The five High Captains form the open governing control over the city of Luskan. Each is named for a shipping family: Ship Kurth, Ship Baram, Ship Suljack, Ship Taerl, and Ship Rethnor. They represent factions of once-pirate fleets that fiercely competed along the Sword Coast, but have formed an alliance in recent years, in the interest of both the people of Luskan and (perhaps less accidentally) the Arcane Brotherhood.
Though officially an alliance, the rivalries and even direct blood feuding persists when able to get away with such acts. The Ships bear the names of their founders and their leader take those names as their own (they are not inherited in a family sense). Being a member of one of the five Ships is a distinct honor in Luskan, and only one in ten residents can claim this. Membership is thus never a hidden thing and often prominently shown in tattoos and clothing. Each ship has its own symbol and colors. Their members live, train, work, and fight together - and there are grand ceremonies in joining and being promoted within a ship.
Each ship has a number of sailing vessels, which vary considerably. Ship Kurth's fleet outnumbers the combined fleets of Suljack, Taerl and Rethnor. A rank-ordering of the Ships by power also determines the group's responsibilities to the city in terms of functions and duties.
Ship Kurth
- Official leader: Beniago Kurth
- Officially headquartered on Closeguard Island
- (1st Ship): Controls the city's docks and all related activities including securing trade goods and payments.
- Unofficially in the One-Eyed Jax tavern (front for the Bregan D'aerthe)
- Effectively led by: Jarlaxle
- Ties to Zelenn the White (Arcane Brotherhood Overwizard of the West).
- Seeking to assert order and legitimacy on the Sword Coast Leilon to Luskan (including Neverwinter).
- See also: wiki:Kurth
Ship Baram
- Leader: Barri Baram
- Headquarters: Baram's Palace at the city center.
- (2nd Ship): Operates Luskan's fishing industry, crucial to feeding the population of the city.
- Ties to Cashaan the Red, Archmage of the Arcane Brotherhood.
- See also: wiki:Baram
Ship Suljack
- Leader: Dagmaer Suljack
- Headquarters: Suljack Lodge
- (3rd Ship): Technically patrols the shipping lanes and coast for smugglers, but for some ship captains has not significantly shifted from piracy, when making inspections almost always something can be found as a concern needing a bribe or confiscation.
- Close links with the Guild (and other factions of) Baldur's Gate.
- recent scandal smuggling drugs ("Traveler's Dust")
- Ties to Teyva the Gray (Arcane Brotherhood Overwizard of the East).
- See also: wiki:Suljack
Ship Taerl
- Leader: Throa Taerl
- Headquarters: Taerl Fortress
- (4th Ship): Not long ago 5th ship and recently relieved of guard duty, Taerl is eagerly accepting chances for its sailors to take on contracts handed down by the upper ships while handing the menial and undesirable chores to Rethnor.
- Linked with merchant guilds of Waterdeep, who have paid for escorts and navigation that avoid trouble with the other Ships as trade has increased.
- Ties to Druette the Raven (Arcane Brotherhood Overwizard of the North).
- See also: wiki:Taerl
Ship Rethnor
- Leader: Hartouchen Rethnor
- Headquarters: Ten Oaks
- (5th Ship): Responsible for guard duty and gets few other opportunities due to the poor pay and heavy responsibilities for patrolling, maintaining the garrison, collecting bridge fees, etc. (Which leads them to sometimes pressing for protection fees and bribes or being less choosy as mercenaries hiring out their ships at sea.)
- Internal conflict due to family branch of fanatics to Cult of Talos.
- Strong in nearby Port Llast with strength in the Icewind Dale's coast and the Ruathym Isles.
- Ties to Jendrick the Blue (Arcane Brotherhood Overwizard of the South).
- See also: wiki:Rethnor