Info
The original author of this entry is the Reddit user u/Liam4Fingarz
Rewritten by 1000dumplings
Re-rewritten by yoyoflux
Current iteration by (re-re-rewritten version) by PrismaticMoose
The story behind me writing this is actually kinda funny.
I was reading through wikidot articles, and I came across Entity 198. I decided to look at the level it was from — this level, in fact — and I hated the old version of L18 so much I surmised to remove it from the site, in the best way possible. By rewriting it. Despite the fact that I had previously said I didn't want to do low-numbered level rewrites, due to the pressure involved… this level annoyed me so much with it being rewritten twice and still sucking, I rescinded that.
Crit helpfully given by
Natedagreat563, [[]], and [[]]
Greenlit by [[]]
Additional thanks to
scutoid studios for the lovely theme and the cool level class; and to my mother for helping with the statistics.
LEVEL
18
SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY
CLASS 4
Exit: 3/5
Difficult to Exit
Environment: 5/5
Deadzone
Entities: 3/5
Major Hostile Presence
Level 18 is a variably hazardous level which partially recreates the childhood of a wanderer, and uses it to entrap them.
Description:
Level 18 manifests itself as an area important to a wanderer's childhood, usually from the ages of 2-5 years old. As such, it is different to every person who enters it, and can appear as any place that was familiar to the wanderer, which usually ends up being nurseries or bedrooms; but can also be classrooms, playgrounds, living rooms, or even natural areas.
These environments are exactly how the wanderer remembers them — even if their memories are warped by time — even down to specific items being where they usually put them. If the area varied in how it was arranged, the level will manifest it as the configuration most recognizable to the wanderer.
The level also tends to have a visual filter over it, although this is sometimes not present. This generally manifests as more vivid colours, but can also be a tint in pink or red. These effects extend to cameras and other recording devices too, although a "true" image can be extrapolated by adjusting colour grades.
One notable effect of this Level is that it will compel wanderers who enter it to do obviously dangerous things children tend to do anyway, for instance touching a lamp they know is hot even though there is a sticker on it saying not to touch it.
Depending on how Level 18 manifests, its environmental safety can vary. Due to the aforementioned compulsion effect, they are categorized based on how easy it is for a child to hurt themselves by accident.
Below is a list of the four "types" of manifestations, with lists of potential hazards.
A picture of a Type-1 environment, taken through a fish-eye lens so that the whole area can be seen.
Type 1 environments are the safest form of Level 18, with few environmental hazards and a reasonable chance of supplies. It usually appear as bedrooms, nurseries, lounges, or other child-proofed home areas. There are few things in Type-1 environments which could harm a wanderer. The only hazards are electrical sockets, lamps (if the area contains non-LED lighting), and other electrical devices. Type-1 areas have a moderate likelihood of containing food and water, usually in cupboards in living rooms.
Multiplicative Manifestations
When multiple people enter Level 18 together, the level will form as a chimaera of their various memories. Many rooms will be formed, with at least one for each person's past.
These rooms will be connected in some way, whether through doors or windows that would be locked in individual versions, or slow transitions at the edges of type 3 and 4 environments. Sometimes both sides of a threshold will be massively different, eg. a gate at the edge of a type 3 environment might lead to a door in a class 1 environment.
If a wanderer in a group leaves the level or dies, the rooms from their memories will snap out of existence, making all entrances too them impossible to use or lead to different rooms.
Phenomena:
De-Ageing
{still gotta write this}
Entities:
The Plush Dino
Quite unlike the other entities, The Plush Dino is both safe and helpful. It appears at complete random, although it is far more likely to appear when the wanderer has been in Level 18 for {add this once I've worked out the timings for de-ageing}
The Dino will manifest an exit just after it appears, opening a previously impassible door or window, or creating a new one if none are present. It will then signal to follow. When entered, the exit will lead to any level the wanderer wished to go to, but if they had no preferences it will simply go to a random safe level.
If the wanderer chooses to not enter the exit, the Dino may stay with them for a short time, but it invariably leaves within a few hours to help other wanderers.
The Dino can speak, to a certain extent, using telepathy. While they don't use words, the wanderer will instantly understand what the Plush Dino says to them.
While they will respond simple questions, it is hard to hold a reasonable conversation with them as they will invariably try and steer it back to asking the wanderer to leave the level.
Bases, Outposts and Communities:
The Children
Blanket term for all wanderers afflicted with de-ageing who are trapped in Level 18.
The exact number of Children is unknown, recorded instances indicate around 10,000 people, but the true number is likely many times higher due to the inconsistent communication between manifestations.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
Level 18 can be entered through finding something that is similar to an something from your childhood. This is most commonly manifested as specific uncommon types of toys, games, or plushes; but can also be rooms, machinery, or even whole buildings.
For smaller objects, simply picking them up will transport you to Level 18, and such items will stay with you in the level, and when leaving will lose their anomalous effects. Larger objects that cannot be picked up will transport to Level 18 when touched.
It is unknown exactly how these "instant-no-clip" objects appear, as they never show up in front of cameras and people around don't acknowledge them even though they are visible before the target sees them.
Exits
Exiting can be done in a similar way, by finding important items from the present. These most commonly manifest as photographs of the wanderer in question with close friends or partners; methods of adult identification, such as a passport or a driving license; and items pertaining to major achievements, such as diplomas and trophies. While this is technically an easy exit, it will only appear after a wanderer has been in Level 18 for at least a few days.
Picking up such items will send the wanderer back to the level they were on before.
Finding and following The Plush Dino will lead you to a level of your choice, or a random safe level, if the wanderer has no preferences.
If a wanderer is inside a room when it vanishes — due to the wanderer it is modeled on leaving the level or dying — they will be left in The Blue Channel. Due to the danger and difficulty of navigating in the Blue Channel, it is best to avoid this method of exit unless absolutely no other option presents itself.
It is also possible to access Level 18.1 by thinking about a vividly remembered childhood nightmare, but this is to be avoided at all costs due to the severe danger Level 18.1 faces to the human mind. Do not, under any circumstances, think of nightmares on Level 18.
