Luskan

Luskan, also known as the City of Sails, is a port city on the northernmost point of the Sword Coast. It is considered by most to be the furthest reach of civilization. The Spine of the World Mountains, which mark what most believe to be the end of the known world (in spite of the presence of Ten Towns in Icewind Dale), are just a few miles north of the city.
The City of Sails often conjures romantic images of a magnificent port metropolis, majestic merchant ships with bright sails, and dashing swashbucklers who greet their enemies with a playful wink and a tip of the hat.
In reality, Luskan is anything but that. It's a dirty dive with filthy streets, squat buildings, ramshackle docks, creaky old longships, and crass pirates thinly disguised as sea traders. Rising above the fog and the stench is the Hosttower of the Arcane, home of a league of greedy, power-hungry wizards called the Arcane Brotherhood. Their ghastly tower branches into multiple thinner spires at the top. From a distance, the Hosttower might be mistaken for a giant, leafless tree. To those who have the misfortune of seeing it up close, it looks like a clawed hand bursting out of the ground, each of its fingers a tower with many peering windows.

Government

Five High Captains officially rule the city. Each one is a glorified pirate lord who controls a fleet of longships and leads a faction called "ship" named after its respective captain:

• Ship Taerl
• Ship Baram
• Ship Kurth
• Ship Suljack
• Ship Rethnor

The High Captains encourage the harassment of the trading routes of small cities such as Mirabar, Neverwinter and Ruathym, and make sure to avoid conflict with Waterdeep  and Amn because of their power.
The true power in the city resided with the Arcane Brotherhood, headquartered in the Host Tower of the Arcane. The 130 loosely affiliated mages used the High Captains as puppet rulers, mostly keeping to themselves and working on their own magical experiments.

Defences

As of 1370 DR, Luskan had an army of 300 spearmen and a navy of 19 dragonships. The dragonships are each armed with 70 archers. The North Gate is guarded by soldiers with spears and crossbows; in the winter they wear fur caps.

Industry & Trade

Luskan is the gateway to the lands northward and as such is a perfect market for ore from the Spine of the World and scrimshaw from the Ten Towns in Icewind Dale. Luskan trades silver from Mirabar  and timber from Lurkwood. It also has a good business in dwarven-made weapons.

History

Built on the ruins of the ancient and magical orcish city of Illusk, Luskan is a port town frequented by pirates, thieves and other disreputable folk interested in money. Although life within its walls was dangerous, Luskan was a very lucrative city. Pirates brought in their goods to be sold to the black market, northern traders frequented the place as a rest stop on their way to the Ten Towns during the warmer months, ready to buy exotic scrimshander ornaments, several taverns traded in ale and other spirits, the drugs and slave trades were rife (although obviously sublimated) and information brokers and prostitutes plied their trade during the night-time.

Founding Date

1235 DR

Alternative Name(s)

City of Sails

Type

City

Population

16, 000

Inhabitant Demonym

Luskar