Level 9.7: "Twisted Alleys"

"As I continued to meander through the far reaches of the dark streets, I was certain I was walking towards my inevitable death. Yet, I started to notice my surroundings transmute, from large houses to dilapidated garages, surrounded by the reposeful ambiance of a quiet neighborhood. I had finally escaped those hellish suburbs.

~ Excerpt from an interview with a wanderer

PXL 20241030 021428934

~ Name

Level 9.7 is a sub-level between Level 9 and Level 10, discovered on September 5, 2017 by an anonymous lone wanderer after walking an undeterminable distance in Level 9. If u are seeing this pls subscribe to my youtube channel link on profile

Description[]

Level 9.7 is a presumably infinite expanse of intertwining suburban alleyways trapped in a perpetual overcast night, with uneven, poorly-maintained roads. Potholes can be found throughout the level, some filled with contaminated Almond Water and rarely, ~~Carpet Fluid~~ threat neutralized. Occasionally, one may encounter a wider, slightly better maintained road. These roads are lit by street lights, some of which may be facing the wrong direction (ex. shining into a house's backyard, illuminating a fence instead of the road) or partially obstructed by unknown means.

fig 1.0 A photo of Level 9.7.

Despite the lack of motorized vehicles, tire marks can be seen at intersections, and several parts of the roads are cracked, with loose gravel dispersed in these areas. Sounds of tires crunching on gravel are also constantly audible. In addition, eerie, almost robotic sounds of a cat meowing and birds chirping are present throughout the level, in spite of the lack of any instances of feline or avian organisms within Level 9.7. The volume of these sounds remains constant, regardless of the wanderer's position within the level. The sides of the alleyways are lined with houses, trash bins, and wooden telephone poles. The majority of the houses' exteriors are reminiscent of architecture from the 1960s-1990s; however, buildings of more modern fashion can be found throughout the level as well, albeit rare. These homes are the only ones with addresses displayed on them. The lowest and highest address numbers discovered thus far are 32 and 129348765954723568543, respectively. Dated apartment buildings can be infrequently found in impossibly long stretches, often occupying several blocks. It should be noted that there are no entrances to these apartment blocks; similarly, all houses are guarded by garages and/or fences with no openable doors or gates.

fig 2.0 A brightened version of the above photo.

The temperature within this level is uncomfortably cold, with the highest temperature recorded reaching a mere 10°C (50°F), and the lowest temperature dropping down to -8°C (17.6°F). It is unknown how the level warms and cools itself, due to the absence of a day-night cycle, a sun or other sources of heat. These temperatures can induce hypothermia; hence, it is advised that wanderers bring warm clothing if they intentionally enter this level.

Many believe that, as a sub-level of Level 9, Level 9.7 is the "backside" of its parent level and serves as a gateway between Level 9, its sub-levels, and its surrounding levels.

Entities[]

Level 9.7 is entirely devoid of entities that would customarily be found in dark levels, such as Smilers or Hounds; however, instances of Entity 28 are quite common, along with two entities which are entirely endemic to Level 9.7:

Foglighters (not to be confused with Lighters or Lights)[]

ENTITY NO. 84

THREAT LEVEL
1

Habitat:
Native to Level 9.7

Aggression: 0/5
Non-aggressive

Intellect: 1/5
Basic cognitive function

Danger: 1/5
Causes minimal harm

Entity 84, commonly known as Foglighters or "Fog Lighters" (Nebula levis machina), are somewhat rare entities resembling Lighters that emit a light blue-grey glow. Foglighters are accompanied by a massive aura of fog, typically measuring 200 meters across. Upon engulfing a wanderer, this fog creates an abnormally bright environment resembling daylight. This fog induces mild psychological effects, most notably fatigue and extreme mood swings for several hours after coming into contact with the fog. The mechanism behind the fog's generation remains unknown, but one prevailing theory posits that Foglighters are surrounded by an immense aura of microscopic crystalline particles. These crystals, composed of an unidentified highly refractive material, act as highly efficient reflectors of the Foglighter's glow. However, this theory suffers from significant flaws, primarily the lack of explanation for the crystals' anomalous formation in the first place, along with their gravity- & physics-defying presence. Furthermore, the cause of the Foglighter's psychological effects remains unclear and lacks plausible explanations.

fig 3.0 A photo taken by a wanderer engulfed in the fog. The Foglighter of origin can be seen in the distance.

Despite superficial similarities to Lighters, Foglighters possess distinct behavioral characteristics.

