Luskan
City in Sword Coast North · the City of Sails
Luskan is a hard, lawless port at the mouth of the River Mirar, ruled by pirate captains and long feared for its wizards' guild, the Arcane Brotherhood.
Cold wind snaps the sails of pirate ships in a grey harbour, while dark streets below the broken Hosttower echo with dockside brawls and whispered deals.
Luskan at a glance
- Also known as
- the City of Sails
- Type & size
- Large port city, About 4,000 (1480 DR), down from about 14,000 in 1372 DR
- Allegiance & rule
- Allegiance: Independent and outside the Lords' Alliance; distrusted by its neighbours
- Ruled by: The High Captains, each commanding one of the ships whose crews control the city
- People & culture
- Mostly humans of Northlander stock, with many half-orcs and sailors from every coast; harsh, violent and suspicious of authority
- Key exports & trade
- Weapons
- Netherese artifacts recovered from ruins
- Plunder and smuggled cargo
Overview
Luskan is the northernmost great port of the Sword Coast. Ships sail from here to the Moonshae Isles and to the islands of Ruathym, its old rival, and caravans head inland toward Mirabar and the long road to Icewind Dale.
The city is ruled by its High Captains, each the master of one of the city's ships and of the crews and streets loyal to it. Their rivalry makes Luskan dangerous and changeable, and the other cities of the North treat it with suspicion.
The Hosttower
For a long time Luskan was dominated by the Arcane Brotherhood, whose seat, the Hosttower of the Arcane, was shaped like a great tree of stone. The Hosttower was destroyed, and its ruin still marks the city's skyline. Beneath Luskan lie the older ruins of Illusk, the city that stood here before it.
In adventures
Luskan suits parties who need a ship with no questions asked, a fence for stolen goods or a contact among smugglers. Drow mercenaries and pirates both have interests here.
At the table
- A High Captain offers passage north in exchange for one job against a rival crew.
On the map
Roads from Luskan
- Blackford CrossingRoad · 25 mi
- NeverwinterRoad · 130 mi
- Port LlastBy sea · 75 mi
- FireshearBy sea · 151 mi
- Bryn ShanderBy sea · 300 mi
- IronmasterBy sea · 301 mi
- ThornholdBy sea · 374 mi
Regions nearby
- Neverwinter WoodForest · ~19 mi south-east
Nearby places
- Blackford CrossingTown · ~18 mi
- Port LlastPort · ~61 mi
- Mount HotenowLair · ~89 mi
- GauntlgrymDungeon · ~91 mi
- Raven RockTown · ~99 mi
- Morgur's MoundTown · ~109 mi
Distances as the crow flies, measured on our map.