back and forth slowly, creaking, clanking, and rattling, which, coupled with the constant chuffing of the engines give the level an eerie sound.

Environment

It appears to currently be spring/summer here, with temps ranging from 70-90°F. The day/night cycle is a standard 24hour cycle. In between the sounds of machinery, you can hear the sound of animals like birds, though as with other levels that seem to exhibit this, there appear to be no actual animals or normal sources of the sounds, it's as if the trees themselves are chirping and singing. The smell of this level has been described as a mix of exhaust/pollution, sulfur gasses, and flowers (some of the trees on the level are indeed flowering).

Powerhouses

Rickety wood and metal (tin sheeting) shacks, each with a single large "hit n' miss" engine, turn pullies and cranks which drive anywhere from 10 - 45 linkages connected to pumps. A "barker" is connected to each exhaust pipe, making each engine produce a distinct and different "pthoot" sound which can be heard for miles. These engines appear to be fueled as they would be on Earth, from a gas coming from the ground, however, this gas has yet to be identified. Electric lights are often installed in these shacks, buzzing loudly as they do on many levels. Tools and machine shop equipment such as grinders, drill presses, lathes, exc can be found here, sometimes seeming recently used by someone (presumably The Maintenance Man though this is not confirmed). Occasionally, you may come across the logs of unfortunate wanderers neatly placed on a bench or shelf.

The Pumpjacks

The pumpjacks connected to the rodlines/jerkerlines throughout this level pump a fluid similar to crude oil though not identified as such. This fluid seems like the other mysterious black fluids running though pipes on other levels. Fluid often seeps up around these pumps, leaving black stains on the ground.

DO NOT STEP IN THE FLUID!

(See below)

Springs/Tarpits

Puddles and pools of liquid, resembling normal oil and tar springs/pits can be found on this level. However, they are significantly more dangerous, as they will actively try to drag you under like cartoon quicksand if you fall in. Even worse, even small puddles which appear shallow when poked with a stick can try to suck you in and consume you. This was unfortunately discovered by a M.E.G member who was pulled under by a small puddle after stepping in and his teammate with him could not pull him out. It is unknown if this fluid must be on the ground to consume people, but no one is willing to risk trying so it is best to avoid direct contact with it (samples should be taken carefully). Toxic gasses are sometimes emitted from these springs (as well as around the pumps), it is recommended to where a respirator when taking samples.

The Refinery

The refinery city at the center of the level is extremely complex making many different fluids found throughout the backrooms, though a lot of which have not been identified. "Carpet Fluid" is also rumored to be produced here. A few "standard" entities can be found here such as Hounds, Smilers, Skin-Stealers, and the occasional faceling, and while more frequent at night, they will not wander outside the outskirts of the city into the oilfields. This is a good place to find pure Almond Water as a byproduct separated from the strange oil-like fluid (similar to how oil and water are mixed when pumped back on Earth). The refinery is still under exploration, more info should be available soon.

Colonies and Outposts

No current colonies or outposts exist here. However, the logs suggest there may have been one that has been killed off.

The Logs

M.E.G is currently in possession of four pieces of wanderer evidence found in the powerhouses on this level, though it is presumed there are many more. Given the mysterious nature of these, directly viewing/hearing them may be dangerous, so descriptions will be provided. All persons involved are presumed dead.

Photo #169-P1

This photo is a Polaroid of a segment of steel rodline. On it are hung four bloody sets of dog tags, hung around the shaft in such a way that it would have have to have been removed and replaced to put them on there. The identifications have been scratched out.

Photo #169-P2

Found alongside P1, this photo is blurry, as if the photographer was running, and appears to depict a strange eerie orange light coming from the forest. It is possible this was a type of Lighter with an appearance similar to a fireball.

Photo #169-P3

This photo is another Polaroid of a section of steel rodline showing two coupler hooks connected to each other. It would normally not be possible to connect two vertical hooks without something to hook them into. That something appears to be a human femur, marbled between bleached white bone and iron which seems to have been infused into it to strengthen it.

Photo #169-P4

Found alongside P3 and unlike the others, this photo is mostly black. However, under bright light, faint outlines of trees can be seen through some sort of haze, as if the camera lens was covered in oil. However, given the angle of the shot that can be made out from the exiting details, it is not possible this was taken from inside or on the ground next to a tarpit, the photographer was clearly standing.

