Level 16

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Level 16 is the 17th level of the Backrooms.
==> Description:==
Level 16, often known as "J. Barry Mental Asylum" or merely "Mental Asylum," is an abandoned mental institution that expands indeterminate measurements and duplicates indefinitely. A person traveling an extensive distance from their previous building may notice that the asylum replicates the layout of the primary structure, adhering and interacting with further areas having identical or a similar configuration to the former by-pass location. M.E.G. has designed division categories for Level 16, dividing the whole region into four zones: Central Zone, Recursive Zone, Emulation Zone, and Novelty Zone, having M.E.G.'s outpost base serving as the place's center. The Central Zone is where the level's entry path leads. Considering individuals ended up within this area after arriving at this level, settlements, and outposts were swiftly established, and one would frequently stumble across other individuals in this sector. While M.E.G. did not specify the boundaries among each zone, the principal locale surrounding the M.E.G. outpost encompasses roughly 29 mental institution structures. Upon entering, the general view of the place was the mental institute's brutalist architecture, surfacing to date back to the late 1960s, with some electric appliances and technology instruments corresponding to contemporary ones, while the calendars observable throughout the hallway remarked in the early 2000s—despite those may not display the exact date. 
One may contemplate departing the Central Zone and advancing to the Recursive Zone if they go one mile in one direction from their starting position. Recursive Zones possess construction patterns remarkably reminiscent of the Central Zone, yet they utilize comparable furniture, appliances, and architectural blueprints. The critical difference is that no colonies or outposts exist in this zone due to more irregular individuals traveling via it. This zone is often an exploration area for more assets, notably hospital equipment and medical supplies. Despite this, there are still some noticeable differences from the prior site, such as cleaner surroundings and more room presence. If one traverses further—approximately two to three miles—they will ascend into the Novelty Zone, where the surroundings and furnishings are more cutting-edge, with most furniture and items equivalent to those prevalent in modern times. The architectural layout is more innovative, and individuals may find that the building consists of multiple floors and an increased area framework. The Novelty Zone is the conclusive segment of Level 16, inducted deep within the level and in an outlying spot that requires an lengthy and uncertain approach. Few travelers have proceeded into this section because many wanderers continually evacuate the level without acknowledging or undergoing harsh mental threats. Witnesses have observed that the mental asylum seems futuristic, precisely like Level 15, signifying that the Novelty Zone's building may be a replica of a distant future. As a result of numerous individuals consistently leaving the level when they attain a certain point, it is still up for dispute to determine if someone manages to achieve Level 16's deepest portion or whether there are further zones away from this.
Ascending the level lands one in the mental institution's passageway, having the formation assembled entirely of concrete and painted either blue, white or a combination. The corridor was virtually spotless in all aspects, including the flooring concrete, retaining a smooth and greasy quality that proposed a recent cleaning. On either side of the hallway are several doors with a blank sign opening into a hospital room. Other rooms conforming to different intents, such as therapy rooms, medication delivery areas, or staff stations, feature windows allowing outside perspectives. Few items, including paintings, announcement boards, and lockers, tend to be organized in a pale, uncomplicated manner in particular hallways. If one manipulates to access infrequent lockers, one may discover food containers, almond water, medical supplies, and other valuable goods. Multiple emergency equipment, including fire exit signs, are installed at many hallway intersections; tracking the exit sign direction will eventually guide one to the building's front entry or exit door, as many are confident that construction gateways will lead one to another duplicate mental asylum building. The same cruise approach may apply to adjacent structures by following the same path as the previous building; nonetheless, considering some buildings have layouts that differ significantly from others, the repetition traversing pattern won't function accurately. 
