E1M8: Hell's Maw (Heretic + Hexen)

Heretic re-release maps
The City of the Damned E1M1: The Docks E1M2: The Dungeons E1M3: The Gatehouse E1M4: The Guard Tower E1M5: The Citadel E1M6: The Cathedral E1M7: The Crypts E1M8: Hell's Maw E1M9: The Graveyard
Hell's Maw M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
The Dome of D'Sparil M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
The Ossuary M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
The Stagnant Demesne M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
Fate's Path (deathmatch only levels) M1 M2 M3
This level has an original version

This level occupies the map slot E1M8. For other maps which occupy this slot, see Category:E1M8.

E1M8: Hell's Maw is the eighth and final map of the City of the Damned episode in the enhanced Heretic: Shadow of the Serpent Riders re-release, included with Heretic + Hexen. It uses the music track "John" by Kevin Schilder.

Walkthrough

Map of Hell's Maw

Letters in italics refer to marked spots on the map. Sector, thing, and linedef numbers in boldface are secrets which count toward the end-of-level tally.

Essentials

Drop into the magma pit in front of you then run to the platform at the north and climb up the steps to find some undead warriors protecting a switch. Press the switch to open the large door behind the starting point, then use the teleporter or Wings of Wrath on the platform to go back there and enter a room full of pods. Push through the pods to reach the door on the other side, as they will simply respawn if you destroy them, then press the switch next to the door to open it and get a dragon claw. Watch out for the nitrogolems being released behind you as you pass through the second door, though they should get stuck on the pods if you left them alone.

The magma pit in front of you contains one to three iron liches, which must all be destroyed to lower the mud wall at the south end of the pit, revealing a cavern with a group of nitrogolem ghosts and disciples of D'Sparil. The wall has a Ring of Invincibility on it, so if you stand next to the wall as it lowers then you can get the artifact and activate it before the monsters overrun you. Go to the south end of the cavern to find another Ring of Invincibility on a platform, which will carry you up to the exit switch.

Other points of interest

The ledge you start on has an ethereal crossbow at the west end, and Gauntlets of the Necromancer at the east end.

Secrets

1. The four corner walls in the pod room, indicated by glowing lights, can be opened to get items. The north-west wall hides a silver shield. (sector 31)
2. The north-east wall hides a shadowsphere. (sector 33)
3. The south-east wall hides a Bag of Holding. (sector 54)
4. The south-west wall hides a Ring of Invincibility. (sector 58)

Comparison of versions

Room design

• Additional sectors were added around the serpent torches in the northern part of the map to create more realistic lighting. This was not done for the torches in the pod room and the southern part of the map.

Texture changes

• Numerous wall textures have been changed, adding textures that were not present in the original release of Heretic. For example, the outer walls of the center building now use stone walls with castle windows instead of mud, and the walls of the pod room are now adorned with yellow glyphs.
• Black borders were added around the diamond platforms in the northern magma pit.
• A red floor was added to the liches’ platform.

• Comparison of maps
• 

  E1M8 (original)

• 

  E1M8 (Heretic + Hexen)

Speedrunning

Current records

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

Run	Time	Player	Date	File	Notes
SM speed
SM max
BP speed
BP max
NM speed
NM 100S
Tyson
Pacifist

The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on August 10, 2025.

Deathmatch

Player spawns

This level contains four spawn points:

1. facing north-east. (thing 5)
2. facing north-west. (thing 6)
3. facing north. (thing 7)
4. facing north. (thing 8)

Statistics

Map data

Things	349
Vertices	457*
Linedefs	453
Sidedefs	675
Sectors	73

* The vertex count without the effect of node building is 390.

Things

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

Single-player
Monsters	1-2	3	4-5
Gargoyle	6
Fire gargoyle	1	3	3
Nitrogolem	8	12	16
Nitrogolem ghost	14
Disciple	14
Undead warrior	2	4	6
Iron lich	1	2	3
Weapons	1-2	3	4-5
Gauntlets of the Necromancer	1
Ethereal crossbow	1
Dragon claw	1
Ammunition	1-2	3	4-5
Wand crystal	22	22	24
Crystal geode	1
Ethereal arrows	12	12	14
Quiver of ethereal arrows	10
Claw orb	13	13	15
Energy orb	10
Health & Armor	1-2	3	4-5
Crystal vial	17
Silver shield	1
Items	1-2	3	4-5
Bag of Holding	2
Morph Ovum	1
Quartz flask	33	29	26
Ring of Invincibility	3
Shadowsphere	1
Tome of Power	2
Wings of Wrath	2
Miscellaneous	1-2	3	4-5
Pod	28
Pod generator	4
Teleport glitter (red)	3
Teleport landing	2
Ambient sounds	1-2	3	4-5
Heart beat	4
Laughter	1
Wind	5

Multiplayer
Monsters	1-2	3	4-5
Gargoyle	6
Fire gargoyle	1	3	3
Nitrogolem	8	12	16
Nitrogolem ghost	14
Disciple	14
Undead warrior	2	4	6
Iron lich	1	2	3
Weapons	1-2	3	4-5
Gauntlets of the Necromancer	2
Ethereal crossbow	2
Dragon claw	2
Hellstaff	2
Phoenix rod	1
Firemace	5
Ammunition	1-2	3	4-5
Wand crystal	22	22	24
Crystal geode	1
Ethereal arrows	12	12	14
Quiver of ethereal arrows	13
Claw orb	13	13	15
Energy orb	10
Lesser runes	12
Greater runes	1
Flame orb	6
Inferno orb	1
Health & Armor	1-2	3	4-5
Crystal vial	17
Enchanted shield	1
Silver shield	1
Items	1-2	3	4-5
Bag of Holding	2
Chaos Device	1
Morph Ovum	2
Mystic urn	1
Quartz flask	33	29	26
Ring of Invincibility	3
Shadowsphere	1
Tome of Power	2
Wings of Wrath	2
Miscellaneous	1-2	3	4-5
Cooperative start	4
Deathmatch start	4
Pod	28
Pod generator	4
Teleport glitter (red)	3
Teleport landing	2
Ambient sounds	1-2	3	4-5
Heart beat	4
Laughter	1
Wind	5