01.28: Collection Chamber

Access: A locked door in the west wall accesses this room from the hallways and a hidden ladder leads up to a trap door accessing the vault (01.31b) in the ceiling on the east side of the room.

Description: This room is a jumble of crates, boxes, barrels and tarps. There are a few flat spaces where ink pens and ledgers can be found. This is the room where all of the artifacts discovered beneath Parenix Manior in the many levels of Mornrax Hill were brought to be cleaned, cataloged, distributed or sold as the case may be. In earlier days, this room would be full of strange and powerful treasures, and it in fact appears to be. Unfortunately, among the many items brought here a century ago there was an eldritch devourer and it has since consumed all the magical energy from all the artifacts here.

Hunger: The eldritch devourer is currently in torpor beneath a white tarp. It remains so, appearing as a grotesque gargoyle if uncovered, unless an enchanted item is brought into the room. The presence of magic awakens the creature, which immediately attacks the carrier of the nearest item, attempting to drain the power from it to sate its ravenous hunger. The devourer is so hungry it is unlikely to stop attacking until it is in possession of all enchanted items. It will also leave the room and explore the manor if the door is left unlocked while it still lives.

Exit: Observant characters will notice scratch marks on the ceiling where the concealed trap door is found, and from there it is trivial to find the hidden ladder built into the wall. The devourer could sense the items in the vault above but could not open the door. It did, however, drain the power from a ward protecting the vault.

Treasure: There are dozens of baubles and artifacts in this room, but all have been drained of any latent magic and are only worth money to a collector.