Instant Mirabar

Bastion of the North

Introduction: Mirabar is the richest city in the Sword Coast, a bulwark against the orcs of the Spine of
the World and provides the ‘Coast with much of its metal minerals and stone for building. It’s also a
perfect staging point for adventures into dangerous mountains.

by Mark Brassington
for Black Halo Games Ltd

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This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

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©2020 Black Halo Games Ltd, 277 Park Road East, Calverton, Nottingham, NG14 6GQ, UK..

© 2020 Black Halo Games Ltd Instant Mirabar 1

 18. Kinibrik the Pawnbroker .....................................10
Contents 19. House of Chance .......................................................10
Contents ........................................................................................... 3 20. The Listening Post ...................................................10
Introduction ................................................................................... 4
What We Know ............................................................................. 4
Mirabar Basics ......................................................................... 4
Undercity .................................................................................... 5 Art acknowledgement: The main map was produced
Law and Order ......................................................................... 5 by diabolicsquid on Fiverr.
The Quarters .................................................................................. 5
Quick Guide ............................................................................... 5
Castle Quarter ..................................................................... 5
Mining Quarter ................................................................... 5
Smiths’ Quarter................................................................... 5
Traders’ Quarter ................................................................ 6
Stonemasons’ Quarter ..................................................... 6
Merchants’ Quarter ........................................................... 6
Jewelers’ Quarter ............................................................... 6
The Lizard Quarter............................................................ 6
The Sages’ Quarter ............................................................ 6
Street of the Coin ......................................................................... 8
Overview .................................................................................... 8
Map Key ...................................................................................... 8
1. Balamgha’s Forge .......................................................... 8
2. The Journey Rest ........................................................... 8
3. Seleghen’s Store ............................................................ 8
4. Girnik’s .............................................................................. 8
5. Bottom of the Barrel .................................................... 8
6. Recruitment Hall ........................................................... 8
7. Alocoth’s ........................................................................... 8
8. The Yew Branch............................................................. 9
9. The Belfry ......................................................................... 9
10. Fhalgarap Merchant House.................................... 9
11. Jelaborkas’ Wagon Builders .................................. 9
12. Treasure Chest Jewelers ......................................... 9
13. Medri the Oil & Coal Merchant ............................. 9
14. Belk’s Tannery ............................................................. 9
15. Tronfarth’s Stable ...................................................... 9
16. House of Kulaef ........................................................... 9
17. House of Bryonobi ..................................................... 9

