Groundskeepers
Entity Classification
Aggressiveness | 0/5 | There are no documented instances of Groundskeepers displaying aggression towards humans. |
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Frequency | 2/5 | Groundskeepers will often gently meander throughout the Backrooms, leaving behind frequent trails of jarring cleanliness that are entirely juxtaposed to the often unsanitarily grimy spaces they inhabit. Despite this, finding one in-the-flesh is fairly uncommon, and a wanderer is much more likely to encounter one of their numerous vacuumed trails. |
Intelligence | 2/5 | Groundskeepers display little-to-no conventional spatial awareness, their paths indicating that they frequently bump into walls or get stuck moving in circles around the same room for hours on end. Despite this, their paradoxical movement patterns appear to traverse the ever-morphing space of the Backrooms much more efficiently than humans. Additionally, Groundskeepers have been observed forming rare mutualistic bonds with other entities. |
Pritoria Index | 1.333/5 | For every Yin, there is a Yang. For every dirty tile, moldy splotch of carpet, or dusty hardwood floorboard, there is a Groundskeeper to keep it in check. |
Description
Though first-hand sightings are few and far between, Groundskeepers have been known to be drawn towards UNCB bases, easily getting lost within their foreign perimeters. From these instances, it has been deduced that Groundskeepers are medium-sized tetrapods—about the size of an adolescent elephant—whose skin tones and textures mimic what they consume, ranging anywhere from fibrous milky beiges to deep chalky greys. They also possess large trunks—the diameter of which is similar to their bodily width—that slightly curve upwards before descending and resting on the floor below, allowing them to feed on anything in their path by producing a constant sucking force.
Behaviors
Groundskeepers are seemingly inane in their mannerisms. For the most part, they keep their trunks down, eating any inorganic or dead things that they happen to come across. However, few documented fringe reports have signified some innate, biological level of animal instinct.
Foremostly, while they do often collide with walls and can easily get stuck in some rooms, reports indicate that Groundskeepers can more easily traverse through the shifting landscape of the Backrooms. This is evident in the fact that paths that Groundskeepers leave behind have been known to abruptly begin and end instead of remaining contiguous. To this, it is theorized that they are more adapted to navigating non-linear space and less adapted to traveling via more humanistic means. Additionally, starting points have been noted as being especially frequent around the remains of Pilgrims, the debris of these victims still moving at a molasses-like pace.
Whether Groundskeepers actively hunt Pilgrims or if they are naturally drawn to them through some unknown means—such as an electromagnetic pulse or high-pitched noise which is unperceivable to humans—is still up for debate.
On top of this, there have been some very select few case studies where a couple of fortunate wanderers have purported seeing a smaller Groundskeeper "following around a Carpet Bear" as though they were "mama and cub." If this were true, it could be reasonable to assume that such creatures may have formed a mutualistic bond with each other where Groundskeepers groom the fur of Carpet Bears in exchange for protection. Such instances are exceedingly unlikely but not outside the realm of possibility. However, this, again, can not be verified.
It is also of note that Groundskeepers are quite noisy creatures; their aimless shambling about and stomping can be heard from multiple rooms away. As a byproduct of this, it is not uncommon to see entities such as Rollers knocking down and killing Groundskeepers in cold blood. In fact, scenarios like this happen quite often. A traveler is more likely to discover a dead Groundskeeper than a living one. For similar reasons, it is advised not to follow any trails they leave behind if a wanderer were to happen across one.
Biology
Groundskeepers are medium-sized tetrapods typically about four feet tall, six feet long, and weighing in at an estimated 1,200 pounds if the elephant measurement is anything to go off of. They possess a large trunk—usually measuring around two or three feet in diameter—that obscures most of their vision and allows them to suck up food from the ground beneath them. At the bottom of these trunks is a series of small bristles and teeth, allowing them to effortlessly stride across the landscape while always keeping their trunks on the floor. Their large feet allow them to sense vibrations around them, warning them of a wanderer's presence far before the traveler will ever know of them.
Situated behind their trunks, set deep into their heads, is a ring of six teardrop-shaped eyes, managing to barely peek around their wide trunks. They lack any sort of discernable set of ears—bringing into question whether or not they can hear at all—instead sporting a series of four flaps, or vents, on either side of their head, much like the gills on a fish. What purpose these may serve is still unknown. Additionally, the color and texture of their skin seems to gradually change with what and where they eat. For example, a Groundskeeper who resides within The Halls might sport a more raised, semi-fuzzy, yellow skin. While one in The School would probably have a glossier, harder, and more white-gray look about it. This is likely to help them blend in with their environments more, making them less susceptible to being hunted.
Peculiarly, it appears that Groundskeepers have no obvious method of waste excretion. Due to this, it is assumed that they gather minimal nutrients from what they consume and that their bodies likely dissolve most, if not all, of what goes inside. However, this is entirely speculation.
Discovery
It's widely unknown when Groundskeepers were first discovered, and it is assumed that they came to be sometime after the UNCB began its ground roots, as no confirmed accounts have predated the UNCB. How this occurred is anybody's guess, and nobody is very keen on theorizing about the subject as it is largely considered moot, and old data is also widely unreliable.
Habitats
Groundskeepers can be located in most spacious indoor areas that are widely flat and have consistently grubby floors. However, the spaces they are most common in are The Halls, Boundless Retail, Restless Restaurant, and The School.
General Guidance
Survival
Groundskeepers are passive entities that are not known to directly harm humans in any way. However, it is suggested to never leave your valuables unattended for extensive periods, as there have been accounts of gear or equipment being eaten by passing a Groundskeeper. Additionally, official UNCB recommendation is that no traveler should ever follow the trail of a Groundskeeper, as their bumbling is known to often attract other, more lethal entities.
Hunting
It is advised not to kill Groundskeepers for their meat, as it provides very little nutrition and comes with a distastefully bitter flavor. However, their hide has been known to fashion into nice clothes or shelter when in a pinch. When hunting like this, move slowly and quietly as Groundskeepers can detect nearby vibrations in the ground.
Domestication
Domestication of Groundskeepers has never been successfully attempted before, and no sound methods exist to do such. Despite this, if one does manage to find its way into your base of operations, they serve as terrific cleaners that can help stave off unwanted mold or grime. However, do not expect to be within one's company for long, as they are free agents who care not for the cordial advances of mankind.