Fisch has a creepy side. Hidden in the Vertigo zone, you'll find mysterious NPCs called the ???. They're unlike any other NPC in the game — dark, translucent, and deeply unsettling. Let's uncover what they are and what their cryptic message means.

What Is the ??? NPC?

The ??? is a strange, semi-transparent NPC scattered around Vertigo. They're always shown kneeling down with their head bowed, and they twitch randomly. There's only one — they appear to be the same entity in multiple locations, or clones of the same being. You won't find them anywhere else in the game.

Where to Find the ???

Head to Vertigo and explore carefully. The ??? can be found scattered throughout the zone. They sit beside tents, so look for those structures as you're traveling around. Since they blend into the environment and don't move, it's easy to walk right past them if you're not paying attention.

💡 Tip — The ??? won't show up on your screen like a normal NPC. Look for dark shapes kneeling near tents.

What Does the ??? Say?

When you get close to a ???, they'll speak. Their message sounds like gibberish: "Olsw... Tl.."

But there's more to it. Players have figured out that this dialogue uses a Caesar cipher — specifically, it's shifted forward by 19 positions in the alphabet. When you decode it, the message becomes: "Help... Me.."

If you stand near a ??? for a while or skip their dialogue repeatedly, they'll just keep repeating this same message over and over. Walking away breaks the loop. Despite their eerie nature, they have no other dialogue to offer — just that one desperate plea.

Lore and Speculation

The ??? are genuinely mysterious. They're one of only a handful of NPCs with minimal dialogue, and their presence raises questions. The fact that they're sitting next to fishing tents has sparked theories in the community: these may have once been Fischers like the player. Something went very wrong.

There's also a similar NPC in Fisch called Perdido. Both are nearly identical to each other, though they differ in how see-through they are and what they say. This suggests they might be connected somehow — possibly the same type of entity or the same tragic fate.

💡 Tip — The ??? are creepy lore hints, not functional NPCs. You can't trade with them or receive quests from them. They exist to add mystery and atmosphere to Vertigo.