Mirabar
Mirabar
Mirabar is a human city that rests atop dwarven caverns. On the surface, humans dominate the population, with some dwarves mixed in, and a handful of gnomes and halflings. The uppermost level of the undercity is mostly dwarves, with some few humans. The mixing of races is due to convenience of trade, preference, or skill; just as some few humans like to mine, to imbibe strong dwarven drink, and to work underground, so do a minority of dwarves take to the open sky, doing dock work, or even manning and building ships. The lower levels beneath Mirabar are all dwarven, as even the most dwarf-like human can live so deep below ground for only so long. Almost all of its citizens, regardless of race, honor Moradin and the dwarven gods, making Mirabar a dwarven city in spirit and ethics, if not entirely by population, much in the way my own Silverymoon speaks to elven ideals of natural beauty.
Long ago, the great dwarven kingdom of Gharraghaur stood to the west of Delzoun, delving mines near the River Mirar and finding great, near-endless veins of gems. Like many of the dwarven realms, Gharraghaur fell to marauding orcs, which destroyed the kingdom and its capital city but couldn’t take advantage of the wealth therein. For millennia the lower city lay empty, until some eight hundred years ago, when Prince Ereskas of Amn settled the same spot, creating the city of Mirabar (coincidentally echoing the dwarven “-bar” naming convention used for citadels throughout the North). It was only when dwarves returned to work the mines below that Mirabar began to see its fortunes increase.
Mirabar is ruled by its hereditary marchion, Selin Raurym, who issues edicts fed to him by the Council of Sparkling Stones. The council is a group of dwarves and some few humans elected to make policy for the city, who determine where the output of Mirabar’s mines will be sold. Although the council has long kept Mirabar associated with the Lords’ Alliance, it is the marchion who negotiates with his fellow lords. Thus far, Selin Raurym has proved far more capable than his predecessors at making beneficial decisions for the city, and the council has given him great leeway to speak for Mirabar outside the walls. His threat to pull out of the Alliance following its failure to aid the northern cities against the most recent orc hordes, though considered by some an empty gesture, has brought Mirabar more advantageous relationships with Waterdeep and Baldur’s Gate, something which has not gone unappreciated by the council.
The city’s guard, the Axe of Mirabar, exists primarily to deter and prevent sabotage of the mines, without which Mirabar would collapse. The guard also provides swift and capable defense and law enforcement within the city. The wealth of Mirabar is so great that it maintains docks, ships, and fortified harbors on many of the islands in the Sea of Swords, and as such the city is always seeking magical and military support for these defenses. Where other cities might use such vast mountains of coin as Mirabar possesses on shows of prosperity, Mirabarrens use it for more functional goals, making sure that the city’s defenses are new, that its gates close securely when they are moved, that its buildings and walls are strong and secure. Given the recent destruction of Sundabar’s surface city at the hand of orc armies, such expenditures are well justified, since no one in Mirabar wishes to see the surface city wiped out. It would simply be bad for business. Mirabar spares no expense in defending its wealth, and hires as many mages and adventurers as necessary to clear threats away from roads, investigate sabotage, and otherwise protect its vital trade.
With the rise of Mithral Hall in the last century, and now Gauntlgrym, Mirabar fears its place as the armory of the North is at risk. ‘The miners, smelters, and smiths of Mirabar work ever harder to increase their output and improve their craft, while the jewelers and enamelers study ways to incorporate ancient techniques of melding dwarven, human, and elven designs together in their work, in the manner of old Phalorm.
Mirabarren (or to some, just Mierren) dwarves like to cultivate long, wide (as opposed to tapered or pointed) beards and tight braids of hair growing elsewhere than on the chin, a fashion copied by some local humans. They love polished, everbright-treated sheets of metal, particularly copper, used as doors or mirrorlike wall-panel inlays. They often set gems into the pommels and nonworking ends of tools and weapons. Mierren dwarves tend to be wealthy, to have personal collections of unusual and rare gems, to use seals made of gems carved into signet rings, and to be investors in ventures (rather than property) up and down the Sword Coast. They are sophisticated and worldly, and they decry the isolationist and xenophobic attitudes of some dwarves. Mierren dwarves demonstrate their own broader attitudes by being the diplomatic traders and power brokers in trademoots and agreements in Fireshear and Neverwinter and everywhere else they can worm their way into, among dwarves and between dwarves and non-dwarves.
EVERBRIGHT
The dwarves were the first to discover the secret of treating their metal with everbright. The technique has been imitated by other races, to varying degrees of success. Armor, weapons, and other metal objects to which everbright is applied maintain their luster without needing to be polished, and are resistant to natural (and, in some cases, magical) pitting, rusting, and tarnishing.
To other dwarves, Mierren are translators and local guides and “the people who know the right people” in human-dominated cities everywhere along the Sword Coast and in much of the Heartlands. Most adult Mierren have dealings with a variety of human costers and merchants, taking care to avoid exclusivity or cultivate too narrow a range of business partners and contacts, so they control their own destinies and fortunes. They abhor the thought of humans having the slightest chance of dominating them.
The wealth that flows through Mirabar has not only extended the reach and worldly knowledge of all Mierren, it has enabled them to indulge all sorts of personal hobbies, such as art collections (statuettes and paintings in particular). The private living quarters of most Mierren feature comfortable furniture, painted artwork large and small, statuary, and hanging chimes — often metallic, but always soft and pleasant, never loud or strident. Gems are plentiful in Mierren families and are used as currency and in all manner of personal adornment, rather than being hidden away. Semiprecious stones line many of the streets in Mirabar, and gorgeous inlays mark important corners and intersections, some so new that one can still smell the jeweler’s dust.
Still, despite the city’s overall wealth, there are rich and (relatively) poor Mirabarrans. Not everyone shares in the coin the city’s sales bring in, and wage workers whose income is determined by a day’s labor or a month’s output can’t hope to expect that a well-worded contract by an employer will enrich them in the least. Wealthy merchants and business owners are careful not to show their success ostentatiously; their clothing might be of richer fabrics, but still in the same styles and colors as the garb of poorer folks. Waiting rooms and front halls in the fortified homes of the rich are just as sparsely furnished as those in poorer homes. Keeping up the appearance of relative equality in fortunes is vital, for if anyone in a position to commit a violent act — say, a weaponsmith with access to great stores of swords and axes — knew just how wealthy the wealthiest Mirabarrans were, there would very likely be bloodshed before the offended parties were satisfied.
Мирабар - это самый богатый город Севера с большим отрывом, на данный момент. Он стоит на вершине холма на северной стороне реки Мирар, как неприступная крепость, окруженная со всех сторон покатыми внешними стенами, широкими как кварталы в Глубоководье. Защитники могут посылать огненные стрелы со стен, или лить на них воду зимой, чтобы превратить их в ледяные склоны. Здесь нет нехватки в камне и оружии. Даже у доков есть зубчатые стены и фортификации. Посетители Мирабара часто удивляются тому, что здесь не так много дварфов, так как люди - это большая часть населения города на поверхности. Другая часть города лежит под землей и там доминируют дварфы. Подземный Мирабар - это город залитых светом жилых пещер, невероятно горячих кузниц, литейных цехов, которые работают днями и ночами, и тоннелей ведущих к шахтам. Марчион Мирабара, Селин Рамур (ЗН мужчина Дамаранец человек дворянин) постоянно встречается с остальными членами Альянса Лордов, чтобы убедиться, что интересы Мирабара не игнорируются. Пока Марчион занимается внешней политикой, настоящая власть в городе принадлежит Совету Сверкающих Камней, группе старейшин дварфов, которая управляет защитой города и решает, где продавать продукцию шахт Мирабара. Защитой города занимается Секира Мирабара, отлично вооруженный гарнизон. Все члены Секиры Мирабара - щитовые дварфы. Типичный член отряда - ветеран со следующими изменениями: У члена Секиры Мирабара КД 18 (латы), 67 (9к8+27) хитов и скорость 25 футов. Он или она имеют Телосложение 16 (+3) и темновидение 60 футов. Он или она говорят на Общем и Дварфском. Он или она совершает с преимуществом спасброски от яда и получает сопротивление к урону ядом. Он или она владеет боевым топором вместо длинного меча и ручным топором вместо короткого.
