Atrego

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"Revolution is not complete until the complete and total overthrow of society. The establishment of such a group—a totalitarian dictatorship—in a newly reborn place is a betrayal of mankind itself. Today, we rise up en masse to destroy the metal heel of the traitorous M.E.G. and the B.I.F. We do not stand for a country or a flag; we stand for an idea—an idea for a perfect society forged by the inner layouts of the Backrooms and, if necessary, through the blood and iron of our enemies."
-Reinhard Leopold Zorion,'Proclamation of a true Utopia'
"Humans, whether on Earth or in the Backrooms, are by nature curious beings. We explore, traverse, and climb boundaries that we didn't even know were possible to reach. And that's where there's a problem—a massive problem, not just for our society but for humanity itself. Boundaries are not meant to be broken; we have abused our powers as intelligent beings too much; we've gone too far where our humanity and spirituality do not resemble those of nature anymore. We are not creatures of God or science; we are creatures of nature. We should benefit the ecosystem, not destroy it; we should foster not only nature but also tradition. Tradition to be the people that we are meant to be. Technology and civilization were wrong, and it's about time we correct our mistakes."
-Paul Azel,'Tradition forged through flames'—widely claimed to be the start of the Primitivist Uprising
"The Backrooms, you would expect a fresh start, sure among all the creepy-crawlers and whatnot, especially with the newly presented challenges that I may now face, and to some extent, all of us. But with the establishment of new civilizations, or moreso 'groups' in the Backrooms, the old order seems to prevail evermore. A fact that I am not too proud of. It seems that even in dire places, people won't resort to dire measures, which, in this case, would be fairly adequate. I believe that situations like these require strong action when we're close to repeating the same mistakes as we did early on. It's time for a change back to the old."
-UnknownLikely the founding text of the organization
 
B.I.F. Notice
The following is a warning issued by the Backrooms Investigation Foundation (B.I.F.) directed at all viewers of the following page: The subsequent document's credibility, unbiasedness, and overall truthfulness and verisimilitude are very questionable, with the suspected author being aligned with certain groups that may bend the truth to their own tide for profit. Please apprehend the following information with a critical viewpoint and question the authenticity of the contents mentioned. While major parts of the document may have been removed of unnecessary bias, some more unconfirmed sources may have been used to construct the article present. Investigations into the true nature of this organization are still in process, and the article may be updated regularly. Albeit, generally, confronting this group should be avoided if possible, as violence by these unlawful groups is still widespread throughout the Backrooms.-The Backrooms Investigation FoundationOrder above all
 
