Info
Written by Mctoran. Parts taken from/inspired by this draft by
Praetor3005.
Original concept by Dr Bierre
"The Lost" refers to the collective civilization of all ancient humans within The Backrooms. Although once the most powerful and prosperous group within The Backrooms at their height, they have long since fallen from glory, and are now on the verge of complete extinction.
The exact number of remaining members within The Lost is unclear due to their seclusive nature; there may be anywhere 500 to 1000 individuals. Relations with The Lost should be held in high regard, as it is difficult for outsiders to earn their trust.
History
Beginnings
Members of The Lost originated from all parts of the ancient world in The Frontrooms (which they called "The Old World"), before no-clipping into the Backrooms (which they called "Daedos") over time. The earliest humans were nomadic hunter-gatherers, wandering in tribal groups of no more than ten people. As more humans fell into The Backrooms, the nomadic tribes gradually found each other and merged into larger groups. Though they originated from different cultures and empires (some of which enemies), these ancient people chose to leave those feuds behind in the Old World, setting aside their differences in the face of this harsh alien environment.
However, power in numbers alone could only take them so far. These people still knew little of this world; what was safe and what was dangerous, what was food and what was not. They were unable to rationalize nor explain the forces at work which governed this world. Due to the rarity of resources, most humans couldn't settle in the same place for too long.
As their struggle for survival continued, their myths and beliefs shifted to reflect their gradual cultural changes. They could find no sign of their gods from the Old World, leading them to believe they had been abandoned. Many initially believed that they had condemned to the underworld of their respective faith, as punishment for leading impure lives.
One human named Tikal, who would later become the first king of The Lost, received visions in his dreams according to legend. They showed a place abundant in resources, where his tribes could finally establish a permanent settlement and raise future generations of descendants. Following Tikal's visions, the tribes ventured even deeper into Daedos.
In their exploration, the ancient humans gradually encountered powerful, abstract, reality-warping entities, said to embody and command the forces of nature. Upon reaching the place in Tikal's visions, the largest gathering of the entities was found. Through their lens of ancient superstition, the humans could only view such beings as Gods. Though the gods of their old world had abandoned them, before them now seemed to stand new gods, with tangible power. With this being the only remaining hope of salvation in the face of so many unknowns, the humans surrendered their lives to the "Gods", offering unwavering devotion and worship in exchange for protection.
Upon the land that Tikal and his people had reached, the settlement (and later capital city) of Hoofstad was built. This, alongside the discovery of the "pantheon", gave rise to a new collective, homogenous culture. This was the official foundation of The Lost.
Development
As manual labor was common in ancient times, The lost were quick to establish farms and agricultural systems once they found permanent settlements. Accounting tablets from this era list certain entities that were domesticated as livestock, and objects that were cultivated. The Lost were far from helpless when it came to surviving in the Backrooms. They managed to use their environment and knowledge of it to their advantage. For example, the non-Euclidian structure of some levels allowed them to build far more efficient aqueducts, capable of transporting water over long distances in a short amount of time.
The Uprising
On the Thirty-ninth Day of Spring, First Year of Alpha, Y'liad Elyion massacred the citizens of Hoofstad during the harvest festival of Protastheia. This event caused humans to lose trust in their gods. In the fallout of this event, one man named Barsil Barag formed a militia known as The Iron Fist to overthrow the theocratic priesthoods and rebel against the gods he considered to be tyrannical. Eventually, internal conflicts resulted in Barsil defected from the group, resulting in further radicalization to the point of declaring ware against all gods and those associated with them. It is around this time that the gods of The Lost fade from history; said to have either been killed by The Iron Fist, killed each other, and/or retreated into hiding. A series of cataclysmic events including the widespread mass-liminalization of the entire Backrooms occurred at this point, and the civilization of The Lost effectively collapsed — leaving the pitiful, scattered state they now exit in today.
Modern Day
While settlements of The Lost do still exist in the modern day, they are well-hidden and often hostile to outsiders out of self-preservation. They do not easily trust modern humans, let alone enough to share their secrets. Despite this, some members of The Lost have links with modern organizations like the M.E.G. and have even integrated into modern communities, such as Leo Castellos.
