““In order to reach the end, you must start at the beginning.”
— A note originating from Level Origin. Author unknown.
Description
Level Origin appears to be an endless, nearly empty space devoid of nearly all light or gravity, possessing an unstable spatial structure, and lacking any discernable constant physical properties -- with a few exceptions. The space within the level is theorized to be a true vacuum and therefore lacks any free particles outside of objects foreign to the level(including bodies of wanderers and entities), which enter it through noclipping from the Void. Another highly dangerous area, spending an indeterminate amount of time in limbo within the Void will result in objects and/or beings being transported to Level Origin. Related to this, the space of Level Origin is extremely volatile, with frequent manifestations and de-manifestations of objects into and out of the level; these objects will remain in the level before being noclipped out, usually to random areas of the Backrooms. The presence of the singular entity on this level is thought to be the reason that a state of absolute emptiness, violating the known laws of quantum mechanics -- namely, the complete absence of the manifestation of virtual particles -- can be maintained. The means by which this is done is unknown. The passage of time in Level Origin is warped; it is possible for the flow of time to move backwards and at varying speeds. This makes the concrete dating of objects which come from it extremely difficult unless there is the presence of independent indicators of time(see Incident ORIGIN-001).
The space within the level is also non-linear in nature, with the distance of objects from the observer never changing, even if said observer is moving away or towards the objects at a high velocity within 3-dimensional space. This is conjectured to be the result of Level Origin being a tesseract-like object or another 4-dimensional structure of some sort. Wanderers noclipped to this level will see a vast expanse of darkness, expanding beyond their sight, and will experience a lack of gravity. They will also be able to notice many miscellaneous objects which noclipped to the space floating in the level, near them. Due to the unique characteristics of the level, no matter how much they try to move closer or farther to something, they will, to their perception, have not moved at all. Also, it is currently unknown whether more than one wanderer can be alive within the level at a time -- all known accounts persist in the statement that all wanderers were unable to discern the existence of others, even if they were in the presence of other wanderers before ending up in the level.
Level Origin is among the most dangerous known levels in the history of the M.E.G, and entering it will almost certainly lead to a painful death. Many anomalous and unusual traits deem the level an area unfit for life. The warping of space-time is the main reason this level is classified as a Deadzone; the frequent fractures in reality which often appear are both invisible and instantly deadly, ripping apart all known matter in the universe. The lack of air or matter of any kind means that wanderers will quickly suffocate within the empty space, and will quickly expire without the presence of an external oxygen source. Oddly, despite the immense pressure difference that would be expected due to the presence of a vacuum, objects and beings within the level are subjected to a kind of selective stasis of a rather nebulous nature -- forcing wanderers to suffocate to death in an extremely painful fashion, instead of imploding from the inside-out. It is unknown exactly how much perceived time passes before an object or wanderer is noclipped out of Level Origin, but this is longer than 24 hours -- as some wanderers who have been suspected of ending up there possessed breathing apparatuses that held approximately 24 hours worth of oxygen for an adult human male.
However, an interesting hypothesis put forth by some physicists states that the entire level is in a state of extended quantum superposition -- time simply doesn't pass in the presence of an observer, and only when the observer transitions to a non-observer state(ie. death) will any objects be noclipped out of the level. However, the validity of this statement has been called into question, as there has been the discovery of the presence of an entity within Level Origin. Of course, this only mirrors actual quantum mechanics in a strictly analagous manner.
Remote analysis of the level through various means has dated the space's creation to over 9 billion years ago.
The Doorway
The lone discernable constant physical characteristic of Level Origin is the presence of an extremely bright, white-colored rectangular structure floating inside the space of the level. The structure is approximately 3 meters tall, and 1 meter wide; a curious property of the structure is that it seemingly possesses no depth of any sort, being an entirely flat, 2-dimensional plane within the space of the level(yet seemingly existing in 4-dimensional space). This structure emits electromagnetic radiation, anomalously emitting photons at the frequency of visible light, which cease to exist within the greater space of Level Origin after reaching past 10 meters from the structure. This structure, similar to other objects in this level, is embedded within non-linear space and is always situated 30 meters away from an observer, regardless of velocity or location. Observations and characteristics line up with a description of a theorized extra-universal gateway -- however, what is truly beyond the portal is unknown.