The Ecotopia of Atrego
Tradition is wisdom
 
Description
Atrego, officially called the Ecotopia of Atrego, is a self-proclaimed anarcho-primitivist group active on multiple levels of the Backrooms. While not considering itself a steadfast organization, members of Atrego often work together to uphold the "ideas of true anarchism"Salih, Victor. Aftermath of Wars: Interviews and Comparison. Level 1. P. 59.—or so they claim. This can be through the means of violence, which the group is most commonly associated with. Only rarely do members of the group reach out diplomatically to any other present organization. As a result of this, a majority of groups do not recognize Atrego as an independent association, and more than often, it's grouped together with bandits and other loose troublemakers.Bevin, Hannibal. Undermined and Unrecognized. P. 32. It is unknown where the name Atrego originally came from; however, most people suspect that it derives either from the word "Regency" or from "Regnum"An alternative word for kingdom.. Due to coming close to a stateless and classless society, it very much acts uncentralized, and even cooperation between the inner workings of this 'nation' is not guaranteed. Atrego has overall been described by outsiders as being in a "constant state of civil war and unrest"Price, Astrid. Bloodshed in the Unknown. Level 4. P. 273., with inner, so-called "tribes" frequently attacking one another.
Due to the majority of people in this community not using any modern innovations or technology that surpasses the primitive lifestyle, a large part of the population seems to live through hunter-gatherer methods, leaving large portions of the total population starving, mostly due to the scarcity of resources in a barren environment like the Backrooms. The crime rate within this closed-off community is quite high as well, as Atrego widely turns a blind eye in the face of atrocities such as mass murder.Price, Astrid. Bloodshed in the Unknown. Level 4. P. 282. While this is the usual case, individualist revanchism does exist to retaliate for such losses, although punishment imposed by law or a government does not exist. This concept of retribution often leads to Atrego also being named to follow a modified and more radical system of Social Darwinism, with survival of the fittest being the norm.Hacken, Emil. The Findings of Charles Darwin and its Consequences. P. 76. In conformity with this idea, a judicial system is non-existent; neither do executive or legislative organs exist nor operate within the borders of Atrego.
The Ecotopia of Atrego is perhaps most well-remembered in history books for its revolution against the Major Explorer Group and its several clashes against the Backrooms Investigation Foundation.Azel, Paul. Biography of Azel. Level 4. P. 219. This also leads back to two individuals that most closely resemble the true leadership of Atrego: Paul Azel and Reinhard Leopold Zorion, both taking up a major role in the organization of the uprising. However, it's important to note that these individuals do not hold large influence over the group anymore due to its overall anarchist principles.[citation needed] The uprising, dubbed simply the "Primitivist Uprising" or alternatively the "Atrego Uprising," was largely considered a success for Atrego, but despite that, casualties, especially on the primitivist side, were extremely high, to the point of not having recovered to this day.Although it should be noted that Atrego has naturally had a declining population. Due to having disputes with major organizations of the Backrooms, its recognition is limited to certain local groups, but despite this, active groups like the Backrooms Investigation Foundation constantly combat and clash with Atrego in a struggle for law and order, with the former having made large progress in certain departments.[dubious source] Due to the groups aggressive stance towards outsiders, most public information about Atrego was gathered through the Major Explorer Group and defectors.
The Ecotopia of Atrego is incredibly decentralized, with each 'citizen' acting independently; there are no permanent bases established by the organization. This is largely due to sedentism being largely frowned upon; permanent settlements are criticized by members of Atrego, and to a lesser extent, they are often the victims of arson attacks. Despite largely disapproving of technological processes, primitivists of this group will still often use modern technology to get their ideas across, with most portions of their armory originally belonging to the Major Explorer Group. However, this does not excuse their large percentage-wise discrepancies when their population is compared level-wise, as a large portion of the population of Atrego lives in either Level 4 or Level 1.Hongs, Renatus. Statistics compared and what they mean: An overview. Level 11. P. 78. This is mainly due to a major part of the group originally defecting from the Major Explorer Group and the Backrooms Investigation Foundation during the aforementioned revolt, with most defectors not leaving their level afterwards but not resorting to sedentism either. Atrego's ideology is not exactly identical to what one would expect back in The Frontrooms, as the ideology of Atrego moreso conforms with the nature of the Backrooms, rather than pre-agricultural nature. Despite this, however, they still act very self-limiting, as to—in their own words, "prevent the risk of corruption of mankind".Azel, Paul. Biography of Azel. Level 4. P. 55.
 
