Niku Praetor

Isla Botanica

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Co-written by Nikuchan Nikuchan and Praetor3005Praetor3005!

Special thanks to Spectre48Spectre48 and Greggita MahayfaioGreggita Mahayfaio for reviewing the draft!

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ca_logo_white_.pngAriaNet
Messagerie électronique officielle du Cercle Ariane
From - ca_logo_white_.png Katya Hall <Katya.Hall@cercle-ariane.bkr>
To - ca_logo_white_.png Anthony Kelvin <Anthony.Kelvin@cercle-ariane.bkr>
Subject - Some help needed
Date - [MISSING DATE]

Hey Anthony!

Mailing you again bc I'm in dire need of help at this point.

It's been a week since we've been stuck in The Archipelago (yeah time flies). The arrival of the Nomads allowed us to get more help for the whole "Arbor Caeruleum" research thing, but we're still on a dead end. Like, we've seen those trees in action plenty of times don't get me wrong, but researching this phenomenon has been pure hell. None of us, as good at biology as we can be, are specialized in botanical stuff, and we're talking about some of the weirdest Backrooms trick we've ever seen. Even the Kowloong city's explorers living with us atm don't know anything about it. Apparently it's only on our island and not theirs? It's so weird, they've never seen these trees, let alone them closing the Blue Consumption rifts.

So we're gonna need your help again. I know that since the start of the mission you learned a lot of stuff about The Blue Channel outside of the Archipelago. You've been of incredible help to us information-wise since you're —well— not trapped with us rn. I hate to beg for help again and bother you but… Yeah we can't progress on this, and we have other issues we have to deal with atm (mainly diplomacy because we learned we're not alone in there with all of those islands and that's something that's taking a LOT of Team Pytheas' time).

Can you try to find some information about the trees? I get it if you don't want to, you're still a historian and out of your element rn, but if we don't communicate some progress to the higher-ups of Team Hermes and Team Pytheas they're gonna be super-pissed and we really can't afford to have them angry, especially atm. Sent you some quick notes for convenience but I can give you more tomorrow if you need that (I have everything on paper and no time to transcribe it yet).

Have a nice day!

> Open file

Anthony Kelvin glanced at the mail his friend sent him once again. Just a day ago, when he received it, it felt like a trivial task. The historian, blissfully, thought at the time that a simple visit to the Promethean Library would allow him to find all the knowledge Katya needed. However, much like the Archipelago itself, all he could find was the key to a much deeper rabbit hole.

The historian looked away from his computer to check the small, old notebook he retrieved from the library. It mentionned a route to a place where all plants were thought to exist, a level simply nicknamed "Isla Botanica" by a traveler from an era long gone. Of course, in theory, this was a rather welcome insight. The historian easily found the modern names of the levels he would have to traverse through to get to Asset 194, where the entrance was. The trip was possible, and the trees surely were in there, waiting for him.

Yet the road would be long and tedious. Leaving Level 5 by a wooden door to enter Level 427, then another door to Level 800. From there he would be able to enter Level 808, which would grant him access to the train of Level 185, finally getting to the Asset. Each of these level files showcased dangers he wasn't prepared for, and his everlasting fear of the outside world wouldn't make it any easier. The privatization of Asset 194 by the B.N.T.G. was also an issue, as the ways to reach it were privatized by the group. For all he knew, the entrance might not even exist anymore, disappearing centuries ago like many others.

Sighing, Anthony finally decided, reluctantly, to ask someone else for help, hoping that they wouldn't ask too many questions about the context of his pleas.

doorBACKDOOR Backrooms' #1 Chat & Forum Archived at: 2016-05-30 16:24:56

> User @VorKhos created the room.

> User @VorKhos entered the room.

> User @Benqueroume entered the room.

[VorKhos]: Hey Benjamin

[VorKhos]: So huuuuuuuh

[VorKhos]: Sorry to bother but I need help on something

[Benqueroume]: Hey!

[Benqueroume]: Sure go ahead, we're Archipelago Coworkers now after all

[VorKhos]: tysm

[VorKhos]: So basically I need to get to Asset 194, but the route I have noted down is way too long for me to handle

[VorKhos]: Do you know if there are any shortcuts?

[VorKhos]: The B.N.T.G. doesn't have the entrances public even though it seems they have a presence in the level, so I only have notes from a while ago that I managed to correlate with Asset 194.