What can be known with any significant degree of certainty, however, is that there is an entity that exists on the other side of this gate -- whose power is potent enough to leak into this side too.
Entities
There is only one known entity residing within Level Origin.
Unknown
Very little is known about this entity, but there have been tentative discussions about its true identity as a possible member of the [DATA EXPUNGED], namely the individual titled the 'Exalted One' -- but all such claims are but speculation at the moment, at best. As all known information stems from a few sparse objects which have noclipped out of Level Origin; along with the recorded conversation between Randall Talhand and this entity, accurate conclusions cannot be established. Further attempts at incursions into the level for the purpose of prying into the nature and full capabilities of the entity are currently being attempted.
What is known about the entity, however, is that:
- It possesses extremely potent ontokinetic/reality-warping abilities, exceeding that of nearly all known entities in the Backrooms.
- It possesses advanced telepathic capabilities, sufficient to transmit complex concepts to others within a short period of time.
- It possesses the capability to fundamentally alter space-time, likely existing in higher dimensions than the baseline 3rd dimension -- this capability is almost certainly the reason the unusual nature of Level Origin can be maintained.
- It likely resides outside the observable universe, based on the entity's claims; therefore, it is influencing the level through the portal. It also is most probably unfathomably old, with it demonstrating first-hand knowledge about the [DATA EXPUNGED].
- Finally, the properties that it has demonstrated thus far, by its own admission, are far inferior to the full extent of its capabilities. In the words of our founder, the First; "It is only the very tip of the iceberg." Nonetheless, the entity is not hostile to humans or the M.E.G and therefore is not to be provoked by any means.
- Also, if it is indeed a member of the Children, the nature and type of its powers are most similar to the Exalted One, the purported owner of the final artifact found within the copy of the Temple of the Exalted Ecclesiast in Level 94.
Incident ORIGIN-001
The following is an audio recording that manifested spontaneously in the office of an unnamed M.E.G officer residing on Level 1. The date and time when this event occurred was 01/22/24, 4:24 PM. The human male who recorded the log was identified as Randall Talhand, a photographer for the M.E.G, who was reported missing on 05/14/22. The log contained approximately 9 hours of footage, with some parts removed for brevity.
| Audio Recording from 01/21/23, 3:47 PM
[Heavy breaths and frantic movements can be heard.] Randall: Shit... that was close. I almost suffocated. Thank god I had the oxygen mask on me. Randall: Where is this? This isn't the Void, but it doesn't look much different either. There's a bunch of random objects near me--and what is that bright object up there? Randall: Hello?! Anyone here?! [Echoes of Randall's voice can be heard.] Randall: Is that a wanderer? HELLO?! Thank god I- [Sounds of retching can be heard] Randall: Oh my god... what happened to him? His entire body is ripped almost in half! Randall: And I've been moving towards the body, but I haven't seemed to move any closer...? [An eight-second pause.] Randall: I'm fucked, ain't I. 8 hours of non-relevant audio were removed for brevity. Randall: Randall Tallhand, photographer for the M.E.G, reporting in for day 245 of our--no, my journey. This might be my last. [Randall sharply exhales.] Randall: After over three months, by my estimation, residing in the Void, I've been noclipped to an unknown location. It's not that different from the Void, honestly. Just has some stuff in it, like more bodies, backpacks, boxes, and especially that weird shining rectangle that I can't seem to get closer to. Randall: Oh yeah, you also can't move closer to any of the objects in the space, apparently. So now I can't even scavenge for oxygen supplies, which is what I need to survive in this godforsaken place. My oxygen tank has about 15 hours left. I'm probably going to die here. Randall: Why did I agree to this mission in the first