Level 0

**Survival Difficulty: ~**
**》Various Mental and Physical Hazards**
**》Secure**
**》Minimal Entity Count**
 Level 101, or Labyrinthian Recess, is the 102nd level of The  Backlogs.

## **Description**

 **Level 101**, or Labyrinthian Recess, is one of the most unique levels in the entire  Backlogs and is visited by quite a few wanderers that feel brave enough to explore it. Labyrinthian Recess is a level that contains three different areas to explore. These areas are divided by color, and each have their own special dangers and obstacles to overcome in order to exit **Level 101**.

The challenges will differ from area to area and some are more dangerous than others. All three areas will shift and change frequently, which makes mapping out the areas virtually impossible. These areas were named by the wanderer that happened to discover **Level 101**. It's important to note that wanderers are able to enter **Level 101** in any of the three areas, but the most common area is Area One, followed by Area Three and Area Two. The first area that was discovered, explored, and documented was Area One. Area One is the red play area, or, Fools Flames.

**Survival Difficulty: Class 5**
**》Dangerous Mental and Physical Hazards**
**》Unsecure**
**》Environmental Hazards**
### **Area One: Fools Flames**

Fools Flames is the most common area wanderers will enter first and is also the most dangerous. When first entered, Fools Flames seems like a harmless play area featuring the color red. While a little warm, wanderers don't mind it. That changes when Wanderers make contact with the play area itself. As soon as contact is made, the play area warps and shifts unnaturally. This seems like it wouldn't be a big deal if wanderers keep their distance, however, the surface of the play area seems to be sticky and wanderers can get stuck as the play area moves, dragging the wanderer with it.

Wanderers have gotten stuck and trapped as the play area began to shift around. Most of these wanderers suffered minor to serious injuries, while a few experienced death by being crushed or ripped apart. There are brief moments when the play area goes into an inactive state, but these last for only about five minutes and they happen at random. A well-known community within **Level 101** has conducted many tests on all of the play areas found within **Level 101**, but they are unable to find any pattern in when the areas enter their inactive states.

However, they did find that the inactive state is not promised to last for five minutes, as the play areas have begun to twist and shift after being inactive for only about a minute and a half. It is for this reason that wanderers are highly advised against approaching or making contact with any of the play areas while in their inactive states. There are two ways to exit Fools Flames and continue on in one of the remaining areas, but they can only be accessed during certain times.

**Survival Difficulty: Class 0**
**》Safe**
**》Secure**
**》Devoid of Lethal Entities**
### **Area Two: Golden Guise**

Golden Guise is the second area that wanderers will enter in **Level 101**. Very, very few wanderers experience this area first, but it is possible. Golden Guise is without a doubt the safest area in the entire level and is home to a medium-sized community that takes the safety and companionship of others very seriously.

This area is entirely devoid of the harmful entities that are exclusive to **Level 101**, though one of them is seen within the area from time to time. The least harmful type of the entity can sometimes be seen floating freely around the play area, almost as if trying to play. The entity doesn't bother any wanderers living within the community and has been reported to flee if a wanderer gets too close. More on the community and entity can be found in full detail below.

The play area itself is safe for wanderers to explore freely, though it does shift like the other areas. Golden Guise is not as violent with its change as the other two areas within **Level 101**, and no wanderers have been injured or killed, as long as they weren't on the play area as it shifted. The only thing to ever change with the play area is that it replicates itself. The entire area will shake as if there's an earthquake and an exact copy of the play area emerges from the top upside down.

The community found within Golden Guise actually enjoys when the play area goes into its active state, as it gives them more room to explore. Golden Guise is also the only area within **Level 101** that stays in its active state substantially longer than the other areas. Golden Guise had been recorded to be in its active state for as long as two months, though never longer. The shortest amount of time Golden Guise has stayed in its active state was thirty minutes.

It's also the only area that has a bit of a pattern with its active and inactive states. The community has found that Golden Guise operates almost like a clock. It tends to become active every two days that increase in time and duration, eventually lasting for nearly two months before becoming inactive for about the same amount of time. The area seems to need to "rest" the longer it remains in its active state.

**Survival Difficulty: Class 3**
**》Dangerous Mental and Physical Hazards**
**》Unsecure**
**》Presence of Lethal Entities**
### **Area Three: Verdant Path**

Verdant Path is the third area that wanderers will enter while inside of **Level 101**. This level has been officially labeled as a Class 3 difficulty, though some wanderers, and even the community found within Golden Guise believes that Verdant Path should be considered Class 5, or possibly even Class Deadzone.

Verdant path seems to be innocent looking at first glance, but this is the only area in the entire level where the lethal level-exclusive entities can be found. In addition to the entities, the play area itself is also very dangerous to be on or around. This play area shifts around very violently with absolutely no warning or pattern in which it happens. Wanderers have reported feeling as though they really wanted to play on it, but chose not to.

Immediately after deciding not to get any closer, the play area groaned and shook as it bent and distorted itself. Not all wanderers are able to resist this urge, however, and each of these wanderers have lost their lives. The entities exclusive to this level inhabit this place the most as Fools Flames is far too hot for them and Golden Guise is entirely unappealing. They are rarely seen together, but both seem to enjoy spending most of their time near the play area.

Officials first thought they just happened to enjoy the color and look of the play area, but further study from members of the community in Golden Guise believes the play area to be their main hunting grounds. Wanderers that enter this level will need to stay aware at all times as these entities travel silently and can sneak up on unsuspecting wanderers very easily.