What lies within a hospital room is frequently vacant and abandoned, unlike the corridor, which remains pristine by unexplained means. The only furnishings in the room are outdated mattresses and a bathroom; the space's overall disarray suggests that the chamber was occupied once but abandoned for an extended period. The room's general look gives no indicators of cleanliness or supervision, with moss growing around the room's corners and the wallpaper dragged away and decomposing to reveal the soundproof wall beneath. Entering the chamber should be done cautiously, as any movement might stir up the heavy coating of dust surrounding the whole space, making breathing difficult for anyone nearby. Plenty of the rooms feature windows, illuminating the area with a white void due to the room's lighting fixtures malfunctioning. Windows are also exhibited on the hallway wall, brightening a dark vacuum instead of those inside the rooms; attempts to approach outside the windows have so far interfered with the indestructible glass, while many people believe windows in Level 16 are entities. A few wheelchairs, medical beds, steel rolling tables, and more equipment could appear inside some rooms; several might barricade the entrance and require a forced opening. 
Level 16's ventilation, heating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are anticipated to be in ancient condition and used in bygone eras similar to the building itself; they remain operational effectively while seemingly needing maintenance or overhaul. Every hallway corner includes vents covered in steel panels. Many individuals have reported receiving chilly air from the vent, carrying into question wherever the gap's track leads. All attempts to locate the opening's origin have been ineffective due to the narrow opening measurement and the impenetrable steel panel. Close inspection reveals an extensive wrapping of dust filling the vent's interior and minimal movement of the exhaust fans, signifying a lengthy usage duration. The most prevalent cooling system in most locations is window air conditioning; these units are relatively aged and seem unable to deliver a sufficiently comfortable cold as those features cater to smaller spaces. Regardless, the average temperature of Level 16 remains at 21°C and may descend as low as 12°C. Many individuals speculate that the rationale for this abnormal cold temperature doesn't emanate from the place's airflow system but rather its level of bizarre properties. Many mental institutions locations maintain communication systems in place. Wall phones exist at specific hallway intersections and areas like the lobby, staff room, and cafeteria. The phone can only contact other adjacent phones by pressing the button, and dialing each number will reach diverse phones across the building.
The mental institution occupies eight levels, including the basement, that are obtainable either by stairway or the building's fire evacuation stair. Because one always arrives at the ground floor when entering the level, the higher floor tends to get fewer people than the lower floor. Reaching the stairwell's lowest level will direct to a steel-reinforced doorway; the opening will take one underground. The mental asylum's basement is a group of rooms with considerable cables and wires connected to generators, presumably the place's electrical source, as they occupy miscellaneous spots throughout the building. Wires and cables were deteriorating, exhibiting various traces of damage, and demanded restoration or substituted as they may be leaked and detrimental owing to the high voltage level, so one ought to remain a safe distance from the multiple wires or avoid the basement. Several rooms may feature water heaters and boiling machines linked to an extensive network of pipes, allegedly for integration into all institution restrooms and hospital bathrooms. As opposed to cords and wiring, pipelines don't leak or drip liquid, even though they are in a state of disrepair where they might rupture at any time—unless an individual attempts to destroy one. Nevertheless, pipes can be hot due to hot water stored within, so one should avoid touching tubes. Almost the whole building region, such as restrooms and hospital rooms' bathrooms, has accessibility to a water supply system, whose quality is clean and sufficient for washing and cleaning, despite comprehending that it may retain some bacteria, making it inappropriate for sipping tap or pipe water. 
 
The hallway path may conduct to an enormous area, supposedly the receptionist with a front entrance to another building on one chamber's side, having each building providing its lobby room on the ground floor. Following an exit sign that leads to the front entrance will bring one to this portion, or entering the level may initially end up in the lobby. The space has a few seats and tables in the corner and an empty reception table against one wall. M.E.G. imposed free public WiFi inside a few receptionists in the Central Zone. The network is called "JBarryAsylumGuest," and the password is 3312003. Steel reinforced door with a staff-only notice likely represents the entrance to the break room, additionally referred to as the staff room. The break room accommodates staff personnel with a big table and many seats inaugurated in the center of the chamber. One room's size has an empty vending machine–though it can accept commodities within the device—and a table with various electric appliances and kitchen equipment, such as a kettle, oven, blender, coffee machine, microwave, and others. Break rooms correspond with vacant chambers associated with barren cardboard or wood that appeared previously employed for storage. Since travelers and several outposts often develop and establish this location as their headquarters, visitors frequently use the break room as a meeting spot or gathering place. Because a group of people routinely dwell or remain within the room, M.E.G. also formed a network called "JBarryAsylumStaffMember" that does not require a password. Aside from the receptionist, the corridor might lead to the canteen, which looks equivalent to a break room but more extensive in dimension and incorporates plenty of seats and tables. The room's corner has large tables with many buffet pans for enormous food. Many outposts utilize this location to cook and store food and drinks. 