[Benqueroume]: Oh yeah that's normal!

[Benqueroume]: Long story short they don't want people fucking up with the place without them authorizing it, so the G.P.D. entry only talks about how you can pay them for rent and stuff

[Benqueroume]: Why do you need to go there?

[VorKhos]: Well

[VorKhos]: I'll explain you once I'm back

[Benqueroume]: Sure

[Benqueroume]: Well if you don't wanna pay the big bucks to the B.N.T.G. and show them you're there, you should go to Level 128 "The Great Outdoors". You can access it through any indoor level and since you're in the Terror Hotel it should be easy for you to get there

[Benqueroume]: The nearest entrance should be on a map of the sector you're in

[Benqueroume]: Then just noclip from one of the pillars there and boom, Asset 194

[VorKhos]: Alright thank you so much!

[Benqueroume]: No problem

[Benqueroume]: U sure you're prepared for the trip tho?

[Benqueroume]: No offense but Charlie and Katya told me about you and you seem to be more of a theory guy than a field agent

[VorKhos]: I have the usual Ariane Circle equipment like any Hermes member

[VorKhos]: Warpberries, survival rations, Frvyo jades to detect entities too

[VorKhos]: I wanted to take an Organigun as well, but I never used one so it wouldn't really be useful

[Benqueroume]: You should take one still imo, they're plants so they do the job for you anyway

[Benqueroume]: Just don't panic when the tendrils enter your veins. "Become the plant" as we say

[Benqueroume]: And then pull the trigger

[VorKhos]: I guess having a gun will make things more secure?

[VorKhos]: Especially since I don't really know where I'm going

[VorKhos]: Thanks a lot man!

[VorKhos]: (btw don't tell Katya or Charlie I'm leaving Hermes-5 they would freak out)

[Benqueroume]: No problem! It's not like we discuss THAT MUCH anyway, we're all very busy with our own stuff there

[VorKhos]: Yeah i get it

[VorKhos]: See you!

[Benqueroume]: See you!

[END OF ARCHIVED CHATLOG]

The historian smiled. Even stuck in the Archipelago, Troop "Ariadne Thread" of the Nomads remained the best people to ask for level entrances. The route to this unknown level turned out to be much easier and safer than he thought. Leaving the Terror Hotel to reach The Great Outdoors, then arriving at Asset 194 without being witnessed by the B.N.T.G, and finally searching for the entrance. Everything up until then was planned like a true Hermes operative would.

Anthony still didn't know what awaited him there, but the interaction gave him the hope that perhaps he could be in control of his own adventure. Even the simplest of hopes made the historian more resolute, ready to put his fears away for now. With a deep breath, he took his backpack and headed to the Hermes greenhouse to take a gun, then left for his biggest adventure up to date.

The trees were waiting for him.



…



It was a rather uneventful day in Base Alpha. Olivia was tending to some plant samples in the comfort of her room, when she was suddenly called into Kat's office and brought away from her work desk. Confused, she opened the door, now staring at a concerned Kat as she was holding a bunch of strange documents. Olivia had no idea why she was called over so urgently, but she was about to find out why fairly soon and it didn't sound like a lighthearted set of news.

"Sorry for calling you all of a sudden, Olivia. We just got word of anomalous activity in Level 11. That is, more anomalous than how it usually is. In fact, some wanderers reported seeing tree branches coming out of the ground and leading somewhere far away. We don't know where the branches come from, but since you are specialized in plant life, I was wondering if you'd like to take on this case and do some investigation. You know?"

Kat put down the documents with a slight smile, trusting Olivia's judgment over the situation. Meanwhile, Olivia's eyes brightened at the idea of something plant related that was all hers to research about. Sure, she has made many accomplishments in her life, but this time it sounded like it was going to be even more extraordinary than her last achievements. She didn't even consider denying for one second. Even though she was so busy seconds before.

"You know I'd never turn down something related to my field of expertise, Katty! Count me in as your favourite and most trustworthy agent!" Olivia chuckled, the last phrase being more of a tease than a truthful affirmation. Kat found her words entertaining, but she quickly composed herself back into her usual serious facade. She wouldn't want to look unprofessional, even if Olivia is her dearest friend.

"Very well then, if you feel like you can do it, then you should start heading to Level 11 right now. I wouldn't want wanderers to potentially getting hurt before you analyze the mystery. Don't waste any time talking now. Go!"

