The walls creep closer
Left, right, front, back, and center
You hardly squeeze through
LEVEL 268
THREAT INDEX
CLASS 3
Exit: 3/5
Difficult to Exit
Environment: 3/5
High Environmental Risk
Entities: 3/5
Major Hostile Presence
Level 268 is the 269th level of the Backrooms.
Comprising extensive, directionless monotonous concrete halls whose walls clench, Level 268 garnered a reputation for its claustrophobic expanse. Some hallways' narrowness force wanderers to walk sideways to traverse it. The level's sub-zero temperatures plagues wanderers with hypothermia and some wet surfaces, which remain liquid despite the low temperatures, can be dangerously slippery. Fluorescent lights illuminate the halls of Level 268, emitting an irritating buzzing noise. The level exhibits varying appearances and odors throughout its expanse; one area may be in pristine condition, while another may be in disrepair. Some hallways in the level lack illumination.
The level posits an unconventional layout, bewildering many wanderers. The layout presents inconsistency throughout the level. The complexity of the level gives the impression of non-Euclidean geometry, but actual non-Euclidean geometry is non-existent in Level 268. Wanderers usually have temporarily weakened cognitive capabilities due to the complexity of traversing the level.
Level 268's architecture largely resembles the Brutalist architectural movement in the Frontrooms, hence its name. Super-reinforced concrete comprises the walls of the level, having near-indestructible properties comparable to diamonds. Some walls can either be smooth or composed of rough bricks. Most halls have doors intersecting them with other hallways. Doors can be heavy and made of pure iron, while some are composed of glass. Objects and furniture such as closets, lockers, trash bags, cardboard boxes, destroyed electronics, piles of rubbish, minuscule Backshroom growth patches, and rarely, beneficial items like Almond Water appear throughout the level.
Level 268 possesses a thick and slightly toxic atmosphere. The atmosphere is slightly denser than Terra of the Frontrooms's sea level atmospheric pressure. Most wanderers, particularly those accustomed to the Earth's climate, experience mild headaches and coughing symptoms but are not critically ill. Miasmic mist fills the air, carrying a unique strain of the Hydrolitis Plague able to transmit via water vapor. Inhaling the miasmic water vapor is not hazardous to most wanderers, but lingering in a miasma-contaminated room for 10 minutes may cause severe symptoms. The water vapor can condense on walls, which most wanderers often touch due to the level's cramped nature, increasing their risk of Hydrolitis Plague upon contact.
Fluorescent lights are the primary illumination for Level 268. Most fluorescent lights nonsensically scatter throughout the ceiling and walls, with no distinct layout. Unlike the irritably loud buzzing of lights on Level 0, lights emanate little to no noise. The nonsensicality of the lights also applies to their appearance, sporting unconventional designs. Switches activate most lights on Level 268; most are in disrepair and could cause electrical harm on contact. Rarely, one may come across electrical panels providing power in a half-kilometer radius. The electrical panels are flimsy; slight mishandling can cut all electricity in the panel's sphere of influence, as well as potential fatal electrocution for the wanderer. If a panel malfunctions, it will reactivate after 8 minutes, usually with permanent and irreparable damage such as the occasional flickering of lights.
Unlike other levels of the Backrooms, interlevel communication with various electronics such as mobile phones and walkie-talkies is impossible in Level 268. The level is devoid of WiFi signals to connect mobile phones, and the only possible communication is with walkie-talkies with other wanderers at the level. The hinderance of wireless communication has jeopardized proper exploration of the level and the establishment of permanent settlements within the level.
Pipes of varying colors and sizes slither the ceilings of Level 268. Most pipes are dilapidated and are unable to serve their intended purpose. Functional pipes have the Hydrolitis Plague miasma flowing in them in small ice crystals, melting to infectious mist upon exposure. Rarely, one may come across green pipes containing Almond Water. Almond Water pipes lay closer to the ground, have a drinking spout, and their temperature averages at regular room temperature. Even rarer are gray or black pipes housing petroleum, to which attracted the Republic of Aurielle, who has established a small outpost for the extraction of such resource.
Level 268 is home to a diverse range of entities. Smilers, both male and female Deathmoths, Clumps, Anethikas, Spines, Needlelimbs, Silver Slimes, and Lighters populate the sprawling halls. Two entities, the Hydrolitis Plague and the Windows are also present within Level 268, although they alter slightly as opposed to their conventional counterparts.
▻ Hydrolitis Plague - Osiris Strain[]
Variant HP12202, commonly inferred as the Osiris Strain, is a strain of the Hydrolitis Plague unique to Level 268. The Osiris Strain transmits only via thick water vapor in a humid environment. The strain can thrive in smaller bodies of water, such as tiny puddles, surface condensation mainly on walls, or thick mist. Its stages of infection differ from the regular Hydrolitis Plague.
