E3M2: The Cesspool (Heretic)

E3M2: The Cesspool is the second level in episode The Dome of D'Sparil of Heretic. It uses the music track "Drive" by Kevin Schilder.

Walkthrough[edit]

Map of The Cesspool

Essentials[edit]

You start in a blue mosaic room which has two cages on either side containing ophidians. Go straight forward (north) into a room with some gargoyles, noting the yellow key on the altar at the north end of the room, then go through either of the doorways in the south-west and south-east corners of the room to face one or two sabreclaws. Go down the steps to a water-filled tunnel with more gargoyles as well as some pods, then go to the north end to find a switch that will lower the altar holding the yellow key. Watch out for the two sabreclaws hiding behind the columns in front of the altar when you go to collect the key.

Go back to the starting rooms and pass through either of the yellow doors in the north-east and north-west corners, then follow the passage past a couple of sabreclaws into another water-filled tunnel—the eastern tunnel is guarded by weredragons and golems, while the western tunnel is guarded by ophidians and gargoyles. Whichever tunnel you choose, you must go to the north end to find a teleporter that will send you to an isolated room with disciples of D'Sparil. The green key is on a stone step at the north end of the room, but watch out for the wall behind the key opening to reveal one to three ophidians.

Enter the teleporter in the north-east corner of the room to go back to the eastern tunnel, then go south until you reach a green door and pass through it to enter a storeroom. The blue key is on top of the eastern stack of boxes, but you should collect the other items in the room first as taking the blue key will open a large closet containing disciples. Enter the hallway south-west of the storeroom to see a wooden door on the north side, then open it to find a fire gargoyle protecting Gauntlets of the Necromancer and a switch that will reveal the exit door. Leave the chamber and go west to a Tome of Power, deal with the ophidian that ambushes you, then open the exit door using the blue key to find an iron lich protecting the exit teleporter.

Other points of interest[edit]

An ethereal crossbow can be found below the steps east of the yellow key room, while a silver shield can be found below the steps west of the yellow key room (on bringest them oneth skill level or lower). There are two alcoves in the eastern tunnel which hold a Tome of Power and a Wings of Wrath.

A dragon claw can be found at the top of the steps in the north-west corner of the map. The eastern tunnel behind the yellow door has an alcove with a hellstaff and one or two quartz flasks.

An enchanted shield can be found in the south-western room, behind some barrels next to a crystal geode.

E3M2 is the first level in the episode where a firemace can be found. If it has appeared, you can find it at one of five different locations. In order of appearance, the places are:

• the water tunnel, south-west of the switch that lowers the yellow key;
• the room with the western teleporter leading to the green key hall;
• the center of the green key hall;
• the top of a crate in the warehouse;
• the exit chamber.

If the weapon did not appear, the next chance to obtain it is on the following level.

Secrets[edit]

1. Just before going down the water tunnels after having entered the eastern yellow door, use the trident banner to open a room with a Bag of Holding and a silver shield. (sector 62)
2. Inside the small yellow floor room in the south-west corner of the map, open the wall with the trident banner to enter one of the two ophidian cages you saw in the start of the level, containing a phoenix rod. (sector 142)
3. In the south-eastern room with wooden boxes, climb up to the map scroll by the west wall. You can open the trident banner behind the item to enter the second ophidian cage, containing a Ring of Invincibility. (sector 111)

Bugs[edit]

Linedefs from 521 to 528 have their upper textures on the wrong side. The lines are located in the corner alcoves of the green key hall that is separated from the rest of the level. The bug can be detected by looking up, but only when viewed at an alcove or when approaching an alcove while hugging a wall.

If you use the Wings of Wrath to fly into the small space behind the yellow key altar before lowering it, and the Wings run out, you will trap yourself if you do not have the Chaos Device from the previous level.

Areas / screenshots[edit]

Final version[edit]

• 

  A room with a teleporter

• 

  Disciples guard the green key.

• 

  Beautiful mosaic

• 

  A crate room

• 

  A mystic urn

Early version[edit]

Speedrunning[edit]

Routes and tricks[edit]

Current records[edit]

The records for the map at the Doom Speed Demo Archive are:

The data was last verified in its entirety on October 31, 2025.

Deathmatch[edit]

Player spawns[edit]

This level contains four spawn points:

1. facing south. (thing 140)
2. facing west. (thing 141)
3. facing south. (thing 142)
4. facing south. (thing 143)

Statistics[edit]

Map data[edit]

Things[edit]

This level contains the following numbers of things per skill level:

External links[edit]

• Heretic demos at the Doom Speed Demo Archive