E3M3: The Confluence (Heretic)

E3M3: The Confluence is the third level in The Dome of D'Sparil episode of Heretic.

At the beginning you are situated on a small pond up on a cliff with a waterfall.Before you fall down to the area below you go for secret 1.The waterfall will drop you down to a big outdoor area with 2 other waterfalls left and right forming a pool and a big natural hangar right ahead of you.In between the waterfall you just dropped from there are two doors you will visit much later, near the end of the level.Near the right waterfall you can see the yellow door and below the hangar, where the river ends you can see the yellow key resting in front of a watergate between two green key doors.As soon as you drop down you will enrage a lot of creatures, an iron lich amongst them and several more will shoot you from above the other waterfalls or the iron watergate.The best you can do here is avoid them, rush for the yellow key, unleashing two more ophidians from the columns supporting the hangar and then just run in circles to trigger a gigantic infighting.If you do it right, you will either have to face a very weakened iron lich or one single ophidian.After you are finished with them, go to the yellow door and open it to reveal a small temple, nested inside the mountain.Obliterate the sabreclaws and ophidians inside, then go for secret number 2.Now go to the right room of the temple (as you were facing when you entered) and press the two switches.A teleporter has been opened at the left room.Take it to find yourself up to one of the two other waterfalls with the green key and a ring of invulnerability.You may want to kill the ophidian atop the other waterfall with the wand from here.

After you have gotten the green key drop back down on the outside area and go open the right green key door.You will enter a light brownish textured stone corridor.You can see the river following you on your left and just a bit in front of you a wooden door to your right.Open it, dispatching the cultists and enter a small dungeon like area.Take the path to your left first to take care of some hidden cultists who could cause you some trouble afterwards.Then return to the beginning of this area and open the wooden door in front of you.You will see a corridor with small circle areas on the sides.Time for secret 3.After that continue walking down the corridor, picking the dragon claw on your right if you want and heading towards the switch.Get ready for the obvious ambush and press the switch.After you have cleared the sabreclaws go back on the start of this dungeon and take the right path you have ignored till now, to get to an area below with many barrels and golems.Secret 4 is here.There are two small rooms right and left of you, containing a chaos device and a morph ovum respectively.The path on the center will take you to a small corridor infested with golems.First turn right for a silver shield then follow the corridor to a room with a teleporter.The teleporter will bring you to the small temple inside the yellow key door.

Come back where you were before you entered this mini-dungeon and continue down the corridor to a big oval room with two stairways up ahead.You can see the river ending on a small locked pool with ophidians but they can't shoot you yet due to height differences.Go to where those stairways end up, fighting the sabreclaws then grab the blue key.As soon as you take it you will trigger a weredragon ambush.Due to the narrow space you may consider using a ring or at least a tome of power to take care of them.After that take the other path of the oval room, below some undead warriors and enter the blue door.Go right at first and find the room with the three skellies.Teach them a thing or two and then go for secret 5.Now press the three switches.Beware, the ophidians in the oval pool room have been unleashed.Also a passage has opened to your right.Go inside and get "trapped" by the cultists.Take the golden shield and hit the switch to open the way outside.The lights will lower when you do that to provide you with a romantic atmosphere.Now go back at the oval pool room and take care of the ophidians.Now that you can climb inside the pool, take the tome of power and follow the rive to the other side of the watergate for a phoenix rod.Go back inside the blue door and take the now open path to the left to a room with a crusher.Obliterate the golems and access secret number 6.Now go across the room to some stairs leading up and find yourself atop the third waterfall.Don't forget secret 7 on your way.Press the switch on the third waterfall's pond opening the two doors in between the starting waterfall, then fall down.Secret 8 has opened by now.Go inside either of the two opened doors and into an azure brick room.Take out the iron lich there, then step up on the altar to open the way to the exit (and an unfortunate cultist.)Before you finish the level be sure to get secret 9.

Secrets

 * 1) At the very beginning of the map, use the rocky wall just right of your starting position for a hidden area with a hellstaff and a tome of power.
 * 2) Just opposite to you as you enter the yellow door temple you can see a stone wall with two banners."Use" the space between them to reveal a secret opening containing a crossbow.
 * 3) As you enter the corridor-like area inside the small green wall themed dungeon behind the wooden doors, take a turn to the right on the very first possible opening and open the wall to a hidden room with a backpack.
 * 4) As you walk down the underground barrel area inside the same dungeon you will notice a trident-scarved wall on your left.Open it for a tome of power and some imps.
 * 5) In the caged room with the undead warriors and the three switches, press the banner-covered wall between the two switches to open a small room with yet another skeleton and the gauntlets.
 * 6) At the right (as you enter always) wall of the room with the crusher you can see a red banner between two blue ones.Use it to open a room with an imp and a tome of power.
 * 7) As you go up the third waterfall from the crusher room, notice a wall with a bone-like, different texture from the others.Open it for the wings of wrath.
 * 8) After you progress a bit on the level, a secret area will open right next to the right green door below the hangar, containing a mystic urn.
 * 9) If you follow the western corridor to the final room with the exit you will notice a falcon symbol on your right.Use it to open a small room with a map scroll and a switch.The switch will lower the nearby wall back to secret 1.