Royal Rations

A preserved sample of Royal Rations discovered in the M.E.G. archives after the Level 11 collapse

Royal Rations represent one of the most enigmatic and powerful substances encountered within the Backrooms, first discovered by Dr. Arnold Malkinson during his early experiments in Level 11. The golden, honey-like substance exhibits remarkable properties that blur the line between sustenance and supernatural enhancement, playing a crucial role in the events leading up to the climactic confrontation in City in the Rain (2027).

Origins and Discovery

The first documented encounter with Royal Rations occurred in 1983, when a Major Explorer Group (M.E.G.) expedition discovered an ornate chamber deep within Level 11 containing several crystalline vials of the substance. Initial analysis revealed a complex molecular structure that defied conventional scientific understanding, exhibiting properties of both liquid and solid states simultaneously while maintaining a constant temperature regardless of environmental conditions.

Dr. Malkinson's research notes, recovered after the Level 11 Collapse Event, indicate that Royal Rations may have been produced by ancient inhabitants of the Backrooms as a means of sustaining long-term survival in hostile environments. The substance's name derives from its regal golden color and the ornate containers in which it was typically found, suggesting a ceremonial or hierarchical significance in whatever society created it.

Properties and Effects

Royal Rations possess several unique characteristics that set them apart from other Backrooms substances like Almond Water or Liquid Pain. When consumed, the substance provides complete nutritional sustenance for approximately one month, eliminating the need for food or water during that period. However, its most remarkable property is its ability to enhance human consciousness and perception, allowing users to better comprehend and navigate the spatial anomalies common to the Backrooms.

The enhancement effect comes at a significant cost, however. Extended use of Royal Rations creates a profound psychological dependency, with subjects reporting increasingly vivid hallucinations of royal courts, grand ballrooms, and elaborate ceremonies. These visions appear to be shared among users, suggesting some form of collective consciousness experience. This effect would later be exploited by Dr. Malkinson in his creation of the Party Queen Protocol.

Role in The Backrooms Trilogy

Dr. Malkinson's laboratory equipment used to refine and enhance Royal Rations

Royal Rations played a pivotal role in the events of The Backrooms Trilogy, particularly in the transformation of Cindy Reynolds. Dr. Malkinson's experiments revealed that combining Royal Rations with Party Punch created a catalyst that could fundamentally alter human consciousness, paving the way for his attempts to merge the Backrooms with normal reality.

The substance's connection to themes of royalty and ceremonial grandeur directly influenced the development of the Partygoers society, with their obsession with formal attire and ballroom gatherings mirroring the hallucinations commonly reported by Royal Rations users. This connection became explicit in the final act of City in the Rain, when Cindy's transformation into the Party Queen was revealed to have been facilitated by long-term exposure to a refined version of Royal Rations.

Production and Refinement

The natural production of Royal Rations remains one of the Backrooms' greatest mysteries. While Dr. Malkinson succeeded in synthesizing the substance through a complex process involving Cashew Water and various other Backrooms materials, the resulting product never achieved the potency of naturally occurring samples. His attempts to scale up production contributed directly to the destabilization of Level 11's dimensional boundaries.

The refinement process developed by Malkinson involved a series of complex chemical reactions conducted under specific dimensional conditions. The procedure required precise control of environmental factors including temperature, humidity, and what Malkinson termed "reality pressure." Each batch took approximately three months to produce and yielded only small quantities of the refined substance.

Cultural Impact

The discovery of Royal Rations had a profound impact on Backrooms exploration and research. The M.E.G. established strict protocols regarding its use and storage, classifying it as a Class-A restricted substance after several incidents of addiction and psychological breakdown among research staff. These protocols would later prove insufficient to prevent Malkinson from accumulating the quantities needed for his experiments.

In the aftermath of the Level 11 Collapse Event, remaining samples of Royal Rations became highly sought after by various Backrooms factions. The substance's ability to sustain life indefinitely made it particularly valuable to long-term exploration teams and settlements within the Backrooms, leading to numerous conflicts over control of known sources.

See Also

• The Party Queen Protocol
• Level 11 Collapse Event
• Dimensional Bleeding Theory

References

• M.E.G. Substance Classification Database (2025)
• Malkinson's Research Journals (Recovered 2027)
• "The Chemistry of Consciousness: Understanding Royal Rations" - Dr. Sarah Chen's Final Report
• "Nutritional Analysis of Backrooms Substances" - M.E.G. Scientific Division
• "The Role of Royal Rations in the Level 11 Incident" - Official Investigation Report