History
Pinpointing an exact origin for neither the primitivist nor the latter Atrego movement is difficult, and current assumptions lie on clueless guesses and the little notes that were made within this small growing group. What is known, however, is that it must've emerged within certain departments of the Major Explorer Group, being more popular in some circles than others. Here's the first problem: Head of the M.E.G. did not originally intervene in these altercations, largely because these departments were still fulfilling their job as intended at first.[biased?] However, as this concept started to grow more and more, it spread out into other groups, such as the Backrooms Investigation Foundation. It was then that minor actions were taken to limit the spread of anarchism, mostly through "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" tactics. Operatives were deliberately told to ignore the gossip of these groups and possibly report it to a higher-up.Iwazura, Mazaru. The intricacies of philosophy and why it's important. Level 10. P. 542.
These crackdowns began to increase in strength, and some were even considering leaving the Major Explorer Group in order to pursue their ideas of a stateless society, which were still regarded as highly polarizing to the majority of members. The idea of an organized rebellion against the dominant group system, while still in its infancy stages, was beginning to brew, with people like Paul Azel and Reinhard Leopold Zorion joining this ever-growing movement.Azel, Paul. Biography of Azel. Level 4. P. 23. At this point, mutiny, singular, small-scale revolts, and other forms of violence became a regular occurrence during this time. As aforementioned, members of the newly formed "Primitivist Movement" still occasionally used modern weaponry against their enemies, most commonly bombs and explosives, which shook even the Head of the M.E.G.. As a result of this, the Major Explorer Group decided to outlaw the movement in its entirety, as entire missions to other levels were becoming unbearably difficult to manage, to the point where entire departments were defunct.
On the same day as the Head of the M.E.G. announced this new change, Paul Azel held a speech at a local base in Level 4. The so-acclaimed 'Tradition forged through flames' speech would officially mark the beginning of the long and grueling 'Primitivist Uprising'. The majority of encounters between both forces were at the beginning of the war, with large shootouts happening in bases on either side. These fights would often end in bloodbaths, especially for the side of the primitivists, as, unsurprisingly, the weapons of a multi-level group such as the Major Explorer Group are by far superior to the scuffed, backward weapons of Atrego.[biased?]. The initial skirmishes led to Atrego being viewed with even more disdain, not just from other colonies present on Level 4, but also by bandit groups, crooks, and whatnot, taking advantage of a weakened anarchist group. These attacks were brutal and still impact Atrego largely today, as population, morale, recognition, and standard of living never really recovered, whether that be by the actions of the ecotopia itself or by its conscious inability to capitalize on the remaining riches of the Backrooms, focusing on mere survival instead.Rosefield, Amanda. The Backrooms: Fight for Survival or Restart Civilization? The Difference between Embracionists and Purists. Level 11. P. 276. During these initial attacks, a large amount of literary works created by the revolters was also destroyed, sometimes intentionally, sometimes not,Millard, Ultram. Lost Media. P. 143. giving documentation teams an even harder time figuring out information about Atrego. Among these were also propaganda leaflets, speeches, chants, and, in rare cases, poems, only a small amount of which was recovered. Select examples have been listed below.
As the war ravaged on, it was beginning to dawn on major parts of the population that this war could not be won. Fear-mongering wasn't working in Atrego's favor as the Major Explorer Groups morale was a lot higher than that of the primitivists, due to its early successes. All uprisings that happened in the main camps originally established by the Major Explorer Group had been quelled and unsuccessful, driving the remaining primitivists out, most of them escaping into the far unknown of Level 4. Desertations were common, with some embracing the anarcho-primitivist spirit entirely, escaping Atrego to continue living on their own. Only few remained within Atrego, but they had mainly escaped the forces of the Major Explorer Group, which did not give chase as there was no real point to risk giving Atrego a chance at a comeback. Despite this, the Major Explorer Group never signed a peace treaty or in any other way acknowledged the independence of Atrego.Salih, Victor. Aftermath of Wars: Interviews and Comparison. Level 1. P. 37. Exactly this has been a problem in the modern reality of Atrego, as they are sometimes indistinguishable from bandit groups, and reports about it have been nearly non-existent, in contrast to the lively works it used to author.
The destruction of Atrego resulted in anarchist movements ceasing within the Major Explorer Group, as radicals deserted and moderates disgusted by the actions of this 'Ecotopia'. Not only this, but generally, this quelled most other separatist movements within the Major Explorer Group and also reaffirmed their firm grasp over other groups and the Backrooms as a whole.Tarian, Zoe.Analysis and Comparison: Groups. Level 9. P. 78. This uprising was also the second latest major war involving the Major Explorer Group, right behind the Korthie Casiagen War war involving Aurielle. The former still holds significant influence over Atrego, despite the Ecotopia being as isolated as it is, as some may still hold sympathies to desert, perhaps not to the Major Explorer Group, but to other groups or organizations.
The historical reputation of Atrego is difficult to determine; some may see them as terrorists, others as a simple rebel group not listening to authority. It depends on who is asked, as opinions about the primitivists are split. Albeit a majority of the populace within Level 4 disagrees with the principles and actions of Atrego, some are sympathetic to their rebellion against the Major Explorer Group. The Ecoptopia of Atrego would once again fall into the devoid when the Flicker occurred. While weakening a large portion of their original enemies, the Flicker would prove detrimental to the group's survival chances, with major parts of it dying off or fleeing in search of light.Kaslian, Theodore. The Flicker and its Consequences. P. 43. Nowdays, in the post-Flicker period, the Ecotopia of Atrego is mostly forgotten and abandoned; its long-lost poetry and artworks were either destroyed or recovered by outside forces, and the small number of people that are still alive and used to fight for Atrego, have at this point long since forgotten its original identity. The people that are still left now just roam the Backrooms aimlessly, but in a sense, that was the primary goal of Atrego in the first place.
 
