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““Welcome to serenity. The wonderful waterslides, the tepid pools, the sound of nothing but the ripples of water—what else could you ask for?”
— Found in an unknown wanderer's journal.
Level 71 is the 72nd level of The Backrooms.
Level 71 is an expanse of tepid pools and waterslides with a relatively modern aesthetic. The architecture is fairly simple, with pools, stairs, and railings placed haphazardly throughout the level. Most of the light on Level 71 is derived from windows located on the walls, and these windows are entirely devoid of glass that appear to prevent people from falling out and/or breaking them. The temperature throughout the level remains stable at 59ºF (15ºC), and the cool temperature is thought to be caused by the lack of general heat sources. Tan ceramic tiles also cover the walls and floors, which appear to be teal at night. These tiles can lack friction and wanderers can easily slip on them, posing a slight hazard.
Research has proven that Level 71's gravity is roughly 93% that of Earth's, but it is unknown what appears to cause this gravitational phenomenon, but it is thought that this level's gravity is slowly decreasing. However, this theory has recently been refuted. Although the level seems nice at first glance, there are a couple environmental hazards that make it imperfect, such as reports and studies that have shown that wanderers are unable to climb up waterslides. Attempts to do so would often result in one getting violently ejected from the slides.
Level 71 is non-Euclidean, meaning that waterslides are rarely as long as they seem to be, with reports saying that the length of these slides can range from two meters up to a kilometer long. Other non-Euclidean properties of Level 71 include rooms suddenly changing size and windows showing the exact same view. The geometry is seldomly an issue, however. The interiors of the slides are also exceptionally dark, as no lighting is provided, though slides are unable to transport one outside Level 71. Furthermore, some slides are placed in front of railings and stairs, which could ultimately injure wanderers, and the slides are often very steep; therefore, descending the slides is strongly discouraged.
Most of the pools in Level 71 are filled with chlorine and other chemicals, keeping the water clean—pools in darker rooms do not have chlorine, meaning that they are more susceptible to diseases than the rest of the pools.
Level 71's first confirmed encounter was in 2006 by an anonymous wanderer, claiming they accessed the level via an exit door in Level 70. Prior to this encounter, it was already thought to be an aquatic level, as the sound produced at 71 Mhz from its level key was thought to resemble the sound of water splashing. It was not until around the early 2010s that a new entrance was discovered to Level 71. This is likely due to the other entrances being more obscure and specific compared to the entrances in Level 70, and less orderly as well.
Much like Level 0, this level has an isolating effect on wanderers, making it impossible to meet other individuals in this level.
Level 71's day-night cycle lasts for roughly forty-eight days, with both day and night lasting for twenty-four days at a time. During the night, one will notice stars through the window, though no constellations are recognizable. In addition to this, places that are darkened during the day are brightened up at night—the level's light comes from several LED lights that are often found on staircases and walls. These lights are also useful for navigating Level 71 by showing wanderers where to go.
The slides still remain completely dark, likely due to anomalies throughout the level. Excluding that, pools during nighttime increase melatonin levels more than in daytime, mainly due to the fact that during nighttime, people want to sleep and relax. Wanderers have also claimed that pools get "refilled" with chemicals every night, though these claims are not confirmed and are still under study.
During The Flicker, Level 71 was constantly in this state of nightfall, and pools stagnated because they weren't anomalously maintained by the level as it usually did. Furthermore, the lights in the level were dimmed and perpetually flickering, causing entry of the level to be discouraged to prevent harmful diseases and possible phenomena from harming people. In May of 2023, it became daytime again, and the lights began to function as normal.
The Hydrolitis Plague, sometimes known as simply Hydrolitis, is a disease that resides in aquatic environments. It is transferred through airborne particles containing the bacteria, eventually resulting in one catching it. Although it is rare, cases of it have been found in certain static pools within Level 71. This can be avoided by staying away from stagnant and untreated pools.
It had been hypothesized that Level 71 is directly linked to Level 37, and the holes on the walls lead down the slides. Further arguments in support of this hypothesis pointed to the similar properties between the two levels, including pools, stairs, and ceramic tiles.
However, research showed that this is not the case, as there are no entrances or exits to either of the levels. It was originally thought that drowning in Level 37 would send one to Level 71, but instead of being sent here, the wanderers that attempted this supposedly died.
Level 71 can be accessed from Level 70 upon entering a door labeled with a teal exit sign. Alternatively, there's a chance of a window appearing in Level 152, in which looking out at it will also send you here.
The only reliable way to exit this level is by entering dark, remote, and isolated areas of the level. This will take one to Level 72. Most other exits are inconsistent.
A black waterslide either leads one to Level 430.
- Image 1: Waterslides from r/LiminalSpace.
- Image 2: Source currently unknown, originated from "Level REDACTED."
- Image 3: Waterslides (Night) from Pinterest. Modified by the author.
- Image 4: Waterslide Room from r/Liminal Space.
- Audio: 1 Minute Timer - Water Sound and Shallow Pool Background from Peace and Concentration on YouTube.
Previously rewritten by Firestarthegodcat.
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