The arcanist Melathlar flees Netheril and travels to Illusk. Fearing phaerimm assaults, he sacrifices his life to power a mighty work of the Art that raises the great stone Host Tower, walls, and powerful spellwards around this fledgling settlement. »
Ruathens, led by Uthgar Gardolfsson, sack Illusk. The Grand Cabal retreats to the Host Tower, abandoning the city to the raiders. The Illuskans eventually burn the invaders' ships and drive Uthgar and his followers into the interior. »
The rampaging orcs of the Everhorde erupt from the Spine of the World, engulfing the North in war. Illusk and Yarlith are left in ruins, but the Host Tower survives. Neverwinter survives, thanks to the aid of Palarandusk the Sun Dragon. »
The realm of Stornanter is established in the North with Laeral Silverhand the Witch-Queen as its ruler and Port Llast as its capital. Realizing the importance and strategic location of ruined Illusk, Laeral sees to the rebuilding and resettling of this city. After personally exploring the Host Tower and encountering the lich survivors of the Grand Cabal, Laeral erects magical barriers around the structure to bar entry. »
The first mention of the Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan is in an oral tradition called the Mirar Saga, which narrates the arrival of teh first Northlander pirates to settle in the Sword Coast region. These tales are first collected and recorded by Malcer Truequill, a loremaster of Waterdeep.
According to this chronicle, a band of Northlander explorers arrives at the mouth of the Mirar just ahead of a fearsome storm, seeking shelter along the riverbank. Instead they found what appeared to be a gigantic tree made entirely of stone, its bare "branches" rising hundreds of feet into the air above an island in the midst of the river's current. The eldritch sight struck fear into the hearts of the raiders, but the storm was closing in fast and they had no better shelter available. With heavy hearts and weapons in hands, the Northlanders entered the "stone tree" to escape the murderous winds and freezing sleet. The saga does not tell what fate overcame the half of the raiding party that failed to emerge from the tower, only that the survivors fled that terrible place even as the storm was at its height, preferring to take their chances with the raging elements rather than face whatever lurked within that grim stone spire. »
The mage Arklem Greeth comes to Luskan and bypasses the ancient magic wards that Laeral Silverhand placed around the Host Tower. He forms the Brotherhood of the Arcane with the aid of the Old Ones - powerful liches who were once members of the legendary Grand Cabal of Illusk. Arklem names himself Archmage Arcane of the Brotherhood. »
The Host Tower of the Arcane in Luskan is attacked by a dozen or so dragons under the effects of the Rage of Dragons. Among the attacking dragons include Arauthator (an old white dragon) and Thalagyrt (male very old mist dragon). Both dragons make off with many spell tomes. »