Video Log #169-V1

This video was found on an old tape-drive camera. Most of the video is corrupt but what can be recovered is as follows. This shows an older style wooden jerker line connected to to a bullwheel/field wheel (which branches off into more lines). The sounds of the machinery and birds as well as heavy breathing can be heard. On top of this is an odd, distorted, high pitched electronic chirping. Lying on the ground next to the jerker line is a corpse, hands nailed to the wooden beam and a mix of blood and oil dripping from his orifices all over his clothes and onto a puddle on the ground. His body slowly being dragged back and forth with the movement of the mechanism. Towards the end of the video, a loud metallic screeching can be heard, much different and louder than the machinery. The video becomes distorted and the person screams. The scream fades into a dying gurgling before the video cuts off into garbage.

Audio Log #169-A1

This log was recorded onto a cassette, a transcript is as follows.

The sounds of machinery, birds, and the same distorted sound can be heard. In addition, one of the powerhouse engines can be heard relatively close.

"Backrooms log 110, day 5 on this level of oilfields. We're running out of rations, and we've already lost Tom to a tarpit. Damn idiot went insane and kept ranting about 'what's happening to me?!' and that he saw some shit out there that he just says he can't explain other than "I saw the light" or "I see the light" or something and that "It's coming for me!" and "It will happen to you all!" He eventually just ran off. We found him near a tarpit where he looked like he was going to jump. We tried to talk to him but he just wouldn't stop screaming "make it stop" and "it must end" like some scared child. He jumped right in and before we could pull him out he was sucked down, as if it ate him. Poor bastard. Anyway, we found a pipeline, we're gonna follow it to a city we see in the distance. Hopefully it'll have supplies. Hey Jim, how long do you think it'll take us to get there?...Jim?...Where's Jim?"

Person 2: "I don't know, he was right here behind me."

Person 1: "Jim...JIM! Get your ass back here Jim!"

Suddenly a loud metallic screeching and a scream is heard in the distance.

Person 1: "Oh God, that must be Jim!" Person 2: "Jim! Answer us! Can you hear us?!"

Running can be heard, towards the nearby powerhouse where the scream supposedly came from. The running stops near the powerhouse as the engine is much louder now. Their out of breath panting turns to scared stuttered breathing.

person 1: "JESUS CHRIST! IT'S JIM!"

person 2: "Holy shit, he's fucking mutilated!"

person 1 (stifling a gag): "I guess I should...describe what we see, if I don't get sick first. Jim is lying on the ground next to the engine house. He appears to have been crushed by a length of steel rodline wrapped tightly around his body several times. There's blood and what appears to be oil oozing from his face. And it smells, like what you'd expect, blood and crude oil, but much stronger."

person 2 can be heard gaging and puking

person 1: "You okay man? Stay with me."

Person 2: "Sir...um..."

Person 1: "What the fuck is coming out of your mouth? That looks like what's leaking out of Jim!"

Person 2 (in a strained voice and coughing): "Sir...it's coming from your nose too."

Suddenly the engine starts picking up speed, as if someone disabled the governor.

Person 1: "Oh shit, what the hell is happening?!"

They are cut of by the same loud metallic screeching, this time much closer. The men scream but are snuffed out with gurgling cries of pain. The recorder is dropped on the ground and a few seconds later, two thumps are heard, what is assumed to be the men's bodies falling to the ground. The engine slows back to normal speed and the recorder keeps going for a few minutes until it stops for an unknown reason.

Speculation and Theories

The Maintenance Man has been seen wandering this level greasing and repairing the machines. However, he has angrily denied any involvement in the incidents, or seeing anything unusual, though he has said he has seen the logs in the powerhouses. It is assumed he did not kill any of these people as their deaths do not correlate with his known attacks, which is usually electrocution.

Several theories have been thrown around, from mysterious entities, to properties of the level itself, to just an elaborate hoax by The Maintenance Man (though he denies this as well).

Until this is further explained, assume this level is dangerous.

Entrances and Exits

This level is still under exploration. New entrances and exits may be found.

Entrances

-Noclip into a large pipe dripping black fluid on any level, mainly level 2

-Find a door marked "source" on level 2

Exits

-Walk far enough in the outer edge forest to end up on level 140

-Noclip into a pipe to end up back on level 2

-Noclip into a tank to end up in level 7

Advertisement