Worship
Just as it was in The Frontrooms, The Lost used their deities to give context to the world around them. They prayed to these otherworldly aspects — twisted and different as they were — and were answered.
The Lost was governed as a theocracy. The priesthood was the leading power, serving as voices for the gods' will in lieu of their physical intervention. Priests were the mortals in closest proximity to the gods, only short of the gods' own champions. They were taught the rules of this world by the gods, and in turn relayed them to the rest of humanity.
While the entire pantheon was universally worshipped, each individual deity also had their own dedicated cult(s). Early scriptures mention the leading families of the oldest cults descending from the close friends of Tikal. Each of the temple leaders (referred to as a Presbiereus) collectively governed their respective patron deity's sphere as it manifested in mundane mortal life. For example, the judiciary system was regulated led by disciples of Argos, while education was monitored by the scholars of Cygnus, and so on.
Presbiereuses mostly governed their fields independently, only relying on advisors or personal servants for assistance. Despite this, all elder priests reunited for a day in a certain temple at the beginning of a new astrological cycle to discuss the state of affairs among The Lost. The location depended on which god in the pantheon the current astrological cycle corresponded to.
Specific individuals and families swore allegiance to certain gods, as determined by the priesthood upon being given the revelation that their deity "chose" the individual1.
Offerings used in worship were typically edible items. This included Royal Rations (just as rare then as they are now) and Warpberries, which although useless for nutrition were difficult to cultivate and thus considered divine fruit.
Losing a loved one to the Wretched Cycle or having crops ravaged by Plague Rats were considered divine retribution by the gods for lack of faith or offerings.
Presbynaós
The main locations of the Presbiereuses were named Presbynaós2, acting more as a political building than a prayer house. As such, citizens usually went to their local Naós Minoris3, as they were smaller and closer to their homes or workplaces.
While the Naós Minoris often varied in shape to fit inside their respective district, the Presbynaós all bear the same shape of a circle separated into four distinct areas. The overall shape vaguely resembles the symbol used to represent the Daethos.
- The garden of the Presbynaós featured plants and sometimes animals reminiscent of the deity of the temple, all taken care of by the temple staff. It was a place of peace and calmness open to the general public, functioning similarly to town parks, where peace was enforced.
- The outer layer of the temple, featuring the living quarters of the temple staff4. Similarly to monasteries of the Middle Ages, they were managed without exterior help. Unlike monasteries, however, exchanges with the outside world were common, with priests being able to leave and participate in the town's activities while the rest of the Hoofish population could enter to pray and seek guidance.
- The inner layer of the temple, much thinner, hosts the living quarters of the Presbiereus, as well as intimate prayer rooms for the wealthier people, as well as the temple library, often used as a meeting room by the elder priest.
- The Cella5, located in the middle of the temple. It featured no ceiling, allowing for direct contact with the god through the skies, and had its access restricted to the Presbiereus only, as well as their personal servants.
Calendar System
The Lost's calendar followed their understanding of the astrological cycles of Daedos. That is to say, it is rather unconventional and largely different from any Frontrooms-based measurement of time, or even the Backrooms' more modern and widely adopted SMT (Standard M.E.G. time) time zone, though it does have much more in common with the latter than the former. Dates were written in the format of "[Number] Day of [Season], [Number] year of [Greek letter]", with the Greek letter denoting the current era[footnote]The length of each era varied, but the 24 Greek letters are known to have been cycled through multiple times.[[/footnote]]. A more specific example of this format would be: Twenty-forth Day of Autumn, Seventh Year of Zeta.
Each season and month was attributed to a particular deity in their honor. The system primarily centered on the relation of seasons to the realm which Hoofstad occupied. It should be noted however that the order of following list does not reflect any actual order that would have been transpired, given the anomalous nonlinearity of Backrooms time:
Thelò, the Season of Cold
- Lilithiniōn marked the final month of a year. Following the month of harvests was the start of Winter, a short season where temperatures made the level a deadly place. Named after the god of death, it symbolized a rough ending of the year and the biggest trial before the new times.
- Cygniōn was the first month of the year, symbolizing rebirth and change near the end of the Winter. It was celebrated on the first day during the Cygnus Festival, where each citizen was incentivized to set goals for the years, try new experiences and undergo self-introspection.