Мирабар (маленький город, 10,307): Мирабар - центр горной промышленности Побережья Меча. Щитовые дварфы города живут в подземелье, наблюдая за своими цехами. Верхние люди сотрудничают с дварфами, чтобы взаимодействовать с добычей руды, отправлять ее на рынок и защищать город от магической угрозы. Номинальный правитель Мирабара - наследственный марчион, но истинная власть - собрание, называемое Советом Искрящихся Камней, группа дварфов и людей, которая встречается раз в год для определения квот производства и того, угрожает ли нынешним клиентам уменьшение производства. Mirabar is the richest city of the North by far. It sits atop a knoll on the north side of the Mirar River like an unassailable fortress, enclosed on all sides by sloped outer walls as wide at the base as many city blocks in Waterdeep. Defenders can fire arrows down from atop the walls, or, in winter, pour water down them to make ice slides. There is no shortage of stone and weaponry. Even the docks have battlements and fortifications. Visitors to Mirabar often wonder why they don’t see more dwarves, as humans make up the majority of the city’s surface dwellers. Another city lies just below the surface, and that place is dominated by dwarves. Under¬ground, Mirabar is a city of lit residential caverns, super¬heated forges, foundries that operate day and night, and tunnels leading to the mines. Mirabar’s marchion, Selin Ramur (LN male Damaran human noble), meets with the other members of the Lords’ Alliance to ensure that Mirabar’s interests aren’t ignored. While the marchion handles foreign policy, true power within the city rests with the Council of Sparkling Stones, a group of dwarf elders that manages the city’s security and decides where the output of Mirabar's mines are sold. * Mirabar: FRA129; GToR91,114; RtR27; FRCSmap1; FRCS3e:91; FRAtl2; RoMD106; CoS11,14,18,19; CoS:WW19; CoS:SoC9; RoZK36,39; RoZKm1; N:W5,13,20,25,36,39,41,44; N:C11,19,21,22,24,25,26,27,28,29,32,55; N:D15; Nmap1a; FR5:6,7,9,11; FR13:89; FOR1:36; FOR4:37,71; 7S14; C&D28; VGtW30; VGtN7,48; DDGtU41,47; W+PoR38,39,40; DHoR7,52; PftF80,85; Au124; Dr110:36; Dr128:8; Dr182:48,53; Dr211:30,33; Dr230:37,39; Dr233:34; Dr239:34; Dr244:56,57; Dr253:86; Dr254:84,85,86,87,88; Dr256:75 * Mirabar District: N:C24,25; Nmap1a * Mirabar Shield: N:C24 Джерело: <http://arcanecoast.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=424> Mirabar is a mining city of great wealth located on the Sword Coast. As of 1368 DR it is the richest city north of Waterdeep.[2] In 1370 DR, the city is occupied by 1600[3] shield dwarves who live underground near to their workshops, which produce metal goods for export in the region and beyond. The humans above cooperate with the dwarves to handle the mining, move the ore to market and defend the city against magical threats. Mirabar is ruled by a hereditary marchion, Elastul Raurym, but the true power is in an elected[4] assembly called the Council of Sparkling Stones,[5] a dwarven and human group that meets once a year to determine their production quotas[6] and whether or not to threaten current clients with reduced output. It is led by the dwarven cleric of Dumathoin, Agrathan Hardhammer. Mirabar also has an elected sceptrana,[4] Shoudra Stargleam in 1370 DR.[7] Mirabar stands on a knoll on the north banks of the River Mirar.[2] On the surface, Mirabar is populated with squat stone buildings and a few stone towers. It is arranged in such a way as to provide great efficiency.[8] Its walls are extremely thick and sloping, so as to allow water to be poured down them in the winter, which freezes to make them slippery. The area around the city is dotted with open mines and heaps of rock. Roads lead to its major mines in the Spine of the World mountains, which yield a wide range of metals and gemstones, so they are guarded against orc and monster raids by the Axe of Mirabar (see Militia below). For as long as the average Mirabarran cares to look back, their city has been the richest in the lands north of Waterdeep. Being the chief mining center of the north for years, their quarries have provided metals of all kinds. The miners and merchants both made money - big money - and they were happy. With the rebirth of Mithral Hall, all their dreams threatened to come shattering down. Not only does Mithral Hall stand as a legend, but these same legends recall that the metals extracted from the dwarfhold created the best weapons in the history of Faerûn. Whether these rumors are true or false doesn’t matter to Mirabar as a whole; it’s tough to compete with a legend. Established trade and the remoteness of Mithral Hall have helped Mirabar survive, however. The Look and the Feel The gray stone city is surrounded by shafts, quarries, and taluses. Across the river to the west and south of the city, dead and bloated mines are used to store building stone and rubble to shore up the ever-crumbling gravel roads that carry Mirabar’s metal wealth, forged metal bars, fine gems, and metalwork south to the rest of Faerûn. Mirabar is a city of hard work with a grim, no-nonsense manner. The city’s protective walls are set in concentric rings so besieged defenders can fall back from the outer wall without leaving the city unprotected. The walls are thick and sloped, allowing defenders to fire arrows down the sides or pour water down them to make ice slides in winter. In the center of town is a walled garden that helps keep Mirabar less dependent on imported food. The area features well shafts bringing water from the Underdark - water warmed by the heat of the depths. There’s a permanently installed control weather effect in this garden which keeps the temperature comfortable for plants, allowing year-round growth. The streets narrow as they flow toward the center of town, ending at a wall. There’s a circular street running around the ring wall to staggered entrances, where another street starts. One street looks much like another, but observant travelers notice images carved in the wall at the head of each street, so one can find Griffon Street, Manticore Street, Flame Street, Anvil Street, and so on, with ease. There are seven concentric ring walls in Mirabar. The dwellings, warehouses, and businesses are addressed in order to simplify courier deliveries and advertising for businesses. Beginning at the Northgate and working clockwise, each house along the ring-shaped streets is numbered (in sequences of five when possible), with odd numbers on the outer side of the street and the even numbers on the inner side. The spoke streets are numbered, beginning with the central-most buildings with odd number on the left and even numbers to the right (when one’s back is to the center of town). Alleys are numbered, but each one tends to use its own system. The city has four gates: Northgate, primarily used by mine wagons; the Eastgate, where the town watch quarters; River Gate, where the bridge crosses the Mirar River; and Sunset Gate to the west, where most visitors and merchants enter the city. Each of these gates has a double metal gridwork palisade, a large slab of solid granite three feet thick, and an ironwood barricade (magically immunized against fire) that can be dropped into place to help protect the city from outside invasion. The protection between concentric ring walls in the city, however, is not so elaborate. A single metallic gridwork palisade and an ironwood barricade are all that stands between the central section of the city and invaders who manage to break through the outer gates. Mirabar, however, has no way to protect itself from invaders who gate or teleport into the city. The mines of Mirabar are guarded against raids by a standing army, the Axe of Mirabar. At 1,000 strong, the Axe is a force of grim, experienced warriors who fight with crossbows, lances, and hammers, riding mountain ponies in summer and rothé in winter. Merchant houses in the city keep another 500 trained soldiers under arms. They realize these mines are the life of the city - and where their salaries come from. With the reinstatement of Mithral Hall’s mining operations, Mirabarrans have been screaming that the government send in vandals to Mithral Hall to sabotage every possible operation. Thus far, the marchion has refused to grant such an act - mostly in fear of retribution from Mithral Hall and its allies. Sending spies to watch, listen, and report back with whatever they see and hear is a possibility Elastul’s willing to debate. The royal badge of Mirabar is an upright, double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base. It’s customarily rustred on a black field, though the field is sometimes a deep purple or white when presented on ship pennants. The badge is plainly visible on the shields of all Axe militia. The People and the Places Mirabar is a city of grim folk, hard work, long hours, hard drinking, and exhausted slumber. There’s little rowdiness and little crime. Visitors are frequently watched to make sure they’re not thinking of starting trouble or spying for other cities. Thieves are frequently apprehended rapidly by the militia, who employ professional iethief watchersle throughout the city. Some 19,000 humans and more than 4,000 dwarves live in relative harmony here, working the earth shoulder to shoulder. Rivalries over forging skills are common, but all regard fellow citizens as friends and the rest of the world as unfriendly (or as foes). Treachery is unthinkable to a dwarf of Mirabar, and it’s hard to tempt even the poorest human in the city. The miners are on the alert for plots, attempts to sway or mislead them, and attacks or surveillance by rivals (which now includes Mithral Hall). Shrines: Shrines to Tymora and Chauntea can be found here, but the temples dedicated to dwarven powers are underground in the dwarven communities. The badge of Mirabar is a deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring flat base, on a black field.