Skullport - town

Skullport Overview

In an immense cavern somewhere, below Detroit is the town of Skullport. This cave is roughly 800 feet on the east-west axis, 400 feet on the north-south axis and floor to ceiling varies from 120 feet to 300 feet. Skullport is a port town which can be reached from the surface world by a treacherous passage through passages in the sea caves of the Hollow Cliffs south of Detroit. Skullport can be reached by using a raft or boat to come upstream on the Sargauth River. Skullport can also be reached by transversing any of several twisting caverns, most of which connect to Halaster's Dungeon.

The denizens of Skullport, known as skulkers, are of many races and backgrounds and are largely criminals, outlaws, and pirates. In Skullport, law and order has been replaced by force and intimidation, what is yours is yours for as long as you can keep it. Skullport in its grand heyday was home to a population of 3000, but it is far from those days. The current population is less than 400. The town can be divided into three districts:

• The Port, the region closest to Skull Island

• The Trade Lanes, the region east of the Port

• The Heart, the region in the eastmost portion of the cavern.

Skullport buildings were built wherever the builder felt it was convenient, so the paths between the buildings are a crooked maze. Structures have been built upon other structures, and the upper levels are a maze of catwalks and rigging. Most buildings are decrepit and badly damaged by time and neglect. Many buildings appear ready to topple over. Building materials are scarce and expensive, so a careless homeowner can return from a trip to find part of his home can have been scavenged and sold.
Skullport is always dark, luminous moss and fungi on the walls and some of the buildings abate the darkness somewhat, but skulkers typically carry their own lanterns. In some places the remains of wrought iron lampposts can be seen, where in the past, continual flame spells lit some parts of the port. One consistent source of light is the flickering green werelight of the Thirteen, who hover above the streets.
Skullport thanks to ancient wizards and stonemasons does possess a network of sewer tunnels that dump into the Skull Pool surrounding the Fortress. The town is filthy but not dangerously so.
Long ago, Skullport was the hidden town of thirteen Pirate Lords and there was much more trade and wealth. The Thirteen made some kind of deal for immortality, and eventually instead of dying, became the guardians of Skullport in the form of floating skulls surrounded by green eldritch flames. In the ensuing centuries various factions have held Skullport and the marks of many battles can be seen in the town. The latest faction to establish dominance is Detroit’s Grant Family. The Grant’s forces arrived about a year ago and were able to capture the Fortress on Skull Island and subdue most of the other factions in town. Just prior to the Grant’s arrival the Thirteen began behaving oddly and continue to behave as if the immortals have succumbed to senility.

Alternative Name(s)

Shadow Port

Type

Underground / Subterranean

Location under

Underdark Locations

Included Locations

• The Feathered Rat
• The Flagon and Dragon

Owning Organization

the Grant Crime Family

Contested By

• The Steel Hand

Characters in Location

• Ahmaergo
• Goratrix Vynn
• The Rag Mage
• The Thirteen Skulls of Skullport
• Ulvira Snowveins

Related Reports (Secondary)

• Returning to Halaster's Dungeon Report