- Claviōn was the second month of the year and the end of the Hoofish Winter6. Since the cultures of Lomos still couldn't grow until the Cygnus Secondi of the month due to the plant growing in warm-to-hot temperatures, the name of the god of passage signified the transitory, liminal period of time this month occupied.
Nirmò, the Season of Warm
- Protasheniōn was the third month of the year. Named after the goddess of agriculture, it was the first month of harvest, where recolts were first taken by the farmers. With this came the Harvest Festival, a time where The Lost feasted to celebrate their work.
- Dandōn was the fourth month of the year and the first big harvest of the year. It was a time of joy and feasting, named after the god of humor Dandizette. Due to the deity's immature and childlike nature, Dandōn was also known as the month of spiritual youth, with a three-weeks long holiday devoid of any class for children to enjoy festivities.
- Philnōn was the fifth month of the year, and one dedicated to Goddess of love Philia. As such, the month was believed as one of fertility, with a lot of couples conceiving their children to grant them the protection of the goddess. In addition to this, a three-day festival was held each year right after the Cygnus Secondi, celebrating love in all its forms. Workers were usually given the three days off, allowing for them to see their families, friends and lovers to spend time with them by baking and eating a Philios, a strawberry-based pasty using lomos as flour, as a way to express their love and care for each other.
Thermò, the Season of Hot
- Xalnōn was the sixth month of the year, named after the god of chaos. This period was defined by its unpredictible weather that can range from heat waves to heavy storms and even blizzards in some occasions. Nicknamed "Kirai's Business"7, this weather phenomenon could make or break the second harvest supposed to happen in the following month. As such, prayers to the god of chaos were common so as to guarantee tame weather and make crop growth possible.
- Y'nōn was the seventh month of the year and the second harvest of the year, longer but also more bountiful due to the high temperatures.
- Solarōn was the eighth and hottest month by far. Named after Solaris, the Goddess of the cosmos due to her tendency to flare with the intense heat of a sun. Due to Hoofstad's localized climate being much warmer than in The Frontrooms, the temperatures could prove fatal to the frail or elderly. As such, cool areas like temple gardens were particularly visited during the month, whether they were workers taking a break from farming or simply citizen enjoying these chiller social hubs.
Prosthò, the Season of Dusk
- Gudōn was the ninth month of the year and the start of school for most children in the town, with temperatures slowly but gradually lowering during the broader season. Although Lomos cultures could be planted and grown during the previous month, farmers usually waited until Gudōn to do so to avoid overheating and exhaustion at work, which could prove fatal.
- Claudiōn was the tenth month of the year. Named after the god of war, it commemorates the Lost's victory against the Kengir nation and the storming of New Bāl, their former capital. Military parades were common during the week-long Claudius Festival, which served both as a way to entertain the patriotism of the population as well as a showcase of power towards other civilizations of the time.
- Argiōn was the eleventh month of the year, and the last one before the rude Winter. People worked their hardest at this time to prepare prepare for the Thelò. The god of justice gave its name to a month dedicated to effort and contribution to The Lost's well-being.
Economics
Trade
Stones, shells, bones, and teeth were the first currency by humans. It later evolved into a currency of refined firesalt coins. However, bartering and trading were still a major aspect of the economy even back then.
Jobs
Religion permeated every aspect of one's life in Lost society, reflecting even in career path. Whereas contemporary Frontrooms-based civilizations divided their society based upon wealth, influence or physiological prowess, The Lost instead did so based upon faith.
One's patron deity determined their line of work; for example, the chosen of Philia were primarily nurses or herbologists. This allowed for a rigid caste system that did not need to be enforced through intimidation or physical force. The pious citizens typically accepted their fate without question, falling into the line of work chosen for them by the gods.
Families also arose from these social classes. It was rare to see couples intermingle outside their respective jobs (and therefore different divine allegiances), which usually remained separate. Descendants of a family typically worked for the same god as their predecessors, except in rare cases where a temple announced that a different god had chosen them.
Impersonating jobs was rare, given the priests' insistence on its blasphemous nature, with cautionary tales about those who dared defy the will of the gods for self-aggrandization. When such persuasions failed, those who attempted to steal jobs were made examples of; typically by having their hands cut off, so that they could never again work in any job. The handicapped were considered useless in society due to their inability to contribute to it, and thus were effectively outcast.
