Cabal

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Cabal is a series of maps by Sverre André Kvernmo (Cranium). They were to eventually become a 32-map megawad, but when he was contracted to contribute to the Master Levels for Doom II, he sent the twelve maps he had already finished for this project. Five were kept, and the other seven were later released as the Cabal series.

Levels[edit]

While the complete level progression for the original 32-map megawad project is unknown, Kvernmo would later go on to define a new map order for the Works of the Masters, after being inquired about it.

Story[edit]

Each WAD's text file begins with a brief plot summary. In it, the protagonist is not the usual space marine, but a former cyberdemon lord turned human.

You once were the biggest and baddest cyber-demon to rule hell and you spear-headed the council that governed the underworld; "the Cabal". Betrayed by the other members you find yourself not only dismantled, but also a victim of the utmost demonic humiliation: You've been morphed into a human! Of course you're out for revenge and have to kick the other members of the Cabal's butts one by one.

The story text afterwards are ordered as such based on their contents. Only three maps, The Watchtower, Temple of Death, and Bad Dream, have no additional story text:

Bloodsea Keep
"Bloodsea Keep" is the home of your past advisor; Veavitdpoh (Very Evil Arch-Vile In The Deepest Parts of Hell). Veavitdpoh is an old-school demon that believes in the rip-out-heart-routine and so shuns all use of technology and mechanical weaponry. His cult following has grown the last century but still amounts to little. Unless you face them alone of course...
After being dumped into the endless "Sea of Blood" following your humiliating transformation into a human you swim for an eternity before you finally bump your head against the pier of the keep. Digging your feet into the mud of human remains your hand brushes by an old blood-soaked shotgun, the previous owner's severed hand still attached to it. All who enter "Bloodsea Keep" with such items fall victim to your former advisor's favourite past-time: Torture. Any "heretics" still alive inside the keep should be homicidal maniacs at best. "That's OK" you think, "maybe they brought some more ammo for the shotgun", before cocking the rusty pump-action, causing an eyeball to fly out of the cartridge...
Derelict Station
Just having escaped the Sea of Blood you have sought out a derelict building in the search for arms & equipment. Unfortunately the station isn't as abandoned as you thought.
Bloodflood
You have come upon one of the Cabal's blood-depoes [sic]. An important element in any powerful black magic is huge amounts of blood. Emptying the depoe's tanks into the nearby river you will have struck your first blow against the Cabal.
Mephisto's Maosoleum
In Mephisto's Maosoleum [sic] you have reached the grave of an old friend and mentor: "Mephisto". Yeah old Lucy was a tough bastard. But then there was that incident with the earthling marine which lost him a lot of credit in the hard-core parts of Hell. So you had to kick him off the throne of course. His immortal spirit was kept as a member of the Cabal though and so he was in on the betrayal against you. Time to enter his tomb and lay the old man down to rest for good...
We who are About to Die
The Cabal has started striking back at you. That last gateway should have taken you... well somewhere else. Not to an arena where thousands of humans have lost their souls to hungry demons. As you get ready for the first wave of hellspawned gladiators you swear to blast the emperor's thumbs off before he can even think about turning them down on you...
The Express Elevator to Hell
When the "Express Elevator to Hell" starts descending the renegade Cabal has begun to realize you might be a threat to them, human or not. Half way down the shaft that should have taken you to the deepest pits of Hell, the lift first slows down before it jerks to a halt. Ambush! Survive the initial onslaught and find a gateway out of the now sealed elevator. Tough, but that's the way you like it...
Eye of the Storm
You find yourself in the remains of an old forttress [sic] after ascending a lift shaft from the mines where you were trapped. Signs of unlife is evident but from what you know of this place it should pose no great threat to you. It used to be the centre of a Cacodemon empire that perished some 665 yeaes [sic] ago. Oh, by the way, it's new years eve...
Black Tower
In "Black Tower" you're nearing the end of your journey. You and Chagrin, the ruler of the Black Tower, came off the same conveyor belt as newly assembled cyber-demons a few thousand years back. "Oil runs thicker than blood" the two of you used to say. Demons don't come much closer to friendship than what you and Chagrin shared. Well now your buddy rules the hordes of hell previously under your command and have left you for dead. Your task is simple: Enter the dreaded Black Tower, the nucleus of black magic and the occult in all of Hell, get to its highest floor and slay Chagrin. Then there is the getting back out as well...
Image of Evil
The Image of Evil is a humongous temple created to the honour of the first Demon to slay an angel; Lithlaar. In it you will find the Cybo that now is known as the lord of Hell and his two Soulguards.

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

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