I don't know why this happens - since I haven't been posting for quite some time here, at first I thought I was missing some new size attribute for the "imgur" tag, but none of those that I found by searching around appear to work. And I also noticed that the "img" tag seems disabled, I don't know why.
I apologize in advance for this - and if you have suggestions on how to fix image embedding, I'm all ears!!
EDIT 2026-01-13: I just found this post that clarified all that I needed. Image display should be as originally intended now.
Hello ZDOOM forums! It's been a while.
I am writing here again to present a new modification that I have created for Heretic:
The Sidhess
Abstract
After seeing and trying out so many modifications that reinterpreted the original DOOM arsenal - adding cosmetic and functional details of all kinds - at one point I decided that even Heretic would have deserved some kind of "remaster" of its original weapons. I got inspired by the many custom resources created over time by the community, and while I already enjoyed trying out more complex ideas for Heretic before, this time I wanted to make it "simple" and "linear" (the final product has some complexity of its own anyway, but it's all in terms of small tactical details implied by each weapon's damage type or peculiar behavior).
The premise (AKA "my minimal attempt at introductory lore"
)Parthoris, the motherland of the Elven race, is in danger. An alien authority only known as "The Evocator" - apparently coming from an outer reality - has set its sight on the home of all Sidhe and invaded, bringing its own extraneous creatures, and corrupting many of the native lifeforms. One brave Sidhess dares to stand against the threat: known for her speed and prowess with Sidhe magical arms, she is trying to repel the invasion and avenge all of her comrades that already fell under the brutal alien aggression.
The Sidhess' Arms
The Sidhess enjoys a compact, albeit "all-new" set of weapons.
At start:
Elvenstave
The wooden staff that every Sidhe native receives during his (or her!) hazing ritual - a personal tool more than a weapon. Being light and swift, the Elvenstave allows for strings of quick melee attacks.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, slam it on the ground to emanate a wave of energy that crawls on the ground in all directions.
Elven Spear
A Spear is the standard-issue ranged weapon of all Sidhe warriors. Its attacks can quickly strike from far away, but their power is modest, albeit pure and equally effective against all creatures.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, the wielder can summon a curtain of hollow fire all around that shields from incoming attacks and destroys most trespassers in an instant. Unfortunately, the rite requires to stand still...
Acquired later:
Aether Arbalest
The preferred assault weapon of Sidhe ranks, this magical arbalest fires bolts that engulf their targets in flames of purifying green fire. Minor foes are neutralized in a single shot - provided that all spreading bolts in a round connect.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, the weapon hurls a seeking blob of acid that defiles its victim and tears it apart in an explosion of green goo.
DragonTalon
Forged in gold, with three individual dragon claws nestled on its head, the DragonTalon can control the power of electricity. The Sidhess can use it to unleash a stream of infinitely-fast charges against her enemies. Each zap has the added benefit of stunlocking the target creature in place, though results may vary.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, the sceptre emits a streak of electricity that connects from one target to another, with great power; however, this firing mode is very ammunition-hungry.
Hellspine
This magical artifact is made out of a demon's horned skull, carved inside to host the wielder's hand. Its cursed power makes it a cannon of disintegrating magic missiles - when a creature is killed using it, no remains are left behind.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, the artifact changes its offensive pattern completely: it launches one single, slow agglomerate of morphing missiles that deflagrates upon first impact. Each derived projectile can turn most creatures into either chicken or pig, making them defenseless to further attacks.
Phoenix Lance
The culmination of Sidhe forgery and alchemic knowledge, a Phoenix Lance is a formidable explosive weapon. Use it to propel a mighty phoenix-shaped fireball that explodes on its target.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, it generates an arcing meteor that brings along a large wave of fire and explosions, easily clearing out the battlefield in a single pass.
IronHead
Proof that not all of the Elven arsenal does rely on magic alone, this is one of the finest examples of Parthoris' technological advancement.
The weapon feeds on so-called "gyrospheres", that can be used in two ways:
- the primary fire has one of them digging the ground ahead until it finds an unsurmountable obstacle; once that happens, it springs up and explodes. The rumbling turmoil caused by the digging device makes all creatures on its path fly out in the air for a few seconds;
- the alternate fire can lob a gyrosphere as a proximity mine - once armed, the metal ball shall explode as soon as any creature approaches it, or any attack hits it.