The colour of a Foglighter's glow remains unvarying regardless of temperature. This glow is also significantly dimmer than that of a Lighter. Furthermore, Foglighters do not emit heat, rendering them harmless to the touch. Their surface texture has been described as slightly rough and bumpy, resembling the texture of old scrap metal. Foglighters demonstrate inert behavior, exhibiting no response to external stimuli. Experiments involving firearms and physical interaction have yielded no reactions. They appear to drift aimlessly through Level 9.7, traveling at an average pace of about 10kph (~6.2mph). M.E.G. tracking devices have observed Foglighters traversing straight paths for extended periods (hours/days) across Level 9.7 before deviating from their trajectory. Curiously, all trackers fall off after less than a week, despite being firmly fixed to the body of the Foglighter by nails and screws. A peculiar feature of all observed Foglighters is a small circular section, approximately a few centimeters in diameter, located on their body. This section can be easily identified by a reduced luminescence and lower saturation in colour compared to the rest of the body. The origin and purpose of this feature remain unknown.

Foglighters and Lighters may share similarities, but their differences are much too apparent for Entity 84 to be considered a sub-type of Entity 36.

Lights (not to be confused with Lighters or Foglighters)[]

ENTITY NO. 85

THREAT LEVEL
2

Habitat:
Native to Level 9.7

Aggression: 1/5
Attacks if threatened

Intellect: 3/5
Problem solving ability

Danger: 3/5
Injuries fairly common

Entity 85, better known as Lights (Lumina damnationem) are common entities which have two variants: Innocuous Lights & Aggresive Lights (similar to Windows). Both types of Lights will vary in shape, colour and sizes, with their only identifying factors being the tints of their lights. Lights consist of a plastic/metal base functioning as its body, and light(s) which act as its head.

Aggressive Lights[]

Aggressive Lights (Lumina damnationem infestantibus), despite their name, are not naturally hostile to wanderers. Unlike their Window counterpart, Aggressive Lights are incapable of killing humans, but can cause intense pain for short periods of time. Aggressive Lights are the more common of the two variants, characterized by their slight yellow tint. If one gets too close to an Aggressive Light (within ~30cm), the Aggressive Light will administer an electric shock in the direction of the wanderer in question for up to a second. This causes intense pain in the affected area, but paradoxically does not cause burns and can not cause death. Additionally, the Aggressive Light will also quickly raise its brightness to that of a flashbang, but only the wanderer being attacked will see this intensely bright light. Once the wanderer vacates the area and the Aggressive Light deems it to be safe, it will reduce its brightness. All effects induced on the wanderer will immediately subside, with no injuries or long-term effects sustained.

fig 4.0 A photo of an Aggressive Light. Photographer was attacked immediately after taking this photo.

Innocuous Lights[]

Innocuous Lights (Lumina damnationem innocens), the rarer of the two variants, are entirely passive. They are characterized by a white glow. They will never attack a wanderer, but if one gets too close to an Innocuous Light, it will increase its brightness based on how close the wanderer is, capable of becoming as bright as a phone flashlight. If the wanderer is exceedingly close (~6 inches) to the Innocuous Light, it will begin to release a sound similar to that of a boiling kettle. It is believed that this sound may be a cry for help from the Innocuous Light, but there is no evidence to substantiate this.

fig 5.0 A photo of an Innocuous Light. Note the lack of a yellow tint

It should be noted that street lights, lamps, and lanterns in Level 9.7 are NOT entities; Lights are limited to small sources of lights, often attached to gates, doors, fences, doorframes, etc. Due to the minute differences between Aggressive Lights and Innocuous Lights, it is advised that wanderers do not approach Lights of any kind.

Colonies and Outposts[]

As previously stated, Level 9.7's houses are inaccessible, and the roads are unfit for inhabitation due to the frigid climate. However, the modern houses scattered throughout the level are an exception. Climbing over fences/garages belonging to these homes will allow wanderers to enter the house and inhabit them. Most of these houses are fully furnished, with kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, furniture, and sometimes basements. The exteriors of these houses will appear small/moderately sized; due to the non-euclidean nature of this level, however, the interiors are substantially larger, comparable to a mansion, allowing for the accommodation of up to 30 wanderers in one house. All windows are obstructed by heavy metal blinds and are unable to be damaged in any way, no matter how much force is applied. Breaking the walls of these homes reveals more rooms behind them, meaning these houses are likely infinite, as none have been found to have a boundary thus far. Therefore, each house could theoretically accommodate an infinite number of wanderers,

Wanderers exploring in groups have established colonies in these houses:

Back-Alley Wanderers' Society (BAWS)[]

44 members
Seeking new members
Willing to trade resources
Established July 2nd, 2019
House address: 1684

Joe + Friends M.E.G. Base Neighborhood Watch[]

~~5 members~~ 12 members
Willing to trade
~~Accepting new members~~
Established ~~February 13th, 2012~~ September 29th, 2020
House address: ████

Outpost 1B[]

18 members
Willing to trade, and accepting new members
Explores Level 9.7 to help the M.E.G. gain more knowledge on the level.
Established July 30th, 2019
House address: 1723

