The Root Cellar is an unused storage area on the outskirts of Town. It is sometimes used as a hiding place from the Creatures by people caught outside after dark.
History[]
Background[]
When Victor was a child he and his family were trapped in the Township. One night, his mother and him and his sister Eloise hide inside, telling them not to leave until morning while she went to try and find a way to escape. However, Eloise ran after her mother, and Victor was unable to stop her and remained inside, frozen in fear. The next morning, he emerged from the cellar only to find that everyone had been killed by the Creatures.[1]
Season 1[]
While still believing the entire Township to be an elaborate escape room orchestrated by his friend Tobey, Jade finds the root cellar and descends inside, where he finds an armoire. When he opens it, he sees a bloody corpse crushed by a boulder, whose face suddenly turns towards him and starts shrieking, frightening Jade and causing him to fall, where he sees a symbol painted on the ceiling above him. When he looks at the cabinet again, he sees nothing there. As he exits, he declares that Tobey is a genius, and continues on his way.[2]
Jade later brings Kenny to the root cellar and explains that when he found it there was a strange symbol on the ceiling and he found a dead body crushed by a boulder that began screaming in the cabinet. Jade gets angry when he sees Kenny’s face and promises that what he saw was real. Kenny explains that the first few days are really hard on everyone before Jade stops him and says he knows what hallucinations are like due to his drug use and that this was different. Jade admits he has a healthy imagination that helped him build a software company, but even his is incapable of imagining this. Jade says that there is an explanation but none of them seem to be looking for it. Kenny then brings Jade to the Sheriff's Office.[3]
During the attack on Colony House, Victor leads Julie into the forest to escape the Creatures. He then finds a Farway Tree and has her climb inside, and she is transported to the Root Cellar, where she safely waits out the night.[4]
Season 2[]
After returning from his quest into the Forest, Boyd is afflicted with hallucination caused by the worms beneath his skin. Boyd hears the music box again and sees it on a nearby rock. The Ballerina then emerges from the Root Cellar, and smiles at Boyd as she begins dancing, before Kenny snaps him out of it.[5]
Season 3[]
Led there by the Polaroid Camera, Elgin finds the Root Cellar..He descends inside, and finds the doors in the back, which lead to an empty cabinet. After Elgin closes the cabinet doors, he hears knocking. He moves the cabinet and finds a secret room containing an overturned cot. Elgin resets the bed and pulls a blanket off a decayed skeleton, which horrifies him. The Kimono Woman appears, and Elgin turns and asks if this is really where it happens.[6]
Elgin leads Fatima to the Root Cellar, telling her that Ellis is waiting. Once inside, Elgin leads her to the room in the back. After realizing that Ellis is not there, she tries to leave but Elgin blocks her path, telling her that it is the only place the baby will be safe. Fatima says there is no baby, but Elgin says there is, but it does not belong to Fatima. Fatima tries to escape but doubles over in pain. She tries crawling away but Elgin drags her back inside as she calls for help.[7]