Tome Of Fire and Ice
An enchanted codex that grants the power to control fire and ice. Hold it to unleash a stream of flames from the palm of your hand.
Under the effects of a Tome Of Power, reverse the nature of its attacks, and hurl the source of a storm: upon first impact, the storm will develop for a short time, pulling anything around towards itself and frosting it in the process.
The Sidhess' Exclusive Items
Most of the pickups in "The Sidhess" have been overhauled, and are often more useful than their original counterparts IMHO.
Talisman Of Surprises
A bizarre creation of the alchemists from Parthoris, this talisman embeds three different kinds of power - but only one at a time can consume it. When used, the talisman will randomly choose one among the following:
- Disintegration,
- Freezing,
- Cleansing Fire.
Elixir Of Reflectivity
A mightier replacement for the Ring Of Invincibility, this potion not only grants full invulnerability to any attack, but also reflects everything back at the attacker - thus becoming an offensive resource, beyond being the ultimate form of protection.
Armor items
Several newfangled pieces of armor equipment can now be found across the land of Parthoris:
- Iron Bracers
: +5 points of 50%-absorbing armor - Sacred Helm
: +10 points of 50%-absorbing armor - Phoenix Shield
: full 100 points of 50%-absorbing armor, plus immunity to any kind of fire damage for 60 seconds - Gold Mesh
: quite rare, but provides 250 points of 75%-absorbing armor
This scorpion-shaped blue statuette somehow embeds one whole swarm of these sacred creatures. Once deployed on the ground, it will unleash several scorpions that will immediately start jumping and stinging at hostile creatures; they will keep attacking anything in range for about sixty seconds before dissolving. Beware of standing nearby one of these artifacts without picking them up - their energy radiations can easily hurt you multiple times at close range.
Sheltering Medallion
Once activated, this carriable defense artifact can absorb half of almost any form of damage taken - and even return some to the offender.
Ring Of The Owl
Aptly-named, for it creates an azure aura of light around the wielder once activated, to make dark areas a bit clearer.
Greed Chalice
The magical filter contained in this chalice has a wicked, yet potentially useful effect - it can turn absorbed damage into magical ammunition refilling for your magical weapons. When using it, try to balance the amount of taken damage that you need for supplies with what you can actually tolerate for your sake!
Warfare Sack
This is another quite rare, simple yet effective pickup - it basically replenishes all of your ammunition up to the current maximum carrying capacity.
Wondrous Purse
The rarest ammunition-filling artifact that can be found during your quest, it augments your maximum carrying capacity for almost any supply every time you pick one up.
Health items
More beneficial supplies can now be spotted around:
- Silver Pome
: +25 health points, for a maximum of 200 - Golden Drupe
: +5 health points on the limit regularly refillable with vials or flasks, for a maximum total increase of 100, and full restore - Food Barrels
: can be found among generic barrel storage areas - once broken, a barrel can drop one or more food items to replenish your health level up to the regular maximum
A special variation of the well-known magical map scroll, that also reveals the presence of creatures.
The Sidhess' Opposition
Aside from old infestations of Parthoris now having got meaner in variants and aggressiveness...
Several new creatures have been brought over by this invasion from outer reality, and other existing ones have been corrupted into new and unpredictable forms.
Fiend and Armored Fiend
These furred abominations infest many places in Parthoris, but individual specimens can only attack with their claws and do not represent a significant threat - save for their speed.
Armored variations are definitely more annoying, though: beyond being more resistant to damage, they also wield magical shields that can reflect projectile attacks, and launch fireballs.
Pyrite Beast
A bipedal, bull-horned mouth whose flesh seems hardened by the flames of Hell. They bite is dangerous, and their leap is aggressive.
Dusk Friar
As if Disciples Of D'sparil weren't already repulsive enough, they have now been corrupted into these eldritch creatures by the outer alien influence. They can use their tentacles to attack when in proximity or hurl their strings of evil from a distance. Plus, they often translate around fast, making it harder to hit them.
Slytherian
A distant evolutionary relative of the Fiend, the Slytherian as a species seems to have developed itself in combination with native reptilians. These half-humanoid, half-snake beasts crawl quite slowly, but their venom-based attacks keep stinging even after they have hit you - being attacked by two or more at the same time can be deadly in no time.
Greater Undead Warrior
This heavier-equipped variant of Undead Warrior is armed with disintegrating magical axes, and he also likes to retaliate using them every time it gets attacked. Be sure to defeat it first when it shows up among the armies of the undead.
Flaming Gargoyle
The "Flaming" variant of Gargoyles seems like the result of a cursed marriage with the fire element. These pestering critters can be easily recognized by the flaming aura around their body, and do not like to charge like their weaker cousins, but rather target their victims with multiple fireballs at once. Be sure to avoid standing close, or you will suffer their full attack at once.
Netherpreacher
The higher ranks of D'sparil's court resisted the effects of the alien authority better than others, but they lost their flying ability, and had their magical powers confined to one specific elemental domain. They attack with large electricity balls and can disappear from sight at their will. But it seems that they cannot stand fire...
Blackbelly
Once much smaller, very common arachnids populating the forests of Parthoris, these ones have been heavily affected by the alien presence that came from outside. They are now large and very aggressive, and attack both with their bite, and their acid spit. Luckily they cannot stand much damage, and the lymph they disseminate seems actually quite nourishing to elves, even with some collateral effect. Should be dispatched quickly in any case.
False Prophet
As faithful servants of the Serpent Riders, these Wiccans had always been craving for the highest powers - but now, the newcomer alien entity has doomed them forever, taking away the lower half of their body. They float around slowly but their stream of eldritch fire is unforgiving. To make matters worse, they like to exploit their necromancy arts on whatever cadaver they can find.
Ash Maiden
The towering, upset female equivalent of a Maulotaur. The Ash Maiden wields a giant hammer too and likes to launch ponderous waves of exploding fire that can kill in one round. To show off her unparalleled physical might, she often slams the hammer on the ground, generating a small-scale earthquake that can damage all creatures around at good range.
Evocator
Little is known of the alien entity that started this whole new era of darkness on Parthoris. Its true form will be revealed at the very end only...
The Sidhess' Screenshots
Toasting Weredragons with the Arbalest green fire.
Notice the new fullscreen status bar, and the damage indicator (mutuated / transformed from "The Guncaster").
Killing Pyrite Beasts in "Rapids". Also, liquid surfaces have a new appearance.
Showing the new standard / automap statusbars (available for different screen ratios) and the "Magical Atlas" powerup in effect.
Trying to counterattack two Ash Maidens in "The Portals Of Chaos" with a powered-up Phoenix Lance. In the distance, a Flaming Gargoyle is attacking.
The icons in the top-right corner signal that the Tome Of Power and the Elixir Of Reflectivity are being used.
Notice also the new "minimalistic" statusbar.
While one Maiden attacks with an earthquake, I'm trying to hit them with the DragonTalon's powered up lighting.
Attempting to fend off enemy projectiles with the hollow curtain generated by a powered-up Elven Spear.
Facing off against the False Prophet in "The Storehouse".
The Sidhess' Demo Video
- https://dai.ly/x9y6dce (January 08, 2026 version)
The Sidhess' Download
- Upload on January 08, 2026 (tested with / developed on GZDOOM 4.14.2)
The Sidhess' Credits And Inspiration
Many sources! Ichor's work as usual, the spritework of osjclatchford, Eriance / Amuscaria and Neoworm, gameplay ideas from Heretical DOOM, Walpurgis, The Guncaster... It's even hard for me to remember them all.
As for credits, I am trying to build up a more complete list and I will update the post with it for the final version of the modification.
Please enjoy! As usual, let me know your impressions and suggestions for the modification!
I will soon provide a credits list - plus, I already have a few things that I'd still like to complete on this:
- GLDEFS
- Brightmaps
- A separate GZDOOM menu for all of The Sidhess' configurations
- A new logo
- ...
But I've just uploaded a demo video of this first version (if you pardon my low playing skills 
) - I hope you can access DailyMotion: