ancient and wicked magics of the Netherese failed, this
city plummeted from the sky; the chunks and slabs of
stone scattered about the site are not natural terrain, but
are the shards of that disc.MY ONLY VISIT
I have been to the Warlock's Crypt but once, in the
days of my youth before I knew better. I was hired by
Daerismun Aerath, one of the Avowed-the esteemed
scholar-monks of Candlekeep-to guide him there. He
was writing a treatise on the place and desired firsthand
experience of the locale. Fresh as I was from Evereska,
I'd never heard the warnings of the wise regarding this
site. I am either extraordinarily beloved of Solonor, or
stupidly lucky, to hav;e made it back out alive. Tragically,
Daerismun was not so fortunate.
As we approached, this ruined cityscape seemed
uninhabited. Its expanse is fairly limited, and consists
almost entirely of a mess of destroyed buildings and
massive boulders.
The central towers were apparently preserved by
some aspect of their magical construction-which isn't
to say that they were entirely unaffected by the crash.
Upon closer inspection, one of the central towers has a
great crack running along its western edge, and several
of the others display a degree of damage.
As we came even closer to the towers, they appeared
to be anything but abandoned. In their windows flick-
ered occasional eldritch lights, and on their sides we
could see indistinct shapes scampering across the sur-
face. These buildings were crafted to appear as though
clad in black mail, made of overlapping plates and
slightly discordant, off-center architecture creating the
impression of joints that might bend at any moment.
The towers, joined in a rough circle by walls of smooth
black stone, form a perimeter around the heart of the
Crypt-which can be seen only from a terrifyingly close
vantage. Obscured and protected by the towers are sev-
eral strange plots of land: some barren, others overrun
with twisted, thorny flora not found in nature. Rail-less
bridges connect these towers at various points, and all
of them spiral around the heart: that which is reputedly
the demesne of the lich-king Larloch himself, who has
also been called the Shadow King.
THREATS AND DEFENSES
I warn you: do not come to this place. And if you must,
do not tarry, for its defenders are brutal and blood-
thirsty, as inimical to life as any plague or poison, and
they take delight in the suffering of those who come into
their reach.
This place is rife with undead, of all varieties. In
addition to the Shadow King, the Crypt houses several
other liches, undead sorcerous vassals to Larloch. He
calls upon their power when he has need, but other-
wise leaves them alone to conduct the experiments and
plots he demands of them. Though he once bound their
influence tightly, reports suggest he has begun giving
them a greater lead on their leashes, for magical horrors
that could well be the result of their experiments have
been seen unleashed in the Troll Hills and Troll Forest
around the ruins.
Such monstrosities are also common prowling the
ruins of the Crypt itself. During my brief sojourn into
this place, I identified several creatures that likely
began their lives as griffons, owlbears, trolls, and even
a beholder, but they had become twisted and nearly
unrecognizable. What it is these liches do to these crea-
tures is a question for minds far more wise than mine-I
know only that the first such abomination I fought
nearly killed me, and I barely escaped from the others
we sighted.
The Crypt has defenses other than monsters, as
well. My companion Daerismun asserted that it was
protected with layers of "spell webs," constructions of
magical energy waiting to unleash spells against those
who stumbled into them. I had the terrible opportunity
to see one of them in action, when the Avowed scholar
unknowingly breached one of those so-called webs
and set off a ball of fire, which ignited with himself at
its center.
As one might imagine, this blast drew the attention
of all manner of twisted predators and hungry undead,
which came forth to investigate. I don't know how these
creatures kept from being caught in these traps, or if
they had simply dwelt here long enough to know how to
avoid them. Before I could give the matter any thought, I
was forced to flee, and I don't intend to ever return.LUSKAN
Anyone who goes to Luskan should know about its
ruling Ships and the Arcane Brotherhood. The Ships
of Luskan have been described as bands of pirates, but
that characterization misses how deeply ingrained the
Ships are to the society of Luskan and the mentality of
its citizens. Attack a Ship member and you might incur
not just the wrath of the Ship, but of much of the city
as well. As for the Arcane Brotherhood, one member of
it may or may not come to another's aid, but know that
each of these egotistical mages is eager to prove his or
her magical prowess, and none can afford to show weak-
ness before the folk of Luskan.
Luskan, the City of Sails, spans the icy River Mirar,
which tumbles from the Spine of the World, races past
Mirabar, and then plunges toward the sea. The swift
river has cut deep here, and Luskan rests atop two
escarpments on either side, with sheer, forty-foot bluffs
of gray stone rising above the water. Around the city's
perimeter, thick stone walls with squat towers provide
defense. The southern gate, called the Twin Teeth,
boasts the most impressive towers, standing twice as
tall as the city walls, and bedecked with crenellations
and arrow slits enough for numerous defenders, in a
show of strength toward the southern approach.THE SHIPS
Within the city walls and on the nearby waters, Luskan
is ruled by its Ships and their five High Captains:- First High Captain Beniago Kurth
Second High Captain Barri Baram - Third High Captain Dagmaer Suljack
- Fourth High Captain Throa Taerl
Fifth High Captain Hartouchen Rethnor