> Level Classification
| Difficulty | 5/5 | The wide range of hazards found within Level 19 means that survivability is extremely low. |
|---|---|---|
| Entity Count | 1/5 | Small instances of life forms are present in the level; however, they are not dangerous and are mostly harmless. |
| Chaos Gradient | 5/5 | Storms, fallout, acid rain, and deadly soil make the level a chaotic place to remain in for prolonged periods of time. |
| Basset-Frazier Index | 3.666/5 | Long-term survival within Level 19 is impossible without extensive preparation, but there may be certain areas within the wastes that can house life. |
> Description
fig 1.0 A valley in Level 19.
Level 19 is a vast expanse of land dominated by mountainous terrain, dead trees, and an enormous network of valleys and rivers. Lakes are also common, although some may appear at random and with no explanation as to what is sourcing them.
Plagued by a toxic atmosphere, Level 19 is filled with environmental hazards and catastrophic weather events that make it tremendously difficult to traverse through.
The air present in the level is highly dangerous and can appear in sizeable concentrations, manifesting a faint, green tone that bathes the landscape in its color.
The origin or source behind this noxious gas is still unknown, but it is believed to come from various underground reservoirs of acidic material which — upon reacting with the atmosphere — contaminates it, forming giant clouds of thick, deadly gas.
Due to the aforementioned conditions, fauna and flora are very scarce in the level; small groups of simple life forms are the most common occurrence of 'life' as we know it, and most of the flora present in the level comes in the form of small bushes and minuscule spots of grass scattered across the empty fields.
Dominated by mountainous terrain, most hills and mountains are covered in a thick, white layer of dust and other particles, which resembles snow; however, these are actually radioactive particles that form during the reaction between the cold atmosphere present in the summit of the mountains and the harmful particles present in the atmosphere, which deposit and form thick, radioactive sheets of numerous particles.
Rivers and lakes, although common, are not made out of water, but instead are made out of a strange liquid that has been found to be extremely corrosive. This liquid has a strong, dark green tone to it, and it emits a bizarre gas1 that has been proven deadly when inhaled.
The temperature of the level is also not forgiving, steadily rounding up at around 49 °C (120 °F) during the day and -10 °C (12 °F) during the night.
To shelter from these temperatures, caves and other underground systems provide a good, temporary house; heat from the radioactive particles which settle on the surface warms up to 300 meters (984 feet) of the soil underneath, but it also contaminates the ground below and can cause the underground cave systems to become filled with poisonous air if exposed for long enough.
fig 2.0 The insides of a cave system present deep beneath the ground.
Water is only available at even greater depths (1.2 km / 0.75 mi) and is safe to drink if boiled. Hidden behind weak formations of thin sheets of rock — which can easily be broken with a punch — these water deposits are mostly always left intact, save for some locations where the underground temperatures reach extremely low temperatures and freeze the water.
Traversing deep inside the cave systems, temperatures can anomalously oscillate from hot to cold and cold to hot, and with the reason being unknown, it is sometimes deadly, as the oscillation can cause rocks to shatter and can destroy the delicate architecture of the cave system, entrapping those unfortunate enough to be there.
Furthermore, the cave systems pose another threat as they can accumulate dangerous amounts of toxic gas if exposed to the atmosphere for too long. Given that they do not possess any form of natural ventilation, these gases accumulate and form thick clouds with a density strong enough to kill anything that ventures through them.
These clouds are easy to bypass if the terrain allows for such since they are easily visible, but if the terrain does not allow one to bypass the clouds, it is recommended to simply back away and try another route.
There are no natural resources to be found in these caves save for water. With such, it is not recommended to use them as a permanent residence but rather a quick, temporary shelter to resupply and move on.
Back on the surface, storms, acid rain, and fallout are very common weather occurrences.
>⠀Storms
fig 3.0 A storm forming in the open fields of the level.