place? [The sound of a stomach grumbling is heard.] Randall: Seriously? I have to be hungry at this moment. [Noises of rummaging are audible.] Randall: Well, I guess I'll face my last hours on an empty stomach. [Silence for 19 minutes.] Randall: ...I suppose this is an ultimate end -- a veritable wastebasket for everything that ends up in the Void, which is a lot. It's quiet here, and the space itself feels forgotten, eerie, and liminal. Just like all the objects in here. Just like me. Randall: I- [Randall begins sobbing] Randall: FUCK THIS ALL! FUCK THE M.E.G, FUCK THE BACKROOMS, FUCK WHOEVER CREATED THIS HELL! [A shaky, shuddering breath is heard.] Randall: My life was torn apart when I came here. Wallowing in my rabbit hole of grief and sadness at what I had lost; it took a whole lot of help to get back out of it. My wonderful friends helped me the most. My wife among them. Now... they are all dead. Forgotten by all but me. Randall: For whoever is out there, whoever can hear me, please don't forget me too. [At this point, the recording becomes white noise for a period of two seconds.] Randall: Did the floating rectangle just become brighter? Unknown: Gʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢs, ᴄʜɪʟᴅ ᴏғ ᴄᴀʀʙᴏɴ. [Randall begins to panic.] Randall: W-Who are you? Who's there? Show yourself! Unknown: Mʏ ᴘʜʏsɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴏʀᴍ ᴅᴏᴇs ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxɪsᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ. Randall: Are you that floating object up there? Unknown: Tʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴀ ᴘᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴛᴏ [DATA EXPUNGED], ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛᴇᴅ. Randall: Alright, if you are so high and mighty, can you revive my dead friends and family? Can you get me out of here? Unknown: I ᴀᴘᴏʟᴏɢɪᴢᴇ. I ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ, ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇ. Ɪ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇʀғᴇʀᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟs, ɴᴏᴛ ᴀɴʏᴍᴏʀᴇ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀɴ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴏɴᴇ. Randall: What bullshit promise. You have the power to, don't you? Then do it! [Randall's speech becomes hysterical.] Unknown: Tʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ʙɪɢɢᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴘᴏssɪʙʟʏ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ. Randall: If you won't bring my dead friends and family back, then you owe me the truth. Make me understand. Unknown: Yᴏᴜ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅɪᴇ. Randall: You said it yourself. You won't get me out of this place. Do it. Unknown: ...Vᴇʀʏ ᴡᴇʟʟ. [At this moment, a low hum becomes audible, and continues for 15 seconds before fading.] Randall: Oh. So that's what this place was. [A pause.] Randall: How utterly ironic. End of Recording 01/22/23, 1:01 AM |
It is currently unknown why Randall Talhand's body did not manifest along with the audio recording device.
Colonies and Outposts
Due to the nature of this level, colonies and outposts are unable to be established. You will die.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
- There is a small chance of entering this level after an indeterminate amount of time in the Void. Tʜᴇ ғᴀʟsᴇ sᴇᴀ. A ᴘᴀʟᴛʀʏ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛᴇʀғᴇɪᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴛʜɪɴɢ.
- Noclipping into a true vacuum from the Frontrooms. Yᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʜᴇʀᴇ.
- Wandering long enough through the black meadows in Level 898 may lead here.
Exits
- There are no known exits from Level Origin. At least ones that get you out alive. Yᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɴ ɪɴғɪɴɪᴛʏ.
Wᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇʀ, ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ?
Author: Syncronyzer
Image Source: dark-room-6.png from jooinn.com
License: CC0
Hooray! My first level! Thanks to everyone who gave excellent feedback -- my project members on the canon, Sylas, and many others. Hype! - Syncronyzer
| The Empyreanverse, A Finale, and Children of the Empyrean Sea |
