E2M6: Veneficus Arx (Heretic Treasure Chest)

E2M6: Veneficus Arx is the sixth map of episode 2 of Heretic Treasure Chest. It was designed by Kim Bach (Torn) and uses the music track "Wait" from Heretic, created by Kevin Schilder.

Essentials
Take the Ethereal Crossbow and arrows in front of you then turn left and head up and down two sets of steps, passing some fire gargoyles and a gray platform holding the blue key on the way, until you see a silver door on the left. Go through the door and head up either set of steps then turn right and go down a winding staircase guarded by sabreclaws until you reach a room with a large trident-shaped light. Push past the gargoyles and press the switch at the opposite end of the room, which will lower eight pillars holding various supplies and the green key. You will also need to contend with two disciples of D'Sparil, plus an iron lich on bringest them oneth (BTO) skill level or higher.

Go back up the winding staircase and push past some nitrogolems that have been released, then return to the platform with the blue key and head north to a switch which will lower the lift underneath you, taking you to a cavern with an undead warrior. Open the green key door behind the warrior, kill some waiting ophidians on BTO or higher then continue north to a round passage surrounding a stone structure. Walk past some fire gargoyles to the north-west side of the structure to find a door leading inside it, then head through three chambers to a larger door guarded by sabreclaws. Go through the door to find a chamber with two Flame Orbs and a switch; press the switch then backtrack to the lift, watching out for various enemies that have been released from closets. Back at the lift, use the nearby switch to lower it then ride the lift up to find that the platform holding the blue key has lowered.

Take the blue key then head south down either passage to an outdoor area with a curved ledge. Open the silver door in the south wall then head forward to a junction with weredragons on either side, go through the north-east door then immediately turn left to press a switch that will raise three staircases. Go up the east staircase and open the metal door at the top (requiring the blue key) and go straight forward through a doorway into a dark passage containing golems, which you can follow round to a switch guarded by an undead warrior ghost. Return to the previous room and head west through a chamber with green walls (there will be an iron lich here on BTO or higher) to another square room with gargoyles. Head north-west up a curved staircase to a large chamber with some weredragons and press the switch behind them, which will release some disciples behind you, then return to the chamber with green walls to find that three alcoves have opened containing undead warriors and the yellow key.

Go back to the area with the curved platform and go down the steps to a large gold door which requires the yellow key. Open the door and destroy one or two liches waiting behind it then enter the teleporter at the top of the stairs to finish the level.

Other points of interest
When you reach the winding staircase leading to the green key, instead of going down it head north to a room with a large magma pit. Step across the three sandstone pillars in this pit to reach a chamber with a Dragon Claw. Fire gargoyles will be released when you step on the pillars, and golems will be released when you pick up the weapon.

In the area with three staircases at the south end of the level, go through the north-west door to find a Silver Shield among some barrels. After raising the staircases, go up the middle staircase to reach a hall containing a Hellstaff.

Secrets

 * 1) In the southeastern-most room with the trident shape on the ceiling, flip the switch at the end, then backtrack. Go back west when you can to discover that nitrogolems have been released. Enter the north alcove to find Gauntlets of the Necromancer. (sector 278)
 * 2) Open the door south of the exit door. There will be two side rooms here. Enter the one on the right and flip the switch in the room. After doing so, the stairs to the south will lower. Take the central steps, then turn west, then north and open the wall here to get a Shadowsphere. This area counts as two secrets. (sector 147)
 * 3) See secret #2. (sector 472)
 * 4) This secret is opposite of the previous ones, so instead of turning west, turn east, then north and open the wall to get the Wings of Wrath. Again, this counts as two secrets. (sector 148)
 * 5) See secret #4. (sector 218)
 * 6) With the Wings of Wrath, go back to the northeastern-most room with the magma and fly over it. You will find a Phoenix Rod, a Mystic Urn, two Quartz Flasks, a Tome of Power and Flame Orbs. (sector 473)

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

The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on April 3, 2022.

Player spawns
This level contains four spawn points:
 * 1) facing north. (thing 45)
 * 2) facing east. (thing 155)
 * 3) facing east. (thing 336)
 * 4) facing south. (thing 337)

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