Skullport

Skullport, also known as the Port of Shadows, was a teeming hive of evil lying deep beneath Waterdeep within the 3 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.

Description
Built on an ancient Netherese ruin, within an immense subterranean cavern, the shadowy port was a dark reflection of the City of Splendors above. Its structure was built in three tiers, interconnected by narrow catwalks and rickety scaffolding. Creaking houses built on stilts were haphazardly built in a dense network that formed a near shantytown.

Sargauth, Portals, and Port
Skullport lay along the subterranean river Sargauth, which was used as a trade route to the outside world. Over the centuries, several magical portals large enough for entire ships to pass through were built in the cavern walls along this waterway. These portals were said to have been established by Halaster Blackcloak himself.

One such portal, about 400 feet (122 m) east of Skull Island, was only faintly visible as a scratched outline in the stone. Triggering the portal required no special key, just extraordinary confidence on the part of the ship's pilot, since the vessel had to be steered bow-first into the wall. When the bowsprit made contact with the portal, the vessel and all its contents were transported instantly to the middle of the Lapal Sea.

Passage through the locks that separated Skullport from the sea caves of Waterdeep required permission from the Keepers. However, a talented mage could "piggyback" another ship passing through the portal at the same time.

Government
As of 1479 DR most control over day-to-day activities was managed by gangs such as the Lowfellows or the Mandible. Within a few decades, Skullport came under the domain of the being known as Xanathar and became the base of operations for his thieves' guild.

However, the Skulls of Skullport, magically transformed remnants of the original Netherese mages who settled in the cavern, watched closely over trade within the town. Any activities that interfered with the town drew the attention of the Skulls who would impose seemingly random punishments for minor infractions and enslave or destroy offenders for serious crimes.

Organizations

 * The Keepers: Hired mages who raised ships through the magical locks that led from the port to the sea caves south of Waterdeep.

14 century

 * Iron Ring:

15 century

 * The Fray: Thirteen mages who helped the Fourteenth Skull maintain what was left of the Mantle.
 * The Mandible: The most influential gang in town.
 * The Reforged Ring: An unpopular ring of criminals that dealt in slavery.
 * The Riverborn: Disorganized group of pirates.

Inhabitants
Considered part of the Underdark, it was a lawless place of slave traders, pirates, and demihumans, which trafficked with illithids, drow, beholders and other less savory creatures beneath the surface. Inhabitants of Skullport were known as "Skulkers".

Notable Inhabitants

 * Skulls of Skullport:
 * These thirteen ancient flameskulls defended the town of Skullport since its founding. They were remnants of the ancient Sargauth Enclave of Netheril, having lost all touch with reality over their millennia spent beneath Faerûn. Their consciousness could not differentiate their current existence with that of their past and considered themselves the rulers of Skullport.


 * Fourteenth Skull - The legendary 14 floating skull that was actually the spirit of a drow.
 * Moriana Duskwalker - Eladrin and former pirate captain
 * Naren Dafyre - Merchant
 * Nhyris D'Hothek - Abomination and former yuan-ti
 * The Blind - Pitiful old beholder
 * Zstulkk Ssarmn

The Crown
The upper tier of Skullport, this area was home to pirate captains and wealthier merchants prior to the city's abandonment after the Spellplague.
 * Crookspar Parlor: A gambling den in the highest part of the Crown.
 * Dumathion's Jest: This establishment was run by the gem-appraiser Ygarra Urmbaalt.
 * The High Tide: The largest alehouse in Skullport as of the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR.
 * Nightshade's Caress: An apothecary shop run by the mummy known as Nightshade.
 * Overflowing Urn: Listing to one side, this shop offered flasks and oil under the ownership of the shopkeep Garryth.
 * Tanor'thal Refuge: The stronghold of House Tanor'Thal resembled a gargantuan upside-down spider that overlooked all of Skullport.
 * Worm's Gullet: This restaurant was located within the hollowed-out carcass of a petrified purple worm.

The Venter
The cramped middle tier of Skullport that contained most of its buildings.
 * Bat's Roost: What was formerly a particularly seedy tavern during the 14 century DR, the Roost had evolved into a fighting den.
 * Dalagar's Fortress: The former mansion of the malevolent warrior Dalagar was repurposed as a hideout by the Harpers.
 * Keel Hall: This abandoned festhall had since been taken over by the Zhentarim.
 * The Lanternlighter's: This specialty shop offered lanterns to the people of Skullport.
 * Nine Bells: An enormous warehouse that served as a market in the late 15 century.
 * Pick and Lantern: A rather successful tavern that was favored by the sailors and skulldiggers of Skullport.
 * Poisoned Quill: The owner of this shop was a master forger and elderly archmage named Tasselgryn Velldarn.
 * Sargauth's Bounty: This shop specialized in junk that had been salvaged from the waters of the River Sargauth.
 * Twinbeard's Traps: Located in the center of the Venter, this building was the workshop of Thorvin Twinbeard master trapsmith of Xanathar's Thieves' Guild.

The Dredge
The lowest level of Skullport was dank slum, whose streets were littered with garbage. Many of its buildings were completely abandoned.
 * Black Tankard: This small, filthy tavern fell under the domain of Xanathar and his thieves guild.
 * Dark Harvest market: A number of duergar sold food they had harvested from throughout the Underdark within this shop.
 * Dead Man's Corner: Within this dilapidated shop, the sea hag Olive Stillwater sold zombies that had been formed from the corpses of humans.
 * Feathered Rat: This peculiar pet store was run by the half-elven Harper spy Ulvira Snowveins.
 * Flagon and the Dragon: Of a higher class than the nearby Black Tankard, this establishment was run by a particularly knowledgeable drow woman named Cal'al Claddani.
 * The Grand Hoist: An unfinished, and possibly misguided project to build a hoist to transport goods from Skullport to Waterdeep.
 * Guts and Garters: Run-down and grimy, this establishment was the last-known inn to exist in Skullport as of the 15 century.
 * Gyudd's distillery: This tall, three-story stone building featured a number of ales and wines of varying quality.
 * Kreel's fishery: A group of buildings in the Dredge where fish were processed for sale.
 * Scupperden: The only eatery in the Dredge featured a single dish of fish-and-mushroom stew.
 * Sea Chest: This shop, which once sold a variety of chests and strongboxes, was abandoned following the untimely devouring of its proprietor's brain.
 * Sword and Sextant: The halflings that run this map shop long sought to procure any maps that accurately portrayed the layout of Undermountain.
 * Thimblewine's Pawnshop: Originally run by the cheerful fence Thimblewine, this shop was taken over by his niece Krystaleen following his death.

Skull Island
Located south of Skullport proper, within the Sargauth River across the Murkspan Bridge, this small isle was a well-defended fortress held by Xanathar's Thieves Guild. Its seat of power was the Tower of the Seven Woes, which served as the home to the half-ogre commander Sundeth for some time.

Other locations

 * Hall of Mental Splendor: A small stronghold that housed a cadre of psionic spies that worked on contract, led by Vhondryl.
 * Snake Pit: The Snake Pit was located in the heart of Skullport's mercantile district. Its walls were carved with images of serpents and scales, and two powerfully muscled, snake-tailed yuan-ti stood guard at its gates. It was the residence of Zstulkk Ssarmn, a prominent slaver of the Iron Ring consortium.  The cavern housed the temple where Zstulkk Ssarmn led his yuan-ti brood in worship of Sseth.
 * The Threads: A series of tunnels north of the main cavern.

History
Skullport's history dated back centuries to a group of Netherese mages known as the Sargauth Enclave who settled in Skullport's cavern. These mages fashioned the Mantle, a mythal that protected their settlement. When Netheril fell in -339 DR the Mantle was ripped apart by wild magic which killed most of the inhabitants. Thirteen Netherese mages were absorbed by the magic and turned into disembodied skulls.

In the Year of the Angry Sea, 1148 DR Shradin Mulophor obtained permission from Halaster Blackcloak to settle in the ruins of the Netherese enclave. For several centuries Skullport prospered as one of the main trading ports of the Underdark.

However, in the late 14 century DR just prior to the Spellplague a slaad named Azriim weakened the Mantle so that it could no longer support the cavern's weight and large sections of the cave collapsed. During the Spellplague in 1385 DR the Mantle shot off bursts of wild magic and then disappeared.



After the Spellplague, most survivors fled Skullport. At some point in the second half of the 15 century DR a young explorer named Miriam Sequora began showing off chunks of mithral she claimed she found in Skullport's ruins. She convinced a small number of miners to join her and soon a few merchants and miscreants settled in the town. By the Year of Three Ships Sailing, 1492 DR, Skullport had come under the control of Xanathar, who made it a haven for his namesake criminal organization. The businesses and shops in the city all came to him for protection, lest they be shut down permanently.

Trivia

 * The people of Skullport measured time in 'bells' of approximately four hours each.
 * The town was bathed in dim light from phosphorescent fungus known as the gloam.

Appearances

 * Novels:
 * Tangled Webs

Connections
Schädelhafen