E4M6: Against Thee Wickedly (Doom)

E4M6: Against Thee Wickedly is the sixth map of Thy Flesh Consumed in The Ultimate Doom. It was designed by John Romero and uses the music track "They're Going To Get You".

Overview
The map title comes from Psalm 139:20: "For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain."

The level bears some resemblances to the second level, Perfect Hatred, such as having to fight and solve puzzles on shelves above and around a huge lava pit, with restricted space for maneuver; as well as having to deal with a Cyberdemon at the end. In addition, these two levels are the only ones designed by John Romero in The Ultimate Doom after the shareware episode.

Walkthrough
From the start point, solve the rock sortof-maze to the east. You should see the blue skull key, but inaccessible. Fall down into the lava pit, follow it to a huge lava pool with some ledges and a teleporter. If you don't want a world of pain, grab the radiation suit to the southeast. Lower any of the teleporter's middle parts like a lift and take the west side of it. You are now on a platform with the chaingun. RUN to get to the other floor (if you fall down then start over) and follow it to the blue key which is on a ledge but you can get it from here now. Now go back to the teleporter, lower its middle like a lift, and take the north side of it. You are at a ledge with the yellow skull key seen on a platform behind the prison bars. Once you hug the bars, an baphomet marble wall will open with a baron of hell and the rocket launcher. Press the satyr button to lower the platform. Press the blue switch to the east to open the prison bars. Grab the yellow key, and this time take the east side of the teleporter. You will be on a balcony with some shotgunners, instead follow it east to a room overlooked by a lava pool guarded by red and yellow bars. Take the teleporter to the south to get behind the yellow/red bars. Open the yellow door to the northeast and press the gargoyle switch that will lower all yellow bars in this map. Take the teleporter that is low enough to reach, you will be back on the lava ledge. Run to the teleporter behind the bars that cannot be reached from the lava. Follow the path to the red skull key guarded by a baron of hell. Be careful once you grab it a trap in the south of this map will open up with a cyberdemon! IMMEDIATELY FOLLOW THE RAISED PLATFORM TO THE NORTHEAST AND FALL INTO THE LAVA! NOW OPEN THE RED DOOR TO THE SOUTHEAST AND KILL EVERYBODY BEHIND THE DOOR! PRESS THE LION SWITCH TO LOWER ALL RED BARS! Take the teleporter back, now get to the southwest ledge of the lava to get the BFG9000 and a berserk pack, and take the teleporter. Once you've killed the Cyberdemon, the prison cell will open. Go south and press the lion switch to exit this map.

Other points of interest
The lava river behind the outside area can be exited southwest to access a room with some red bars. If you pressed the lion switch behind the red door, the bars will lower and you can access a backpack and an invulnerability.

There are fences in the northern room overlooking a lava pool with 3 cacodemons. The northeast fences can be passed through into the lava, but the ONLY way out is secret #3 below.

Its not possible to finish this map without killing the cyberdemon. The prison cell between the cyberdemon trap and exit backyard can only be opened by killing the cyberdemon himself.

You can complete this map without the red key. Nearing the red key will open the cyberdemon trap, and the trap can be open without getting the red key itself. Take the south side of the teleporter which is the same one as the one near the BFG and berserk pack. Nothing else will change, and you can exit this map safely without the red key.

On Ultra-Violence, the cyberdemon is guarded by two cacodemons.

Secrets

 * 1) Once you arrive at the "castle" near the beginning of the level, follow the white rocky wall along to the left. At the far end, fairly close to the fortress wall (and left of the large gnarled tree), is an alcove. Walk straight through the back wall to reach a secret tunnel.
 * 2) From secret #1, drop into the lava "moat" and make your way to its south side. There is a small green marble platform with a torch on it about halfway to the huge lava pit deeper in the castle. Open the back wall of this platform to get a blur sphere, and ride the lift up to a soul sphere visible earlier in the level.
 * 3) The yellow skull key is located on an overlook with several barred windows. You can walk right through the bars in the rightmost window, however. In the lava pit below, open the wall between the floating skull decorations on the far side. Alternate way (similar to secret #2): from secret #1, drop into the lava "moat" and make your way to its north side. Open the back wall of the northern marble platform between the bullet box and the torch. Go down the stairs and keep straight on until you reach the secret sector.

Bugs

 * On HMP and higher, the two Spectres on the blue key platform are stuck together and can't move until one dies.


 * The two Imps positioned up in the 'castle' either side of the 'moat' won't see you when you first enter the courtyard, only when you get closer to them.


 * Several slime trails can be seen in the eastern lava pit.
 * This level cannot be completed normally in no monsters mode; the -timer command line argument or the noclip cheat code must be used to complete the level.

Routes and tricks
You can grab the red key by running into the wall. If you go the right position you'll be able to grab the red key, bypassing the otherwise required blue and yellow key.

Records
The Compet-N records for the map are: (Note for UV pacifist: it is apparently not possible to finish the level without killing the Cyberdemon, as the gate to the end of the level only opens after its death.)