Level 986 : “Belphegor’s Nightmare”

Level 986 is a forest covered in a thin layer of fog with mountains visible in the distance, adorned with lush trees of a variety of species. However, these mountains cannot be reached due to certain phenomena. The fog is very thin with a light purple tint and does not impair a wanderer’s vision in any regard. It has been described that Level 986 seems dream-like and artificial, and the trees have been known to occasionally take an odd shape, looking lopsided and unnatural. It looks as if they were made out of something other than wood, along with reports of cloth hanging from the branches of the trees. Wanderers enter at the beginning of a dirt path, which initially spans 3 miles1, but it extends by 0.3 miles2 whenever someone exits the level.

Throughout the level, there is a constant ambience of sounds similar to a Frontrooms forest, including chirping, croaking, and birdsong. However, there is no known source for these sounds. The dirt is damp as if it had rained a couple of hours ago, somewhat resembling wet clay. Puddles of Almond Water are scattered throughout the level, although it is not recommended to drink from them due to their mixture with dirt. The sky resembles a spring day in the Frontrooms, and the level constantly remains in daytime. It is often reported that air bubbles and oddly shaped clumps of an unknown material are found within the ground and surrounding greenery. Additionally, discarded items, such as empty Almond Water bottles and articles of clothing, appear regularly throughout the level. Multiple wanderers can be on this level at a time; however, they must have no-clipped together in order to be on the level at the same time.

The wind blows through your hair as you take a deep breath. The scent of wet grass and damp earth fills your lungs, and you exhale, feeling all tension leave your body. The soft sounds of the forest soothe your worries, and you have finally found peace. A sense of calmness washes over you, but there's a nagging thought in the back of your head. “What if it’s fake?” You feel as though something is about to disrupt the peace of this wonderful place and everything around you feels… off. It feels too good to be true. While nothing looks out of the ordinary, aside from the occasional spots of yellow or red paint on the ground, this place doesn't feel real. It's as if you're dreaming, and you've definitely dreamed of this place before.

If one ventures approximately 500 feet3 away from the path, they will be teleported back to the beginning. This happens instantaneously with no warning given and is very similar to no-clipping. This phenomenon remains unexplained. It is currently unknown how long the level expands outward due to this effect, while also making the mountains of the level unreachable.

You see something strange in the distance, but it doesn’t look dangerous. It’s sleeping, it looks so peaceful. It looks so soft and adorable, so you don’t question it.

There is a lone entity residing in the mountains on the level. It takes the appearance of a stuffed animal sloth.

and then…

it wakes up.

The only entity on Level 986 is an entity known as "Sloth”. Sloth takes the appearance of a mountain-sized sloth doll. Grey wool covers its body, interrupted with patches of white on its stomach and face. It has large, black button eyes and a bead-like nose with an off-putting, sewn-on smile. There is a small “x” on its stomach where its belly button would be. It has some sort of claws; however, they don’t seem dangerous as they appear to be cone-shaped pieces of felt. It resides in the mountains of Level 986 and can be seen from anywhere on the level. Sloth’s appearance is often comforting to wanderers, making them feel safe and relaxed on the level.

Sloth spends a notable amount of time napping on the level, often sleeping for 12 hours or more at a time. However, when it is not asleep, it will notice a wanderer’s presence and immediately be angered, resulting in it using its ability to rid the wanderer from the level. Sloth will also occasionally taunt4 wanderers while doing so.

The forest is dying around you. The sky turns a horrid shade of red as your head is throbbing. You curse yourself for thinking this place was safe. The trees are all dead and bare, and there is nothing but silence that fills you with dread. Your head is spinning, your heart is nearly beating out of your chest. The air is thick and hot and it feels like you can’t breathe. You hack and cough and your thoughts race. “What’s happening to me?”, “Where can I find safety?”, “Who’s making this happen?”, “Am I going to die?”. The dirt resembles clay a bit too much, wet and sticky and smells awful. It feels like quicksand, sucking you in if you stay in one place too long. You want to just collapse and fall asleep, you’re just so tired, but you have to keep going. When will this misery end? You feel like you’ve been walking forever…you h4ve t0.l3@ve

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Sloth’s Ability

Sloth possesses the unique ability to manipulate time and the environment of Level 986, molding it to its liking. This ability manifests in three distinct stages. The effects of each stage happen instantaneously after a certain amount of time has passed. Sloth will start using its ability when it wakes up, around 3 hours after the wanderer has entered.

Level 986 includes a variety of phenomena, like the previously mentioned teleportation effect and growing path. However, the fog on this level also has some effects that have been recently discovered.