© Black Halo Games 2020. instant Mirabar 3

Introduction
This is intended to be a fast start guide to Mirabar
which is consistent with canon for DMs who simply
want to be able to take their PCs through an authentic
Mirabar without having to do any work.
Provided within is:
What We Know: a quick roundup of what the city is
like from known supplements.
The Quarters: an added section outlining some
Wards of the city, known as Quarters.
Street of the Coin: an instant block or so of Mirabar
with 20 locations for a party to stay in and explore.
What it is not: This guide is not intended to be
comprehensive, long or detailed. A map is provided
which is to allow a DM to create their own areas and
add their own locations, streets, etc. as required by
their campaign. It is purposefully left empty.
With this in mind it is easy to see why the page
count is not long!
What We Know
Mirabar Basics
The main supplements and novels which deal with
Mirabar are:
• Volo’s Guide to the North
• The Thousand Orcs
From Volo’s Guide to the North we know that
Mirabar is a huge and ancient city with “sloped walls
as thick through at the base as many city blocks in
Waterdeep.” This is huge. Not only that but there are
at least two of them: “The city is set within concentric
rings of defensive walls so that besieged defenders
can fall back from the outer wall without leaving the
city unprotected.”
To travel through a wall that thick on foot would
take a minute or so. This is a tunnel through an
immense stone wall, likely with multiple portcullises
and murder holes throughout. And there a number of
such walls.
For the purposes of creating an instant Mirabar, it
is simplest to propose two concentric walls, an outer
ring wall and an inner city wall. But the gates do not
align, so entering a gate in the ring wall will entail
© Black Halo Games 2020.
navigating the streets before finding the next gate
through the inner wall.
It is also proposed that the outer ring contains
approximately 125 blocks of buildings, and the inner
area about 80, with about 40 buildings per block. This
would align well with a population of a little over
10,000 or more, although a sizable amount of the
population are dwarves living underground.
The narrow, cobbled streets are lined with “tall,
slate-roofed buildings of fitted stone.”
The streets themselves are arranged in a roughly
radial pattern. “The streets narrow as one goes
towards the center of the city, and then they end at a
wall. There’s a circular street running around the ring
wall to a staggered entrance, where another street
starts. … The observant traveler will see an image
carved in the wall at the head of each street, so one
can find the Street of the Griffon, the Street of the
Manticore …”
It is also stated that, “The land around the city is
littered with mine heads, open quarries, and heaps of
slag and waste rock.” and that, “It’s linked by good
roads to its major mines in the Spine of the World.”
This suggests that the city itself is essentially a
gigantic factory, in constant motion with the
emphasis on utility rather than leisure or comfort,
“Northgate is where the mine wagons rumble in and
out almost ceaselessly;”
Furthermore, the city is filled with the homes of
miners as well as the homes and hundreds of
businesses of various artisans, “… many, many
smithies, metalworkers, enamellers, chasers, etchers,
stonemasons, and so on …”
So raw materials arrive in the city via the
Northgate, from the mines in the mountains, such as
stone, metals and gems. It is assumed that the
smelters are also based at the mines, so it will be
metal not ore that is brought. They are then
processed according to supply and demand into a
miriad of different goods from trade bars of
adamantium to clockwork copper dragons. Then
these various trade goods are traded in the city to
various merchant houses, most likely for grain, horses
and other commodities the city needs and doesn’t
produce. Then the goods are shipped out along road
and river to be sold elsewhere.
This should give us a good idea of what sorts of
establishments to expect to see in Mirabar.
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Undercity
“The city has six subterranean levels: the First
Below, the Second Below, and so on. Ultimately, they
connect with the Underdark via many branching,
descending passages.”
This connects up to the city via Undercity Square,
which we have placed in the inner wall of the city,
given its importance. The entrance to this is via firstly
a staircase, then a pulley operated lift, and then
various gates.
Given that there are many dwarves who live and
work in these various sublevels there is likely to be
considerable traffic between the surface city and the
Undercity, a constant to and fro of carts of materials
and finished goods.
Access to the dwarven Undercity is not an
automatic right, and outsiders will likely need to
petition for entry, unless they are known in the city,
but given the amount of people going back and forth,
a modicum of stealth will likely be sufficient to blend
in and gain access without permission.
Law and Order
The military and police of the city is a force of one
thousand men and dwarves known as the Axe of
Mirabar who “… fight with crossbows, lances, and
hammers, riding mountain ponies in summer and
