E3M6: Infernal Kiln (Doom: Damnation)

E3M6: Infernal Kiln is the sixth map in the third episode of Doom: Damnation. It was designed by Ofisil and uses the music track E3M6: "The Invaders". The par time defined in the DEHACKED lump is 2:40.

Essentials
As the level starts you will see an archway with a shotgun under it, and beyond the arch are five barons of Hell guarding a pentagram door - there are six of these doors in total and they must all be opened to raise the bridge to the exit. The doors can be opened in any order.

From the start, look at the marble block on your left with two supercharges on it and go round to the north side of this block to find two skull switches; pressing the north switch will open door #1 revealing a cyberdemon along with a rocket launcher and two boxes of bullets and boxes of shotgun shells. Now head south-east from the start past a wall of gargoyle faces, south until you reach a marble pentragram block then south-east through a doorway made of bloody skin panels. Kill all the waiting imps then use the lion switch to lower a lift that will allow you to reach the upper ledge; turn left and follow the ledge round to a satyr switch, which will allow you to reach another switch on the opposite side of the building. The second switch will open door #2, revealing a second cyberdemon along with a plasma gun and two boxes of bullets and boxes of shotgun shells.

West of the start point is a large white rock with some dark tunnels inside it that contain a chainsaw and some spectres; go to the middle of the rock then head south and west to find a skull switch that opens door #3 revealing a supercharge and four energy cell packs along with one of two switches that will raise the bridge to the exit, as well as a cyberdemon on Hurt Me Plenty skill level or higher. Head south from the white rock and pass between two metal buildings, then look south to see a skull pit containing imps and a supercharge; drop into the pit and press the skull switch on the west wall to open door #4 (revealing a cyberdemon along with a supercharge and four boxes of rockets), then press the skull switch on the east wall to lower a lift with another supercharge so you can escape. This will also release a number of other monsters into the level including barons, lost souls and cacodemons.

Pick up a radiation shielding suit then head to the south end of the level to find one or two spiderdemons inside some skull rocks forming the shape of an arrow; from here you should head east through the lava until you reach the end of the red wall then turn left to find an area with lava pools and several demons. Press the skull switch in the north-west corner to open door #5 (revealing a cyberdemon along with an armor and four supercharges), then backtrack to the pit that held switch #4 and look north-west to see some steps that curve round a vine-covered building. Climb the steps to the top then head south down a passage with health bonuses to find a door; behind this door is a berserk pack and the switch to open door #6 (revealing a megaarmor and four backpacks along with the second switch that will raise the bridge to the exit, as well as a cyberdemon on Ultra-Violence and Nightmare skill level or higher. (If the door to switch #6 closes behind you before you get back through it, you will have to head east to find two or three barons guarding backpacks and a switch to re-open that door.)

With all six pentagram doors open, return to the starting point and head north into the tunnel. Collect any remaining items and press the switches on the west wall if you have not already done so, then head to the south end of the level and walk through the arrow-shaped rock formation to cross the bridge leading to the white teleporter pad. Walking on this pad will send you to E3M7: Event Horizon.

Secret exit
There are three skull switches in the lava at the edges of the level; take a radiation suit before looking for them. The first switch is behind the red brick wall on the west side of the level, the second switch is in the south-east corner of the level down a deep trench, and the third switch is in a pit in the north-east corner of the level. Pressing all three switches will lower the barriers opposite the third switch, revealing a red teleporter that leads to E3M9: Pit of Nightmares. (You can also lower the first barrier by pressing on the shorter sides of the third switch. This is probably a mapping error.)

Other points of interest
After using the lift in the skin building containing switch #2, go through the doorway in front of you then turn left to see some marble pillars leading to a supercharge. Run along these pillars and you will drop into a blood pool containing an armor, a backpack and an invulnerability.

Due north of the blood pool is a doorway leading inside a red-brick building. Inside this building are many shotgun guys and a set of steps leading up to an invulnerability. The first three times you try to climb the steps you will be teleported to some marble blocks in the middle of the level.

Secrets

 * 1) Head into the lava at the south-east end of the map and use the skull switch there. Afterwards, head all the way to the north-east end of the map and go towards the wall to get this secret. (sector 192) Note that this is one of three barrier walls that leads to the secret exit, the other walls do not count as secret sectors.

Bugs
There are three starts for player two (things 655-657) but none for players three and four. This means that only two players can take part in a cooperative game, and the extra starts will become voodoo dolls.

Current records
The records for the map at the Doomed Speed Demos Archive are:

Player spawns
This level contains thirty-one spawn points:
 * 1) facing south. (thing 660)
 * 2) facing south-east. (thing 661)
 * 3) facing south. (thing 662)
 * 4) facing south-east. (thing 664)
 * 5) facing south. (thing 671)
 * 6) facing north-east. (thing 674)
 * 7) facing west. (thing 678)
 * 8) facing west. (thing 680)
 * 9) facing west. (thing 682)
 * 10) facing east. (thing 683)
 * 11) facing south-east. (thing 687)
 * 12) facing south-west. (thing 688)
 * 13) facing south-east. (thing 689)
 * 14) facing south-east. (thing 691)
 * 15) facing north. (thing 694)
 * 16) facing west. (thing 695)
 * 17) facing south-west. (thing 696)
 * 18) facing east. (thing 697)
 * 19) facing west. (thing 698)
 * 20) facing south. (thing 699)
 * 21) facing west. (thing 700)
 * 22) facing north-west. (thing 701)
 * 23) facing north-east. (thing 702)
 * 24) facing east. (thing 703)
 * 25) facing east. (thing 704)
 * 26) facing south-west. (thing 705)
 * 27) facing north-east. (thing 706)
 * 28) facing east. (thing 707)
 * 29) facing north. (thing 709)
 * 30) facing west. (thing 710)
 * 31) facing east. (thing 711)

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