Olivia raised her hands playfully, obliging to the commands of her serious companion. She went back in her room and packed some supplies, such as her herbarium, a notebook, a medkit, vials and several containers. Then, she swiftly left, following the easiest marked path on her notebook. It would take her there in about 20 minutes, which was optimal in this situation.

She truly couldn't wait to see what was going on this time.



…




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Deep inside the Rainforest, Anthony had been wandering in a straight line since dawn. While the historian didn't encounter anyone so far in the Asset, any sound he perceived made him jump, fearing he got caught trespassing.

Trying to rationalize his thinking, Anthony thought of the trip he endured until then, in an attempt to distract his mind. The path from Hermes-5 to The Great Outdoors had been trivial, and entering Asset 194 was just as easy. In both cases, Anthony didn't encounter anyone, not even a M.E.G. team looking for food or a B.N.T.G. agent guarding a pillar.

Another branch cracked in the distance, and Anthony's heart started to pump faster. Did the B.N.T.G. have patrols walking around? Was he even close to their structures anymore? The historian looked around, but once again, he was truly alone. Even his Frvyo jade necklace was dark, confirming the absence of any Backrooms native creature near him. Just this instant, Anthony wondered if the gods Charlie prayed upon existed, granting him the blessings he needed to help his two friends the way he could.

As he kept walking forward, the historian felt the Organigun in the protective sheath on his belt calling for him again, thirsty for his blood. To his own surprise, the presence of the firearm with him was enough to calm him down. Katya used to praise those plants a lot back before she got trapped within the Archipelago. Such a marvel of evolution, she always told him. With the memory of his friend in mind, he felt the gun not as a weapon, but as a way to remind himself of who he was venturing for. In a way, his lifelong friend and biology enthusiast was with him, a thought that made the historian more at ease.

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Suddenly, Anthony felt Numberation pulling him away from his thoughts. Something strange just happened, and the historian had the evergrowing intuition he suddenly ventured way deeper within the Backrooms. He looked around, this time out of incomprehension. The vegetation hadn't changed a bit, yet his senses were straight.

Anthony Kelvin sighed, both in relief and apprehension. While he was certain the absence of landscape shift wasn't normal, he was sure of one fact: He finally entered his destination.



…



Olivia took a quick shortcut from Level 10 in order to get to Level 11. It was very risky, since she had to pass through level 9 and miraculously survive everything found in it, but she's always seen herself as lucky, so even this time everything went smoothly. She did stop by to get lunch at Tom's diner, since she expected to be outside for a very long time. It was the simple Adventurer menu given to all M.E.G. agents who come to his restaurant and Olivia has grown to love its simplicity and taste.

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She walked past the huge tunnel in Level 11, observing the out of place buildings while she also looked for the strange branches on the ground. She walked for at least an hour without any proper destination, before she started seeing parts of the asphalt that were definitely higher than normal. That was it, she had to concentrate and stop lounging around. She wondered if it was going to lead to something undiscovered or new. Whichever it was going to be, she was ready.

Olivia followed the out of place asphalt, as more and more cracks appeared on it. She could see the tree branches poking from underground, up until she heard a loud crack underneath her feet.

"Shit-" Was the only word she managed to utter, as the unstable ground gave in underneath her feet and plummeted her in a large hole with branches and grass. Olivia's yell was quickly muffled out as she noclipped.



…




dusk

Whatever this place was, it was definitely untouched by man. Anthony was struggling to walk in a straight line, constantly fighting against the vegetation. There was no clear path to take, let alone a trace of civilization. All he could do was keep struggling to make any progress in his quest, making sure not to trip on a root or get hit by a low branch.

Anthony could see the fog around tainting itself with a beautiful tone of pink, as if the sun was setting off. The busy vegetation prevented him from seeing the spectacle for himself, but the thought of it made him realize he hadn't seen a sunset in forever. The shining star never set in the Endless City where he used to live, and he barely left Level 2 or 5 after he joined the Circle. Anthony smiled, thinking of how unfamiliar this way of life felt to newly no-clipped wanderers, who usually struggled to keep their inner clock working without the circadian cycle assisting them. But for a backborn, it was how they always lived.

blue1

As Anthony walked deeper and deeper into the level, the fog started to engulf his surroundings until the entire landscape bathed in a blue hue he was all too familiar with. This was not the night appearing. Having studied the Blue Channel to help Katya made him immediately realize the level wasn't the simple rainforest the notebook presented. This place was open within the Channel like that corridor of Level 4 was. Either this place was unstable, or it held something far more unusual than previously thought. Perhaps the strangest thing was how inconsistent this feature seemed to be, as the entrance of the place didn't seem to bathe in the Channel so heavily.

