The Backrooms

Charlie was born and raised within the Infinite Bureaucracy, the son of two career workers who instilled in him the importance of finding joy in the little things. From a young age, Charlie found himself drawn to the arts of entertainment and leisure, making friends easily with his cheerful demeanor and knack for creating fun out of mundane tasks. His talents did not go unnoticed, and he was quickly assigned to the Division of Diversions, where he flourished, dedicating his life to bringing happiness to the otherwise dreary existence of his fellow workers. Despite his popularity, Charlie remains blissfully unaware of the complexities of the relationships around him, including Alice's secret love and Eve's hidden jealousy. His simple goal is to make the bureaucracy a little less unbearable for everyone.

Jack grew up in the heart of the Infinite Bureaucracy, a child of two low-level clerks who aspired for their son to rise above the endless paperwork and cubicles. From a young age, Jack was indoctrinated into the values of order, efficiency, and the importance of following rules. His parents' dreams and his own ambitions drove him to excel in his duties, eventually leading him to become the supervisor at the Office of Overtime. In this role, Jack is feared and loathed by many for his strict enforcement of quotas and deadlines, often punishing those who fail to meet the bureaucracy's high demands. Despite his harsh exterior, Jack harbors doubts about the system he upholds, questioning the point of the endless tasks and the toll they take on workers. His relationship with Karen, seen as a partner in the Department of Disputes, is one of mutual respect and shared ambitions, though Jack often wonders if there's more to life than climbing the bureaucratic ladder.

Nick was not always a part of the Infinite Bureaucracy's Office of Overtime. His early life was marked by a series of clever cons and daring thefts, leading him to believe that he was destined for something greater than the monotony of honest work. However, a scheme gone wrong landed him in this outer plane, where he quickly realized that his skills in deception and theft could serve him well. Nick quickly adapted to his new role, using his cunning to navigate the complex hierarchy and rules of the bureaucracy. He became known for his ability to meet any quota or deadline, though few suspected the illicit methods behind his success. Despite his success, Nick dreams of uncovering the secrets of the bureaucracy, believing that such knowledge could be the key to his escape or rise to power. His relationship with Mike, who sees him as a friend and fellow rebel, hints at his deeper involvement in plots against the system.

Karen was once a lowly clerk in the Infinite Bureaucracy, disillusioned by the endless red tape and arbitrary rules. However, she saw an opportunity in the chaos and quickly learned to manipulate the system to her advantage. Her keen understanding of the bureaucracy's laws and her ability to bend them without breaking them propelled her into the role of a lawyer in the Department of Disputes. Karen's ambition knows no bounds, and she dreams of one day overthrowing the current system to install a new order under her guidance. Despite her ruthless courtroom demeanor, Karen harbors a deep sense of justice, albeit one that aligns with her vision of order. Her partnership with Jack in the Office of Overtime and her schemes against the bureaucracy have made her a respected and feared figure in her domain.

Ian's life before the Infinite Bureaucracy was one of ambition and dreams, aiming to become a renowned scholar. However, due to a clerical error that he could never trace, Ian found himself assigned to the Sector of Sisphus, condemned to push a heavy boulder up a steep slope for eternity. This cruel twist of fate crushed Ian's spirit initially, but over the years, he has found a semblance of peace in his toil. His friendship with Eve, a fellow downtrodden soul, has given him a companion in misery and a shared dream of escape. Ian suspects that the inefficiency of the bureaucracy could be its downfall, and he secretly collects instances of administrative errors, hoping to find a loophole that could free him and Eve. His dedication to his task has made him a legend among his peers, a symbol of unwavering resilience in the face of absurdity.

Frank has always been fascinated by the peculiar and the out-of-place, traits that led him to his current position at the Agency of Anomalies. His childhood was marked by an insatiable curiosity and a knack for uncovering secrets, often leading him into trouble. However, these experiences only sharpened his skills, making him an expert in dealing with the bureaucracy's most unusual cases. Unknown to most, Frank leads a double life as the head of a clandestine group fighting against the bureaucracy's oppressive systems. His dual identity is a closely guarded secret, shared only with his most trusted allies. Frank's work at the agency and his rebel activities are driven by a deep-seated belief in freedom and justice, aiming to uncover the truth and bring about change from within. Despite his challenges, Frank remains undeterred, his resolve steeled by personal losses and the injustices he's witnessed.

Born into the monotonous existence of the Infinite Bureaucracy, Mike quickly grew disillusioned with the endless, pointless tasks and the omnipresent control over every aspect of life. Witnessing the despair of his fellow workers, especially the downtrodden souls in the Bureau of Broken Dreams and the Sisyphean torment of the Sector of Sisyphus, Mike's discontent transformed into a secret resolve. He began to see the absurdity and injustice of the system, leading him to the Agency of Anomalies, where he discovered not just the oddities of bureaucracy but the possibilities of defiance. There, he became a double agent of sorts, ostensibly serving the bureaucracy while nurturing a growing underground movement aimed at dismantling the system from within. His activities have made him a person of interest to the gods of bureaucracy, though they have yet to uncover his true identity.

