Ground Floor

The **Ground Floor** is the first and largest floor of The Manse. It is home to the green Shoggoth and eight different items. Being the central floor, the player must move through this area to get most places. It connects to The Ruins, the Second Floor, The Shores, and The Deepwood.

### Areas of Interest

**Great Halls**

The Great Halls are the corridors that surround the Courtyard.

There are several damaged portcullises intended to keep the player from smoothly navigating around the Courtyard. The Shoggoth is capable of phasing through these portcullises. These portcullises can be destroyed with the Tremor Totem, but doing so takes time. It is recommended to wait until the Shoggoth has just left the area before attempting to destroy these. Portcullises remain destroyed even after the player has died, unlike other breakable objects.

**Courtyard**

The Courtyard contains an Ashen Shoggoth statue, which rests atop the Bloodstained Key. This statue will disappear after the player awakens the green Shoggoth by picking up the Tremor Totem.

The Shoggoth will never enter the Courtyard of its own accord. However, it can enter if the player has angered it, sometimes using the Courtyard to cut off the player's path. Due to its location in regards to the Shoggoth's patrol path, the Courtyard is a good area to stand in if you are trying to figure out the Shoggoth's location.

**Garbage Stow**

The Garbage Stow can be accessed by going through the Dusty Storage in the southwest corner of the Great Halls. It is the location of the Tremor Totem on all difficulties except Vicious Full Moon. Though the Garbage Stow can be seen from an area in The Shores, it is not actually accessible from that location.

**The Dining Wing**

The Dining Wing consists of the Gathering Hall, the Bar, and the Kitchen.

The Gathering Hall is a blue-clad room with a massive oak table and several chairs. These can all be broken, and will be trampled by the Shoggoth if it chases the player into the room. The window on the left can be broken, which will lead the player to The Deepwood. On the Vicious Full Moon difficulty, a book will be on the shelves in the top left.

The Bar is north of the Gathering Hall. It contains a tile-pressing puzzle that will reveal the Azure Book. The tables and bar stools can be broken.

The Kitchen is south of the Gathering Hall. When approaching from the north, the player will be blocked by breakable boxes. The southern wall can be broken by the Tremor Totem. Taking this into account, the player can avoid their first death to the Shoggoth by breaking the southern wall after acquiring the Tremor Totem, then escaping through the Gathering Hall. The Ambrosia is also located in this room in a cupboard.

**Sideyard**

The Sideyard can be accessed by breaking the window in the Sun Room on the eastern side of the building. There, the player can find the Shotgun, which can prove to be indispensable if acquired early. The cellar door is also visible from the Sideyard, though there is no way to open the gate.

**Backyard**

The Backyard can be accessed by going through the yellow gate directly north of the Courtyard. Following it east will lead the player to the Garden, while heading west leads to the Charnel Shed. While wandering outside, there is a chance that a Star Vampire may begin to hunt the player.

The Garden spans two screens and consists of several irregular plots of dirt filled with a variety of flowers. Deep red Clatla Flowers mark areas where the player can fall into The Catacombs. The Umber Book sits on the second screen toward the southern wall. If the player can navigate the maze of pitfalls, they can reach the cellar door on the eastern side of the building.

The Charnel Shed is opened by pressing a switch in the Dusty Storage room. Once opened, the player will be able to access the Charnel Altar, an area the player must visit to complete Alhazred's Amulet.

**The Coat Closet**

The Coat Closet is a large walk-in closet just east of The Manse's anteroom. The Lustrous Ash is hidden in the southeastern corner behind a false wall, along with some ammunition. Various articles of clothing left behind by members of the Yellokult before being inducted into their fold remain here. This room is always open at the start of the game, but it will close after the player's first death.