Level 16 has a significant mental risk and a high potential for conceiving schizophrenia-like symptoms. Dieting, dehydration, and absence of sleep can increase the risk of mental hazards as it is not probable to occur to travelers with good physical and cognitive health. Travelers with a history of depression, mental illness, or medical conditions are also more likely to suffer from this risk. When individuals are susceptible to schizophrenia, they may experience delusions that involve believing they are in a parallel reality. They may also develop paranoia and perceive numerous beings and entities endeavoring to harm them. They'll start to relinquish their thoughts and get distracted, unable to concentrate. Victims also declare that when they blink or do not pay concentration, their surroundings turn upside-down or blur, and the spot where they stand shifts to another location. Whichever mental illness is driving them, they can provoke severe sanity loss. If one begins to exhibit symptoms of mental instability within the level, one should immediately swallow almond water. While it may not momentarily alleviate the severity of the effects, it can lessen some of them. One should locate a peaceful space to rest, reduce energy use, and maintain well-being. Nowadays, Level 16 has decent food and drink, along with numerous people and outposts existing within the level. The chances of a person confronting these mental hazards are much lower than in earlier times, and it wasn't an overwhelming reason to be concerned. 
The Missing Insitute:
Level 16 was named after the mental institute because M.E.G. believed it was associated with the mental asylum "Clement Memorial Mental Institution," also known as "J. Barry Mental Asylum," whose name originated with the mental asylum's owner. J. Barry Mental Asylum was a tiny non-government institution for the mentally ill that opened in 1969 on the outskirts of Newberry, Michigan. The hospital had a terrible reputation for mistreating patients and conducting dubious surgical procedures that later became illegal. However, because the institution stands in a remote area and isn't widely recognized, virtually nothing is publicly known or comprehended about its history. There were 117 staff members and 1,542 patients hospitalized in total; the majority of the patients were not well-known or of low social standing. The discovered blueprint and the interior of Level 16 have an exact resemblance to Clement Memorial Mental Institution.
On September 16th, 1988, The mental asylum had vanished, but no prominent statement about the institution's missing case has been stated or raised. People now have been neglected and are unaware of the incident or the facility's existence as they have forgotten. Remarkably, neither the local government nor any other governmental organization knows about the hospital's disappearance, despite a document from the government of the vicinity claiming that it stood on unstable terrain above a cave system and had fallen into a sinkhole. One eyewitness has been around for the entire occurrence, but it doesn't seem like anyone ever believes him. He asserted that the hospital "simply fell through the ground, as if there was nothing underneath it" and that the only remnants remaining were electrical wiring, chunks of concrete, and piping protruding from the ground. He also claimed that there was no known cave system beneath the hospital's location; as a result, the remains were excavated from the ground and have since become an empty landscape of flat glass.
The whole asylum noclipped into the Backrooms, becoming Level 16, for no apparent reason, along with every patient and staff member within. Employees who survived the tragedy claim that as the hospital disappeared, it seemed as though something had struck the ground severely, injuring a few employees. When they attempted to leave the mental asylum, they realized the area outside the institution was a void. All communication systems and Wi-Fi networks were inoperable and had vanished, making it impossible to seek or contact for assistance. They soon saw that all patients had no faces and transferred to Facelings, who became more hostile and attacked staff members in any manner. They attempted to confine patient Facelings within the room, and some Facelings successfully broke out, resulting in an altercation in which all staff members had to employ every weapon available in the hospital to fend off the Facelings. Following the incident, several employees died, eliminating multiple Facelings. While many hospital staff members died from malnourishment and suicide, many more perished from a shortage of food and water due to the institution's limited supplies.
