E1M5: Blistering Catacombs (Realm of Parthoris)

E1M5: Blistering Catacombs is the fifth map of Realm of Parthoris. It was designed by Jeff King (Egregor) and uses the music track "The Occultist," by Tristan Clark.

Essentials
Turn right and follow the tunnel until you see a staircase on your left, then climb this to a large outdoor area with two towers. Drop to the floor below and head north through the lava until you reach the north-east side of the larger tower. Step on to solid ground then go through the door here and follow the tunnel north-east past some undead warriors to a staircase, which leads up to two or three ophidians. Head north across a lava river and up some more steps, then go west into a short tunnel leading to a lava cavern. Head north-west through the lava until you reach some rock steps, which you can follow up to the yellow key. Some disciples of D'Sparil will be released behind you as you approach the key.

Backtrack to the area with the two towers, but this time go to the solid ground north-west of the larger tower then head west to a door requiring the yellow key. Go through the door to a hall with chandeliers then head through the north-west door where (depending on skill level) fire gargoyles or disciples are guarding a chain switch. Pull the switch to release two undead warriors on your right, then quickly leave the room and head south through a gray door before it shuts. In the brown stone room behind this door, head due south (some disciples and fire gargoyles will be released behind you) until you find a weredragon guarding a skull switch and press it - this will open two brick structures in the room containing more gargoyles, disciples and an iron lich. Enter the structure containing the gargoyles and disciples to find the blue key.

Go back to the hall with chandeliers then pull the switch behind the north-west door again to open the doors leading out of the hall; this time, after leaving the switch room head north through an archway to go through a stone door before it shuts. Turn left to enter a room with a large water pool, open the blue key door in the east wall then head east to a lift with a disciple on it. Ride this lift up to a room with various monsters then head north through a wooden door to a hall with many columns. Press the button on the west side of this hall to lower the north wall revealing weredragons and nitrogolems, then press a second button behind this wall (releasing two iron liches) and return to the previous room to find that the south door has opened. Push past some weredragons (on medium and hard skill levels) then head straight forward to the green key.

With the green key, drop to the lava below and climb some steps to reach the outside of the large tower. Head west and south up some steps to the south side of the tower where you will find a green key door next to an Ethereal Crossbow, then go through this door and head north between the bookcases to a chain switch next to a serpent torch. Pull the switch then go back through the green key door and head down to the north side of the tower to find another door which you can go through. Take the Enchanted Shield guarded by an undead warrior if needed, then head up the steps and run through the now-open door at the top to land on a metal platform with another chain switch. Pull the switch then go back up to the green key door, where a bridge leading to the second smaller tower has risen - cross the bridge, lower a lift with one or two disciples and ride this up, then approach the chain switch in front of you and kill a weredragon that teleports in to protect it. Pull the switch then head back across the bridge where a second staircase leading north-east has risen, climb it then open the door at the top to find an iron lich, disciples and undead warriors (or weredragons on hard skill levels) guarding the orange exit teleporter.

Other points of interest
At the end of the starting tunnel, look north to find a door. Behind it is a Silver Shield, two Timebombs of the Ancients and Gauntlets of the Necromancer.

Go through the door north-west of the large tower then pass through the archway on your right to find an Ethereal Crossbow.

After crossing the lava river in the north-east corner of the level you will enter an outdoor area with light-blue brickwork. Climbing the stairs here will lead you to a Dragon Claw and three Energy Orbs, but picking it up will release several monsters. If you go south-east from this area you can find a Morph Ovum and a Silver Shield.

An Enchanted Shield can be found in the middle of the large water pool, but picking it up will cause the water to drop and reveal (depending on skill level) nitrogolems or weredragons; use the switch at the north end of the pool to lower a platform with a Bag of Holding so you can get out. From the water pool room, head west into a room with a pair of coffins then south into a chamber with undead warriors and a weredragon, who are guarding a Dragon Claw and three Energy Orbs.

There are archways on either side of the switch that reveals the blue key - the west arch leads to a Quartz Flask, while the east arch leads to a Morph Ovum. Approaching either item will release monsters behind you.

After getting the blue key, go through the door north-east of the large tower then walk round the lava pit to find a blue key door. Go through it then head south to find a narrow walkway leading to a Phoenix Rod.

Secrets

 * 1) Open the yellow door west of the large lava area, then take the first door you see. In this library, use the south-west corner. This is supposed to reveal a switch which will lower the bookshelf on the north wall, revealing a passage to a Tome of Power. However, the switch does not actually get revealed. The sector you lower is sector 528, which has a ceiling of -32, while the sector with the switch is sector 527, which has a floor of -32. Since you lower the wall by pressing it, there is no way to actually trigger the switch behind the wall without cheating. (sector 520)
 * 2) Enter the room west of the big water pool, then head south to the next room. Go to the north-east corner and press on the vertebrae on the wall to reveal a switch that lowers the nearby red block. Take it down, then use the next lift to go up and get a Hellstaff and Lesser Runes. (sector 513)
 * 3) In the area with the columns at the north end of the map, use the switch at the west end to lower the wall to the north. The next switch here opens two closets with iron liches. Inside the left closet is a switch. Use that one, then go to the east side of the area with the columns, overlooking the lava cavern. Hop across the rock that has risen to the north-east platform, which counts as the secret. The switch here raises another rock so you can get a Tome of Power to the south-east. (sector 42)
 * 4) From the green key platform, drop off to the east to get a Morph Ovum. (sector 164)
 * 5) Use the green key to open the door to the tower in the center of the lava area. On the west wall are two bookshelves, use the one closest to the door. This will lower a Quartz Flask as well as another bookshelf on the eastern wall with an Inferno Orb. (sector 551)

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 December 12, 2021.

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