This fog didn't make his route easier, far from it. Anthony could barely look around anymore, and the risk of missing the trees he was looking for was starting to become a dreadful possibility. Still, none of the plants around him matched the descriptions Katya and Charlie gave him. Was the Blue Consumption even active here? And where would he find them? The historian tried to pick up his phone for a quick search, but was quickly reminded by the vegetation around that risking losing the device that could save him wasn't worth it.


Those plants were now so dense Anthony couldn't see past a meter of him. The large leaves were covering his view, when they weren't outright hitting his face. With a large movement, the historian tried to move them aside and continue walking.

blue3.PNG


As soon as the historian made his way past the huge wall of leaves, the environment abruptly changed. The lush ground and the twisted trees made way for thin birch trees engulfed in the blue fog. Looking at his feet, Anthony could see the vegetation of the rainforest abruptly stopping, with the huge ferns abruptly opening to grass patches. Yet, Numberation was clear: he didn't exit the level, and the everlasting presence of the blue mist proved it. The Backrooms weren't strangers to abrupt thresholds, but this occurring within a level, let alone outdoors, was definitely new to him. What more strange features did this place possess?

blue4.PNG

Walking through the misty open landscape, the forest started to diversify itself, with pine or oak trees breaking the birch monotony. Yet the jungle never came back. Occasionally turning around, Anthony could see the immensity of the rainforest getting more and more distant as he progressed, with this abrupt cut in the terrain still visible. The change felt so… Artificial. While Anthony never ventured into the outside world a lot, never has he stumbled upon such change in the landscape while reading the database. Was the Blue Channel involved? Were there more of these strange cuts at this level? The mysteries felt both thrilling and scary to him. This place wasn't like any other, that he was sure, but the nature of it was elusive, and each answer created more unsolved questions. That notebook was right, in a sense. The forest did contain a lot of different plants, yet the surprising mashup wasn't something they mentionned.

blue5.PNG

As Anthony continued to wander deeper into the open forest, he was met with a new brutal cut in the landscape. However, this time, the forest didn't change form, but simply… Stopped. Instead of trees, the only vegetation the historian could witness was a seemingly endless expanse of countryside. No trees in sight, simply what he believed to be a Canola Field, with the yellow tones merging with the blue mist of the Channel.

Taking a glance further away, Anthony was surprised to see a familiar structure from afar. Barns could be seen merging into the ground, an imagery he immediately recognized. There was no doubt possible, this was The Field of Forgotten Forts. Yet, again, Numberation confirmed he wasn't quite there, both litterally and figuratively.

He was still in Isla Botanica, but the landscape he was facing was from Level 184. How could both statements be true? The nature of Fold Point emerged from his mind, and with it, the glimpse of a theory. Would the nature of this level be similar, with many levels overlapping in the eleven dimensions of the Blue Channel? This place was physical, and its own pocket reality. But could it be the result of many others colliding into one? And if so, would the center of the level be the foggiest part of it, with Arbor Caeruleum holding it together?

Filled with a newfound excitement, Anthony got back into the forested area, trying to get deeper into the level.



…




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Olivia found herself stirring awake on the cold ground. She felt dirt all over her face, but she found no injury from the "fall". She was just slightly dazed, but nothing too problematic. Seems like she no-clipped, as if that wasn't obvious already. With a weary exhale, she got up on her feet, adjusting her vision to the dim, nature-filled, forested environment. There was a blue fog surrounding the area she was in, but she could make out the sight of trees and vegetation she hardly recognizes. It reminded her of Level 246 in a way, with its prehistoric nature. She went there once on an exploration trip, in order to take samples and examine its vegetation, and this time, the situation is not any different.

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She approached one of the trees nearby her, noticing its structure and taking note of the shape of its leaves. She was utterly fascinated by the vast variety of things she saw from a first outlook. Trees of all kind of shapes, extremely tall fungi organisms and the distant thumping of creatures that she could barely hear. Olivia wondered if there were any entities nearby, so she prepared herself both mentally and physically for any threats, while also picking up leaf samples and storing them in her herbarium. This wasn't what she expected, but she was dying to do something related to her field for once.