The Fog

The fog on Level 986 has a faint purple tint and is thin enough to allow wanderers to see the ground and the mountains in the distance. Wanderers are advised to avoid breathing the air on Level 986 without nose and mouth protection8. Reports indicate that the fog has similar effects to carbon monoxide poisoning, leading to exhaustion and the extreme urge to lie down, as well as symptoms like coughing, nausea, difficulty breathing, and headaches. Prolonged exposure9 to the fog can be fatal. However, it is important to note that the fog is not carbon monoxide and its exact nature remains unknown.

Your legs finally give out, and you collapse, accepting your fate. You wheeze and shiver as your vision blurs and everything goes black. The horrible hum that has been stuck in your ears for who knows how long gets louder and louder as you feel your heart giving out. Just fall asleep… join us here, you know you want to. Didn’t you want to stay here forever? Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of you. You won’t need anything else here. Just let your worries melt away… we’ll mold you into something beautiful.

The exact date of the initial discovery of Level 986 and Sloth, along with their origin, remains unknown. The first recorded encounter took place on January 3rd, 2016, by Rey McCalister. Notably, during this initial discovery, the path was measured at a length of 3 miles.

Supplementary Documents

Recording of McCalister’s Initial Discovery

01/03/2020

I don't know where I am or what this place is, and I'm not sure if I will make it out alive. This place doesn't match any of our records. My name is Rey McCalister; I am an M.E.G. Officer in the Research and Exploration Department. I've been here for about three hours, and so far, there appears to be no immediate danger, but I can't say that for certain. I'm surrounded by a forest and have been walking along this dirt path for almost an hour, but I feel really tired. Ugh, have I seriously gotten this lazy? Anyway, in the distance, there's some kind of entity, but I don't recognize it. It looks like a… stuffed sloth? Whatever it is, it's currently asleep, which I'm taking as a good thing. I don't know how long it'll be until I reach the end of this path or if there is an end at all, but the best course of action is to keep moving. But if nothing happens in the next hour or so, I’m gonna set up camp and rest. I really feel like I need to lie down. What was I doing again? Oh, right. None of my navigation tools work here, and there's no signal. It appears there are no other entities except for that sloth-like creature…thing…whatever the hell it is, and the landscape seems relatively normal and even calming. I entered through a green door in The Hub. Gravity and time seem to be nor- . Oh shit, the sloth thing is waking up. Fuc-

I just made it out. I’m so relieved, I was so sure that I was going to die. Everything was so slow and weird, and it felt like something was chasing me and that I was going to pass out any minute. I really think I dodged a bullet; the end of the path was around 3 miles from the beginning. The sloth thing woke up and everything just started slowing down. It felt like I was trapped in some sort of sick, slow-motion movie, like those ones where they use clay to animate. I don’t feel as tired anymore, but I do think I need to rest for a minute to recover from… that. I’m currently on Level 4, and apparently, I no-clipped here with some… chips? Well, I’m not going to complain, I’m just gonna rest a bit and report my findings later.

Unknown Wanderer’s Notebook Entry

03/28/2021

I’m terrified for my life. I’ve been walking for 5 hours and I don’t know when this will end. I can barely move. I’m glad I have Larry here with me, I don’t know how I would’ve been able to go through this alone. It smells awful here, like I’m stuck in my 8th grade art class. I’m so tired, I need to lie down but I have to keep going. We both haven’t been able to stop coughing and I fear we’ve gotten sick. Neither one of us have medical supplies, so we have to hope we can escape to someplace that does.

We see the exit! We’re finally going to make it out of this place! We’re free! I can’t believe it, I won’t have to withstand this misery any longer.

It’s all a lie. I’m going to die here. The exit swallowed Larry and revealed more of the path. I’m not going to make it out alive. If anyone finds this, please run as fast as you possibly can. Find a way out. Ignore the glitches, ignore how slow and weird everything is, ignore all of the clay, just get out.

Entrances

• A green door in The Hub often leads to Level 986.
• One can enter through the Blue Channel by finding a forest.
• If one finds a sloth plushie on level-18 and picks it up, they will no-clip to Level 986.
• If one finds a painting of a forest on Level 343 and jumps through it, they will no-clip here.

Exits

• The main exit is located at the end of the path, which will only send wanderers to safe levels as a reward for completing the level, along with supplies like Almond Water. It is unknown why this occurs.
• If one finds a tree appearing different or unusual, compared to the others, and runs into it, they could no-clip to a variety of forest-themed levels, including but not limited to:
  • Level 14
  • Level 32
  • Level 129
  • Level 166
  • Level 266
  • Level 345

• Level 14
• Level 32
• Level 129
• Level 166
• Level 266
• Level 345