rothe in winter.”
It is interesting to note that the military are also
the police force, which should give an indication of
the sort of justice a law breaker can expect in
Mirabar. Although it should also be noted that
typically, there is almost no crime in Mirabar!
How is this achieved? By draconian surveillance,
using a cadre of domestic spies. “Visitors are
watched…” So troublemakers to the city are not likely
to last very long!
In addition to these forces: “Merchant houses in
the city keep another 500 trained soldiers under
arms.”
In case the party cares, the city is ruled by a
hereditary marchion (Selin Raurym in the 1490s),
backed by a 42 member Council of Sparkling Stones
(mainly dwarves) who rule from the Hall of Sparkling
Stones, a stone fortress in the centre of the city.
© Black Halo Games 2020.
The Quarters
From here on in, we depart from canon and bring
our creations to the jewel of the north. The first of
these is the creation of quarters to give some
structure for visitors.
There is no hard boundary where one quarter
starts or ends, they are more rough districts known
for their particular flavour.
Here is a brief rundown of each quarter.
Quick Guide
Castle Quarter
Located in the very centre of the city.
The buildings of the city government including the
city mint, the homes of the wealthy, and the few
shrines that exist within the city. Shops and
businesses exist here, but tend to be for the wealthy,
so instead of a smith there is more likely to be an
expensive dress shop. Inns and taverns here cater to
the more well-heeled customer.
It is one of the few areas of the city which is not in
constant motion.
Mining Quarter
This is a sprawl of practical buildings centred on
the Northgate where produce from the mines pours
forth. It is home to many of the miners who commute
up the mountain road to mines, and to those catering
to them, such as taverns and inns.
It is also the place of a number of storehouses
where excess produce is held until needed. Some city
government offices are here to account for what the
mine produces. One of the busiest parts of the city.
Of course a significant portion of the mines’ output
is taken straight through the opposite gate of the
inner wall, and down to the Undercity.
Smiths’ Quarter
A veritable sea of smithies, consuming tons of coal
a day. Here is where the processing of the mines’
metals is carried out. Anything from plate armour to
doorknobs is forged here, with a number of
workshops next to each other who will often carry
out part of the work, then pass it to the next down the
line.
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 There is little in the way of leisure here, and most
premises deal in the hard practicalities of working
metal such as tools, coal and labour.
Traders’ Quarter
Once the artisans of the Smiths’ Quarter have
produced their goods, the traders here purchase them
for trade elsewhere typically in coin, but it is not
unusual for barter to be preferred in a city awash
with gold.
These traders often have fixed contracts for
certain goods and will then take them by road to
Luskan. Sometimes they are sold elsewhere in the
city, possibly to the Merchants’ Quarter.
Stone comes through the Sunset Gate from the
mines to the west to be passed to the stonemasons
nearby, worked and then sent back west to Luskan.
Hence, this quarter is also home to a number of
wizards and sorcerers who work with the traders in
magically floating the stone along the Blackford Road.
Stonemasons’ Quarter
Although many stonemasons work at the
mineheads of the mines and quarries to the west and
south of the city, finer detailed work often takes place
over time at workshops in this part of Mirabar.
Merchants’ Quarter
A strong rivalry exists between the Traders’ and
Merchants’ quarters, who both see themselves as the
more practical and even more patriotic. Groups of
Merchants, grouped as ‘Houses’ are to be found here
who will often band together to collectively bargain
and finance expeditions and often have
representatives in the Traders’ Quarter and seats on
the Council.
The practical aspects of trade caravans are
organised here, be they along the river or by road.
Consequently a large number of men at arms can be
found or hired here. The Merchant Houses also own
most of the Dockside, the area just outside the River
Gate, where fortified warehouses hold fabulous
wealth.
The outcome of many council meetings are
decided well ahead of time in the Merchants’ Quarter.
Jewelers’ Quarter
The mines produce large quantities of gems and
precious metals, which are aften worth far more if
fashioned into tiaras, sword pommels and the like.
© Black Halo Games 2020.
This is where diamond houses and jewelry
workshops can be found behind securely closed
doors.
This quarter is strongly affected by various
seasons, such as the wedding season which can often
govern how trade will flow. There is everything here
from gem wholesalers to fine artisans of expensive
artwork.
The Lizard Quarter
It is true that Mirabar is often a city of bland
routine and hard work, with little in the way of
leisure. The Lizard Quarter however is the one
exception to this, and because of the proximity of the
garrison in the East Gate, a crop of taverns and
gambling dens can be found here.
