The Whispering Abyss

Description

The Whispering Abyss is a region of the ocean, approximately 50 miles in diameter, which is situated directly between the Dreaming Wastes and the island of Geldoth. The region is easily identifiable by the pitch black waters, but if you've gone far enough to hear the whispering, it's already too late for you. When one enters the Whispering Abyss, all survival instinct leaves you as what sounds like whispering below the waves begins to assault your senses. The voices tell sailors to jump overboard and drown themselves; and without fail, they do. Some hold out longer, horrified when they see their crewmates jumping overboard and not resurfacing. There was no warning of this anomaly, as typically the Sorcerer's Cabal investigates new Wellspring anomalies, but the eruption they associated with this anomaly was actually responsible for the creation of The Gloom on Lodis. The sorcerers who came to investigate the anomaly did not do so with care, and succumbed to it.

The only reason the world knows of the Whispering Abyss' existence is because of Adamants; those who are inexplicably immune to the maddening effects of the whispers. However, immunity to its effects is a hazard all on its own, due to the nature of the Whispering Abyss, and its true source -- The Deep One.

Domain of The Deep One

The Whispering Abyss, in truth, is not a Wellspring anomaly, but the domain of the deity known as The Deep One, a malevolent entity that coincidentally appeared at the same time as the Wellspring eruption that created The Gloom on Lodis. The Whispering Abyss is his region of influence, and he has the ability to directly assault those within the area. He targets the mind, selectively erasing knowledge from his victims' minds so that they forget things like the fact that jumping overboard is a bad idea; that you should hold your breath underwater; that you should swim to the surface when you run out of breath. He warps the mind so you believe it's in your best interest to cast yourself overboard, and only an Adamant can resist.

The Deep One has been known to command his Fathomless to approach inexperienced sailors, offering false nautical charts to bring them to their destination, sending them directly through the Whispering Abyss. More seasoned sailors have caught wind of this and put out warnings in Tarmadon, but every once in a while, either someone ignores the advice thinking the saved time or tales of secret island treasure is too good to pass up, or someone misses the memo, and they wind up dead.