Page 97 - D&D - Player's Handbook

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