Infighting and Power Struggle
While, in theory, there is no true leader of Atrego, there are individuals who hold a lot more power and influence than others. This period of primitivist history would begin after their initial losses against the Major Explorer Group and the following migration. The group was split originally into two factions after successfully fleeing the Major Explorer Group, the Traditionists led by Paul Azel and Zorionists led by Reinhard Leopold Zorion. Generally, the latter is considered to be the splinter group and is considered by most to be more radical than the former. A third one splintered from the Traditionists, who didn't exist for long and weren't led by one specific person. The third group would shortly after abandon the Atrego cause and escape into the far unknown of the Backrooms.
The Traditionalists, after their war with the Major Explorer Group, escaped to other nearby safe levels, such as Level 1 and Level 11, whereas the Zorionists remained back in Level 4, eager to start retaliating after their initial skirmishes. As the name already hints at, the Traditionalists stayed more true to the original Atrego values, fully implementing the primitivist lifestyle and going back to the more usual way of living that is common throughout the Backrooms. All while the Zorionists were mostly busy forming around an anti-M.E.G. sentiment rather than anarchist values.
This original power struggle in the end proved temporary though, as differences between Traditionists and Zorionists were forgotten as the movement slowly collapsed into what it initially intended to be, or deserters escaping to other groups. Despite this eventual act of uniting, the damage the split caused upon not only the morale of Atrego to be heavily damaged, but the issue of recognition also collapsed with it. A large portion of 'citizens' of Atrego originally revolted from the Major Explorer Group to get away from not only their politics, but politics as a whole. To be caught up in another divide really was the finishing blow that paralyzed Atregos ability to operate.
 
Acceptance
"There's a time when everything must end at some point; there's nothing that can last forever, whoever or whatever it may be. However, there's a difference between accepting what you have and clinging to false hope. Atrego—it was my everything, my entire life work, all my ideas, dreams, and hopes put into one single entity, a being that was able to hold itself afloat—for some time at least. I originally founded the group in hopes of offering resistance to the Major Explorer Group, an alternative. Atrego was never meant to last, and even just the fact that members of it held onto hope for a better future for that long is incredible, it really is. You'd expect a group rejecting corrupt monopolies and civilization to, well, abandon civilization and stop working together. I believe the reason we stuck together for that long was our hatred of the Major Explorer Group. And I know a lot of people deserted the group, some joining others, some living off the land once again, and I want to make it clear: I don't mind what they did. Sure, a betrayal is a betrayal. I wouldn't be super excited to see one of such people again, but they were able to move on faster than I ever imagined I did. Despite Atregos general bad reputation in history, I believe we made a pretty important point, and that is to stand up for what you believe in. We did what we did not because we wanted to go down in history, but because we were convinced that it was the right thing to do. There's probably still multiple isolated wanderers out there that still believe in Atrego, more than I do, and that is great. Perhaps a succesor group may eventually form from its remnants, but well not in my lifetime. I've seen what there is to see, and I'm glad I did."
-Paul Azel
"I have no country to fight for; my country is the Backrooms; for I am a citizen of the world. May such ideas burn on as bright as ever, for the dooming heel of societalism may loom above. We will strike Achilles' heel once more. The Kafkaesque is incompatible with the true nature of our lives."
-Reinhard Leopold Zorion
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