[8] Places of interestEdit Hall of All Fires A large hall lined with furnaces[9] with a capacity of more than two thousand.[10] Undercity Square An open area between three buildings and containing the entrance to the Undercity.[11] The Undercity The center of all mining in Mirabar. It is guarded by the Axe of Mirabar, and accessible via a staircase from Undercity Square, followed by a pulley-operated lift in a shaft of hundreds of feet. The base of this shaft is another guarded room with several exits all with either iron doors or portcullises.[12] There is another entrance which is a sloping, winding tunnel.[13] The subterranean level closest to the ground is called the First Below.[14] Mirabar is defended by the Axe of Mirabar, an army of around two thousand, including humans and five hundred dwarves.[6][15] There is virtually no crime, and the city utilizes professional thief trackers, the 'Shadow District', to monitor any potential criminals.[16] Making maps of the city is illegal for security purposes, because the city is concerned about intelligence getting into the hands of Mirabar's enemies, especially Luskan.[17] An attack on a councilor or a councilor-elect is punishable by execution. This is to prevent plots to foil a candidate's election campaign.[17] TradeEdit The stone and metals taken out of the mines are worked by craftsmen. After being expertly cut and hewn, the stone is transported magically at high cost to Luskan, to then be transported south. Some buildings in Amn, Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep use Mirabar stone, typically that which has been quarried from the areas to the west or south of the city.[16] Any worthless stone is crushed to improve the city's roads. This operation continues in almost all weather, even during the winter.[16] Trade with Luskan was important to Mirabar. As of 1370 DR, the Mirabar District in Luskan was an entire district used by Mirabarran trade companies, such as Anvilfist Banner, the Golden Hand, and Thalorin's Manymetals.[18] HistoryEdit Mirabar was built upon the foundations of Gharraghaur's Iron Tower[19] by Ereskas Torlath. Later, during the Goblin Wars, Mirabar was sacked by the goblin chieftain Nethaug[20][21]. Mirabar was responsible for bringing prosperity to both Illusk and Stornanter when the three cities began trading with one another though when Prince Galnorn of Illusk attempted to conquer Mirabar in 1023 DR the relationship was soured. Mirabar was attacked in 1253 DR by a horde of orcs. They attacked the western wall but this was merely a decoy - the main attack was at the eastern wall. Torgar Hammerstriker was among the dwarves who held the eastern wall during the attack.[22] House rivalriesEdit Open fighting between houses in the streets and mines in Mirabar's past was revealed by the Harpers to be a plot by agents from Hellgate Keep, the Zhentarim and Luskanites. After this discovery, the houses united against Mirabar's enemies. This resulted in a careful watch for anything suspicious in the city's mines, and the city's inhabitants are particularly wary of those from Luskan.[23] Recent HistoryEdit In 1367 DR, a wizard named Shoundra managed to establish herself as a new temporal power in the city calling herself Sceptrana[24]. She had authority over Mirabar's trade agreements[25] - making her an incredibly powerful individual Mithral Hall The reopening of Mithral Hall has caused tensions to flare in Mirabar. The Clan Battlehammer stronghold has better and more metal coming out of its mines which has taken a lot of custom away from Mirabar. Although in public Mirabar greets its fellow dwarves with warmth,[26] in reality most curse them for the loss of their buyers. The council members are also divided on the matter, some welcome their new rivals as a prompt for the miners to work harder to up their production. Most want the miners to explore further into the mines to unveil deeper and richer veins of metal and ore (unfortunately, Mirabar doesn't have enough miners to work new veins of ore without reassigning members of the Axe but they are needed to protect the existing mines from Underdark monsters so little exploring has been done in the more dangerous deeper levels), while others want covert operations to be taken out against the hall, weakening their charcoal to spoil smelting. Still others want to confiscate all Battlehammer trading caravans coming west of Mithral Hall's territory but most agree that would likely provoke a war. King Bruenor Battlehammer of Mithral Hall visited Mirabar in 1370 DR,[8] which caused a stir when some of the dwarves, including Torgar Hammerstriker, socialized with him and his caravan.[27] Marchion Elastul considered Mithral Hall to be an enemy of Mirabar,[28] but Torgar realised the potential of a union between the two strongholds, working together to provide a wide range of wares. When Elastul refused to yield on the issue, Torgar left Mirabar for Mithral Hall, an action which sparked much political tension in Mirabar. Torgar was then secretly captured and imprisoned by the Hammers.[29] When news leaked of Torgar's imprisonment, rioting broke out amongst the dwarves in the Undercity.[30] When the rioting broke out on the streets above ground and threatened to turn into open warfare, Elastul was forced to concede and free Torgar.[31] The situation caused the exodus of four hundred of the dwarves of Mirabar.[32] Mining progress The mines are operated by around one thousand of the dwarves, who have a target quota set by the Council. Although the deeper veins contain ore of better quality, they are more dangerous to mine because of the monsters, and Mirabar cannot afford to cut production for long enough to locate any such veins. The marchion has hired over two dozen alchemists and metallurgists[6] who promise to make a new metal stronger and easier to enchant than Adamantine. So far all they have provided is a plan that will take five years to complete.[citation needed] This ensures that they are well paid for this time without providing any evidence.[citation needed] It seems all but the marchion agree that they are con artists.[citation needed] LuskanEdit Luskan, as a sign of 'good faith', reduced its annual harbour fees by half but Mirabar has paid through until 1377 DR so it matters little at the moment. In fact, Mirabar's 'Shadow District' reports that rumours tell of Luskan attempting to work out the same deal as it has with Mirabar with Mithral Hall as well, prompting security to lax in the city.[citation needed] The Axe of Mirabar is the two thousand strong[1] militia of Mirabar, consisting of humans and five hundred dwarves.[2] Its members wear the crest of Mirabar (a deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base on a black field[3]) on their shield or armour. They fight with crossbows, lances and hammers, riding mountain ponies, and rothé in the winter.[4] It is commanded by Torgar Hammerstriker.[5] The Axe is responsible for keeping the mines of Mirabar clear of monsters.[2] New members must take an oath to protect the Marchion of Mirabar.[6] Axe of Mirabar Basic Information Base of operations Mirabar Leader(s) Torgar Hammerstriker Symbol A deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base on a black field Membership Members 2000 Race(s) 500 dwarves, the rest humans Relationships Enemies Anyone who threatens Mirabar Джерело: <http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Axe_of_Mirabar> The Mirabar District (also known as the Mirabar Shield) was a district on the north bank of the city of Luskan, and was dedicated to the warehouses used by Mirabarran merchants operating in the city. As of 1370 DR, companies such as Anvilfist Banner, the Golden Hand, and Thalorin's Manymetals traded in this district. These companies operated up to 90 guards to prevent "accidental" injuries from the Luskan militia, who were known to fire into the district for "blood money".