After a few months, some employees noticed that other medical buildings appeared and connected to their facility. Fortunately, more resources, especially food and drink, emerge within these mental asylum buildings, allowing staff members to live; nevertheless, few Facelings remain inside the structure, which resulted in a few individuals going missing. The location then spread to an immense size as new buildings started popping up and linking to others. On March 31st, 2003, an anonymous discovered the place. Many travelers began to visit the location until M.E.G. named this location Level 16 of The Backrooms. Although many are traumatized by this happening and believe it is "God's punishment" for their heinous crimes against the patients they mistreated, most are unaware of the Backrooms. Only 11 staff members reside inside Level 16, with 3 leaving the level. The remaining staff members formed their outpost at the break room with the assistance of M.E.G, and many people dubbed this group "The Faced Ones" because of the long time they were stuck in there, fighting and facing events that endangered their lives.
==> Entities:==
Windows are common entities found in Level 16 hospital rooms and occasionally in hallways, although they are not aggressive and feature brilliant voids that illuminate their interiors. There are also a few hostile Facelings that tend to reside in remote and deep areas. Nevertheless, the quantity of Facelings in Level 16 has been steadily decreasing, presumably due to people settling in and establishing numerous communities and outposts, resulting in many demolished Facelings. Wretches are also extremely common throughout the level, due to many wanderers going insane.
==> Colonies and Outposts:==
===>> M.E.G Base "Asylum Archivers":===
M.E.G Base "Asylum Archivers" is a small M.E.G outpost consisting of about 30 members situated in two break rooms that link together, considering their outpost to be the hub of Level 16. A break room provides a place for M.E.G. members to rest, while another room serves for documenting and storing a large number of documents, paper reports, and data related to this level. The group will continue to research the level and attempt to explore the level's deep area to determine more information. Document data storage is somewhat secure. The group is willing to exchange, especially for hospital equipment.
===>> The Faced Ones:===
"The Faced Ones" is a group of 11 staff members who managed to remain and live inside the level after Level 16 collapsed into the Backrooms. They established their base near the M.E.G. outpost in the spacious break room. The group accepts patients to treat ailments or any sickness if they are travelers. For their protection, they frequently hoard weapons—typically tasers. No traveler will be permitted to join the group.
===>> Uni Citadel Outpost "Hospital"===
A Uni Citadel Department of Exploration team of around thirty people administers the outpost. Three members transport supplies to the outpost every month. The base resides in a cafeteria where a significant quantity of food, drinks, and supplies for exchange and trade with other travelers, predominantly for healthcare equipment, are delivered to their outpost on another level. The outpost often transacts business with B.N.T.G., their primary exchange client.
==> Entrances and Exits:==
===>> Entrances:===
* Tying up one with a thread in Level -12 will take one to Level 16.
* Traveling too far in Level 14 may lead one to Level 16.
* Going through a hospital door in Level 15.
* Some houses in Level 974 will lead one to Level 16.
* Sleeping at nighttime in Level 123 may rarely bring one here.
===>> Exits:===
* Random doors may lead back to Level 14.
* Various factors may cause the hallways to fade into Level 17.
*Going through a medical office door may lead one to Level 4.
* A door difficult to open located deep into the hospital's basement will lead one to Level 3.
* Pressing the buttons "8" and "6" on the vending machine in the break room will lead one to Level 86.
* No-clipping through the floor will lead to Level -16.
* Toying with hospital equipment might send one to Level 268.
* If one jumps out of a window onto a street light, they will be transported to Level 777.
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Written by Nerdykiddo4844.
Previous version rewritten by NightmareFreddybear, with ideas and suggestions by SetaCraft.
New version rewritten by WindXD, with some ideas and suggestions by SetaCraft.
Category:Cluster I
Category:Mental Hazards
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Category:Levels
Category:Unconfirmed Levels
pt-br:Nível 16
zh:Level 16
tr:Seviye 16
ja:翻訳/Level_16