The Lore of Liminaliy
Origins
The liminal space was initially established with the posting of the original Creepypasta to 4Chan in 2019 (archive). It was shared to the Paranormal board and, when expounded upon with a paragraph establishing the base lore and name of the Backrooms, quickly went viral. The concept of liminality already existed as an anthropological concept, but this post marked the origin of an aesthetic and fandom based around the open-ended microfiction provided.
The intersection of the Backrooms being an aesthetic and a fandom lended itself to massive growth primarily during the COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone with an idea was welcome to practice their photography or 3D rendering skills and write a new "level" of the Backrooms to life. These entries are archived via the Backrooms Wiki.
What are the Backrooms?
Described through the official Wiki FAQ as an "alternate dimension," the Backrooms refers to the outer boundaries of reality (similar to the unseen parts of a video game map). This space outside of reality consists of countless "levels," which are occupied by "entities" each with their own lore provided by the Wiki.
Unlike similar group writing projects (ex. SCP Foundation) there is no consistent canon to the Backrooms. This allows for the creative freedom of all participants but means that various articles contained in the Wiki may be contradictory. As long as there are people capturing liminal spaces, there will always be writers contributing to the associated community.
Level 0: the Tutorial
Level 0 is the first level of the Backrooms, based primarily on the original 4chan post that birthed the concept. It serves as the most common point of entry for outsiders. Level 0 consists of endless empty rooms and hallways featuring yellowed carpet and wallpaper. Fluorescent lights overhead flicker and buzz at an agitating pitch. The carpet is damp with an unknown substance.
This level, like many, is entirely non-euclidian. It shifts and changes much like an impossible maze. There are no entities and it is seemily impossible to encounter other explorers within the space. This commonly results in groups being separated.
The only known exit to level 0 is to once again no-clip, which would be required to enter it from reality. This results in entry to level 1.
Level 1: the Habitable Zone
The Habitable Zone is notably different from the previous level of the Backrooms. It is marked by a distinctly industrial set of surroundings, including concrete walls and floors. It consists of several sectors, each marked by it's subtle distinctions of various forms of brutalist architechture.
Unlike the previous level, both objects and entities can be found within level 1. Entities are primarily hostile and tend to hunt during flickers of the lighting within the Habitable Zone. These entities include but aren't limited to writing masses of human limbs, smiles in the dark, humanoid and animalistic beasts, or even fungal diseases.
This zone is known by several human outposts that exist within it. Those who can't escape the Backrooms can feasibly survive here, at least for a time. Though the resources within these communities is limited. Several sub-sections exist within the Habitable Zone such as a long corridor and an uninhabitable concrete garden.
There are several ways to exit this level including but not limited to doors, ceiling vents, and no-clipping.