[1] Мирабар - это самый богатый город Севера на данный момент. Он стоит на вершине холма на северной стороне Реки Мирар, как неприступная крепость, окруженная со всех сторон покатыми внешними стенами, широкими как кварталы в Глубоководье. Защитники могут посылать огненные стрелы со стен, или лить на них воду зимой, чтобы превратить их в ледяные склоны. Здесь нет нехватки в камне и оружии. Даже у доков есть зубчатые стены и фортификации. Посетители Мирабара часто удивляются тому, что здесь не так много дварфов, так как люди - это большая часть населения города на поверхности. Другая часть города лежит под землей и там доминируют дварфы. Подземный Мирабар - это город залитых светом жилых пещер, невероятно горячих кузниц, литейных цехов, которые работают днями и ночами, и тоннелей ведущих к шахтам. Марчион Мирабара, Селин Рамур (ЗН мужчина Дамаранец дворянин) постоянно встречается с остальными членами Альянса Лордов, чтобы убедиться, что интересы Мирабара не игнорируются. Пока Марчион занимается внешней политикой, настоящая власть в городе принадлежит Совету Сверкающих Камней, группе старейшин дварфов, которая управляет защитой города и решает, где продавать выход из шахт Мирабара. Защитой города занимается Секира Мирабара, отлично вооруженный гарнизон. Все члены Секиры Мирабара - щитовые дварфы. Типичный член отряда - ветеран со следующими изменениями: Мирабарские власти были бы в ярости, узнай они, что арфисты подвергли риску безопасность города, создав постоянный круг телепортации в пределах стен Мирабара. Круг начертан на чердаке конюшни и может быть быстро спрятан под сеном. Смотритель круга, Зазспар Бронзогонь (ЗД мужчина щитовой дварф маг), изображает конюха, одетый в кожаную одежду и с соломинкой в бороде. Мирабар - человеческий город, построенный поверх дварфийских пещер. На поверхности насе¬ление состоит в основном из людей, встречается определенное количество дварфов, а также гномов и халфлингов. Верхние уровни подземной части города населены преимущественно дварфами и небольшим количеством людей. Такое смешение рас объясняется предпочтением каждой расы к опре¬деленным занятиям и различиях в навыках между расами: как среди людей встречаются те немногие, кому нравится работать в шахте, пить крепкие дварфийские напитки и работать под землей, так и среди дварфов есть небольшая доля тех, кому приятно жить под открытым небом, работать в порту, строить корабли или даже работать в каче¬стве их экипажа. Нижние уровни подземной части Мирабара населены исключительно дварфами, так как даже наиболее схожий по нраву с дварфами человек может прожить на такой глубине только ограниченное время. Почти все граждане Мирабара поклоняются Морадину и другим божествам двар- фийского пантеона, что делает Мирабар дварфий- ским по духу и этике, даже если его население и не полностью дварфийское. В этом отношении город похож на мой родной Сильверимун, в котором все говорит об эльфийских идеалах природной красоты. Давным-давно великое дварфийское королевство Гаррагор, находившееся к западу от Делзун, начало прокладывать шахты около реки Мирар и обнару¬жило огромные, практически неиссякаемые залежи драгоценных камней. Как и многие дварфийские государства, Гаррагор пал под нападениями орков, которые уничтожили королевство и его столицу, но не сумели воспользоваться их сокровищами. Поч¬ти тысячелетие нижний город стоял пустым, пока около восьмисот лет назад Принц Эрескас из Амна не основал на том же самом месте город Мирабар (случайно соблюдя дварфийскую традицию наи¬менования цитаделей Севера с окончанием «бар»). И только когда сюда стали возвращаться дварфы, чтобы снова начать работу в шахтах под городом, Мирабар стал богатеть вновь. Мирабар управляется наследным маркизом Сели- ном Роримом, который подписывает эдикты, подсо-вываемые ему под нос Советом Блестящих Камней. Совет состоит из группы дварфов и нескольких лю¬дей, который избраны направлять политику города и определять, где будет продано добытое в шахтах богатство. Хотя совет долго поддерживал союзничество Ми¬рабара с Альянсом Лордов, непосредственные пере¬говоры с другими лордами ведет именно маркиз. До настоящего момента Селин Рорим показал значи¬тельно большую способность принимать выгодные для города решения, чем его предшественники, и совет предоставляет ему большую свободу в перего¬ворах от имени города за пределами его стен. Его угроза выйти из Альянса ввиду неспособности последнего помочь северным городам в борьбе с по-следними нашествиями орд орков многие посчита¬ли пустым жестом, однако это позволило существен¬но улучшить отношения с Глубоководьем и Вратами Балдура, что не оставил без положительной оценки совет Мирабара. Городская стража, Секира Мирабара, существует в основном для предотвращения саботажа в шах¬тах, без которых экономика города рухнет. Стража также обеспечивает быструю и умелую оборону и защиту правопорядка в городе. Богатство Мира¬бара настолько велико, что город владеет доками, кораблями и укрепленными гаванями на многих островах Моря Мечей, ввиду чего город постоянно в поиске военной и магической защиты этих своих анклавов. Другие города могли бы использовать такие огром¬ные горы золота, как те, что есть в сокровищницах Мирабара, на демонстрацию своего процветания, но мирабарцы используют их на более практические нужды, например, чтобы быть в уверенности, что оборонительные постройки находятся в состоянии новых, что ворота закрываются достаточно плотно, и что здания и стены города крепки и надежны. С учетом недавнего уничтожения надземной части Сандабара орками, такие затраты вполне оправ¬даны, потому что никому бы не хотелось увидеть опустошенной надземную часть Мирабара - это было бы просто плохо для бизнеса. Мирабар не жалеет де¬нег на защиту своего богатства, и нанимает столько волшебников и приключенцев для своей защиты, сколько потребуется, чтобы держать в безопасно¬сти дороги, расследовать акты саботажа и прочими способами защищать жизненно важное горнодобы¬вающее производство города. С выходом на арену Мифрилового Зала в прошлом столетии, и, теперь, Гонтлгрима, Мирабар опасается, что его роль кузницы Севера под угрозой. Рудокопы, литейщики и кузнецы Мирабара работают с увели¬ченным усердием, чтобы увеличить свою производи¬тельность и улучшить качество продукции, а ювели¬ры и эмалировщики изучают способы соединения древних дварфийских, эльфийских и людских технологий в едином производственном процессе, подобно тому, как это делалось в древнем Фалорме. Мирабарские дварфы любят отращивать длинные и широкие (в отличие от клиновидных или зао¬стренных) бороды, а остальные волосы завязывать в тугие косы, и этой моде также подражают некото¬рые местные люди. Они любят использовать полированные, обрабо¬танные вечным огнем листы металла, в частности, меди, как двери или как зеркальные вставки в деревянные панели. Они любят вставлять драго¬ценные камни в рукоятки или нерабочие концы инструментов и оружия. Мирабарские дварфы обычно довольно богатые, и у них часто имеются коллекции необычных или редких драгоценных камней. Драгоценные камни часто используются в их перстнях-печатках. Также они часто инвестируют в дело (а не в собственность) о всему Побережью Меча. Мирабарские дварфы - искушенные и мудрые, и им чуждо ксенофобское или изоляционистское поведение некоторых других дварфов. Эти свои бо¬лее широкие взгляды они демонстрируют, становясь дипломатическими и коммерческими посредниками в переговорах и соглашениях между двумя дварфа- ми или между дварфом и кем-то еще в Фаершире и Невервинтере, а также в любом другом месте, куда они смогут пролезть Для других дварфов мирабарцы - переводчики и «люди, которые знают нужных людей» в преимуще¬ственно человеческих городах Побережья Меча и в большой части Сердцеземья. Большинство взрослых мирабарцев заключают сделки с самыми разны¬ми торговцами-людьми, таким образом избегая эксклюзивности и риска создать слишком узкую клиентскую базу, от которой они могут оказаться в зависимости. Таким образом они сохраняют свою бизнес-свободу и финансовую самостоятельность. Им отвратна мысль о том, что у людей может быть даже слабый шанс доминирования над ними. Богатство, проходящее через Мирабар не только расширило для всех мирабарцев знания о внешнем мире, но и дало возможность заниматься такими хобби, как коллекционирование предметов искус¬ства, в частности, картин и статуэток. Жилища большинства мирабарцев могут похвастаться удоб¬ной мебелью, разного размера картинами, изваяни¬ями и подвесными колокольчиками, звук которых всегда мягок и приятен, и никогда не громок или груб. В мирабарских семьях много драгоценных камней, которые используются и как валюта, и как персональные украшения, вместо того, чтобы быть упрятанными подальше. Полудрагоценными камня¬ми украшены некоторые улицы Мирабара, а на важ¬ных углах и перекрестках могут красоваться вос¬хитительные инкрустации некоторые из них такие новые, что с них едва сдули пыль после окончания работы ювелира. И все же, несмотря на общий высокий уровень состоятельности горожан Мирабара, в нем есть богатые и (относительно) бедные жители. Не все находятся в доле от продажи ресурсов города, и рабочие, трудящиеся за зарплату, не могут наде¬яться на процент от удачной сделки, заключенной владельцем бизнеса. Богатые купцы и бизнесмены