Entity 15 : "Wretches"

This page is currently being rewritten to make it better. Please wait patiently for a new page!

Entity Number: 15

Habitat - Majority

Wretches are a humanlike entity, often described as acting undead or zombielike. Once human, these entities were transformed via a poorly understood process, thought to stem from deprivation of vital sustenance such as food, water, and sleep. Wretches are common throughout the Backrooms, residing in the shadows wherever humans gather due to their nature.

The process of transformation into a Wretch appears to be related to hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. Isolation is thought to accelerate the process, judging by the high concentration of Wretches in unexplored or dangerous areas. The process of transformation into a Wretch is commonly referred to as the "Wretched Cycle" among wanderers, and cannot be reversed by normal means. However, a transformation in process can be stalled by proper sustenance and rest, including Almond Water and Royal Rations.

Complete prevention of the process is possible, but rare and often risky. Wall Masks are thought to reverse the transformation, at a cost; Reality Fresheners are hypothesized to aid in prevention as well.

The "Wretched Cycle" lasts between several weeks to months, and has three phases, as follows:

• Stage 1: Initially, the symptoms manifest as itchiness and irritation, comparable to a poison ivy rash; over time, subtle psychological symptoms will set in, eventually resulting in erratic and aggressive behavior and a complete change in personality traits. These effects can be halted with normal bodily sustenance and all possible cures shown previously.
• Stage 2: During Stage 2 of the Wretched Cycle, skin and muscle tissue will begin to dissolve in an unnatural fashion, often developing orifices and pustules. The outer skin will start to redden and flake off, eyes become bloodshot and irritated, and hair loss sets in. Survivors of this stage often proclaim the itchiness of this stage to be "unbearable", even describing scratching layers of their skin off in an attempt to stop it. Speech is still intelligible but consists only of pleas for water, food, and help. Almond Water and Reality Fresheners seem to be the only possible cure at this stage of the Wretched Cycle.
• Stage 3: At this stage all hope to return to normalcy has been lost. Nails and teeth fall out of their natural positions, often regrowing elsewhere in unnatural quantities and sizes. Eyelids, lips, and cartilage dissolve, forcing the eyes to remain open constantly and roll wildly in their sockets. It is unknown if the consciousness of the original victim remains at this stage. Wretches at Stage 3 constantly ooze a brown sludge-like substance from mouths and other orifices. This fluid is currently unnamed and is found to be harmless See M.E.G. Entity 15 Incident Report for more information.

The behavior of an average Wretch is comparable to Entity 10, possessing little intelligence but astounding strength. Rarely, however, Wretches have displayed intelligent or even humanlike behavior, able to craft or wield weapons. In packs, Wretches often act in unison, behaving as a hivemind. Weaker Wretches exist, but the majority possess superhuman strength, often able to break through walls, despite their fragile, skeletal appearance. The speed of Wretches varies as well, ranging from a slow shamble to sprints surpassing human capabilities.

Vocalizations are the fastest and most reliable way to determine the threat level of a Wretch. Many Wretches produce gurgling and snarling sounds often and with little apparent purpose; low-pitched and slow sounds often indicate an unintelligent variant, while high-pitched vocalizations are often intelligent or unusually quick. This method is not always accurate, but it is the only reliable means of gauging danger at this time.

Like their behavior, the appearance of a Wretch often varies greatly. A fully infected body will have reddish-brown skin that is dry and flaky, covered in holes and pustules secreting a thick red-brown substance. Wretches are often skeletal in appearance, belying a great potential strength and resilience; larger Wretches have been rarely seen.

Remains of the past human identity of a Wretch are difficult to discern, but visible if closely observed; most often, keepsakes such as clothing, supplies, and personal belongings will remain on the body, though often mutilated beyond recognition.

Mutations are frequent in Wretches, often resulting in misplaced eyes, disjointed or excess limbs, or even fleshy, skeletal "wings". A common and formidable variant manifests as a deformed mass of flesh, consisting almost entirely of eyes, mouths, and other orifices of unknown purpose.

Wretches were first discovered during an encounter with a Base on Level 2 known as "The Survivors". The early M.E.G. was able to aid the Group in killing the Wretch and delivering it to Base Alpha in Level 01. The initial log can be found here: m-e-g-the-discovery-of-the-wretch.

After the initial encounter, Wretches have been observed more often, becoming one of the most formidable known entities. Many Wanderers have been taken by the Wretched Cycle, and many have been saved from its grasp. It is your duty as a Backrooms Wanderer to maintain your health as closely as possible, resting and sustaining yourself with any means safely available.

This is a detailed report of a new event involving the Wretch entity. Methods to stop the effect detailed are being researched with all means available.

Security Breach Log

Begin Log: 10:03
Team Involved: M.E.G. Regiment Wild Warriors|Team "Nari".

Mat: Okay. [Takes a deep breath.] Is everyone good?

Nari: [Shouting from a distance] Everyone seems to be fine so far!

Mat: Okay, good…. alright. Phew… I gotta catch my breath, one minute.

[Mat sighs.]

Mat: So, an area of Trader's Keep was attacked by a horde of Wretches today… I think we lost some people… It was the largest herd of these guys we've ever seen.

Eric: Mat! You okay!? You've had quite the hustle back there!

Mat: I'm good! I'm okay. Thanks.

[Silence.]

Mat: We don't have the casualty number just yet, but I… I just hope it's small. Team Volunteer Squad burst in to back us up. I think one of them had a Firesalt pistol, don't see those every day—But that's beside the point. We don't have much time to talk, we're getting ready to go back out again and help out the Teams 'cause there's still a lot of those things out th—

Nari: Shit! Kenny's covered in this— this sludge!

[Mat can be heard running up to Nari and Kenny in a panic.]

Mat: Ken! What the hell happened?

Kenny: Fuck, man… I-I was just fighting those things back there… And one with a giant hole in its face just—just shot out this shit all over me! It fucking burns!

Maddison: Clean him up, quickly! We don't have much time—

[A scream is audible, as well as wet undulation and the scraping of bone and muscle.]

Mat: What the fu—

[The recording device is apparently thrown across the room upon impact, rendering the remaining audio faint.]

Nari: No—

[Multiple screams from the Entity echo across the room.]

Nari: Mat, get up—please—

Mat: Oh, god… ah…

[Wheezing inhale.]

Mat: Fuck, I… I- I'm fine. I'm fine… I…

[Damp thud.]

Nari: Mat… please, no…

[Distant howling.]

Post-Incident Summary: A M.E.G. Volunteer Squad soon arrived to find a barely living Wretch on the floor, with Nari next to Mat's unconscious body. Mat survived the ordeal and will be back to work in a few weeks.
It has been found that the brown sludge produced by fully developed Wretches can cause one to transform into a Wretch within a few minutes after contact. The effect is seemingly rare, but Kenny of regiment Wild Warriors was sadly lost to the effects of The Wretched Cycle, and the process is being further researched.

End Log: 10:14

• Attempt to save yourself or another with the possible cures previously mentioned.
• Listen to their vocalizations to discern the threat level of individual Wretches.
• Sleep, eat, and hydrate regularly to prevent the onset of the transformation.

Don't:

• Attempt to save a Wretch at Stage 3.
• Lose yourself and your humanity to the Wretched Cycle.