Inferno (series)

Inferno is a series of maps by John Anderson (Dr. Sleep). They were planned to form a nine-map episode loosely based on a reinterpretation of the nine circles of Hell in Dante Alighieri's .

Levels

 * First Canto: Dante's Gate
 * Second Canto: Crossing Acheron
 * Third Canto: Virgil's Lead
 * Fourth Canto: Minos' Judgement
 * Fifth Canto: Nessus
 * Sixth Canto: Geryon
 * Seventh Canto: Vesperas
 * Eighth Canto: Chiron &mdash; became And Hell Followed in Thy Flesh Consumed
 * Ninth Canto: Waters of Lethe &mdash; unreleased

Story
The text files provide a small storyline paralleling the . The space marine protagonist plays the role of Dante and seeks his paramour Beatrice with the poet Virgil for guide.


 * Dante's Gate:
 * After all this wackiness at the UAC base, you have lost track of your lady-friend, Beatrice. How the two of you ever got separated is no great mystery, what with all these demons and devils running about, but you're damned if you're going to go through Hell for nothing. The only other survivor besides yourself and Beatrice is Virgil, the beatnik space poet. He last saw Beatrice by one of the warp-gates. Chances are she made it through &mdash; but what's on the other side?
 * Only one way to find out. You'll have to go through Dante's Gate.
 * Only one way to find out. You'll have to go through Dante's Gate.


 * Crossing Acheron:
 * Having passed through Dante's Gate and survived, you now find yourself in a keep on the shores of the river Acheron. This is the second leg of the journey in your search for Beatrice. Your guide, Virgil, is nowhere to be found. "He's buggered off!" you think to yourself; but you have no time now to even think: you are immediately challenged by several Demons, and in the distance you hear the eerie purring of the Arch-Vile (just be sure not to stare at him for too long before you start running.) As usual, you dispatch what fiends you may and begin the task at hand.
 * Your goal? To get the hell out of this place as quickly as possible and find your beloved Beatrice. You only hope that she has already passed through this hell-hole to a safer haven beyond. If only you could hold her in your arms again, you know what you would say:
 * "Gimme some sugar, Babe."
 * "Gimme some sugar, Babe."
 * "Gimme some sugar, Babe."


 * Virgil's Lead:
 * In your search for Beatrice, you lost your guide Virgil (the beatnik space-poet) while crossing Acheron. But you've caught up with him again, and he's agreed to lead you through the current way- station (mostly because demons and undead sergeants are not much impressed with Virgil's way with words).
 * "You can get a lot further with a kind word and a gun then you can a kind word."
 * "You belong to the NRA, don't you?" Virgil asks.
 * "No, I'm just a pessimistic pacifist."


 * Minos' Judgement:
 * In your search for Beatrice, your guide, Virgil (the beatnik space-poet) has just successfully lead you through the First Circle of Hades &mdash; only to bring you to the court of Minos, the Judge of Hell.
 * "Well," you say, "this is another fine mess you've gotten us into. Now what?"
 * Virgil, with his usual loquacity, replies:
 * "Heh heh."


 * Nessus:
 * Minos decided to grant leniency and not kill you until next week. In the meantime, having slipped past Cerberus, the top dog, you and Virgil come to a precipice overlooking the river Phlegethon.  There, Virgil greets the Minotaur using phrases from an out-of-date "Passport to Demonese" by Charles Berlitz. Enraged at having been asked to remove his panties, the  falls upon the ground and throws a conniption fit. You grab Virgil and climb down some boulders to the foot of the cliff where Chiron, the chief Centaur, offers to have Nessus carry you across the river on his shoulders.
 * "Why, that's mighty white of ya'," says Virgil.
 * "No problem, sailor," says Nessus. "Hop on."

Geryon and Vesperas have no storyline. In the Divine Comedy, Geryon is a chimera representing fraud, and called by Virgil to transport them to the Eighth circle. Vesperas (or Vespers) is simply the name of the prayer service performed at sunset in Christian traditions.