достаточно осторожны, чтобы не кичиться своим успехом: их одежда может быть сделана из более дорогих тканей, но цветовая гамма и фасон пример¬но такие же как у более бедного населения. При¬хожие и гостиные в богатых домах обставляются примерно так же, как и в более бедных домах. Под¬держание внешнего впечатления равенства граж¬дан очень важно, потому что если кто-то, способный в принципе на преступление, например, кузнец располагающий арсеналом оружия, выкованного для владельца кузницы, узнает, насколько богаты наи¬более состоятельные мирабарцы, то очень вероятно, что произойдет кровопролитие. Мирабар - человеческий город, построенный поверх дварфийских пещер. На поверхности население состоит в основном из людей, встречается определенное количество дварфов, а также гномов и халфлингов. Верхние уровни подземной части города населены преимущественно дварфами и небольшим количеством людей. Такое смешение рас объясняется предпочтением каждой расы к определенным занятиям и различиях в навыках между расами: как среди людей встречаются те немногие, кому нравится работать в шахте, пить крепкие дварфийские напитки и работать под землей, так и среди дварфов есть небольшая доля тех, кому приятно жить под открытым небом, работать в порту, строить корабли или даже работать в качестве их экипажа. Нижние уровни подземной части Мирабара населены исключительно дварфами, так как даже наиболее схожий по нраву с дварфами человек может прожить на такой глубине только ограниченное время. Почти все граждане Мирабара поклоняются Морадину и другим божествам двар- фийского пантеона, что делает Мирабар дварфий- ским по духу и этике, даже если его население и не полностью дварфийское. В этом отношении город похож на мой родной Сильверимун, в котором все говорит об эльфийских идеалах природной красоты. Давным-давно великое дварфийское королевство Гаррагор, находившееся к западу от Делзун, начало прокладывать шахты около реки Мирар и обнаружило огромные, практически неиссякаемые залежи драгоценных камней. Как и многие дварфийские государства, Гаррагор пал под нападениями орков, которые уничтожили королевство и его столицу, но не сумели воспользоваться их сокровищами. Почти тысячелетие нижний город стоял пустым, пока около восьмисот лет назад Принц Эрескас из Амна не основал на том же самом месте город Мирабар (случайно соблюдя дварфийскую традицию наименования цитаделей Севера с окончанием «бар»). И только когда сюда стали возвращаться дварфы, чтобы снова начать работу в шахтах под городом, Мирабар стал богатеть вновь. Мирабар управляется наследным маркизом Сели- ном Роримом, который подписывает эдикты, подсовываемые ему под нос Советом Блестящих Камней. Совет состоит из группы дварфов и нескольких людей, который избраны направлять политику города и определять, где будет продано добытое в шахтах богатство. Вечное Сияние Дварфы первыми открыли секрет обработки металлов вечным сиянием. Эта технологии впоследствии имитировалась другими расами с разной степенью успешности. Броня, оружие и прочие металлические предметы, обработанные вечным сиянием, сохраняют яркость без периодической полировки, а также устойчивы к природным (а также в некоторых случаях магическим) ржавчине, коррозии и побежалости. ^ Хотя совет долго поддерживал союзничество Мирабара с Альянсом Лордов, непосредственные переговоры с другими лордами ведет именно маркиз. До настоящего момента Селин Рорим показал значительно большую способность принимать выгодные для города решения, чем его предшественники, и совет предоставляет ему большую свободу в переговорах от имени города за пределами его стен. Его угроза выйти из Альянса ввиду неспособности последнего помочь северным городам в борьбе с последними нашествиями орд орков многие посчитали пустым жестом, однако это позволило существенно улучшить отношения с Глубоководьем и Вратами Балдура, что не оставил без положительной оценки совет Мирабара. Городская стража, Секира Мирабара, существует в основном для предотвращения саботажа в шахтах, без которых экономика города рухнет. Стража также обеспечивает быструю и умелую оборону и защиту правопорядка в городе. Богатство Мирабара настолько велико, что город владеет доками, кораблями и укрепленными гаванями на многих островах Моря Мечей, ввиду чего город постоянно в поиске военной и магической защиты этих своих анклавов. Другие города могли бы использовать такие огромные горы золота, как те, что есть в сокровищницах Мирабара, на демонстрацию своего процветания, но мирабарцы используют их на более практические нужды, например, чтобы быть в уверенности, что оборонительные постройки находятся в состоянии новых, что ворота закрываются достаточно плотно, и что здания и стены города крепки и надежны. С учетом недавнего уничтожения надземной части Сандабара орками, такие затраты вполне оправданы, потому что никому бы не хотелось увидеть опустошенной надземную часть Мирабара - это было бы просто плохо для бизнеса. Мирабар не жалеет денег на защиту своего богатства, и нанимает столько волшебников и приключенцев для своей защиты, сколько потребуется, чтобы держать в безопасности дороги, расследовать акты саботажа и прочими способами защищать жизненно важное горнодобывающее производство города. С выходом на арену Мифрилового Зала в прошлом столетии, и, теперь, Гонтлгрима, Мирабар опасается, что его роль кузницы Севера под угрозой. Рудокопы, литейщики и кузнецы Мирабара работают с увеличенным усердием, чтобы увеличить свою производительность и улучшить качество продукции, а ювелиры и эмалировщики изучают способы соединения древних дварфийских, эльфийских и людских технологий в едином производственном процессе, подобно тому, как это делалось в древнем Фалорме. Мирабарские дварфы любят отращивать длинные и широкие (в отличие от клиновидных или заостренных) бороды, а остальные волосы завязывать в тугие косы, и этой моде также подражают некоторые местные люди. Они любят использовать полированные, обработанные вечным огнем листы металла, в частности, меди, как двери или как зеркальные вставки в деревянные панели. Они любят вставлять драгоценные камни в рукоятки или нерабочие концы инструментов и оружия. Мирабарские дварфы обычно довольно богатые, и у них часто имеются коллекции необычных или редких драгоценных камней. Драгоценные камни часто используются в их перстнях-печатках. Также они часто инвестируют в дело (а не в собственность) о всему Побережью Меча. Мирабарские дварфы - искушенные и мудрые, и им чуждо ксенофобское или изоляционистское поведение некоторых других дварфов. Эти свои более широкие взгляды они демонстрируют, становясь дипломатическими и коммерческими посредниками в переговорах и соглашениях между двумя дварфа- ми или между дварфом и кем-то еще в Фаершире и Невервинтере, а также в любом другом месте, куда они смогут пролезть Для других дварфов мирабарцы - переводчики и «люди, которые знают нужных людей» в преимущественно человеческих городах Побережья Меча и в большой части Сердцеземья. Большинство взрослых мирабарцев заключают сделки с самыми разными торговцами-людьми, таким образом избегая эксклюзивности и риска создать слишком узкую клиентскую базу, от которой они могут оказаться в зависимости. Таким образом они сохраняют свою бизнес-свободу и финансовую самостоятельность. Им отвратна мысль о том, что у людей может быть даже слабый шанс доминирования над ними. Богатство, проходящее через Мирабар не только расширило для всех мирабарцев знания о внешнем мире, но и дало возможность заниматься такими хобби, как коллекционирование предметов искусства, в частности, картин и статуэток. Жилища большинства мирабарцев могут похвастаться удобной мебелью, разного размера картинами, изваяниями и подвесными колокольчиками, звук которых всегда мягок и приятен, и никогда не громок или груб. В мирабарских семьях много драгоценных камней, которые используются и как валюта, и как персональные украшения, вместо того, чтобы быть упрятанными подальше. Полудрагоценными камнями украшены некоторые улицы Мирабара, а на важных углах и перекрестках могут красоваться восхитительные инкрустации некоторые из них такие новые, что с них едва сдули пыль после окончания работы ювелира. И все же, несмотря на общий высокий уровень состоятельности горожан Мирабара, в нем есть богатые и (относительно) бедные жители. Не все находятся в доле от продажи ресурсов города, и рабочие, трудящиеся за зарплату, не могут надеяться на процент от удачной сделки, заключенной владельцем бизнеса. Богатые купцы и бизнесмены достаточно осторожны, чтобы не кичиться своим успехом: их одежда может быть сделана из более дорогих тканей, но цветовая гамма и фасон примерно такие же как у более бедного населения. Прихожие и гостиные в богатых домах обставляются примерно так же, как и в более бедных домах. Поддержание внешнего впечатления равенства граждан очень важно, потому что если кто-то, способный в принципе на преступление, например, кузнец располагающий арсеналом оружия, выкованного для владельца кузницы, узнает, насколько богаты наиболее состоятельные мирабарцы, то очень вероятно, что произойдет кровопролитие.
