Info
Rare photograph of Entity Χ captured in The Hub.
HABITAT(S): The Hub, Majority
Entity Χ, colloquially titled “The Keymaster,” is a mysterious and powerful being presiding over The Hub. He is the sole creator, proprietor and distributor of Level Keys, and can access any/every level of The Backrooms. He is best known for providing level keys to wanderers in his travels, assisting them in the escape of levels they are trapped within. Pervasive yet obscure, he has been sighted in practically every level — yet eludes attempts to discover more about him.
Description
Over time, The Keymaster’s visual description has varied widely between reports — primarily regarding the color of his skin, hair, and eyes. Said attributes briefly remain consistent for varying timespans, before changing yet again. Such discrepancies aside, a series of underlying details remain consistent: The Keymaster is a male humanoid figure standing 6'10" with long wiry black hair with silver streaks, shrouded in a black leather cloak obscuring everything below the top half of his face. A faint dark mist of indeterminate properties proceeds his movements at waist-height, briefly remaining in trodden locations before dissipating. The trademark of his appearance is a ring of keys attached to his waist.
Depictions
Below are several artistic interpretations of Entity Χ:
Biology
The Keymaster's most notable trait lies in his namesake, being able to manifest any given level key at will. It is unknown whether this is accomplished by summoning the key from a location or spontaneously materializing it. With his keys, The Keymaster can not only unlock any level, but also lock them as well. He will typically lock the doors between levels upon crossing them, so as to prevent more hostile entities from freely moving through The Backrooms.
An additional ability possessed by The Keymaster is what seems to be a complete mastery over no-clipping, allowing him to bend this property of The Backrooms to his will.
Despite possessing a need for sleep, The Keymaster is strongly averted to it and will stave it off for as long as possible. According to witness reports, he will dematerialize and disappear upon succumbing to fatigue and losing consciousness — only to later reappear in a random level. The cause behind this phenomenon is speculated to be similar to the function of the Hermes Device. It is speculated that his weariness/confusion are likely narcoleptic symptoms as the result of avoiding sleep.
By all accounts, The Keymaster cannot be destroyed, or at least can always come back from it. He has been reportedly "destroyed" on several occasions, only to subsequently resurface in another level with a newly reported sighting, accompanied by minor changes in personality and appearance. No such incidents have been documented since 2014.
Behaviors
Coinciding with the changes in his appearance, The Keymaster has exhibited a diverse range of behaviors in reported encounters. Generally, however, he is a quiet and soft-spoken individual, often in a state of weariness or confusion.
Wanderers who encounter The Keymaster may request a key from him. As per a personal code, he will only allow a wanderer to receive one key ever, and will not manifest another, even if the first key was somehow lost/destroyed. His stated reasoning behind this is that he "does not wish to take responsibility for unnecessary liabilities". Although the key's resonance will naturally lead the wanderer to its respective door, The Keymaster will nonetheless accompany the wanderer and provide protection, ensuring safe passage along their path as well as revealing the door once it is reached.
If an altercation occurs — most commonly with hostile entities — The Keymaster will not hesitate to defend himself, and neutralizes his opponents rather quickly. However, he does not typically kill his assailants, instead banishing them elsewhere.
When interacting with The Keymaster, it is best to exhibit a neutral demeanor at minimum towards him, as he will not be malicious if left unprovoked. If one is inexperienced with navigating The Backrooms or interacting with its denizens, maintaining a safe distance is advisable to prevent loss of life from negligence.
Relations
- Wanderers: The Keymaster possesses a neutral demeanor towards wanderers. He never displays hostility without provocation, and will keep to himself if not approached. If a wanderer approaches him and enlists his help in escaping from a level, he is generally willing to provide it. In these interactions, The Keymaster conducts himself with formality, and does not deviate from his goals. More notable wanderers are more likely to earn his interest and possibly respect.
- Groups: Towards organizations such as the M.E.G. attempting to interact with him — especially for the purpose of learning information — The Keymaster is uncooperative, and will make himself scarce from their presence when possible. Regardless, learning definitive information about him through direct questioning has proven unviable, as he himself does not seem to know the answers to most questions asked of him.
- Entities: Towards entities, The Keymaster's demeanor is relatively neutral depending on the circumstances. Hostile entities tend to display fear towards him, while intelligent entities seem to display a level of reverence, and often will stay out of his way. In the presence of unique, singular entities, The Keymaster will act slightly more casually — in some cases even being implied to have shared pasts with them. A prominent example of this was a very public fight between The Keymaster and The Red Knight which took place in the streets of Level 11.
Discovery
It is difficult to pinpoint the exact “discovery” of The Keymaster, as his existence has seemingly always been known to inhabitants of The Backrooms. The earliest known sightings date back to a period in time shortly following the collapse of The Lost. The most frequent sightings of The Keymaster take place in The Hub, his level of residency, though intentionally seeking him out and attempting to locate him is often a fruitless endeavor.
Origins
There are several theories regarding the true nature and origins of Entity Χ. None of them are confirmed, but they are all equally likely:
The Wanderer Theory
It is popularly speculated that The Keymaster was once a wanderer himself, before experiencing a certain fate that made him what he currently is. This may be likely, considering the many cases of human wanderers becoming entities after being transformed by other entities, if not a level itself. The explanation would lend to his more relatively humanoid nature and appearance compared to most other entities.
The Cloak theory
This theory postulates that The Keymaster is/was not only one, but in fact multiple individuals.
Those who subscribe to this theory believe that The Keymaster draws his abilities from the cloak he wears, although he himself may not be aware. When he dies, another being finds his cloak — or perhaps the cloak finds them. Upon the cloak attaching to them, they become the new Keymaster, with all the entailed abilities. This may lend to the inconsistencies between recorded interactions.
The Experiment Theory
Another theory is that The Keymaster was created as part of a test/experiment performed by a greater, more powerful entity. This is supported by the fact that his abilities occasionally malfunction. If he were experimental, then there could be room for error and failure, just as with all experiments.
The Deity Theory
Others posit that The Keymaster's existence in The Backrooms dates back far earlier, pointing towards parallels between him and a certain god in the pantheon of The Lost. Information regarding this being may be found in the entry attached below:
