HABITAT(S): Majority
An undisguised Skin-Stealer. Photographer presumed deceased.
Description:
Skin-Stealers, sometimes known simply as "Stealers", are humanoid entities found primarily within levels 0-2, but may be found in most levels in the Backrooms. As their name would suggest, they will steal the bodies of their victims and mimic their voice. Skin-Stealers are considered extremely dangerous and are not to be approached or provoked under any circumstance.
Behaviors:
Undisguised Skin-Stealers are always hostile and looking for victims to feed on. A Stealer will immediately give chase as soon as it spots its victim. Once its victim is caught, it will begin forcing its way into their body from any opening it can get to, resulting in the rupturing of its victim's gastrointestinal tract. Afterward, it will force its way into the rest of the victim's body and begin to digest them from the inside out, leaving just their flesh, bones, and vocal cords, creating a nearly perfect disguise for the Skin-Stealer.
Once its victim loses consciousness, it will begin to pilot their flesh around aimlessly. In this state, they are docile unless provoked. When provoked, it will burst out of its disguise and give chase, enveloping its victim's body whole and quickly digesting them, before returning to its previous victim's body. When it hungers again, it will begin mimicking the voice of its current body, using its intact vocal cords to lure in another.
Stealers do not have a full understanding of language, and simply repeat what they have heard from previous victims and wanderers. However, Stealers can sometimes respond with some accuracy if questioned, but this is believed to simply be pattern recognition and not a comprehension of language.
While very uncommon, Skin-Stealers can sometimes steal the bodies of other entities, such as Hounds or Facelings. However, Skin-Stealers usually prefer to work with other entities to prey on Humans.
Biology:
The body of a Skin-Stealer is made up of a pale, yellowish slime with large, faintly glowing white eyes. Whenever it's sleeping without a disguise, it will lose its humanoid form and collapse into a blob on the ground.
While Skin-Stealers are very good at mimicking human movements and speech, it's possible to identify Stealers by checking their blood, or rather the lack thereof. Disguised Skin-Stealers will not leak blood from wounds, but rather, their slime will ooze out from their current body.
Discovery:
Sightings of Skin-Stealers have been reported as long as the Backrooms itself has been documented. The Lost were known to refer to them as "Skinwalkers". However, their exact origin is unknown at this time.
Do's and Don'ts:
Do:
- Avoid being seen by a Skin-Stealer
- Calmly leave the room if one is spotted
- Check fellow wanderer's blood if you suspect they're not human.
Don't:
- Provoke Skin-Stealers in any of their states
- Trust wanderers that speak nonsensically