The greatest mining center of the northern Sword Coast has sloped walls as thick through at the base as many city blocks in Waterdeep. Defenders can fire arrows down the walls, or, in winter, pour water down them to make ice slides. The land around the city is littered with mine heads, open quarries, and heaps of slag and waste rock. The city itself stands on a knoll on the north bank of the Mirar. It’s linked by good roads to its major mines in the Spine of the World. The mines of Mirabar yield up vast quantities of almost all known metals and gemstones, so they are guarded against orc and monster raids by a standing army, the Axe of Mirabar. At 1,000 strong, the Axe is a force of grim, experienced warriors who fight with crossbows, lances, and ham¬mers, riding mountain ponies in summer and rothe in winter. Mer¬chant houses in the city keep another 500 trained soldiers under arms. Mirabar is the richest city north of Waterdeep, bar none. It sends bars of metal, fine gems, and metalwork of the compound at Luskan. Thence, these exports travel by ship down the Sword Coast or over land via the Long Road. The city also ships slabs of quarried stone to anyone willing to pay the huge costs of magically floating them to Luskan, from whence they are shipped south. Many palaces in Amn and grand houses in Waterdeep and Baldur’s Gate incorporate Mirabar stone. Mirabar’s masons can supply precisely cut blocks of the particular stones, grades, and hues desired, something local quarries often can’t do. Much of this stone comes from the mines west of the city or south across the Mirar. Worthless stone is crushed and used to repair and widen the gravel wagon roads. Crews work con¬tinuously at this, except in the worst winter weather. Mirabar is a city of grim folk, hard work, long hours, hard drinking, and exhausted slumber. There’s little row-diness and almost no crime. Visitors are watched to make sure they’re not thinking of creating either, or spying for Luskan, the Zhentarim, Hellgate Keep, the grasping mages of Thay, or anyone else. Thieves, be warned! The city employs professional thief-watch¬ers to tail you continuously, and they’re very good at the task. In the past, Mirabarran merchant houses carried rivalries to the point of open fighting in the streets and mines, and bitter trials were held here frequently. With the help of the Harpers, several rivalries were revealed to be the work of Luskan- ites, Zhentarim, and even agents from Hellgate Keep, skillfully manip- ulating the Mirabarrans from behind the scenes. Since those revelations, the rivalries have turned to a com¬mon front against the outside world. The miners of Mirabar are now on alert for plots, attempts to sway or mislead them, and attacks or surveil¬lance by their rivals. They pay special attention to Luskan, but they also watch the barbarians, subterranean drow, and duergar looking for a way to invade the city. Mirabar’s trading decisions have a long and far reach across Faerun. Many a would-be conqueror has been thwarted by the disapproving miners of Mirabar, as Mirabar’s enemies often abruptly have difficulty acquir¬ing metal and weapons save by force. Some 19,000 humans and more than 4,000 dwarves dwell together in relative harmony in Mirabar, working the earth shoulder to shoulder. Rival¬ries over forge skill are common, but all regard fellow citizens as friends and the rest of the world as unfriendly (or even as foes). Treachery would be unthinkable to a dwarf of Mirabar, and it is hard to tempt even the poorest human in the city. The folk of Mirabar are ruled by a marchion, but true power in the city is held by the elected Council of Sparkling Stones. This council meets each fall to plan out the amount of metal and stone to be hauled out in the year ahead, and to whom those assets will be sold. The council keeps Mirabar in the Lords’ Alliance, viewing it as a vital lifeline against overwhelming orc horde attacks and Luskanite aggression. The marchion of Mirabar is Elastul Raurym, who is always accompanied by his “Hammers,” four henchmen named Djassar, Hulmm, Kriiador, and Turvon. When he rides out of the city, he goes accompanied by 64 warriors who wear platinum-coated full plate armor. The marchion also brings along two of his Hammers, leaving the other two behind in the city to act as war captains. Fortunately, the mar¬chion only leaves the city once a year. After the council meets in the fall, the marchion rides south, carrying the word of the Council. He also negoti¬ates trade agreements with rulers who have need of Mirabar’s metal, and can trade luxuries Mirabar lacks to get it. The Council of Sparkling Stones is an elected assembly of 42 folk. The marchion is their chief justice and mouthpiece. Ten of the present coun¬cilors are dwarves (two females and eight males) and the rest are human (14 women and 18 men). Prominent Councilors include Agrathan Hard- hammer, a dwarven priest of Dumath- oin; Dunstun Forgebar, a dwarven priest of Vergadain; Shadrar Thunder- sar, a warrior; Heldorn “Goldsun” Thaerntyl, an adventurer; and Elyth Talboskh, Pheln Aldtorth, and Maern Hammaver, all merchants. Proceedings are by informal debate, followed by a round of formal speeches firmly kept short, and then a secret ballot. The Council typically takes four days, ending with a feast. Voting for positions on the Council is held in the spring, but the newly elected members don’t take office until after the next Council, in the fall. Attacks on Councilors are punishable by instant execution, which prevents plots against Councilors-elect before they take office. Mirabar’s fleet is based in the out¬ermost northern reach of Luskan’s harbor, where the city has an armed enclave. It also has fortified bases on Ruathyrm and Mintarn. The backbone of the fleet is 30 heavy, ore-carrying cogs. All of these have fortified bow and stern castles, rams, and hurling armaments. Mirabar also has 30 smaller craft, mainly fast coasters and caravels. The high captains of Luskan often threaten to seize Mirabar’s fleet and seal off the harbor to it unless the annual harbor fees aren’t paid well in advance. As the fee is now 76,000 gp per year, and it has been paid in advance for the next two decades, feelings in Mirabar are building towards war with Luskan. Mirabar is quietly hiring mages with battle expe¬rience. The mages are then paid handsome annual salaries to tutor lesser wizards and add to the magical defenses of Mirabar in anticipation of the strife to come. For security rea¬sons, publishing maps of Mirabar is a hanging offense, and I could find none outside Candlekeep and the vaults of noble families in Waterdeep. The agents of Mirabar have quietly done a very thorough job of destroy¬ing all maps of the city, so none appear herein. I can say from my visit that the city has tall, slate-roofed buildings of fitted stone opening onto cobbled streets. The city is set within concentric rings of defensive walls so that beseiged defenders can fall back from the outer wall without leaving the city unprotected. A walled, well-guarded food garden grows in the center of the city. Guards told me that the garden keeps Mirabar less dependent on imported food. Luskan had tried to starve out Mirabar several times in the past, and Mirabarrans grew tired of eating fungi brought up from the Underdark, so the garden was commissioned. The area also features well shafts that bring up water from the deep Underdark—water warmed by the heat of the depths! In the center of the garden is a shrine to Chauntea, and the city also houses a shrine to Tymora. The only other tem¬ples in Mirabar are underground, and they venerate the dwarven gods. The Royal Badge of Mirabar is an upright, double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring flat base. It is customarily rust-red on a black field, though the field is sometimes a deep purple, or white on ship pennants. In all honesty, though, there’s not much to see in Mirabar except in the private homes of the wealthy and the business offices of merchant houses. There you’ll see gems and polished rock inlays to rival the richest palaces of Faerun, plus exquisite metal sculp¬tures and mechanical toys worth thousands of gold coins. Metal birds sing in these places of wealth and ostentation, bell trees play different tunes depending on which sculpted leaf you push, and so on. They also feature gilded furniture and taps from which water runs—all the luxu¬ries one can imagine. The streets, however, are cold gray stone, with rock dust everywhere. Landmarks The one spot of color in town (aside from window boxes) is the walled food garden at the center of town, but no one’s allowed within throwing distance of that, except along the statue-lined avenue that leads to the Hall of Sparkling Stones. That massive, domed, stone fortress stands at the center of the city on a raised eminence or knoll, looming watchfully over Mirabar. It looks for all the world like a giant, watchful guard in helm and full plate, his shield drawn up before his face. Inside, its soaring central hall reaches to the roof, where a magnificent, many-hued glass window depicts the double axe of Mirabar encircled by flying dragons of various hues. The window casts its polychromatic light onto the ring¬shaped Council table below. The polished, black marble table is pierced by four passages to permit access to the podium at its center. The chamber floor is inlaid with scenes traced in gold, silver, electrum, copper, platinum, mithral, and adamant. The pillared, sculpted walls feature balconies stacked above each other at least six high. There may be seven levels, but it was dark, and the roof very high above me. Tiny beljurils (stones that give off absorbed light from time to time in little winking flashes) have been set here and there about the chamber’s walls and balconies. This is the marchion’s palace and courtroom; the state chamber of Mirabar, where important visitors are received; and the meeting place of the Council. It is the most impressive room—in terms of grandeur—that I’ve seen in my life thus far. The archi¬tects set out to impress the visitor and succeeded with awesome ease. The many balconies are crowded with Mirabarrans during the Council and at important trials. They share floors with small, wooden panelled meeting rooms. I’m told that these rooms have secret passages between them where Mirabarran agents listen, armed with wands of paralyzation and hand crossbows loaded with sleep- venomed bolts, to prevent problems. The rest of the city is row upon row of frowning buildings. The streets nar¬row 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. One street looks very much like another. 