Despite their occasionally questionable tactics, the priesthoods nonetheless proved magnanimous in the system they oversaw. It was possible for slaves8 to be chosen by certain deities, gaining jobs and independence just like any citizen.
The rarest and most coveted job was priesthood. While most temples allowed for intermarriage between families with different patron deities, children of priests were still a rare occurrence, as most were too deeply committed to their duties to make time for raising children. Thus, the role was very rarely inherited, and more often was bestowed upon those considered worthy. According to what little scripture has survived the book burnings of the Iron Fist, becoming a priest was a long, tedious and arduous process of education, but the specific teachings of the mystery schools remain lost to time. It was nonetheless a prestigious, highly regarded position, rivaled only by the political offices of kings and emperors. Whereas politicians held power over the government and military, the temple held power over faith. Priests were among the wealthiest in society, indulging in luxurious lifestyles. They lived in the largest villas, owned art pieces crafted by Gudang's most talented muralists (some even by Muya herself), wore the fanciest clothing, and owned the most slaves.
Culture
Terminology
Entities
- Windows — "Men Behind The Glass"
- Smilers — "The Ones that Smile"
- Deathmoths — "Flies of Terror"
- Clumps — "The Ones with Eternal Limbs"
- Dullers — "Grasps of The Wall"
- Facelings — "The Faceless Ones"
- Skin-Stealers — "Skinwalkers"
- The Thing in Level 7 — "The Leviathan"
- Penumbras — "Horned Ones"
Entertainment
The Lost, even in a place like the Backrooms, needed ways to have fun and make the most of their lives. A key pastime enjoyed by them was, of course, sport.
In addition to common sports of the Frontrooms at that time, The Lost also developed their own sport that called Corri-Spara. Like every sport, this was practiced at the Claudian Hippodrome in Hoofstad, and is described in ancient texts as "a chimera of endurance and precision". Corri-Spara combined traits from endurance race and archery, where the contestants had to run as long as possible while shooting different targets at different milestones along the track. The Claudian Hippodrome had four targets, each at 250 meters from the other9 in a 1 kilometer-long circular track. Each contestant had a bow and arrows of a different color, ensuring the points could be counted efficiently at the end of the race, after either half an hour or someone passed out from exhaustion. After this, points are counted depending on the distance run and the accuracy and number of arrows in targets. Mosaics found throughout the hippodrome seem to imply that this sport was born out of necessity. Indeed, even in antiquity, a space as harsh and dangerous as the Backrooms was still unheard of, and it was necessary for The Lost to master fighting while moving, in order to never offer themselves as a prime target to the monsters who lurked past the protection of the city. Still according to art pieces10, it was not uncommon for organizers of such events to add obstacles in the hippodrome, such as a live Hound to avoid, or hidden traps on the floor that had to be distinguished while running and still focusing on the targets. In some instances, the public was even encouraged to throw projectiles such as rotten food at the contestants in order to challenge them. It was believed that such treatment allowed the competitors to train themselve for the outside world, as well as for potential wars against other Lost civilizations. As harsh as this seemingly deadly sport could be, deaths were apparently still surprisingly low, as the competition was stopped as soon as someone was severely harmed. This added to the healing skills of the followers of the goddess Philia, allowing for a sort of healthy sport despite the apparent dangers. The Lost wanted to train warriors, but the training wasn't supposed to be a dangerous one either, even if their sports may seem paradoxically harmful. In the Backrooms, especially at this time where civilization was much more helpless against entities and the overall terrain, it was crucial for fighters and explorers to be able to not only focus on a fight, but also be aware of their surrounding at all times. Corri-Spara was an entertaining way to train and test athletes against each other in a rather healthy competition. It is also interesting to note that the slaves serving the temple of war were able to earn their freedom in such competition, where being first against three athletes of the temple meant becoming a full citizen of The Lost.
