MAP09: Crown of Thorns (Preacher)

MAP09: Crown of Thorns is the ninth map of Preacher. It was designed by Darch, who also composed the level's music track, "Colonizators."

Essentials
At the start, turn around and enter the teleporter to be teleported to a random place inside the level. Your goal is to collect all three keys. The yellow key is to the west, the red key is located to the east while the blue key is found on the south of the level. For the yellow key, simply flip the switch to the east, inside its room, to lower the pillar holding it. To pick up the red key, navigate to the centre of the walkways around the structure to the east, then step on the touchplate to the west to open doors leading inside the structure.

Once inside, climb both sets of stairs on either side and grab the key at the top. As for the blue key, go to the southernmost point and you should be in front of a switch. Press the switch to its left to lower the blue key pillar, then climb up the stairs to the northeast of this area to collect the key. With all three keys in hand, enter a structure located to the north and use the switch on the east side of the northernmost wall. This will raise bars behind you, allowing access to a room with perpetually moving lifts.

Use the lifts to reach a switch to the south, then flip it. Exit this room, then go around it to see bars have opened up to the south. Approach the bars in front to raise them, then go forward, around the pillar in the centre to reach a switch on the south of this area. Before pressing it, turn around and wait for the lift surrounding the pillar to lower completely, revealing the final boss. Press the switch to make the lift move up and down constantly, then go down the stairs until you reach the fourth step from the top. Face the final boss, and fire rockets when the lift is nearing the bottom of its motion. Eventually you'll manage to kill the final boss, which triggers the level to end.

Secrets

 * 1) At the start, instead of entering the teleporter make your way to the room to the north, overlooking the blue key area. To the east of this room are two brick walls. Open the one to the north to find two energy cell packs. (sector 4788)
 * 2) To the northeast of the yellow key area are several stone blocks stacked together. Make your way towards the platform to the east and look to the blocks to the west. You'll notice an opening between the blocks, so drop down from that opening. Keep slowly dropping down to the blocks ahead and you'll reach a hidden supercharge. (sector 3137)
 * 3) To the west of the blue key structure is a lower area. A bit to the north of this area is a lift. Use it to lower the area to the north, then quickly go forward and turn right at the end to collect a chainsaw. If the walls surrounding the chainsaw have raised before you can escape, simply use them to lower the floor again. (sector 4369)
 * 4) From secret #3, wait for the floor to raise again then go east. Open the wall between two pillars on the east wall for a box of shotgun shells. (sector 1530)
 * 5) To the southwest of the blue key area are several stone blocks stacked together. Make your way towards the stairs to the east leading to the touchplate, then slowly drop down to the west from the very last step. You'll land on a ledge, with a supercharge behind you. (sector 2700)

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

Player spawns
This level contains only two spawn points, making it unplayable in deathmatch mode:
 * 1) facing north. (thing 2473)
 * 2) facing south. (thing 2474)

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