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, the Street of the Flame, the Street of the Anvil, and so on. The city has four gates. Sunset Gate is on the west; Northgate is where the mine wagons rumble in and out almost ceaselessly; Eastgate is where the orc watch is mounted and most of the army is quartered; and the River Gate guards the bridge across the Mirar. Most of the taverns in Mirabar are marked by a simple tankard sign¬board. These are places where exhausted women and men go to have a pint of ale or a whiskey and to soothe aching limbs before stumbling home to bed. There’s no entertain¬ment, not much talk or noise, and no thing exciting to see or hear. Folk are too tired to fight or talk much. Mirabar has many, many smithies, metalworkers, enamellers, chasers, etchers, stonemasons, and so on, each with his or her own shop. There are more dwarven artisans in the First Below, the uppermost subterranean level of the city. It would take more than a year just to find and set foot in all of these shops. Mirabar is a city of hard work, with a grim, gray efficient manner. It also has a heart of gold and precious things held guarded within, like the Mirabar- rans who live there. Having visited this rough gem of the North, I can now understand the quiet, unshakable pride I once heard in the voice of a dusty merchant in a noisy Waterdeep tavern, when he said, “I’ve come all the way from Mirabar. I live there.” The House of The Bright Blade Shop This establishment is probably the most popular shop in Mirabar among human tourists. The House of the Bright Blade is widely known in the North as the place to get swords that seem to have been made just for you. It’s the smithy and shop of the noted swordsmith Zespara Alather. She toils here with the aid of six female apprentices. Two of these are humans and four are dwarves. The front room is guarded by six warriors in full plate armor and four unarmored, undercover ex-thieves armed with wands of paralyzation. These 10 women wait outside for any thieving patrons to dash out. The secured room is full of glittering steel. There are hundreds of swords and dag¬gers of all sizes, finishes, and prices. The PLace The front room has polished, panelled, wooden walls, and a continual light spell cast on the ceiling that gives a bright, steady radiance. A special spell cast on the room by a wizard friend of Zespara allows her telekinese any blade she has made, or helped to make, into her hand. This works only while she is in this room. Blades will float smoothly to her. She can use this ability not only to impress customers and pull down high-hung blade with ease, but also to raise a blade barrier at will or to prevent any of her blades from being used against her; they sim¬ply will not strike her body. The Prices Swords and daggers of all sorts are available here at premium prices. Zespara and her oldest apprentice, the magnificently bearded she-dwarf Calauthra Morgyr, can expertly choose a weapon with the right reach and weight for a customer. Blades can also be custom-made in two days for triple the usual cost, or in seven days for double the usual cost. All of Zespara’s work is of the finest quality, with clean, spare styling. Sadly, she does not ornament blades with gems or other gewgaws that might ruin their balance or utility, or wink back light betrayingly when drawn. She will, however, craft hilts and pommels with beautiful, sweep¬ing-curve designs. Travelers 'Lore One of the blades in Zespara’s shop is a speaking sword. It contains the soul of an imprisoned mage, put there for his own protection by Zespara’s wizard friend. This mage will refuse to give his name or otherwise reveal anything of his own nature. He will chitchat with clients, though. He is bored, and loves to hear about happenings in the Realms, particularly adventures, humorous occurrences, and what’s going on in Thay. He will trade information for information, and is full of mage-lore about Thay, Aglarond, and Altumbel, where a lot of Red Wizards have hidden their refuges. Zespara’s shop stands atop the site of an old, abandoned temple to Auril. The temple can be accessed via a trapdoor in the floor of the passage between the shop and the smithy. Worshippers of the Frostmaiden keep returning to worship in the temple, and Zespara’s apprentices keep having to drive them out, along with the aid of the dwarves who live in the First Below nearby. Auril’s followers seem to be searching for something, as they attack the temple walls with pickaxes and prybars. Perhaps they seek hidden treasure or sacred items of power left behind by earlier worshippers of Auril. The Goblet and Gems This is the only exciting and impressive-looking tavern in Mirabar. Its magically lit, golden goblet signboard beckons to passersby. Inside, they’ll find a crowded room filled with music and dancing. There are many side booths where folk drink and enjoy the company of the “Gems” the place is named for. These skilled professional escorts hail from across Faerun. There are fair¬skinned Northerners and petite, golden-skinned exotic beauties from far Kara-Tur. Each booth has a back way out for trips upstairs or for fast exits. Most of them link to the gambling rooms under the dancing hall. Travelers and miners with money to spare and a thirst for drink and enticement find their way to this exciting place. By day, it’s a quiet spot to chat or plot over a few drinks, but after dusk, it fills up quickly with folk who want to party. The Place The landmark feature of this estab¬lishment is the glowing giant goblet out front. Behind its golden glow, the Goblet rises darkly and impressively. It’s built of black stone with smoothly finished edges and a curving roof in the form of a giant helm. Inside, it has carpeted halls, dim lighting, sound-deadening pillows, tapestries, and smooth, stone walls. Glowing glyphs indicate the jakes and exits. The Prospect This is the only wild place in all of Mirabar. The soldiers like a place to be rowdy, but they also like to confine such potential trouble to one well- watched place. This, hopefully, pre¬vents enemy agents from instigating riots that might cover attempts to loot or set fire to places in Mirabar, or attempts to slay Councilors or impor¬tant merchants. Each Gem is a spy for the Council, well paid and expertly coached on observing, remembering what is seen and heard, and on self-defense. There is a secret rope-and-pulley ele- vator hidden behind tapestries on each floor, and a ready detachment of 12 Axes can arrive from their quarters in the basement in a very short time if an alarm bell is rung on any floor. The Gem’s taproom is usually a deafening party of drinking, dancing, games of tag, wrestling, and throw- goblet. The halls sometimes get used for wild tag games, but are otherwise quiet and private. Festhall rooms have locking doors and are soundproofed. Each has at least two spyholes Gems can listen at. They’re instructed to lis¬ten to any gathering for talk of unlaw¬ful acts or business hostile to Mirabar. Th eProvender Food here consists only of bacon twists, spicy fried frogs on skewers, crackers, and tangy cheese slabs (called salties) intended to make one drink more. The drinks are all house liquids, but they’re good indeed. There’s an ale, a lager, a stout, a red, a white, a sherry, and even an imitation zzar. ThePrices Prices for drinks are 6 sp per tankard or tallglass, or if two are ordered at the same time, 5 sp each. The food is 1 sp per small plate, regardless of what is ordered. Rooms are available for 2 gp per hour. Travelers' Lore The Goblet was the favorite drinking place of Arendoum the Archmage a decade ago. The man wore a skull mask and turned all who displeased him into worms or slugs. Before he disappeared into another plane, he hid a magical gem somewhere in the Goblet. It’s a self-replenishing gem of spellstoring, able to hurl killing spells stored within. It can glow with a soft green faerie fire- like radiance, or emit a feather fall effect whenever grasped and willed to do so. Many have searched for this gem, but it eludes all detection magic. It’s called the Mythongh Duarba, after its dead maker, whom the mage Arendoum seized it from. The Sign of The Forgenammer Inn Visitors to Mirabar who aren’t staying in the homes of Mirabarran hosts or the guesthouses of merchant companies are firmly directed by soldiers of the Axe to go to this inn. The Hammer stands with stables, stronghouse, and kitchen garden in its own walled compound just inside the River Gate. Guests are discreetly watched by Mirabarran agents. The Place The walls of the compound are adorned with the symbol of the inn. It’s a vertical hammer, head uppermost. The same symbol appears on the stout, copper-plated, double doors of the inn. Beyond them is a dimly lit network of stone chambers, interlaced with chimneys, fireplaces, and dark, narrow stairs winding up and down between the rooms. The inn is cool in summer and warm in winter, and guest’s rooms have bear-pelt rugs and canopied beds for warmth and comfort. The layout of the inn is rather confusing, discouraging guests from visiting one another. There is a dining room by the entrance. The way to it is clearly marked at all stairs by an arrow accompanied by the drawing of a bowl of soup with steam rising from it. TheProspect The Hammer is as warm and snug as any inn this far north, but it’s always gloomily lit. Candle-lamps are plentiful; each room comes with two candle-holders, a candle-lantern, and a dozen candles, replenished daily. Guests get comfortable, private rooms with a daily hot-water bath. TheProvender The fare in the dining room of the Hammer is fairly standard for a northern inn: whole roast boar or deer, or lacking these, ox, mutton, or horse steaks. They’re served with fowl such as pheasant, goose, and grouse, and small meats like muskrat or hare on the side. The high points are a surprisingly spicy, cold potato-and-greens salad, and a delightful curry of golden rice (the hue comes from the many eggs used), lamb kidneys, almonds, and all the kitchen leftovers. The Prices Meals in the dining room cost 1 gp per head, plus ale or wine at 4 sp per tallglass or tankard. If one rents a room, the meal is included in the price of the room, along with stabling, baths, and laundry. The total fee is 7 gp per night. 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. 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 Under city. 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. 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. 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.
Мирабар - это самый богатый город Севера с большим отрывом, на данный момент. Он стоит на вершине холма на северной стороне реки Мирар, как неприступная крепость, окруженная со всех сторон покатыми внешними стенами, широкими как кварталы в Глубоководье. Защитники могут посылать огненные стрелы со стен, или лить на них воду зимой, чтобы превратить их в ледяные склоны. Здесь нет нехватки в камне и оружии. Даже у доков есть зубчатые стены и фортификации. Посетители Мирабара часто удивляются тому, что здесь не так много дварфов, так как люди - это большая часть населения города на поверхности. Другая часть города лежит под землей и там доминируют дварфы. Подземный Мирабар - это город залитых светом жилых пещер, невероятно горячих кузниц, литейных цехов, которые работают днями и ночами, и тоннелей ведущих к шахтам. Марчион Мирабара, Селин Рамур (ЗН мужчина Дамаранец человек дворянин) постоянно встречается с остальными членами Альянса Лордов, чтобы убедиться, что интересы Мирабара не игнорируются. Пока Марчион занимается внешней политикой, настоящая власть в городе принадлежит Совету Сверкающих Камней, группе старейшин дварфов, которая управляет защитой города и решает, где продавать продукцию шахт Мирабара. Защитой города занимается Секира Мирабара, отлично вооруженный гарнизон. Все члены Секиры Мирабара - щитовые дварфы. Типичный член отряда - ветеран со следующими изменениями: У члена Секиры Мирабара КД 18 (латы), 67 (9к8+27) хитов и скорость 25 футов. Он или она имеют Телосложение 16 (+3) и темновидение 60 футов. Он или она говорят на Общем и Дварфском. Он или она совершает с преимуществом спасброски от яда и получает сопротивление к урону ядом. Он или она владеет боевым топором вместо длинного меча и ручным топором вместо короткого.