Biologists know little about the Osiris Strain. Only symptoms, transmitting mediums, and microscopic appearance are confirmed. Its origins and infection stages are not 100% factual, and conventional ailments for the regular Hydrolitis Plague are less effective towards this specific strain. Some information presented below may be misinformation, given that current knowledge about the strain connects via illogical hypotheses.
The symptoms of the strain are the same as those of the regular variant. Immediately after infection, one generally remains asymptomatic for a fortnight. The strain does not transmit through humans or entities. The three stages of both variants are nearly identical; the Osiris Strain kills its victims slower, the three stages last longer, and at the second half of the third stage, all pain receptors of the victim shut down, so victims perish painlessly. Some reports claim wanderers experiencing varying levels of paralysis or experiencing more internal pain than when they suffered the original Plague until the final stages. Other symptoms include vision impairment, stuttering speech, and even sleep paralysis, all of which are considered out-of-character for the regular variant.
Most research on the strain is sluggish due to poor manpower, resources, and higher priorities. Currently, one must visit the level appropriate equipment and take proper precautions to avoid infection of the Osiris Strain. Thankfully the presence of the Republic of Aurielle has given some researchers a safe space to regularly study the strain.
▻ The Windows of Level 268[]
Window entities spread throughout the vast complex of Level 268. They can take many different forms and sizes. The entity will display a solid concrete wall on the other side. The windows show no signs of hostility, even after intense brute force. While the entity shows no hostility, wanderers still sense fear and dread from being near them since they believe that there are certain qualities Window entities emanate that differentiate them from non-anomalous windows. Window entities are only hostile towards the Osiris Strain, as they mostly have built-in filters to combat the virus. When near a Window entity, many wanderers report hallucinations such as halls closing in slowly or fake hostile entity noises, the former being more frequent.
After receiving word that Level 268 houses rare pipes in which black gold rushes through, the Republic of Aurielle gave full attention to the level and quickly planned to extract the resource, as their other sources of petroleum are unreliable, unsustainable, and non-renewable. A week after the Backrooms Today article of the black gold in Level 268 was published, Aurielle had located the confluence of 3 oil pipes, located near 2 exits outside the level leading to key logistic joints, with hallways and spaces just wide enough to provide enough breathing room for a resource-focused outpost.
In just three days, basic resource extraction had begun, yet the colony's full construction took two months. While the colony was new, extra personnel were stationed at the outpost in case of failure of experimental technology or encounters with hostile entities. Despite the colony having no disaster history over the course of a year, Aurielle still remains cautious about the outpost due to Level 268's nature, and 17 personnel reside and work at the site. Oil production is at a steady two to three barrels every hour.
The Level 268 colony has saved the Republic of Aurielle hundreds of thousands of Nolics, allowed them to reallocate workers to do more productive activities instead of scavenging for petroleum for days on end, and has given them an upper hand in battle as the nation's Ocelot crews no longer struggle with fuel supply. Unfortunately, this has also led some eyes to spy on the outpost from enemy factions, but due to the hostile nature of Level 268, Aurielle's outpost remains safe from invaders.
▻ Entrances[]
- Entering a door situated in a claustrophobic hallway in Level 1 and Level 3 might lead one here;
- Entering a claustrophobic passage in Level 102 will lead wanderers here;
- Noclipping in a claustrophobic hallway in Level 193;
- Noclipping through any entrances of any ruins in Level 267 will lead one here;
- A wormhole in Level 223 might lead one here;
- In Level 2, traversing deep enough within corridors that are purely painted white sends one here;
- Toying with hospital equipment on either Level 14 or Level 16 might send one here;
- Noclipping into a wall in Level 802's mirrored state will send one here.
▻ Exits[]
It should be noted that despite several exits exist, they are extremely rare encounters.
- Entering a wide, open space might send one to different levels based on its appearance.
- If it resembles a parking space, it leads to Level 22;
- If it resembles a warehouse, it leads to Level 20;
- If it resembles a factory, it leads to Level 23;
- If ice and snow are present, it leads to Level 108;
- If it resembles a sports facility such as a basketball court, it may lead to Level 176;
- If it has no architectural consistency whatsoever, cannot be discerned as any spaces mentioned above, it most likely leads to Level 1;
- Did you know that consistently questioning the level's nature might send wanderers to Level 47?
- Entering a door with a sign on it with the English word "Next" etched on it, leads to Level 269;
- Descending a staircase sends one to either Level 914, or an indoor space in Level 67;
- Entering an orange door sends one to either Level 38 or Level 38.1;
- A large square room with a patch of grass leads one to Level 10;
- Finding a door in a dark room that is only illuminated by a ray of sunlight will lead one to Level 268.1;
- Finally, noclipping thorugh a hallway with a multitude of leaking pipes sends one to Level 0.8.
