The Backrooms

Depiction courtesy of Archivist Stanzford.

Entity Number: 57 ｜ Class: Zoophoid

Habitat: Majority

Entity 57, commonly referred to as leech adders, are venomous, serpent-like entities known for their tendency to establish nests in proximity to human habitations. These clever little beings exhibit a remarkable degree of geographical ubiquity, with their presence spanning across a wide range of levels and environments.

Description

Leech adders are translucent, partially invisible creatures, resembling shifting heat waves in the air when observed from the periphery of one’s vision. Their locomotion is reminiscent of the sinuous movements of snakes, crossing distance with a mixture of slithers and jumps. They appear to have two mouths, symmetrically positioned on either flank of their bodies, evoking a semblance to leeches. Discerning the front side of an adder is very simple with the presence of small, bead-like eyes right atop the head.¹

Notably, leech adders carry a curious phenomenon. When staring at it directly, one's vision will be distorted, similar to the fractured perspective seen through peering into a kaleidoscope's eye.² Therefore, it is recommended to don goggles or utilize cameras when interacting with adder dens. No looking apparatus can fully cancel out the effects of the adder’s distortion, save for its own adder stone, but some degree of barrier will greatly reduce eye strain.³

Behavior

It is okay to approach a leech adder, as they are not regarded as especially dangerous;⁴ the entity is not aggressive and usually bites only when provoked, stepped on, or picked up. Newly hatched adders measure around a finger in length, before growing to the size of a human arm as it ages. Depending on the size, leech adder bites can vary from barely noticeable to severely painful.⁵

Commonly found resting in droves, the creatures are fond of curling beneath cracked carpet or fallen leaves on outdoor levels. If disturbed, leech adders will cling onto wanderers like leeches, making them especially difficult to overpower. The suckers are known for being excruciatingly painful to peel off, and a mere dose of the adder's extremely hallucinogenic venom may persist in the system for weeks on end. Therefore, it is crucial to properly engage with these creatures and treat them with the love and dignity they deserve, ensuring that you do not end up a bled out corpse.⁶⁷

Excerpt: Rain's Guide to Adder Nesting

[P1]

Adder Nests

A nest of adder leechlets, freshly hatched.

Leech adders typically nest in pieces of piled-up cardboard, discarded blankets, and other similar spaces that provide shelter. They may lay up to thousands of eggs in one sitting. Leech adder eggs are clear cocoons resembling hard roe the size of a marble, before doubling in mass preliminary to hatching. The leechlets will shed their cocoons in waves, with the older hatchlings lingering to defend remaining eggs. Due to this existing protection mechanism, it is recommended that settlements and shelters regularly check cramped spaces for leech adder eggs and dispose of them swiftly.




[P2]

Adder Stones

A typical adder stone.

At the center of every adder nest lies a clear gelatinous mass, which over the course of the hatching, eventually hardens into a glassy stone with a hole through its center. These objects, known as adder stones, outshine the most polished jewel when held under sunlight, and possess quite the array of intriguing anomalous properties. By looking through the "eye" of the adder stone, one can see the true form of certain visual-distorting levels, nullifying any and all deception to the eye, including the leech adder’s own kaleidoscopic properties. The stones fully solidify and are ready for use by the time the last wave of newborns emerge from their shells.

But be warned — for those who take the adder stone will be pursued relentlessly by the adders.

Repellents

Burning the wood of live saplings and sprinkling the ashes around common nesting areas seem to repel leech adders. Others have claimed any sort of ash works just fine.

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