Level 221

please read this in dark mode bruh
Level 221: "AMORPHOUS"
=Description=
The entirety of Level 221 is a massive web of cave-like structures purely constructed of intricate, prismatic crystals. The caverns themselves exclusively form with sharp angles and jagged corners, with no rounded or worn-out edges to be found. This makes traversing the level quite difficult, as it is not easy to maneuver through all of the crystalline formations without causing some form of injury in the process. Enormous, unnaturally even stalagmites and stalactites can be commonly seen peering from the surfaces of the level, usually averaging around a meter in length.
The general cave structure mostly comprises long, consistent cylindrical tunnels, crossing paths and interlacing similarly to mineshafts in the Frontrooms, and other such structures. Oftentimes, the cave starts opening into larger chambers and caverns, structurally similar to natural caverns, however, this is suspected to be caused by structural collapse of the caves and not by naturally generating formations.
The temperature on this level can rise to well above 50 - 60 degrees Celsius, which causes a major blockade towards exploration of the level. Small pools of superheated water can be found present in nooks and holes in the cave system. Superheated water is known to easily cause hydrothermal explosions upon contact. It is strongly advised to avoid the level altogether, but if it is necessary, wanderers should traverse through the level with extreme caution and avoid any bodies of water at all costs. 
Due to the large amount of both water and heat present, the level is incredibly humid. Humidity levels often average 90 to 98 percent. It should be noted that the liquid dispersed in the air, and any other liquid sources are not Almond Water, and thus should not be consumed. The liquid is more similar to regular mineral water found in the Frontrooms, albeit, slightly more acidic, with a pH of around 4.5. The water also has an abnormally high amount of chlorine and calcium dissolved in it, more than regular water's saturation point.
Attachment
The crystals themselves appear to be an undetermined variant of gypsum or a gypsum-like substance. Still, the nature of the cave also poses major challenges to identification, so this hypothesis could be incorrect. The substance seems to irradiate mass amounts of heat, which is the main reason why the level is consistently and incredibly hot. All instances of the mineral act as prisms, displaying split light across the caverns, acting almost holographic in nature. The gem is quite brittle, shattering into shards with only moderate pressure. However, the farther one tunnels into the cave walls, the tighter and denser the material will be packed, making it not possible to break into the walls very deep. Some chambers in the level are also quite unstable due to the brittle nature of the substance, quickly collapsing under their own weight.
 - A. Sierre
Light is often not naturally present on the level in any way. It is almost impossible to navigate through the treacherous system in this state, as almost all electrical components and devices are almost guaranteed to malfunction under the heavy moisture in the air. The level in this form is also completely shrouded within a thick, soot-like haze, further impeding vision. The mist condenses very quickly onto nearby surfaces, including wanderers and any objects that it may come into contact with, after which it will quickly solidify into fine debris, accumulating into large obstructions of the airway, which may cause breathing difficulties and possibly death without adequate medical attention.
=Properties=
A multitude of bizarre events and properties can occur on Level 221. One of the most frequent and recurring events is commonly called the Sierre-Kvso Event. Named after the first pair of people (Ares Sierre, Stetson John Kvso) to personally witness, document, and explain possible hypotheses for the cause of the event, the SK phenomenon is the beginning of a series of enigmatic effects, leading to eventual death (?) if one does not exit the level quickly. Exits on the level are sparse and scattered, causing most wanderers to succumb before finding one.
During the first several days of the event, the temperatures inside the caves gradually rise to a sweltering 85~ degrees Celsius, and a large percentage of the liquid water will be converted into steam. Despite these scorching temperatures under these conditions, death does not occur in wanderers from the heat. However, as the pain receptors on the body are unchanged and unaffected, wanderers still have the ability to sense the heat and steam in the air, which may cause minor first or even second-degree burns, so proper equipment is still recommended. Along with the rise in temperature, behind the crystals embedded into the walls, a bright white light begins to glow, progressively shining brighter as time passes. The nature of the crystals also causes the light to refract into a beautiful cascade of holographic rainbow beams across the level. 