Storms can form at any time, producing high-speed winds of up to 210 km/h (130 mi/h) that can decimate any infrastructure or even landscape that may be in its path.
With the potential of harming any living beings due to their destructive capabilities, storms are an event to be avoided at all costs.
Additionally, storms can last for absurd amounts of time2, posing another huge challenge for those wanting to establish a permanent shelter.
These storms can also induce numerous lightning strikes in brief periods of time, sometimes with seven hundred lighting strikes per minute, which will kill anything that may stand in their way.
Electronics are also affected by these lightning strikes, yielding them useless or even destroying them.
>⠀Acid Rain
The storms do not come alone, usually being followed by or being the aftermath of acid rain, which will pour down heavily for days on end, corroding everything that stays underneath it reshaping the landscape.
Given that the rain pours down heavily without any break, rivers and lakes form during these events; however, they rapidly evaporate once the rain stops, as the hot temperatures immediately force the liquid acid to evaporate and climb back up to the atmosphere and repeat the cycle.
Many instances and irregularities on the terrain of the level are caused by the storms and acid rain, which violently shape the landscape to their non-sentient will.
>⠀Fallout
Fallout is formed when the air reacts with cold temperatures and deposits as a solid layer of white dust and remains untouched on the surface for prolonged amounts of time.
Although rare on lower altitudes, some fallout can form at ground level and contaminate a large area of land, yielding it hostile and deadly.
The result of exposure to the substance depends solely on the dosage taken while exposed.
A large range of biological changes can occur to any living being who is exposed to the substance for prolonged amounts of time, and if in higher dosages, it can result in the immediate death of the life form due to the penetrating capabilities of the radiation, which destroys any cells and causes massive organ failure within seconds.
If exposed to lower dosages, nothing will happen in the following weeks; however, those exposed to even the smallest amount of radiation will suffer greatly from radiation sickness for a short period of time, even if the radiation itself does not cause any life-threatening problems.
> A Habitable Place?
Theories that there is a safe area in Level 19 are widely shared among those that traverse through the level, and it is believed that the so-called safe area can house a large amount of life and provide a safe and habitable place for many.
These theories have risen due to the constant findings of new life forms which disappear without any trace and are presumed to simply travel to this safer area3.
Furthermore — since not all of the level is filled with noxious gas and some areas are safe to remain in until exposed to the gas — some believe that there are zones within the level that are simply devoid of this gas and are able to maintain an ecosystem and that they are the true source of these strange but harmless beings that randomly appear, only to disappear and never be seen again.
Recommended Equipment
Any form of equipment that can aid with traversing through radioactive and malignant environments is surely recommended. Food and almond water are a must to survive in the level, as well as additional body protection, helmets, or any sort of makeshift filters to lower the harmful particles inhaled when traveling in dangerous zones.
Valuable Resources
None. Merely devoid of any valuable items, save for a few underground reservoirs of water.Recommended Actions
It is highly advised that no one remains in the level for prolonged amounts of time. No one should remain in here for longer than a day or two, as most who have tried such have died.
> Communities
Due to the hostile environment present all across the level, forming any sort of permanent settlement is extremely strenuous. Given this, most form nomad communities that wander across the level, sheltering themselves from the atmosphere by using small caves or other areas where the poisonous air is too weak to be lethal.
Nomad Communities
Numerous nomad communities formed by those who believe that there is a hidden location in the level somewhere that might permit life to thrive and be habitable.
Usually hidden in caves, they rest for most of the day and venture at night, when the temperatures are lower and not as deadly.
> Entrances and Exits
Entrances:
Entering Level 19 is complicated since there does not appear to be an exact way of doing so, but it appears that many have entered — by unknown means — from Level 18.
Exits:
Exiting the level is not easy, as the toxic atmosphere may prevent many from reaching the exits. Level 19 may only be exited by finding a giant cave system which will lead into Level 20 after some time venturing downwards.