Artist's recreation of Janus based on eyewitness accounts.
NAME: "Janus"
KNOWN AFFILIATIONS: None
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S): Last spotted somewhere in Level 777; Has not been seen since.
Description:
"Janus", as he refers to himself, is a mysterious man in the Backrooms. Sightings, while rare, are reported across many levels. His motives are unclear but appear to be in good faith. According to eyewitness accounts, Janus tends to appear or disappear at random, usually near doorways. It is assumed he uses doors or doorways to warp to places, using one doorway as a portal to another. How he does this is unknown.
Janus is approximately seven feet tall, described as lanky or skinny. His outfit changes often, and he is known to wear a mix of masculine, feminine, and androgynous clothes. Most commonly, he can be seen wearing a matching yellow plaid vest, pants, and tie. Additionally, he is never seen without a long, brown trench coat that he wears above his other clothes. In one of his coat pockets, he holds a golden pocket watch which is attached to a golden chain. On his face are a pair of thin, asymmetrical, gold-rimmed glasses, with a circular right lens and a square left lens.
Many wanderers have reported a strange occurrence happening while they were making an important decision. Wanderers have described seeing a figure in the background staring at them while they were making said decision. For example, one wanderer described seeing a tall, dark figure in the distance as they were contemplating a large purchase in a store on Level 11. The exact descriptions vary among reports, but certain details such as the figure’s height, trench-coat, and pocket watch have led many members of the M.E.G. to believe that these sightings are connected to Janus, though this is still unconfirmed for the time being. All attempts to interact with the figure have resulted in him disappearing long before anyone is able to reach him.
Janus's features are sharp, including elf-like ears, sharpened teeth, sharpened and bone-like fingernails, and a pointy nose and chin. He is bald, with pointy, thin eyebrows. A long, equally pointy, black and grey beard sits on his chin. His eyes are heterochromatic: one light blue and the other light green, however he is only ever seen with one of them open at a time. Depending on which eye is open, his behavior changes; Observed changes are listed below.
Left Eye:
His left eye is light blue. When opened, his behavior becomes calmer, more collected, and stoic. When using his left eye, Janus obsesses over potential outcomes of situations. He has been seen pausing when making any small choice, including something as small as taking a step. He tends to predict things while using his left eye. These predictions are consistently and worryingly accurate.
Janus appears more tired as if drained while using this eye. Dark circles can also be seen generating under this eye as it is opened, and he grows slightly paler. When he is happy while using his left eye, he smirks rather than smiles. He is known to display more violent behavior when using this eye, as well as fixate on choices and decisions even more so than with his right eye.
Right Eye:
His right eye is green, and when it is opened, Janus will act erratic and excitable, often walking faster with his back straight. While his right eye is open, he often references parts of someone's past that he has no plausible way of knowing. He is also able to recall important historical events in high detail, often stating facts that were previously unknown. One such incident describes Janus predicting the identity of the infamous Zodiac killer months before it was discovered.
While using his right eye and in a cheery or optimistic mood, he will smile wide, displaying his sharp teeth. Opening his right eye appears to have as substantial of an effect as the left, though with different side effects. He will seem crazed, as though not in control of his body, walking erratically or doing things mindlessly, etc. In this state, he is known to have frequent headaches as well, often holding his head or wincing in pain. Rarely, some have even described his right eye glowing or flashing unnaturally.
Behaviors and Biology:
Interactions with Janus, while slim, usually end with him leaving the conversation entirely. He is known to constantly be in a rush, attempting to escape as fast as possible. Janus is able to speak a known twelve languages, and most likely more. This makes conversation and interaction much easier. Janus' personality can only be described as mischievous and threatening. He commonly uses his supernatural amount of knowledge to scare those he speaks to. Through continuous recording of his actions, he appears quite clumsy, commonly knocking his head on the top of doorways or awkwardly stumbling through sentences.
It is said he smells of candy and cigarrette smoke, and can often be seen with either a lollipop or cigarette in his mouth. Oddly, he seems rather ashamed of his smoking habits, quickly putting out anything he may be smoking when discovered with it. Adversely, his sweet tooth is unchecked. He is almost constantly seen eating candy, pastries, or other unhealthy foods. He is also known to carry around candy in his coat pockets.
On a few occasions, he's been found injured, apparently after a fight of sorts. He appears entirely unphased by any injuries he may have obtained. He's been seen bleeding a dark purple substance, which upon study, has high level of sulfur and iron. On an especially troubling encounter, Janus was observed placing his own severed hand back onto his arm before regaining use of it. It is assumed that Janus is functionally immortal, unable to be killed through mortal injury.
To add to his threatening presence, he's been seen lifting and moving objects that would be too heavy for any person, even someone above average. He is able to lift both people and heavy items with complete ease. His agility is also unmatchable, able to move, turn, and/or dodge at a milliseconds notice extremely fast. His body is extremely flexible, able to bend easily or do inhuman movements such as rotating his head completely around.
Additional Information:
Through research online, we've discovered mentions of Janus in the Frontrooms on forums. Posts report seeing him in many spots throughout different periods of history. Including one, which suggests he was present during the signing of the American Declaration of Independence. While yes, these suggestions do have proof behind them (most notably, photos of a tall dark figure that is recognizable as Janus), we are unable to confirm his presence. More recent posts have also been discovered, each within the 21st century. This suggests that Janus knows a way out of the Backrooms. More information pending.
Historic Profile:
"Choices, choices."
"Oh. How intriguing you are, I wonder what you're going to do next."
"Tick, tock. Time is running out."