E3M5: The River of Ladon (Curse of D'Sparil)

E3M5: The River of Ladon is the fifth map of Curse of D'Sparil. It was designed by Kristian Käll (Kristus) and uses the music track from Heretic's E2M3: The River of Fire.

Essentials
In this level, you may want to avoid firing weapons for as long as possible as it will alert a large number of monsters. Making noise near the center of the level can lead to you being surrounded by fire gargoyles, sabreclaws and weredragons.

You start the level facing a pillared structure. Take the weapons, ammo and Tome of Power around the structure then head east to go down some steps into a tunnel guarded by weredragons. Follow the path south and destroy any approaching sabreclaws and weredragons (plus an iron lich on hard skill levels) then look east to see a rock platform with three Flame Orbs. The ledge east of this platform is guarded by ophidians and more weredragons, which should be destroyed before you step across.

Head south down the steps, watching out for any weredragons and ophidians blocking the way, until you reach a teleporter. Step into it to reach an enclosed area with a switch - kill the undead warriors in front of you then press the switch, which will lower a second teleporter to the west visible through the bars. Step back into the teleporter and retrace your steps to the cave entrance, then head east into the teleporter you just lowered. You will reach an elevated area with four undead warriors (which will be ghosts on hard skill levels) - kill them and take the Quartz Flask and Tome of Power in the windows, then head east down a set of steps to find several ophidians guarding a switch. Pressing the switch will reveal the blue key back at the starting area.

Backtrack through the teleporter and return to the start point, then collect the blue key sitting in the middle of the pillared structure. From here head north-west to find a bridge over a lava river which is protected by two iron liches on hard skill levels. Cross the bridge and open the stone door on the other side, behind which you will find two disciples of D'Sparil on easy, an iron lich on medium or a maulotaur on hard. Once the passage is clear, follow it to the exit door and press the switch behind the door to finish the level.

Other points of interest
From the start of the level, go east down some steps into a tunnel then head south until you reach the edge of a lava pool. Go west from here through an area and follow the path to a Phoenix Rod. You can also collect two stacks of Greater Runes and three Energy Orbs on the way.

Secrets

 * 1) As soon as the level starts, head north along a tunnel until you reach a lava stream, then head north-west until you drop off a ledge into a lava pit. Head north-east down the steps (healing items or a Ring of Invincibility are suggested to mitigate damage) until you reach solid ground and find a Wings of Wrath artifact. (sector 596) This item will allow you to fly up to the switch that releases the blue key, skipping most of the level.
 * 2) From the start point, head south until you reach a lava stream and follow it until it flows into a pit containing a maulotaur on medium and hard skill levels. Head south and east around this pit, then head east down a set of steps to find a Mystic Urn sitting on a stone platform. (sector 154) The platform is too high to step on to from below, but can be reached using the Wings of Wrath from secret #1.
 * 3) Before stepping into the teleporter leading to the blue key switch, drop off the ledge into the lava below and head north until you reach solid ground. Follow the rock platforms north until you reach a Ring of Invincibility. (sector 320)

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

The data was last verified in its entirety on December 12, 2021.

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