E3M1: Altar of Blood (Strange Aeons)

Strange Aeons maps
The Shattered City M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
The Stagnant Fortress M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
The Land That Time Forgot E3M1: Altar of Blood E3M2: Monster Manor E3M3: City of Lost Souls E3M4: The Gondola Grotto E3M5: Lions Den E3M6: The Vampire Trough E3M7: Proving Grounds E3M8: Flytrap E3M9: Tomb of the Dark Pharaoh
The Plateau of Leng M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9
Out of the Aeons M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9

This level occupies the map slot E3M1. For other maps which occupy this slot, see Category:E3M1.

E3M1: Altar of Blood is the first map in episode The Land That Time Forgot of Strange Aeons. It was designed by Mike MacDee (Impie) and uses the music track "Alice Wade theme" from F.E.A.R.. The par time defined in MAPINFO is 1:30.

Walkthrough

Map of Altar of Blood

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

When you enter the temple, a rage sphere is revealed. Your only weapon on the map is the scepter of souls, so enhance it with the sphere and kill the platoon of devils worshiping at the altar. Grab the blue skull key and throw the switch to access the fountain room, from which the eerie laughter of star vampires can be heard. Kill the monsters and throw the switch to create a water staircase both at the fountain (giving access to another rage sphere) and the waterfall room on the opposite side of the temple, where the red skull can now be accessed. After another star vampire ambush, the doors will open. The exit slipgate is beyond the red door.

Other points of interest

A green armor has been abandoned around the left side of the temple. Grab it before heading inside.

Secrets

1. Before leaving your house, "use" the living room bookcase to open the bathroom door, revealing a shotgun. You cannot access the other secret without this weapon; shotgun shells found in the temple hint at the shotgun's existence. (sector 172)
2. Hug the left wall from the temple entrance and look across the courtyard from the furthest window: you can just make out a skull switch on top of the wall. Shoot it with the shotgun to open the cage with the light amplification goggles. Be careful entering the cage, as it houses an adult Leng spider. The cage switch lowers the altar and allows you to grab the soul sphere left tauntingly on display. (sector 116)

Areas / screenshots

• 

  The Traveler is welcomed to prehistoric earth by an eerie temple to the Spinner in Darkness.

Speedrunning

Current records

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

Run	Time	Player	Date	File	Notes
UV speed
NM speed
UV max
NM 100S
UV -fast
UV -respawn
UV Tyson
UV pacifist

The (absence of) data was last verified in its entirety on June 29, 2022.

Statistics

Map data

Things	155
Vertices	809
Linedefs	972
Sidedefs	1536
Sectors	179

Things

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

Single-player
Monsters	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Flesh spawn	3	3	3	6	6	6	6	6
Devil	3	3	8	13	13	13	13	13
Star vampire	3	3	3	6	6	6	6	6
Demon wizard	0	0	0	2	2	2	2	2
Weapons	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Shotgun	1
Ammunition	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
4 shotgun shells	1
Health & Armor	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Stimpack	2
Medikit	1
Armor	1
Items	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Armor bonus	8
Health bonus	26
Supercharge	1
Light amplification visor	1
Rage sphere	2
Keys	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Blue skull key	1
Red skull key	1
Miscellaneous	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Teleport landing	1

Inspiration and development

H.P. Lovecraft's work made many references to Ancient Egypt as well as even older, more alien civilizations existing on prehistoric earth.