A ‘lizard’ is a Mirabarran nickname for one of sloth
who spends his time in indolence. Of course the
soldiers have little to do in time of peace and can
often be found whiling away their evenings at one
vice or another.
The Sages’ Quarter
Mirabar produces not only mundane items, but
also many magical items. Because of the proximity of
so many excellent artisans, it is an ideal place to
manufacture magic items, so much so that a whole
quarter dedicated to magic has sprung up here, one of
the few in Faerun.
Although it is true that only a small fraction of this
quarter actually wield magic, there are many that
support this activity such as herbalists, alchemists,
and dealers in magic item ingredients. There is even a
library of magic item formulae in a vault, the
Libracrypt, although access is restricted to members
of a very select group.
Groups of adventurers also reside here whose job
it is to seek out formulae for magic items, as well as
spellbooks and scrolls for specific purposes. Known
as Bookhounds, these unscrupulous bands of rogues
travel across the continent ransacking tombs in
search of magical texts.
The thief-takers keep a very close eye on these
miscreants to ensure that their dubious trade only
benefits the city.
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© Black Halo Games 2020. instant Mirabar 7
Street of the Coin
Overview
Rather than detailing a whole city, just one block
is outlined with a selection of establishments that the
players may find of interest. The Street of the Coin
can be placed anywhere in the Merchants’ Quarter,
which is where many of the movers and shakers live
and work.
Map Key
1. Balamgha’s Forge
Balamgha is a smith who caters to mainly the
men-at-arms of the quarter, repairing armour and
weapons and shoeing horses. He is capable of making
a full set of armour if required, however it is not his
speciality so he is as like to send it to the Smiths’
Quarter as do it himself.
He’s a worn down old dwarven smith and doesn’t
have much time for chat. His mostly-human
apprentices are more likely to talk.
2. The Journey Rest
A well run inn by Koruspatt, a red-faced, pipe
smoking middle-aged human woman with two
knitting needles through her bun, who will
immediately make the PCs feel welcome and will talk
at length, asking about where they’ve been, what
their business is (politely) and if she can help them
find their way around the city, while her gaggle of
young serving girls rush around making sure
everything gets done.
Koruspatt is a notorious gossip and knows half the
city’s business. If you want to keep a secret, don’t tell
patt!
3. Seleghen’s Store
A thin, needle-nosed man, Seleghen will be
friendly to the PCs and help them with whatever
supplies they need, but nothing too exotic. He mainly
serves the men-at-arms and tends to hear about
various caravans and their comings and goings.
He has a notice board in the store for the caravan
guards to leave messages for each other.
© Black Halo Games 2020.
4. Girnik’s
Girnik is a dwarf with a huge moustache and
straggly beard, who runs a bank. He invests in various
caravans to and from the city. The bank appears more
like a large business-like living room with a large
desk and drinks cabinet than any traditional bank.
He is amenable, but all business. If the PCs want
him to invest, he’ll want letters of credit, and
references he knows. He can access the Sages for
magical messaging to and from other cities to verify
any claims made.
Jeffoli, a smart ten year old boy runs errands for
Girnik, and is always quietly waiting nearby.
5. Bottom of the Barrel
A no-nonsense drinking establishment run by a
balding human called Kaqru, who often shares lewd
jokes with his mostly male customers, often men-at-
arms from the caravans. He will sometimes let
regulars kip down on a floor upstairs in a spare room,
but a tavern is his main trade.
Around the room are various “trophies” nailed to
the wall, each with a different story. Anything from a
copper piece to a pair of knickers can be found
hanging there.
6. Recruitment Hall
As much a meeting place as anything, old
Torvukrin a retired soldier, hires caravan guards for
the merchant houses. He vets new recruits and keeps
tabs on old familiar faces.
There are notices all around the hall about various
caravans, where they are going, and the pay.
He is guarded in conversation, but if polite he is a
mine of information about the various soldiers and
the caravans themselves.
7. Alocoth’s
More of a workshop, Alocoth makes magical
armour. He lives in the Sages’ Quarter but has found
so many customers in the Merchants’ that he has set
up shop here.
He has something of an order book, so this squat,
friendly wizard will not simply be able to whisk up a
suit of +1 platemail. However, if the PCs are in the
market, talking to Alocoth is a good place to start.
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8. The Yew Branch
Pocogrofas is a hurried druid. He is a human in his
thirties, with a long unkept beard and haunted eyes.
The shop is for herbs and healing potions and the like.
He is a victim of his success and is constantly making
various potions for the caravaneers. He can sell to the
PCs but they may have to wait a day.
9. The Belfry
A tall, four-storey inn with narrow rooms and
