Skullport
Skullport, was a subterranean city located far below Waterdeep, within the 3rd level of Undermountain known as the Sargauth Level. While rumors of this subterranean domain of villainy persisted throughout the surface world, few of its inhabitants had any knowledge of any points of entry.
Demographics
Everyone who dosen't fit in in Waterdeep
Government
The Xanathar Guild .
Defences
Ballistas and Flame Cannons.
Districts
Guilds and Factions
- Bregan D’Aerthe (CN)
- House Auvryndar, Sargauth Division (CE)
- Legion of Azrok (LN)
- Protectors of the Song (CG)
- Xanathar Guild .
- The Fangs (NE)
- Keepers (N)
- Muses of Misery (CE)
- The Patches (LN)
- Street Scrapers (N)
- The Unseen (LE)
- The Violet Iris (CE)
History
In ancient days, long before the establishment of Waterdeep, or even the coming of Halaster, there was an empire called Netheril, which commanded magics so great as to challenge the gods themselves. They created countless enclaves throughout their massive empire, including floating cities held aloft by crystalline reliquaries of magic known as Mythallars. One such enclave, though its true name is lost to time, is referred to as the Sargauth Enclave, and was built around the subterranean Sargauth River. Using magics not unlike the great Elven Mythals (fields which allowed the rules of magic to be bent in their range), the Netherese built a massive underground city, supported by the magics of a Mythal they called The Mantle. To facilitate their creation, the Netherese magi connected the Sargauth River to the South Seacaves by creating a massive system of magical locks, allowing transport to and from the surface.
In the Sargauth Enclave, isolated from the surface world, Netherese Arcanists pushed the boundaries of magic beyond any known limits, and their experiments yielded extraordinary new discoveries. But far away, in the Empire of Netheril, another Arcanist had pushed the boundaries of magic so far as to attempt to achieve godhood. Karsus, a Netherese Arcanist working on the surface, had invented a spell to attempt to steal the power of Mystryl, the god of magic at the time. Immediately after casting the spell, the Weave, which was being held together by Mystryl, began to fray and twist, causing serious surges and fluctuations of magic, ripping the Empire of Netheril apart, in an event known as Karsus’ Folly (-339 DR). In an effort to save the weave, Mystryl sacrificed herself, and as a result, all magic ceased to function for a short time. Not long after, Mystryl would be reincarnated as Mystra. As the Sargauth Enclave was being maintained by The Mantle, the sudden influx of wild magic and dead magic zones from the death of Mystryl caused massive collapses in the area, and the resultant surges wiped out almost every single creature in the Sargauth Enclave. The Mantle, which had become deeply twisted, attempted to save its people from destruction, as its original purpose entailed, and this resulted in 13 Netherese Arcanists being transformed into flameskulls, bound to The Mantle. When the dust settled, the many wards that the Netherese Arcanists had placed on the Sargauth Enclave to protect from encroachments disappeared. As a result, the Melairkyn Dwarves, who had already been carving out homes in what would later become Mount Waterdeep, entered the enclave and found the ruins. At once, they began cleaning them up and turning them into a new home.
For centuries, the Melairkyn lived in the Sargauth Enclave, until in 34 DR, a swell of drow swept into their homeland, and overwhelmed thedwarves, slaying King Melair IV, the last chief ofthe Melairkyn. The dwarves retreated desperately until they had no land left to hold, and though their fate is unknown, they have not been heard from since 211 DR. Stories tell of a Lost Level in Undermountain, sealed by Dumathoin himself, that still shelters some vestige of the Melairkyn people. The drow have lived in various portionsof Undermountain ever since, but the arrival of Halaster Blackcloak in 168 DR, and the subsequent massacres, known as Halaster’s Hunts, exterminated massive numbers of drow and duergar. An apprentice of Halaster, a necromancer named Shradin Mulophor, discovered the ruins of the Sargauth Enclave in 1148 DR and claimed them as his own. He stimulated trade with the Underdark and the surface, and over 25 years, turned Skullport into a thriving port city. By 1369, however, Shradin had gone quite mad, and during Halaster’s Higharvestide, a period of Halaster’sabsence from Undermountain, the Skulls hunted down and seemingly destroyed the old, rambling necromancer. Supposedly, Shradin turned into a pale, red mist when he was killed, which floated down into the drains of Skullport. With this, the Skulls ruled Skullport unchallenged for over a century, until a strange and unexplained change in their behaviour caused them to go senile and aimless in 1487 DR. This “happened” to coincide with an attack by the Xanathar Guild, in which they drove out the slavers of the Iron Ring and the drow of House Tanor’thal, who had been major players in the oligarchy of Skullport, taking power for themselves. They have held this power for five years, and as of 1492 DR, Skulkers are deeply unhappy with the tyranny that has gripped Skullport. The population has rapidly plummeted, and even slavers and illithids are often choosing to take their business elsewhere rather than chance an alliance with the capricious crime lord Xanathar. (Gotten from Skullport, Shadow of Waterdeep)
Architecture
Old and build on each other. Like a big spiderweb.
Founding Date
Unknown
Alternative Name(s)
The Port of Shadows
Type
Town
Inhabitant Demonym
Skulkers
Location under
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Related Reports (Secondary)
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