Motokusu[]

Gang composed of 11 members, consisting of former Japanese Yakuza members
Hostile to all entities and most humans
Only accepts certain members of Japanese descent
Established June 23rd, 2021
House address: 1382
Has been engaged in the Armaani-Motokusan Gang War since March 2022

Armaania[]

Gang composed of 13 members, consisting of outcasts of Level 399's Megacolony
Hostile to all entities; may be hospitable towards certain wanderers
Only accepts members who meet certain criteria
Established July 1st, 2021
House address: 1395
Has been engaged in the Armaani-Motokusan Gang War since March 2022

fig 6.0 A photo of King's Way; the BAWS residence can be seen in the distance.

There are hundreds of other smaller colonies, outposts and groups in Level 9.7, leading the M.E.G. to believe that Level 9.7's population exceeds 10,000 residents. This means that it is infeasible to document every single group that calls Level 9.7 home. Despite the large number of colonies in Level 9.7, modern houses remain rare. To assist lost wanderers, many groups have named certain roads and put up street signs near in order to guide wanderers to refuge. Some examples are as follows:

Colborne Avenue: Leads to a dead end where M.E.G. Base Neighborhood Watch's house is located.
King's Way: A small road branches off from the end of this street; following it leads to the residence of the BAWS.
Willingdon Street: Outpost 1B is located on this road.
Commercial Broadway: Home to 23 smaller colonies/outposts/groups
19th Street and Grapp Street: Home to Armaania & Motokusu respectively; all entrances to these roads have been barricaded by the M.E.G. since May 19th, 2022 due to safety issues regarding the Armaani-Motokusan Gang War.

Entrances & Exits[]

fig 7.0 A photo featuring a presumed exit to Level 427.

Entrances[]

Extremely rarely, wandering far enough in Level 9 may lead to this level.
Jumping into a pond in Level 594, and then no-clipping into the ground will bring one to this level.
Punching certain trees in Level 110 may bring one to this level.
Inhaling the fog of Level 158 for too long will send one here.
A small, out of place outhouse may appear randomly in Level 351; entering it leads to this level.
In Level 450, no-clipping through non-entity mirrors brings one to this level.
Rarely, one may find a jug of black milk in a fridge in Level 570; drinking a certain amount of it will cause one to fall unconscious and wake up on the streets of Level 9.7.
Walking backwards into a light pole in Level 9.6 causes one to no-clip into it and enter this level.

Exits[]

When walking for exceedingly long distances, unknown factors cause the level to fade back into Level 9 or one of its other sub-levels.
Should one attempt to climb over a fence or atop the roof of a garage, they will no-clip through the floor and be sent to The Void upon landing on the other side.
Attempting to gain access to the front yard of any house (via a fence gate, front door, etc.) will also cause one to no-clip through the floor and fall into The Void.
In both cases, wanderers can rarely be sent to The Game instead.
Attempting to no-clip into an Aggressive Light has been reported to bring one to Level 5.1.
No-clipping whilst engulfed by the fog of a Foglighter brings one to Level 690.
Staring at a street light for long enough will lead to Level 82.
Breaking a TV in a house sends one to Level 444.
Climbing a telephone pole sends one to Level 722.
Climbing into a trash bin, closing the lid, and staying inside for several hours will send the wanderer and the trash bin to the Ame-no-ukihasi section of Level 145.
Walking into a dense thicket of small rainforest trees/shrubs causes one to re-emerge in Level 427.
Touching a fridge found in an alleyway sends one to Level 142.
Holes in the ground may lead to Level 479.
Lighting oneself on fire leads to Level 997.

Warning:
The following portion of this page is restricted; please enter valid credentials

Reason:
You are not permitted to view this file as it requires a higher clearance level to access.

M.E.G. Database Login Form

Insert Username

Gary

Insert Password

Password Autofilled.

Welcome, Gary!
The following content contains a letter sent to Dr. Stephen Brownlee by M.E.G. Operative Samuel Yu on 11/15/20, and should only be viewed by personnel designated Impresario clearance or above:

"Hello, Dr. Brownlee,
I hope you are doing well. During my recent explorations in Level 9.7, I've intercepted this letter that appears to have been sent from Outpost 1B to that other group at 12635. I've already forwarded the letter over to the group at 12635. I've pasted the letter's contents below:

Fleming,

We need to evacuate this level soon. Something is coming. I apologize if this letter is poorly organized, our base is in a state of panic. You know the little circles on the bottom of those Foglighters? They're not some random vestigial structure like we'd theorized. Last month, one of our operatives caught one, and we've finally managed to blow up the external layer going through nearly our entire stock of explosives. There was a complex system of wires and circuits, and there was some sort of radioactive metal which is not of our home planet. Additionally, nothing in the Foglighter gave us any clue as to how it generates its light, but that is irrelevant as of now. More importantly, we've discovered the origin of the circle. It is a camera, a video recording device of some sort. It is now apparent that Foglighters are NOT entities. They are machines. This certainly explains how Foglighters are able to travel in perfectly straight lines for up to days at a time. The fact that there are these machines monitoring us humans is unsettling enough, but as of late, we have unraveled some...more alarming information. This is the main reason I have written this letter. Over the weeks following the first incident with the Foglighter, we captured 6 more Foglighters, in an attempt to see if this was consistent, and it was. In the most recent instance, just last week, we discovered a sizeable stack of neatly folded, glowing papers inside of the internal machinery of the Foglighter. Upon unfolding the papers, it revealed several notes. They contained countless blurry images of what we assume are humans traversing through Level 9.7, each annotated in an unknown Indo-Aryan language. Through an extensive decoding process which was finished just today, we have determined the language to share several similarities with the dialect of Hindustani known as Kauravi. We have also managed to roughly decode some of the words on the note, enough so that we can understand the annotations. The said annotations contained several mentions of human agents, a timeframe of 7 months, and the word "Meenaayara", which, based on context, we assume is some sort of doomsday event. Furthermore, there were also several images of our operatives destroying Foglighters. Beside these photos, the entity wrote some evidently rushed notes, which we are unable to decode due to its illegibility.

Using these annotations and our prior knowledge, we have put together this story: Level 9.7 was created by unknown means by an almighty entity after becoming aware of the popularity of the Backrooms, back in 2016. It aimed to kidnap us humans after building a sizeable population in this sub-level, which it already has. The Foglighters were created and released in the wild directly after the first wanderer entered Level 9.7, in order to spy on us and collect data regarding our weaknesses, our strengths, and our defense mechanisms. Based on some dates written on the notes, we can assume the doomsday event will occur sometime in late March of 2021. We have no clue what this doomsday implies, but it is safe to assume that it is best not to find out. It is highly likely that this entity misplaced these notes in the building process of the Foglighters, and will most likely notice and infer that we know about its plans, following its realization that we have our suspicions of the Foglighters.

Consequently, I've concluded that we cannot remain in Level 9.7 much longer. Alert all members at 12635 and the surrounding colonies on Commercial Broadway; we'll do the same for Base Block Watch and the BAWS. We must move fast.

Yours truly,

Xavier Yusuf-Ahmad @ Outpost 1B,

11/12/20

To protect public safety, I believe that access to this document should be restricted to personnel designated Impresario clearance or above.

Regards,

Operative Samuel Yu"

2 months later, on January 28th, 2021, the Great Evacuation of Level 9.7 would commence.

ｂ𝐮т Ｙ𝕆𝐮 ∂𝕆几'т 𝓀几𝕆ｗ тＨⓐт 𝕗𝕆ⓡ ѕ𝐮ⓡ𝐄...∂𝕆 Ｙ𝕆𝐮?

> Additional File Recovered. Open?

> Close Additional File

Recovered Journal Entry:
Presumably written by Kimberly O. Joon of BAWS
01/02/21

Daytime

It's been 58 days since I've entered this level, and joined the BAWS. The database says it's safe, but the eternal darkness and those Foglighters are driving me insane.

Recently, we at the BAWS have noticed something. It's getting brighter. I don't know why, but the level is getting brighter. It's gone from a dark, eerie black to a gloomy dark blue. We haven't received any reports of this from other bases, so we suspect this is only occurring in our section of the level. We've decided to keep this a secret from other colonies.

Wait...what's happening...?

Something is clearly wrong. This is against the nature of this level. It's almost as bright as daytime...yet the sky is still the same dull dark blue.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It has been a few hours since my last entry. We have begun to notice more and more changes within the level. Clearly, what we thought we knew about this level was not the truth, at least not the whole truth.

The sky has gone from pitch-black, to dark blue, to a masquerade of vibrant colours and clouds.

What could this mean?

I have repeated this question to myself for hours. Nobody at any of the other bases has reported anything, and we have continued to keep quiet about this. This has truly baffled each and every one of us at BAWS.

We received the message from Outpost 1B regarding the Foglighters. We have already begun planning an evacuation in February. Could this be a trick the "all-powerful entity" is playing on us, trying to get us to stay? Could this be a false hope? Or a real one, a vision for a brighter future, in a figurative and literal sense? We have no way of knowing for certain.

>Open Author Information<

>Close Author Information<

Written + photos created by Obskewerty.

Other projects:
Level 208: "The Floor is ████(rip)(u can see an archived version in my sandbox)
Entity 85: "Lights"
Entity 84: "Foglighters
Planning on creating a sub-level of Level 94 sigma juno kim