Art
For The Lost, survival was a daily struggle. Twisted creatures lurking every time, being held away only by the bravery of the soldiers of the city, unpredictable phenomena making the everyday life a gamble… Therefore, the inhabitants tried their best to enjoy the distractions of life. Their faith gave them the willpower to go beyond their primal fears, and appreciate their condition. They were humans, capable of defending themselves, prosperous, but also to create. The Lost were deeply fascinated with art. Artists occupied a respected and valuable position in their culture. With their mind, they were able to distract the townsfolks from their difficult life, with theater plays for instance, but also to make the town more aesthetic and pleasant to live in, with pottery, mosaics or even with building design.
The Lost had the habit of decorating elements from their daily life. Those type of decorative art included drawings or paintings on pottery, or even mosaics on the floors or walls of the richer houses of the town. This type of art, present in the routine of The lost, acted as sort of a link between the person and their patron god. For instance, Pots used by agriculturists to store the harvested cereals or fruits often had representations of the Allseer, the god of sciences and progress, as it was believed it allowed for better harvests. Having the "eyes of the gods" overseeing the work of the people in order to help them was a common practice in most jobs. Paintings could even have a strategic goal, as warriors were known to use shields with the face of Claudius, the god of war, in order to scare their opponents by making the god favor them and guide them to victory.
While paintings on daily life object was common place, it was way rarer to find more elaborated forms of decorative art. Mosaics, for instance, were almost exclusively seen in the homes of the wealthy, or in temples. Most of them were linked to the allegiance of the owner of the house, when they were not simply representating the patron of the temple they were found in. They could also be found decorating various buildings that, while not locations of faith, were still very important in the daily life of the citizens as public spaces. It was for example common to find in the representations of Fengári in schools, where his presence was believed to challenge the minds of the various scholars and philosophers. Interestingly enough for this deity in particular, it seems like it is one of the few who had different interpretations over the ages in the town, as it has been depicted as a female in older representations, while mosaics or paintings in newer buildings, that were better preserved, represented them as a male. This has been a subject of debate amongst historians for years since the discovery of this inconsistency, and the gender of this god has yet to be confirmed. This seems to indicate that most of the records of the primordial era might not have changed over the ages because of the ever-morphing nature of their religion.
One god in particular stood out in regards to art. It is only natural that the deity of art Gudang was heavily worshipped by artists in general. Gudang was one of the most important divine figures in the culture of The lost, as she was present in most myths. Being the aspect of Art, Gudang served as a muse to the people. Given the importance of the goddess over all forms of art, it was common practice to represent her in any type of creative work. From sculptures featuring a small engravement of her face on their base to paintings presenting her name at the bottom of the drawing, almost any art from The Lost featured the goddess in one way or another. It was believed representing her was a way to attract Gudang's blessing onto the artist. However, Gudang representation in artistic work goes far beyond simple tributes. Indeed, many representations of the deity have been recovered both in her dedicated temple or in people's houses.
Moreover, fashion in The Lost was also subject to art, and the most notable type of fashion was jewelry, as it was a very popular type of accessory to wear. The mines around the city allowed for a continual, albeit rare, supply of various crystals, as well as some different types of rocks. Most of them were believed to have special properties and fragments of the god's essence lingering into the world and influence it. Possessing a gemstone would therefore mean possessing a part of a god, as small as it was. Therefore, they were prized possessions believed to enhance the life of the owner by gathering the power of the gods to their site. For example, some precious rocks or gemstones like granite or agate were associated with access, and therefore with the Gatekeeper. Wearing stones associated with him were said to prevent the ill intentions of others from reaching the wearer's soul.
However, the most prized types of jewels were the ones made out of pearls. Indeed, pearls, being only found in beaches or aquatic levels, were only accessible through trading with other cities in other levels. In consequence, this made pearl-based jewels, like medallions or earring, a symbol of wealth. Surprisingly, however, this wasn't as much because of their rarity as it was due to their common use for offerings. It was common for members of The Lost from all walks of life — from the poor worker to the richest priest — to buy jewels exclusively to use them as offering for their god. For instance, couples trying to conceive children were known to put under their pillow in order to ears the favor of Philia or Protastheia for the mother to be fertile and bear children.
Interestingly enough, some of those materials were believed to have properties outside of jewelry. This was the case with granite, which was the most used type or construction material for door frames. It was believed to be blessed by the Gatekeeper, which allowed to keep the evil spirits away from the house.