D&D Online: Shadows of Stormreach, Chapter Six

Eberron creator Keith Baker has released a sixth chapter to his story created exclusively for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach.

The sounds weren’t coming from behind her. They weren’t the voices of her friends. They didn’t seem to be coming from any one direction. Shadow wasn’t even sure if she was hearing them or if the voices were entirely in her mind. When she tried to focus on the words, she found that she couldn’t hear anything. But the moment she let her attention slip away, the sound began again, and she had a nagging certainty the voices were talking about her.

“Try to ignore it.” This voice was crisp and clear. This was one of Petra’s magical gifts. “The effect is a minor telepathic projection. It may be derived from an object-much like the organic key we found earlier-or the barriers between the worlds may be weak in this place. These could be the voices of Xoriat, and if so, listening to them could be a path to insanity.”

Shadow shuddered, and she heard or felt the voices titter and laugh. Xoriat was said to be the source of all madness, and thinking of the warped warforged and the strange hatchway, the thought that this place might be touched by an unearthly force seemed all too plausible. She continued on, doing her best to ignore the mocking whispers. Soon the hall curved to the west. Patterns of light and shadow suggested that a larger chamber lay around the corner and that there was activity within.