staircases. The proprieter is Lozas, a retired wizard
who is appears slightly unhinged. It appears that one
or two serving boys run around the place, but the
place is a maze with numerous back staircases and
secret doors.
The rooms are nice though and the prices
reasonable, although the inn itself seems like it may
be leaning into the street.
10. Fhalgarap Merchant House
The richly appointed property is the premises of
an association of merchants, who specialise in trading
in stone for buildings, and in naval defence. They have
much business with Luskan and are constantly trying
to get information about the chaotic pirate city, and to
make and break deals with whoever is on top of the
pile.
They have plenty of work with magically floating
stone to Luskan, and with ever-changing flux of
negotiations with the gangs of criminals who control
their trade route.
11. Jelaborkas’ Wagon Builders
A large workshop where Jelaborkas and his boys
build and repair wagons. There is much shouting and
joking in the workshop and they are kept busy by the
trade in the quarter.
12. Treasure Chest Jewelers
A gnomish married couple, Varlister and Houriki
run this jewelry store. Although they offer traditional
supply of jewelry and will buy and sell if they think
it’s not stolen, much of their trade is with supplying
items for material components for spells, such as
diamonds. As such they have contacts in the Sages’
Quarter and in Neverwinter and Waterdeep.
© Black Halo Games 2020.
13. Medri the Oil & Coal Merchant
Medri is a joking dwarf who mainly trades
quantities of coal from the mines to other cities and
within the city. However, he has a small shop on the
side from where oil and coal can be bought in smaller
quantities.
14. Belk’s Tannery
Leather armour, boots and saddles are made here
by a smart and bearded human who caters to the
caravan trade. His skill is such that his armour is
often sought after for making magic armour, and he
will work with those in the Sages’ Quarters to do so,
however this is not a common occurrence.
15. Tronfarth’s Stable
There is precious little room in the city for horses,
so Tronfarth, an enormous bearded man, looks after
horses here and often trades as well. He often sends
to Belk for saddles and the like.
Tronfarth is the veteran of several wars with the
orcs, but has had his fill of killing now, and prefers to
tend to the horses.
16. House of Kulaef
The holy symbol of Moradin, a hammer and anvil
is displayed of the doorway of this fine house.
Although there are few temples in Mirabar, there are
a number of clerics who tend to an area of the city,
offering healing and similar services.
Kulaef is a priest of Moradin and is often in
demand in the local area. He is home about 25% of
the time.
17. House of Bryonobi
The wealthy merchant Bryonobi is as out of place
in Mirabar as one could be, a female wood elf who
began as a guide into the Spine of the World
mountains, soon began finding locations for mines
there and became wealthy from the claims she had
staked.
Although the male and dwarf oriented merchant
houses may turn their nose up at a lady wood elf in
their midst, her wealth and business acumen has
demanded their respect.
She is quite likely to become a patron of the PCs
and she has hidden ties to Waterdeep, having once
been a member of the Grey Hand.
instant Mirabar 9
18. Kinibrik the Pawnbroker
A half-crazed tabaxi rogue turned fence turned
pawnbroker runs this cluttered little shop where the
PCs can sell most things, and buy what others
couldn’t afford to keep.
He is happy to value any items the PCs bring in
and will even buy and sell magic items on occasion,
however he will drive as hard a bargain as he can get
away with. He still loves a “steal”.
Kinibrik’s eyes are different colours and his hair
sticks out at odd angles giving him a mad look. Odder
still he wears a pork pie hat. The shop is alive with
domestic cats of all stripes who seem to follow the
PCs around.

19. House of Chance

Gambling is legal in Mirabar, and the dwarf
Ealdtheoth has made a business of it. Various games
are played here, but there are only four tables,
making this a small affair.
High stakes are rare, and if more than 100gp
changes hands it is a very unusual night. Card playing
here is more of a past time, and not for winning large
quantities, much less professional gambling.
Ealdtheoth is quite personable and tired of mining
and decided to do what he enjoyed – games of chance.

20. The Listening Post

Tonceo is a burly female wizard, who wears a
huge floppy hat. Her business is sending messages.
She uses the Sending spell (and scrolls) to send
messages for 75gp each. She began sending messages
to Luskan for the Fhalgarap Merchant House but soon
found that many others also wanted messages sent
around Faerun, and decided to set up shop.
She is entrusted with a great deal of information,
and is reknowned for keeping secrets.
In addition to Sendings she has contacts in other
cities on the Sword Coast who will do small tasks for
her if she sends them a message, and she also has a
small number of human messengers who will carry
physical messages for her which cannot be sent via
spell.
When business is quiet she often goes wandering
in the woods nearby.

© Black Halo Games 2020. instant Mirabar 10