Level 852
rating: +42+x

SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:

Class 3

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Level 852 is the 853rd level of the Backrooms. It is an infinite set of empty department stores.

Description

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A photo of an escalator in a department store.

Level 852 is characterized by infinite department stores that are stacked vertically and connected by a series of escalators. Each floor is about the size of a standard department store and sits at about 68°F. Wanderers have reported smells reminiscent of floor wax and fresh popcorn wafting through the different zones. Despite having so many department stores, Level 852's shelves are virtually cleaned out, save for sparse, unlabeled containers and cans that can be found randomly throughout the level. The stores resemble popular shopping locales of the late 90's, with pasty white walls and monotonous fluorescent lights. The escalators are a brushed chrome and emit an unnaturally loud sound which can be heard all over the level. The department stores are devoid of any windows or front doors, and as such the only means of movement between floors are the escalators. The escalators can be found moving at many speeds, ranging from stopped to dangerously fast. It is recommended wanderers utilize the side rails for stability and take adequate time to enter faster escalators.

Side rooms can be found in the stores, although most of them are vacant. They occasionally have janitorial equipment such as mops, buckets, and brooms. The floor plans of each level resemble a typical shopping center and contain traditional aisles and sections. In the electronics area, demo Windows 95 personal computers may be found in some stores and can connect to the internet via a poor dial-up connection. The computers are bolted down, however, if they are unbolted and removed they cease to function. Prying apart the computer towers reveals badly damaged components within so it is speculated that the level itself allows these computers to work or removing the object causes some manner of catastrophic system failure. If a wanderer encounters a wet floor sign, it is recommended that they carefully walk in the opposite direction. Spots marked with one of these signs appear wet and lack traction which sends objects and people sliding rapidly if they come in contact. This can send wanderers careening into hard objects and may result in bodily injury or death.

The Elevator

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The inside of the elevator.

Occasionally, wanderers will encounter an elevator. The outside has a glowing panel with up and down buttons. The elevator itself has a teal door with the paint flaking away from it, revealing chrome beneath. The inside possesses gray walls and wood laminate floors with the standard buttons of an elevator embedded into a silvery plate. The inspection certificate is dated for 1987 and is signed with an illegible scribble. The floor buttons, which are labeled "1", "2" and "ᘔ", change the type of floors the wanderer encounters. When in motion, the elevator occasionally makes loud grinding noises and can take minutes to reopen. Sometimes the elevator will make a soft, bell-like ding when reaching its destination or the doors will stutter as they open. There have been accounts of the lights flickering and sometimes completely going out. Pressing the button marked "1" will take the wanderer to the default layout of the level, however pressing "2" will take the wanderer to the dark floors.

Dark Floors

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Photograph of a dark floor.

Dark floors are somewhat dangerous zones with corridors which appear to be outside the walls of a department store and can contain violent entities. The walls are made of an unknown type of hardwood and can leave splinters if one rubs their hand across the surface. Smilers commonly roam these floors and Deathmoths can cling to walls and swoop on unsuspecting victims. Dark floors are devoid of light besides the dim beams emitting from perforated holes in the walls. The perforations are so small that only light can get through; wanderers have reported shadows moving behind the perforations, blocking the tiny lights as they move. Many of the dark floors have been charted and wanderers have documented that they mostly follow the edges of layouts from the regular floors of Level 852. Some dark floors have been said to contain working restrooms, while others have windows. The windows only reveal a black sky with a few twinkling stars, though they don't move in parallax causing them to resemble a painting rather than an actual window. It is recommended not to approach them as they can be window entities in disguise. While dangerous, the dark rooms often contain shelves with valuable electronic components. Wanderers often scavenge these floor looking for materials for trade or to repair their own devices. It is recommended to come prepared with ample sustenance and a consistent light source to properly explore this zone.

The Reverse Zone

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The escalators in the reverse zone.

Pressing the "ᘔ" or upside-down 2 button will reverse gravity in the elevator. Wanderers should prepare for this by grasping a guard rail on the elevator wall. When the doors open, the elevator will deposit its passenger into the reverse zone, a futuristic version of the default floors. The escalators are more elaborate and the ceilings feature complex, trellised light fixtures that shine a deep blue. Most of the architecture of this zone is made with chrome or other silvery metals and features rounder edges than that of the default area. Floors in the reverse zone appear to be several times larger than in the default area and wanderers have reported strong feelings of melancholy washing over them as they explore. Like its counterparts, the reverse zone is infinitely vertical and can be traversed using the escalators. A strong, chemical smell pervades each floor, a scent resembling a mixture of bleach and detergent.

Skin-Stealers frequently patrol the reverse zone, sometimes riding the escalators or wandering through aisles although they may be found in their docile state. They will usually attack on sight and as such wanderers should plan ahead before using escalators or exploring the floors of this zone. While the reverse zone does not contain a level exit, it reportedly contains many supplies useful to those brave enough to explore the region. Royal rations, Lucky O' Milk, and Almond Water are a few of the supplies said to be found throughout the reverse zone while others such as firesalt packs and greasy marshmallows can be found deeper in the area. Supplies such as these are usually found on shelves, however, some of them can be found in objects that resemble cash registers and behind counters. Much like the default floors, there are different sections and aisles containing strange, unknown objects usually constructed of stainless steel. There are electronic devices that can be found, but most do not function and will short when activated. Wet floor signs can be found in this area as well, though instead of the floor being slick the fluid is highly acidic; touching it can cause major skin irritation and walking through it can damage a wanderer's shoes. It is advised to keep clear of these signs as well, although wanderers can sometimes use them to ward off entity attacks. To exit, wanderers must find another elevator and press "1" or "2". Gravity will reverse once again, sending the occupants to either the default area or the dark floors.

The Sales Floor

Escaping this level can be a challenge. Wanderers must continue traveling up or down between floors; the farther one travels up or down away from their starting floor the more bizarre the floors become. Wild paint colors and strange objects will begin to appear more often and entity encounters also become more frequent as dullers will begin to appear and hunt the wanderer. The exit is found in a rare floor explorers have dubbed the "sales floor".

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An image captured of the entrance to the sales floor.

The sales floor is a safe zone that can be found randomly while exploring the default zone. The entrance is cluttered with stacked tables and chairs, the main floor is stocked with shelves completely filled with bottles of room-temperature almond water. It appears in bottles unique to Level 852, blue bottles labeled with "Almond Water - The Thirst Slayer" in an aggressive font. The bottles have a twist top, making the contents easy to access and consume. The rest of the floor follows the same format as regular floors found in this level, albeit stacked with bottles of almond water. Wanderers can immediately exit the level by taking two bottles from the shelves. Doing so will no-clip the holder to Level 1 through the floor. It is recommended that wanderers only take one bottle and then rest before taking the second as one can remain indefinitely in the level if they never take another bottle. It is also possible to exit the level by no-clipping through the floor of the elevator, but this is not recommended as it leads to the dangerous Level 853.

Bases, Communities, and Outposts

There are no known bases, communities or outposts in this level.

Entrances and Exits

Entrances

  • No-clipping through an empty shelf will deposit a wanderer into a closet somewhere in the level.
  • Walking into an empty store in Level 33 will sometimes lead to a random floor in Level 852.

Exits

  • Finding the sales floor and acquiring two bottles of almond water will take the wanderer to Level 1.
  • No-clipping through the floor of the elevator exits into Level 853.



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