## **Entities**

Death's Shadow comes in three different colors, and despite some wanderers claiming otherwise, there is only one of each color. These entities are quite intelligent and are not to be trusted. Their names are as follows: Visceral Vortex (Red), Saffron Spectre (Yellow), and Emerald Envy (Green). These entities are harmless if wanderers can keep their distance, but they are very dangerous if encountered up close.

Being trapped by Visceral Vortex is usually a death sentence. These entities feed off of wanderers "Life Force", which weakens them to the point of death if Death's Shadow is left to feed long enough. For Visceral Vortex, this process only takes five minutes. Emerald Envy works a bit differently than its red sibling, however. Emerald Envy seems trustworthy to some, while others don't trust it at all. It will appear friendly and offer to trade a variety of items, such as food, water, and other important supplies that would prove useful on any wanderer's journey.

The price for these items is some of the wanderer's Life Force. Lesser valued items cost less than items of higher value, respectfully. Emerald Envy has been known to take more than was agreed upon, and has even killed a few wanderers that were rude or upset Emerald Envy in any way. The last of their kind, Saffron Spectre, is nothing like its siblings. Saffron Spectre seems intrigued by, but scared of wanderers.

Saffron Spectre spends most of its time roaming around Golden Guise silently as it watches the community living there go about their daily lives. Saffron Spectre will flee if wanderers get too close, especially if wanderers are in a large group. It has helped a few wanderers find the community within Golden Guise and has even led one wanderer to the exit of **Level 0** altogether.

## **Communities and Outposts**

### **Ambercaine Sanctuary**

Ambercaine Sanctuary is the main community that can be found in Golden Guise while inside of **Level 0**. This community currently has seventeen members that regularly walk through **Level 0** in search of any wanderers in need of help. Ambercaine Sanctuary is only about nine years old, but its history stretches back much further. Ambercaine Sanctuary's founder, Thomas Caine, is no stranger to The  Backlogs or any of the levels found within. With an extensive military background, Thomas Caine professionally fought his way out of a lot of deadly situations.

While touring in Saudi Arabia in 1980, Thomas Caine found himself falling through solid earth, only to land in his now forever home, **Level 0**. Having his weaponry on him, he had no problems warding off Death's Shadow and eventually found the exit into **Level 1**. He spent months exploring The  Backlogs and making a few maps on a few of the easier to navigate levels, he couldn't shake the feeling of needing to return to where his strange adventure began.

After a few months of searching, and finding a few friends along the way, Thomas Caine finally found **Level 0** which he endearingly called Labyrinthian Recess. He took a few weeks to observe each area, with the help of his small community, and found out everything we know about **Level 0** today. They decided to set up their community inside of Golden Guise, as it's the safest area in the entire level, and wanderers frequently pass through as they try to find the exit.

Thomas Caine is still alive and currently resides with his people inside of his sanctuary, though Thomas hardly does rounds for wanderers anymore. Most of the time, Thomas Caine isn't presently inside of his sanctuary as he's out scouting for food and supplies with only his most trusted men. Along with his knowledge of guns, Thomas Caine has shown numerous wanderers how to create their own guns and blades with the simplest materials, and even has a sort of Blacksmith living inside of Ambercaine Sanctuary. With his extensive miliary background, Thomas Caine doesn't trust easily.

He only trusts a handful of people out of the seventeen living in his sanctuary and that list probably won't grow by much. A few wanderers have stabbed Thomas Caine in the back. They fled Ambercaine Sanctuary once a fight broke out and escaped. Thomas thought they left **Level 0** altogether, but recent reports and even hard evidence proves that these dangerous individuals are still residing inside of **Level 0**.

They seem to have started their own community, which is much smaller than Ambercaine Sanctuary by about ten people, and each have a burning hatred and distrust for Thomas Caine and his people. Today, Thomas Caine still successfully maintains Ambercaine Sanctuary and that doesn't seem like it will change any time soon, as Thomas Caine is frequently in touch with officials.

### **Children of the Vortex**

The Children of the Vortex is mainly comprised of the wanderers that left Ambercaine Sanctuary and began their own community. After leaving Ambercaine Sanctuary, these wanderers explored more of **Level 0** and quickly found that Emerald Envy isn't nearly as hostile as Visceral Vortex. After making a few deals with Emerald Envy for basic supplies, the Children of the Vortex began to worship the green and red Death's Shadow and would commonly misguide wanderers straight into their path, in exchange for more items of higher value.

After years of this, Ambercaine Sanctuary caught onto the Children of the Vortex and began to station a few of the more seasoned wanderers from their community around various areas of **Level 0** in the hopes that they will find any wanderers that happened to enter **Level 0** before the Children of the Vortex do. It's unknown how many wanderers were led astray from the Children of the Vortex, but the numbers don't look good.

When these wanderers were still a part of Ambercaine Sanctuary, and even for a few months after, Ambercaine Sanctuary was finding anywhere from five to ten wanderers a day. Now, Ambercaine Sanctuary finds five wanderers on a good day. For this reason, it is always advised to look for the official Ambercaine Sanctuary logo that is on all wanderers left shoulder. All wanderers currently living inside of Ambercaine Sanctuary has these logos on their clothes. The Children of the Vortex are missing this logo and are easy to spot if wanderers are observant enough.

## **Entrances and Exits**

### **Entrances**

* Most wanderers will enter this level first upon entering The  Backlogs and either find their way into Level 1, or find Ambercaine Sanctuary and decide to stay.

### **Exits**

* The only known exit is through Verdant Path during its active state. Exiting this way is extremely dangerous and wanderers are advised to seek help from Ambercaine Sanctuary before continuing on themselves.