"City of Sails"
Population: 16,000 (humans only!)

Government: Five High Captains: Taerl,
Baram, Kurth, Suljack, and Rethnor, presumed
to be retired pirates.
 

Luskan is a seafaring merchant city, home
to fierce, proud and warlike Northmen.
This important northern port city is located
at the mouth of the river Mirar, a swift and
icy, cold and rocky, unnavigable river.

Although it seeks merchant trade, visitors
are few and often made to feel unwelcome.
This probably has much to do with the fact
that Luskan is a known harbor for northern
pirates, if not an outright sponsor of their
activities. Inns that serve travelers are rare;
The Cutlass, a notorious dive on the docks (a
pirate haven no doubt) and the Seven Sails
Inn are the only known lodgings in the city.

Luskan wages almost constant war
against naval powers that its Captains feel
they can defeat; recently they crushed
Ruathym. In the past, they been defeated by
Mintarn and Orlumbor (supported by
Waterdeep and Amn) and slaughtered on
the seas by the ships of Lantan, who they no
longer even speak of. Luskan warriors
often raid inland, particularly when sea vigilance
makes raiding the coast difficult.

The Zhentarim are said to be attempting
an alliance with Luskan (but it is unknown
as to their success).

Economy: Trade and piracy. In peacetime,
the city?s warships act as ?unsanctioned
? pirates (the High Captains direct them,
but pretend they are independents acting in
defiance of Luskan law), trying to make all
shippers use only Luskan ships or only
Luskan as a port by preying on all other
ships, and on all shipping that visits Waterdeep
(Waterdeep?s navy is on constant
patrol for this).

Militia: The city has a standing army of
200 spearmen, and a navy of 14 warships
(dragonships), armed with 70 archers each.
Luskan is involved in an ?ego? war with
Ruathym. Neither side will admit defeat so
clashes continue. Waterdeep has threatened
involvement if the two nations refuse
to negotiate an end to the conflict.

Luskan Map Key
(map located on inside cover)

1. Reavers Muster Hall. The court of ?Law?
for officially-sanctioned Luskan Pirates. All
booty must be surrendered for inspection
here, with cuts going to the town treasury
and the sponsoring High Captain.

2. Seven Sails Inn

3. The Cutlass (a notorious tavern)

4. Captains' Court (government palace)

5. Taerl's fortress (residence)

6. Suljack's lodge (residence)

7. Baram's palace (residence)

8. Kurth Tower (residence)

9. Ten Oaks (Rethnor's residence)

10. Winter Palace (Temple of Auril)

11. Hall of Warriors (Temple of Tempus)

12. Temple of Red Sails (Umberlee)

13. Red Dragon Trading Lodge & Warehouses

15. Mirabar District. Includes warehouses,
ore bins, refineries and residences owned
(and policed!) by Mirabar mercantile companies.

16. Whitesails Harbor. Busy port used primarily
by foreign craft, which are not
allowed to use Dragon Beach.

17. Dragon Beach. Private harbor of the
High Captains, used by their navies, merchant
vessels and, of course, the pirates
who berth in Luskan.

18. Illusk Ruins. Remnants of ancient Illusk,
used as burial grounds for rich Luskanites
and said to be haunted.

19. Hosttower of the Arcane. This mercantile
company and wizards' guild is composed
primarily of magic-users and is
tolerated only because it has power. While it
presents a unified front to the world, factions
within the Hosttower constantly vie
for power within and without the guild,
allying themselves with the High Captains,
and aiding them in their own internal dealings
(or urging them into war).

The Hosttower is currently under the
guidance of Arklem Greeth, a NE, 15th level
wizard. Arklem's lieutenants are Eldeluc
and Dendybar the Mottled.

The Hosttower contains all manner of
magical items and spellbooks (more than a
few mages have died, leaving their belongings
here). Like any wizards' tower, it is
magically trapped and guarded. Basilisks
and stone golems are said to wander its
halls and storerooms.
 
 

-	-	-	-	-
FR5 The Savage Frontier	-	Forgotten Realms	-	1st Edition AD&D

FR1
A maritime merchant city, Luskan is
fierce, warlike, and proud. An important
port (lying at the mouth of the unnavigable
river Mirar), Luskan serves as the chief
transfer point for the mineral wealth of the
mines of Mirabar (q.v.). The Mirar is fast, icy
cold, and rocky, but a road parallels it inland
to Mirabar, and down this road come many
wagons of forge-bars for the markets of all
Faerun. The perils of both the "High Road"
(along the coast) and the "Long Road" (in the
interior) south from Mirabar relegate most
metal trade to ships out of Luskan.

Luskan's traders ?wear furs, haughty
expressions, and ready swords,? as Sam-
mereza Sulphontis (q.v., Chapter 2) once
put it, and can be found all down the Sword
Coast. The city?s population is approximately
16,000, exclusively human, and they
do not welcome visitors. The only known
accommodations for travelers presently in
the fortified City of Sails are The Cutlass, a
notorious dive on the docks, and the Seven
Sails Inn.

Luskan is ruled by five High Captains,
who command a standing army of two hundred
spearmen, and at least fourteen warships
(each with a crew of 70 archers).
In peacetime, these warships operate as
"unsanctioned" pirates (the High Captains
direct them, but pretend they are independents
operating in defiance of Luskan law)
up and down the Sword Coast, trying to
make all shippers use only Luskan ships or
only Luskan as a port, by preying on all other
ships, and on all shipping that visits
Waterdeep (Waterdeep's fighting ships are
on constant patrol because of this).  Luskan's
"pirates" have no connection with the
pirates of the Pirate Isles sough and west of
Amn.  Luskan has waged almost constant war
against naval powers its Captains feel
they can defeat; recently, they crushed
Ruathym.  In the past, they have raided but
been defeated by Mintarn and Orlumbor
(supported by Waterdeep and Amn) and
slaughtered on the seas by the ships of Lantan,
whom they no longer molest or even
speak of.  The Zhentarim are said to have
tried to negotiate an alliance with Luskan
several times (it is not known if they have at
last succeeded), and adventurers are
advised to keep an eye on this perennial
trouble spot of the North.