The following is from The City of Luskan, a book within the game Neverwinter Nights.
The City of Sails is a dangerous place, a port city filled with pirates and bloodthirsty thugs. It straddles the mouth of the icy river Mirar and stands as the gateway to the mineral wealth of Mirabar.
Luskan is ostensibly ruled by five high captains: Taerl, Baram, Kurth, Suljack, and Rethnor. However, it is suspected that the real power in Luskan is wielded by the Arcane Brotherhood from their island tower.
The seafaring merchants of Luskan have always been fierce, proud, and warlike. Over their long history they have feuded with the inland city of Mirabar, the coastal city of Neverwinter, and the island realm of Rauthym. Even today they sponsor pirates who prey on ships and ports up and down the Sword Coast. They also trade with Amn, Calimshan, and many other towns that prefer not to be associated with them, but will meet them on the neutral ground of offshore Mintarn.
The Mirar River divides the city into two major parts. The northern section is a walled enclave, consisting almost entirely of warehouses. The southern half of the city is much older. Outlying walled caravan compounds surround this heavily fortified section of the city.
There are three bridges that connect the two halves of the city. They are the Harbor Cross, Dalath's Span, and the Upstream Span. Five major islands crowd the mouth of the Mirar, and the three closest to the south bank are developed. The major areas within Luskan are the Captains' Close, the Harbor District, the Mirabar District, the Reach, and the Spans.