Level Classification

Difficulty	2/5	Radon gas leakage, alongside entity count, makes this level difficult to inhabit.
Entity Count	3/5	Large quantities of common entities reside on this level.
Chaos Gradient	0/5	N/A
Basset-Frazier Index	1.667/5	This level is slightly anomalous, at least relatively.

Description

fig 1.0 The Basement

The Basement is a series of seemingly infinitely long concrete brick halls, running parallel to one another and connected occasionally by short, sideways-running halls. The halls have no ceiling, and the walls appear to extend upwards indefinitely. Frequent beams and catwalks cut across and run through the space overhead. The beams often have fluorescent lights strung from them, constantly flickering. The infinitely receding beams hung with lights have often been likened to a night sky filled with stars. This infinite web of beams and lights has been dubbed the Cogwell Matrix, and is a fairly common lighting system in the backrooms, appearing in several levels. Additionally, the catwalks can be used as a fast way to traverse the level, although they lack a connection to the ground so they are difficult to access, and are infested with much higher concentrations of entities. The long hallways have been noted to curve slightly in the distance, implying they are in fact circular and that the level has a center, although this center has never been reached.

The Basement is made up of grimy stone brick walls with a dirty concrete floor. The floor is carpeted in some areas using a carpet similar to that of The Halls and is stained or covered in plaster in others. Some walls are cracked or broken, made with cinder blocks, or have caulk in them. Large amounts of dust cover the floor and most objects, although it is not organic dust but rather stone dust. Stirring up the stone dust is advised against, as it will fill the air and cause breathing problems for anyone in the area.

Similar to The Halls, The Basement has leaks of an oily red liquid, which runs from cracks in the walls and can occasionally fall from the beams. This liquid is slightly acidic in nature and causes nausea and vomiting when consumed. It can discolor concrete and burn hairs on contact. Many areas are contaminated with Radon, these areas do not seem to grow and the ones near settlements have been sectioned off with yellow caution tape.

It is rumored that the center of The Basement contains a large vault of supplies. This rumor varies from person to person, with some people claiming to have seen it. Some people claim it resupplies itself and others claim that it is limited.

Communities

CGS Outpost Kolby

The Cult of the Golden Sword is a relatively unorganized faction, and they are comprised mainly of treasure-hunting hopefuls, meaning the majority of their outposts are on faraway levels where riches are to be found. Kolby is among the only exceptions, established as a political base upon their joining of the UNCB. It is populated by at most 50 citizens, though that number fluctuates frequently.

Liberated Outpost Acheiros

Acheiros is the main base of operations for the Liberated, housing at any given moment approximately 200 permanent residents. As the Liberated are major players in the political game of the Backrooms, Acheiros is heavily guarded at all times, and a significant portion of their high-ranking officials reside there.

Assorted Camps

Camps around The Basement are typically around the same areas. One very large camp lays abandoned and has a massive cloud of radon blocking the entry. Other camps are spread out and are apart from others.

Entrances and Exits

Entrances

The Basement can be entered by taking a special staircase in The Halls. This staircase is typically marked with "Basement" or "Below-Ground Floor." Doors around The Halls also enter into The Basement. These doors are marked with a down arrow. Any of this level's sub-levels are also entrances.

Exits

The only exits from The Basement are hatches that lead even further down into The Sub-Basement. Other exits include The Basement's sub-levels.

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