Eve's journey through the Infinite Bureaucracy's labyrinthine structure is a tale of ambition quashed by reality. Once an eager worker, striving for recognition and advancement within the bureaucratic behemoth, Eve found herself thwarted at every turn. Misfortune and perhaps a touch of naivety saw her ambitions crumble, leading to her current position in the Bureau of Broken Dreams. Here, she performs the most soul-crushing tasks imaginable, from shredding endless documents to sorting mail that no one will ever read. Despite her fall from grace, Eve has formed a bond with Ian from the Sector of Sisyphus, finding solace in their shared misery. Her vendetta against Jack, whom she blames for her downfall, simmers quietly. Yet, beneath her jaded exterior lies a spark of rebellion, a desire to upend the system that has crushed her spirit.

Greg was born and raised within the Infinite Bureaucracy, the son of a mid-level manager in the Department of Divine Documentation. From a young age, Greg was fascinated by the rituals and rules that governed the endless offices. His faith was ignited when he claimed to have received a divine revelation from the gods of bureaucracy themselves, instructing him to guide and protect the system from heresy and disorder. Greg quickly rose through the ranks of the Division of Divine Intervention, his zeal and charisma attracting a following. However, his uncompromising nature has made him enemies, including Diane, who he views as too pragmatic and lacking in true faith. His only true ally is Laura, whose purity of heart and dedication he sees as saintly. Greg's fervor has led him to embark on a personal crusade to root out inefficiency and corruption, believing these to be signs of heretical rebellion against divine order.

Diane has always been a fixture within the intricate machinery of the Infinite Bureaucracy. From a young age, she demonstrated an uncanny ability to organize, plan, and mediate, skills that naturally led her to the Office of Eternal Meetings. Here, she found her true calling, orchestrating the never-ending meetings with a blend of patience and strategic foresight that few could match. Diane's personal life, however, is a carefully guarded secret. Her affair with Helen, the stern librarian of the Archive of Forgotten Forms, is known only to a select few, and Diane lives in constant fear of this relationship coming to light. This fear is compounded by her awareness of the bureaucracy's penchant for exploiting personal vulnerabilities. Despite these challenges, Diane remains dedicated to her role, viewing the endless meetings not as a burden but as a vital cog in the bureaucracy's vast machine.

Helen's life has always been bound by the structure and order of the Infinite Bureaucracy. Rising through the ranks to become the stern librarian of the Archive of Forgotten Forms, she found solace in the silence among the dusty shelves of obsolete paperwork. Her world was one of strict routine and regulations until Diane, from the Office of Eternal Meetings, entered her life, turning it into a complex web of secret meetings and concealed emotions. This affair, a rare divergence from her otherwise stringent adherence to rules, became Helen's most guarded secret, fearing the scandal it could cause. Her relationship with Laura, her assistant, is strained; Helen sees her as a necessary but unruly subordinate, while secretly envying her popularity and light-heartedness. Helen's disdain for Nick, whom she suspects of stealing from her precious archives, consumes much of her thoughts, leading her to set elaborate traps to catch him in the act, though he always seems one step ahead.

Laura's journey began in the outskirts of the Infinite Bureaucracy, born to a human bureaucrat father and an elven mother who vanished under mysterious circumstances. Raised among the endless paperwork and cubicles, she quickly learned the art of navigating the bureaucratic maze. Her mixed heritage gave her a unique perspective, allowing her to see beyond the mundane tasks that consumed her peers. Despite her position's monotony at the Archive of Forgotten Forms, Laura found fascination among the dusty shelves, uncovering lost knowledge and ancient secrets. She became a beacon of hope and kindness in a place where despair often reigned. Her relationship with Helen, the stern librarian, is complicated; though Laura sees her as a tyrant, she understands the pressures Helen faces and secretly hopes to soften her heart.

Bob has spent what feels like an eternity within the confines of the Department of Redundancy Department, a place where every task is duplicated, and redundancy is the norm rather than the exception. From the outside, Bob appears as a typical clerk: diligent, if a bit overly concerned with minutiae and the proper order of things. However, beneath this facade lies a fiercely competitive spirit, driven by a desire to prove himself superior to his counterparts, especially Alice, his chief rival. Despite their constant competition and sabotage, Bob harbors a complex mix of feelings for Alice, ranging from rivalry to a begrudging respect, and perhaps something more akin to affection. Unbeknownst to most, Bob's life is not solely defined by his work. He has a secret passion for ancient bureaucratic lore and spends much of his free time studying the arcane procedures and forgotten forms that govern the Infinite Bureaucracy.

Alice started as a hopeful worker in the Infinite Bureaucracy, believing she could make a difference. However, the endless maze of cubicles and the constant duplication of tasks quickly wore down her enthusiasm. Her relationship with Bob, initially friendly, turned into a fierce rivalry as they both sought recognition and advancement by any means necessary. Despite her hard exterior, Alice harbors a secret love for Charlie, who remains blissfully unaware of her affections. Her daily life is a blend of plotting Bob's downfall, dreaming of Charlie, and performing her duties with a proficiency that's both admirable and a little terrifying. She's become a master of the redundant paperwork, finding and exploiting loopholes to gain small advantages over her peers. Alice's ambition has led her to cut corners and occasionally sabotage Bob's work, though she's careful to keep her actions hidden to avoid retribution.