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She makes her way through the large primal forest, occasionally witnessing the flight of strangely colored insect entities, which were nothing she had seen in the past. Though, while she stumbles upon something that looked like a centenary tree standing proudly in the center, she is soon interrupted by a large brachiosaurus entity reaching out with its long neck to feast off of the leaves on the tree. Olivia let out a panicked yelp, before she realized it was harmless. Her eyes lit up in amazement as she quickly begun sketching the dinosaur on her notebook, alongside drawings of the plants she had seen. She believed this was a good spot to take note of things, but her actions came to a halt at the loud, distant growling of what felt to be like a predator entity.

Olivia knew that she should not take a risk, despite the amazing discovery of a prehistorical world conserved right in the Backrooms in all its beauty. She took her leave, rushing away from the area in order not to become T-Rex meat. Once she reached a river nearby, she sat down and drank from it while resting from the stressful situation. The water was pure and cold, refreshing her stomach and mind. Kat was going to get a heart attack as soon as Olivia came back with the news for sure, but now she had a new goal in mind. Get to the bottom of this level and gather as many things as possible from it, no matter the risk. The botanist stood upon and started venturing deeper into the forest, with the sun seemingly setting as she walked.

dusk%20olivia



…




Katya told him the trees tend to grow where the Channel bursted into the physical reality. And if there was anything Anthony learned from the incident that led to the discovery of the Archipelago, it was that the denser the blue mist was, the closer the Blue Channel was. For hours he searched for the foggiest part of Isla Botanica, trying to find the center of the folding point. The notebook assured every plant could be found here, and Arbor Caeruleum couldn't be an exception. He simply had to keep on searching.

The blue fog was getting denser and denser with every step, and the historian started to feel tinglings on his skin. He was getting closer.

Suddenly, a distant chant started echoing in from of him, making Anthony stop walking out of surprise. Lending an ear, he attempted to recognize the language, but to no avail, a fact that astonished him even further. He, the historian, couldn't figure out where it originated from. For some heavy seconds, he stayed motionless, fearing what was to come. Looking at the Organigun on his belt, he weighed his chances. He was no fighter. A Plague Goblin was enough to scare him, even in Hermes-5. Could he withstand a hostile human presence? Was it even human to begin with?

The excitement of discovery was ultimately too much to ignore. Anthony has survied the Beast. He could do this. He simply needed to stay hidden and silent. The historian started walking again, this time watching his steps closely as he approached the source of the chant.

The hymn was getting louder and louder as he approached, but even closer it remained too low for him to define its nature. Anthony took a look at the Frvio Jade. No light whatsoever. Whatever cult this was, it definitely was of human origin, an answer that did nothing to comfort him.

The vegetation was still too dense for him to see anything. With the chant now being distinct enough, Anthony stopped walking, then slowly moved the big leaf in front of him to take a peek at the source of the music, crouching to make himself as small as possible.

The first thing he discerned was a small tree at the center. Not the one he was looking for, unfortunately, but still clashes with anything around it. In fact, all of its surroundings were clear, the entire zone looking like an artificial clearing. Then Anthony saw them. A dozen figures with yellow robes around the tree, chanting together with what Anthony now recognized to be a derivate from Frontrooms Latin. The floor between the cultists and the tree was filled with lines, circles, and symbols engraved into the dirt like some sort of ritual. The historian immediately recognized them as ancient sigils from the Botanica Lexicanum, the holy book of the obscure religion of Amor Incrementum. What were those people doing here? This place was supposed to be lost in time. No sign of it existed on the G.P.D., let alone the articles written by Amor Incrementum.

As the historian started to lose himself in his thoughts and theories again, he gradually started to lose his balance. When he realized it, however, it was already too late, and he fell onto the ground in a heavy sound of leaves and vines tearing off.

The loud noise was enough for the cultists to stop their prayers. With suspicion, they all looked in the direction Anthony was. While he was still covered by the lush environment, the historian realized what was bound to happen. With his fears finally getting onto him, he stood up and started running in the opposite direction, as he hearded noises of people approaching.

‡ Licensing / Citation

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Notes - to delete afterward

Anthony's part:

Olivia's part:

Anthony's part:

Olivia's part:

Unused:

Footnotes
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