The temperature will continue consistently getting higher, eventually settling at the 100-150 degrees Celsius range. Eventually, the crystals begin to melt due to the extreme heat. Pockets of molten gypsum accumulate within the walls, and pressure starts to build as the liquid expands rapidly at this temperature. Liquification of the level speeds up at an exponential rate, generally becoming significantly more rapid as time passes. At this stage, the amorphous mass of gems essentially welds to anything within the level, including the wanderer, which renders escape practically unachievable. In the few rare instances where one does manage to find an exit before succumbing, massive clusters of gypsum will be bound to the wanderer’s body for an indefinite amount of time, as removing these growths could be dangerous, and almost always results in fatality.
Through all of this, the wanderer still does not die. The final temperature of the SK event is theorized to be in the thousands or even the tens of thousands according to some more radical hypotheses. The fate of the wanderer is relatively unknown after this point - the level will cool down quite rapidly after the peak of the event and revert to its original form. Despite this, no remains from victims of the SK event have been found - they are assumed to be assimilated into the chemical composition of the level itself, however, it is fundamentally a theory, as no solid evidence has been found.
Periods after the event are quite strange and anomalous. The level takes up to a month to fully reform to its regular state - the first few days simply being the cooling down and re-crystallization period, in which, nothing quite worth investigating happens. The crystals seem to reform themselves to their previous forms magically, however, this rough transformation seems to cause mass amounts of fine crystal dust to be released.
This side effect of the SK phenomenon was recently discovered to be occurring at all times within the confines of this level. The moisture steadily erodes the caves, releasing massive amounts of gypsum dust into the air. This dust is incredibly fine, with average particulate size being only around 1 - 2 micrometers, the smallest being barely 500 nanometers in width, allowing the irritants to make it into the respiratory system of the wanderer. Once enough mass concentrates inside the lungs and esophagus, miniature gypsum columns start to spawn inside, introducing the possible hazard of the puncturing of organs. Tragically, most escapees die before the crystal columns are discovered. The powder can also collect on the eyes and mouth - however, these growths cannot typically grow very large, as these areas of the human body jostle around much more, which prevents formation. 
Excessive exposure to the debris can cause the complete or near complete crystallization of the body, resulting in total paralysis - then death. Cadavers recovered from the level were found to be completely converted to gypsum, the process working similarly to fossilization. Bodies left in the area will eventually fuse back into the level, whether through natural erosion or an SK event.
Reports of the SK phenomenon have been found as far back in history as 1502, however, it was not until Ares Sierre and Stetson John Kvso documented the event in 1987 that the level became a point of interest - as all recorded instances of SK either resulted in death or disappearance of wanderers. Ares exited the level safely and is still doing continuous research on the level to this day, however, Stetson has been missing ever since, presumed dead. Ares still has crystalline growths across his arms and legs to this day, showing the long-lasting effects of the anomalies, even well outside the confines of the level.
DAY 5
7/8/1987
While I am not sure if I will make it out alive, what I am sure about is that I need to get out of here. The temperature has been increasing steadily in jumps of 5-10 degrees Celsius, and the walls have begun to meld together. It’s still getting harder to move around as my feet begin to sink into the amorphous mass of crystal. Hell, I think they are crystalline now.
My legs are going numb. Ares left so long ago. I should’ve followed, but I didn’t.
…
I’m not making it out.
- Stetson John Kvso, last transmission, 7/8/1987
The cave seems to be evolving after each SK event, constantly changing its form and reforming slightly differently from its prior iteration. This mild reformation is typically unnoticeable over a human lifespan, but over hundreds of years, the differences begin to build. In the 1500s, for example, the cave was described as a more regular cave, with more natural forms and material more similar to regular quartz than the modern-day prism-like structures.
