D'Sparil
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D'Sparil is the final boss character in the computer game Heretic. He is the weakest of three Serpent Riders who conquered the nations of Parthoris, and declared the supernatural race of the Sidhe to be forever hunted as heretics to their new Order.
NB: The original Heretic sets the game on Earth, while its sequels have changed the story line to be held on a fictional world called Parthoris. This article will assume the latter is canon, as it spans all but the original game.
[edit] Story
D'Sparil had come to Parthoris with his fellow Serpent Riders, Korax and Eidolon, to completely control the nations of the planet, and to convert its people into unquestioned followers of the Order of the Triad. They had brought peace to the Eastern territories to help reinforce devout faith within their reign. The Serpent Riders had succeeded in their plight to utterly conquer the will of the people, effectively turning them into mindless servants. Thus, Korax and Eidolon left Parthoris, leaving D'Sparil to manage its affairs.
However, not all beings were subject to the spell put on them by the Serpent Riders. The powerful Sidhe Elves remained untouched by the twisted grip of the Order. This prompted D'Sparil to proclaim the Sidhe heretics, as he convened with the kings of Parthoris to send their armies unto the Sidhe, for the sole purpose of destroying every last trace of their existence. The seven armies of Parthoris descended upon the Sidhe as the Elders attempted to abate their assassins. Sacrificing their own lives, the Elders used their powerful magic to annihilate the seven armies of Parthoris.
Scattered and broken, the Sidhe were no longer a threat in the eyes of D'Sparil. One heretic, known later as Corvus, however, refused to live in hiding like the other survivors. Corvus decided to enact his vengeance upon the Serpent Rider himself, as he crossed into the City of the Damned, through Hell's Maw, and into the Dome of D'Sparil, where he met the dark wizard himself. Though D'Sparil proved to be a powerful match for the Heretic, the Serpent Rider was unable to avoid defeat, as Corvus's finishing blow from the Phoenix Rod cast D'Sparil into an orb of blue energy. His body dissipated by the energy field, the weakest of the three Serpent Riders' flesh was ripped apart, his broken skeletal frame falling to the ground where his staff lay.
As he was defeated, so too were his minions. The magical hold on the creatures of the dark wizard's realm had dissolved, and the creatures died en masse as they were freed from D'Sparil's influence. Right before his fall, the Serpent Rider uttered something unintelligible to Corvus, which greatly disturbed the Sidhe Elf. As he returned to Parthoris, Corvus had realized that D'Sparil, in his dying breath, inflicted a curse on him.
[edit] In game
D'Sparil is dressed similar to his Disciples (and also Dark Bishops in HeXen), except that his cloak is entirely red, instead of purple and black. He has the symbol of the Order of the Triad down the front of his cloak - a golden trident. He carries and uses an actual golden trident as a weapon against the Heretic.
D'Sparil starts off on the back of a giant demon-like serpent, hence "Serpent Rider." When on the serpent, his attack against the player is in the form of fireballs that spew from the mouth of the serpent. When enough damage is inflicted, the serpent falls and D'Sparil rises, left to fight the player without his beast. D'Sparil employs three different moves in this phase. Though he tends to walk slowly, he counters his pace with the ability to randomly teleport throughout the arena in which the player fights him. These teleports tend to occur often, especially after being hit by the player's weapons a few times. His main form of attack is the release of blue energy projectiles that come from his golden trident. His other, more indirect form of attack is to summon his Disciples, who in turn attack and distract the player.
When damaged enough, the dark wizard is defeated in a blue electrical field levitating his body, as his flesh is torn apart and his bones fall to the ground below him. Any Disciples left will subsequently die with him.
The Chaos Serpent that D'Sparil rides is featured more extensively in HeXen, another Serpent Riders game.
