Welcome traveler. You've no-clipped straight through reality and once more found yourself deep in the dangerous land of the backrooms.
Today your explorations take you to level 37, commonly
known as the Poolrooms. All things considered, you really could have
done worse than to end up here- much, much worse. This level seems to
consist of an infinite span of interconnected rooms all covered in white
tile, reminiscent of that which you can find in many public pools.
The fact that this level is also covered in a seemingly endless
supply of lukewarm, aquamarine water is what led to the first explorers
nicknaming level 37 the Pool rooms.
The architecture here runs the gamut from long straight
hallways to massive wide open rooms. There are even stairs which
lead both up and down to- you guessed it, more pool-like rooms. The
architecture varies, but the entire floor layout is always pristine
and orderly- this is a neat-freak's dream come true. Also, every
single inch of the Poolrooms is covered in varying depths of clear,
aquamarine water.
Whatever this strange place's true purpose is, it’s
clearly not meant to be anything remotely like an actual pool- in fact,
the architecture itself makes no sense if this place was designed as
a pool. You can expect to run across plenty of pillars that rise up into
the white-tiled ceiling above you in seemingly random places, which
makes it unlikely they're serving any form of actual structural support.
Whatever keeps the roof over your head from collapsing, it’s not the
architecture of the place. The deep pools one can encounter also seem to
not be designed with humans in mind, as often there are no ledges
where one would expect so that they could climb in and out of the large
pools of deep water. Lighting itself resembles something closer to
one of the first iterations of the Unreal engine, often shining out in
strange angles that make no sense- also; light sources don’t seem to
be present. The light simply ’is’. This chaotic lighting scheme leaves many
parts of the Poolrooms cast in darkness.
Stairs seem to descend down into the watery depths,
which while clear, can be dark either due to the extreme depth or because
of the chaotic lighting. This gives the impression that these levels
weren't always flooded, after all why would stairs exist if they only
lead to deep pools of water? Other times though you may encounter deep
tunnels that go straight down into unknown depths. Much like with
cave diving, it's highly recommended that you don't attempt to explore
these areas without proper equipment and a lot of training. There's
simply no telling what lurks below, and the terrain has never been
properly mapped out. If you get stuck in a twisting watery maze, nobody is coming
to get you or refill your oxygen canister.
The water contains other mysteries as well though. No
matter where in the Poolrooms you travel, the water stays consistently a
very pleasant lukewarm. Water temperature seems to be completely
unaffected by location, lighting, or even depth- even the deepest shaft
of water, which should get rapidly chillier and chillier,
remains lukewarm all the way to its mysterious depths.
HIGH CONCENTRATION OF EPSOM SALT OR MEGNESIUM SULFHATE
Chemical analysis by field teams has also discovered
that the water itself contains a high concentration of Epsom salt, or magnesium
sulfate. This is the same type of soothing muscle relaxant that you might
pour into a bath here on this side of the backrooms, and helps soothe
sore and tired muscles as well as headaches. But the water in the
Poolrooms is more relaxing than normal, as additional unidentified compounds
have been discovered in it which is hypothesized to add to the relaxation
effect of the Poolrooms water. These strange waters don't just
soothe sore muscles and tired minds, they can even numb away the pain
of injuries or chronic illness as long as one remains soaked in the
healing waters. The water in the Poolrooms seems to be in a constant
state of gentle rippling, which in particularly large rooms can be rather hypnotic
and even add to the soothing relaxing effect of the mysterious water. Yet
there are no breezes inside the Poolrooms and to date no seismic
activity has ever been detected. This leaves the source of the gentle
rippling notion- like one might find on a calm day in a backyard pool-
a mystery to explorers. Some have theorized that the Poolrooms are
vast enough to actually have a natural tidal effect- though this
would require a transient source of gravity somewhere above,
below, or around the Poolrooms themselves to gently tug on the
water, much like our moon creates tides here on earth. Perhaps the mass of
backroom levels directly before and after the Poolrooms act like said
gravity source, which would imply that the backrooms are still
subject at some level to the basic laws of physics- despite blatant
violations of said laws observed on other levels. Another theory is that
the Poolrooms are a sealed environment and such a large mass, like perhaps
a large moon, does in fact exist somewhere in orbit above whatever
terrestrial body- if any exists- that the Poolrooms are built on. It's
also possible that the poolrooms aren't sealed off at all to the rest
of this world, as they are so vast that nobody has had the time to fully
map them out yet.
Then again, the rippling may simply be an inherent
component of the Poolrooms themselves, existing without explanation other than
it simply adds to the soothing relaxation effect the mysterious water
seems to have on visitors.
Your sense of hearing may not work as you’re used to
here in the Poolrooms, and you should be prepared. Sound is subject
to very weird effects on level 37, and seems to drop off rather quickly
producing no echo or very little when one would be expected. If
traveling here with friends, you may find that you have to remain rather
close together in order to still hear each other, as even a
distance of a few dozen feet is enough in some locations to make
normal conversational voices too muted to hear. It's believed that the
water itself is acting as some sort of sound dampening force, and once
more this may be part of the water's apparent purpose- which may be to
project a peaceful, calming atmosphere.
GENTLY RIPPLING SOUND OF THE WATER
However, the reverse can also be true here, and sound
may be much louder than you expect. In rare places inside the Poolrooms,
you may stumble into areas where the gently rippling water becomes
loud and cacophonous, to the point that not even yelling will allow for
effective communication. The water itself is unchanged, and instead
it seems to be that the gently rippling sound of the water is what becomes
greatly magnified, drowning out all other sound. Research is
ongoing as to what causes both of these strange phenomenon’s, though
it's theorized that the effect may actually stem from the visiting
wanderer themselves, with those living more troubled,
tumultuous lives somehow projecting that chaotic energy into the
water around them and causing it to become very loud.
While you may have come to expect many dangerous
entities in the backrooms and probably came prepared, you can relax your
guard here as there is yet to be any hostile entity recorded inhabiting
the Poolrooms. This is not to say that none exist, simply that even
after years of exploration, none has been discovered yet. As of now, the
Poolrooms are marked as safe, with no hostile entities- though it should
be remembered that exploration is ongoing and the level may simply be
so large that the probability of running into any entity is close to zero.
Also, one should be wary of the areas of deep water- hostile entities
could very well lurk in the depths of level 37, and simply have evaded
discovery by virtue that very few wanderers to visit have ever
had the equipment necessary to brave the depths.
Deep water here however poses another serious hazard.
While the vast majority of the water in the Poolrooms is perfectly safe
and even drinkable if one wishes- though it does have a bit of a
weird taste- one shouldn't be lulled into complacency by the appearance of
the Poolrooms to an actual pool. Unlike a real pool, level 37 is not treated
with bacteria and fungi destroying chlorine, which means that
microorganisms are free to grow here.
Strangely, despite the travels of wanderers through the
Poolrooms, who no doubt bring plenty of visiting germs of their own, it
seems as if no microorganisms from outside of the Poolrooms are
capable of colonizing these vast bodies of water. However, a native
bacterium known as the Hydroliths Plague is known to thrive in the deep, dark
waters, and is a serious hazard to visitors.
Infection is primarily via airborne ingestion of the
bacterium, which seems to point at a bacterium which has multiple life
stages or an unknown means of becoming airborne. However, a wanderer
can also become infected by drinking waters containing the bacterium. Once
infected, an individual can easily infect others via coughing, sneezing,
or even simply exhaling large quantities of the airborne bacteria from
inside of their lungs. Thankfully the disease is not particularly deadly
unless one already has a weakened immune system, however those who fall
ill can expect to experience fatigue, high fever, severe joint and
muscle pain, and delirium for those with very bad infections, combining
mental confusion with both audio and visual hallucinations.
Level 37 is simply not suitable for habitation, and
thus spread of the disease by wanderers to others is not a major concern.
The lack of suitable building materials or even dry areas, and the
random architecture and ever-present moisture is simply not conducive to
the establishment of any kind of outpost. The poolrooms also seem to
lack any resources worth exploiting, other than vast amounts of drinkable
water which should still be treated for Hydroliths plague.
A recovered note by S.R. Cunningham expresses his belief
that the Poolrooms are not a physical place at all, but rather are a
construct of one's own mind. As a wanderer moves through the Poolrooms, additional
rooms are created in the direction of their travel, and often reflect the
state of one’s own emotions. This means that technically the
poolrooms are both infinite and not- as if one aimlessly wanders they
could very well wander for eternity, or at least until their food
lasts. However, perhaps if one were to have enough mental
control, they could force a hard end to the seemingly infinite Poolrooms.
What one might discover there is unknown, and it might simply be an
exit that leads to an even deeper, and as-yet unexplored corner of the
backrooms.
The Poolrooms have multiple entrances and exits.
Exploring underwater in Level 7, Thalassophobia, can perhaps
unsurprisingly lead one into the Poolrooms. Following the creaking
stairways down in Level -132 can also lead one to the Poolrooms, and
might be a relief given the inherent dangers of Level -132. Tunnels in
Level 67, which resembles an abandoned indoor water park, can also
lead directly to Level 37, and the transition is so seamless that most
visitors don't realize it initially. Pools, especially those lined with tile,
can also be no-clipped in the reality warping Level 997 to lead one
straight to the Poolrooms. Level 30, a massive building consisting of
interconnected indoor pools, can also lead to the Poolrooms, though only
through the Quaoar and Haumea areas of the level. Interestingly, the Hydroliths
plague is also present in Level 30.
Alternatively, one can also find multiple exits in
Level 37. The most common is an exit to Level 37.1, which can happen
seamlessly for a traveler who isn't paying attention and exploring the
darker areas of Level 37. Level 37.1 is significantly more hazardous than
Level 37, which seems to have no hazards other than infection by the Hydroliths
plague and the danger of drowning if exploring too deep below the
water. This level is dark and dimly lit, again by unknown light sources
which seem to shine through cracks and holes in the walls. Other
areas however are pitch black, and the water here is a much darker,
murkier deep green-blue. Unlike level 37, level 37.1 does contain a
native population of Face lings, which vary in hostility. The environment
here is also very confusing and disorienting, and follows a
non-Euclidian nature. It is not recommended one explore Level 37.1 alone
or for very long, as even if they did recording devices seem
to simply not work here and any discoveries made are likely to
be lost or forgotten.
Submerging oneself into the waters of Level 37 can
rarely cause one to reemerge inside pools of level -33 and -34. Level -33
resembles a massive hotel that is filled with indoor pools, and the
water here may be extracted or fed directly from Level 37 as wanderers report
it has healing properties. These properties however are greatly enhanced, and
a dip in these pools can even cure extreme cases of mental illness such as
insanity.
Level -34 however is far more dangerous, and consists
of three different zones. Zone 1 is considered safe and secure, and
contains large crystal clear pools- though unlike level 37, the water here is
treated with chlorine and other chemicals to keep it clean and free of
microorganisms.
Zone 2, instead has large pools of greenish water, and
the ambient light is much darker. Dampness and mold pervades the
walls of this area and the water should be avoided at all costs.
Numerous entities also spawn and wander through here.
Entering through a black iron door in Zone 2 can lead
to Zone 3. This area is pitch black and full of brackish waters. The zone is
also infested with various entities and it's extremely recommended that
one avoid it at all costs.
Occasionally, wandering down the long hallways of the
Poolrooms however can lead to one accidentally traveling into one of the
shower blocks of Level 4242. This level is a labyrinth mess of tiled
halls and public showers, and is considered a moderate risk for
explorers. Lastly, just like entering submerged areas in Level
67 and Level -132 can lead to Level 37, entering submerged areas of Level
37 can also lead back to both levels.
Now go check out How to Beat the Backrooms Levels 0
through 2, or click this other video instead!