=Entities=
There is a severe lack of entities on the level - the only ones present being very rare instances of Smilers, but even these are most likely from external sources.
=Entrances & Exits=
==Entrances==
*Noclipping in Level 8 or its sub-levels has a probable chance of sending one here.
*Large sinkholes in Level 99 will lead to this level.
*Random noclipping in Level 17 or Level -9 has a miniscule chance to send one here.
*Crystalline formations can often "take over" sections of Level 222 and Level 500, fading into this level.
*Molten gypsum leaking from Level 0.01 and Level 4 will cause a collapse into this level.
*Broken walls with gypsum growths in Level 11 and Level 14 will teleport wanderers here.
==Exits==
*Very large pools of water eventually drain into Level 400 and Level 7.
*An out-of-place white door will lead to Level 213.
*An out-of-place black door will lead to Level 464.
*Tunnels can rarely either lead back to Level 99 or Level 813.
But you want to go further.
It burns.
I open my eyes to a beautiful sunset. My feet sinking into the damp, soft sand as the salty waves wash over my limbs. The golden rays peeking over the horizon as it goes dark.
darker.
=Level 221.1: THE CORE=
Level 221.1 is an anomalous sub-level of Level 221. It is still unclear if this level is distinct and separate from its parent level or is merely a smaller sub-section, as they are heavily connected. As of now, they will both be classified under Level 221 until new information is uncovered.
Level 221.1 takes the form of a dark, boundless void, hypothesized to be infinitely expansive in every direction. The level takes the properties of a true vacuum, or a state similar, such as intergalactic space - completely or nearly completely devoid of matter. Temperatures also correspond to such places, being as low as 15K at times - however, the lack of particles within the level results in the significant slowing of thermal energy transfer between particles, making objects cool down sluggishly. The body under these conditions eventually enters a state of cryostasis. Despite the frozen body, the brain persists through the cold, continuing to fire electrical impulses, allowing for cognitive thinking.
The most discernable feature of this level is a mass of molten crystals, identical in visual appearance to those present in Level 221. The exact properties of this particular structure are undocumented, however, it is known that it never solidifies despite the cold temperatures, always consistently staying in a liquid form, similar to molten glass. It is gravitationally bound together, resulting in a spherical shape, but agitation can cause it to mold into an icosahedron-like blob. The structure does emit light, albeit in cycles of hours to days. Peak brightness is commonly described as equivalent to a full moon - exact measurements have not been collected. 
As one drifts closer to the core of Level 221.1, the perceived temperature will rise drastically, described as “burning” by the rare radio transmissions that do escape the void. Once the body has fully sunk into the core, the brain enters an indefinite state of hypnagogia, unable to fully wake, nor form full thoughts. In this state of half-consciousness, the mind will dip in and out of the comatose state, keeping the brain partially awake for possibly eternity. All last messages by victims are typically incoherent gibberish or strings of unconnected brief thoughts.
> OPEN TRANSMISSION
I reminisce.
What has led me here?
Unfortunate circumstances have left me with nothing, left me as only part of something I could’ve been. I could’ve been a man with friends. I could’ve been a man with a family, a life. But instead, I am no one, forgotten to time. It is like death. Nobody remembers me in my home, not a mention of my name. Perhaps they do, but how could I ever know? How much has been ripped away from me? 
It is strange, really. Missing someone who I never knew. Nostalgia for a thing that does not exist, something that could never have existed. But then, I still miss them - all of them dearly.
There was a time before. At least, I remember there being. A time before I was sentenced to the endless. What I remember from that time is limited to naught but a few fleeting moments. They float away, away and away with each passing day, blissfully vanishing from the backlogs of my brain.
To forget.
A Memory
I recall.. staring at the sea for the first time.
My eyes wandered, taking the sights from both sides.
They longed to be free, but all I could see
was horizon.
That claustrophobic horizon.
Category:Levels
Category:Cluster I
Category:Dangerous
Category:Unconfirmed Levels
zh:Level 221