Мирабар (маленький город, 10,307): Мирабар - центр горной промышленности Побережья Меча. Щитовые дварфы города живут в подземелье, наблюдая за своими цехами. Верхние люди сотрудничают с дварфами, чтобы взаимодействовать с добычей руды, отправлять ее на рынок и защищать город от магической угрозы. Номинальный правитель Мирабара - наследственный марчион, но истинная власть - собрание, называемое Советом Искрящихся Камней, группа дварфов и людей, которая встречается раз в год для определения квот производства и того, угрожает ли нынешним клиентам уменьшение производства. Mirabar is the richest city of the North by far. It sits atop a knoll on the north side of the Mirar River like an unassailable fortress, enclosed on all sides by sloped outer walls as wide at the base as many city blocks in Waterdeep. Defenders can fire arrows down from atop the walls, or, in winter, pour water down them to make ice slides. There is no shortage of stone and weaponry. Even the docks have battlements and fortifications. Visitors to Mirabar often wonder why they don’t see more dwarves, as humans make up the majority of the city’s surface dwellers. Another city lies just below the surface, and that place is dominated by dwarves. Under¬ground, Mirabar is a city of lit residential caverns, super¬heated forges, foundries that operate day and night, and tunnels leading to the mines. Mirabar’s marchion, Selin Ramur (LN male Damaran human noble), meets with the other members of the Lords’ Alliance to ensure that Mirabar’s interests aren’t ignored. While the marchion handles foreign policy, true power within the city rests with the Council of Sparkling Stones, a group of dwarf elders that manages the city’s security and decides where the output of Mirabar's mines are sold. * Mirabar: FRA129; GToR91,114; RtR27; FRCSmap1; FRCS3e:91; FRAtl2; RoMD106; CoS11,14,18,19; CoS:WW19; CoS:SoC9; RoZK36,39; RoZKm1; N:W5,13,20,25,36,39,41,44; N:C11,19,21,22,24,25,26,27,28,29,32,55; N:D15; Nmap1a; FR5:6,7,9,11; FR13:89; FOR1:36; FOR4:37,71; 7S14; C&D28; VGtW30; VGtN7,48; DDGtU41,47; W+PoR38,39,40; DHoR7,52; PftF80,85; Au124; Dr110:36; Dr128:8; Dr182:48,53; Dr211:30,33; Dr230:37,39; Dr233:34; Dr239:34; Dr244:56,57; Dr253:86; Dr254:84,85,86,87,88; Dr256:75 * Mirabar District: N:C24,25; Nmap1a * Mirabar Shield: N:C24 Джерело: <http://arcanecoast.ru/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=424> Mirabar is a mining city of great wealth located on the Sword Coast. As of 1368 DR it is the richest city north of Waterdeep.[2] In 1370 DR, the city is occupied by 1600[3] shield dwarves who live underground near to their workshops, which produce metal goods for export in the region and beyond. The humans above cooperate with the dwarves to handle the mining, move the ore to market and defend the city against magical threats. Mirabar is ruled by a hereditary marchion, Elastul Raurym, but the true power is in an elected[4] assembly called the Council of Sparkling Stones,[5] a dwarven and human group that meets once a year to determine their production quotas[6] and whether or not to threaten current clients with reduced output. It is led by the dwarven cleric of Dumathoin, Agrathan Hardhammer. Mirabar also has an elected sceptrana,[4] Shoudra Stargleam in 1370 DR.[7] Mirabar stands on a knoll on the north banks of the River Mirar.[2] On the surface, Mirabar is populated with squat stone buildings and a few stone towers. It is arranged in such a way as to provide great efficiency.[8] Its walls are extremely thick and sloping, so as to allow water to be poured down them in the winter, which freezes to make them slippery. The area around the city is dotted with open mines and heaps of rock. Roads lead to its major mines in the Spine of the World mountains, which yield a wide range of metals and gemstones, so they are guarded against orc and monster raids by the Axe of Mirabar (see Militia below). For as long as the average Mirabarran cares to look back, their city has been the richest in the lands north of Waterdeep. Being the chief mining center of the north for years, their quarries have provided metals of all kinds. The miners and merchants both made money - big money - and they were happy. With the rebirth of Mithral Hall, all their dreams threatened to come shattering down. Not only does Mithral Hall stand as a legend, but these same legends recall that the metals extracted from the dwarfhold created the best weapons in the history of Faerûn. Whether these rumors are true or false doesn’t matter to Mirabar as a whole; it’s tough to compete with a legend. Established trade and the remoteness of Mithral Hall have helped Mirabar survive, however. The Look and the Feel The gray stone city is surrounded by shafts, quarries, and taluses. Across the river to the west and south of the city, dead and bloated mines are used to store building stone and rubble to shore up the ever-crumbling gravel roads that carry Mirabar’s metal wealth, forged metal bars, fine gems, and metalwork south to the rest of Faerûn. Mirabar is a city of hard work with a grim, no-nonsense manner. The city’s protective walls are set in concentric rings so besieged defenders can fall back from the outer wall without leaving the city unprotected. The walls are thick and sloped, allowing defenders to fire arrows down the sides or pour water down them to make ice slides in winter. In the center of town is a walled garden that helps keep Mirabar less dependent on imported food. The area features well shafts bringing water from the Underdark - water warmed by the heat of the depths. There’s a permanently installed control weather effect in this garden which keeps the temperature comfortable for plants, allowing year-round growth. The streets narrow as they flow toward the center of town, ending at a wall. There’s a circular street running around the ring wall to staggered entrances, where another street starts. One street looks much like another, but observant travelers notice images carved in the wall at the head of each street, so one can find Griffon Street, Manticore Street, Flame Street, Anvil Street, and so on, with ease. There are seven concentric ring walls in Mirabar. The dwellings, warehouses, and businesses are addressed in order to simplify courier deliveries and advertising for businesses. Beginning at the Northgate and working clockwise, each house along the ring-shaped streets is numbered (in sequences of five when possible), with odd numbers on the outer side of the street and the even numbers on the inner side. The spoke streets are numbered, beginning with the central-most buildings with odd number on the left and even numbers to the right (when one’s back is to the center of town). Alleys are numbered, but each one tends to use its own system. The city has four gates: Northgate, primarily used by mine wagons; the Eastgate, where the town watch quarters; River Gate, where the bridge crosses the Mirar River; and Sunset Gate to the west, where most visitors and merchants enter the city. Each of these gates has a double metal gridwork palisade, a large slab of solid granite three feet thick, and an ironwood barricade (magically immunized against fire) that can be dropped into place to help protect the city from outside invasion. The protection between concentric ring walls in the city, however, is not so elaborate. A single metallic gridwork palisade and an ironwood barricade are all that stands between the central section of the city and invaders who manage to break through the outer gates. Mirabar, however, has no way to protect itself from invaders who gate or teleport into the city. The mines of Mirabar are guarded against raids by a standing army, the Axe of Mirabar. At 1,000 strong, the Axe is a force of grim, experienced warriors who fight with crossbows, lances, and hammers, riding mountain ponies in summer and rothé in winter. Merchant houses in the city keep another 500 trained soldiers under arms. They realize these mines are the life of the city - and where their salaries come from. With the reinstatement of Mithral Hall’s mining operations, Mirabarrans have been screaming that the government send in vandals to Mithral Hall to sabotage every possible operation. Thus far, the marchion has refused to grant such an act - mostly in fear of retribution from Mithral Hall and its allies. Sending spies to watch, listen, and report back with whatever they see and hear is a possibility Elastul’s willing to debate. The royal badge of Mirabar is an upright, double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base. It’s customarily rustred on a black field, though the field is sometimes a deep purple or white when presented on ship pennants. The badge is plainly visible on the shields of all Axe militia. The People and the Places Mirabar is a city of grim folk, hard work, long hours, hard drinking, and exhausted slumber. There’s little rowdiness and little crime. Visitors are frequently watched to make sure they’re not thinking of starting trouble or spying for other cities. Thieves are frequently apprehended rapidly by the militia, who employ professional iethief watchersle throughout the city. Some 19,000 humans and more than 4,000 dwarves live in relative harmony here, working the earth shoulder to shoulder. Rivalries over forging skills are common, but all regard fellow citizens as friends and the rest of the world as unfriendly (or as foes). Treachery is unthinkable to a dwarf of Mirabar, and it’s hard to tempt even the poorest human in the city. The miners are on the alert for plots, attempts to sway or mislead them, and attacks or surveillance by rivals (which now includes Mithral Hall). Shrines: Shrines to Tymora and Chauntea can be found here, but the temples dedicated to dwarven powers are underground in the dwarven communities. The badge of Mirabar is a deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring flat base, on a black field.[8] Places of interestEdit Hall of All Fires A large hall lined with furnaces[9] with a capacity of more than two thousand.[10] Undercity Square An open area between three buildings and containing the entrance to the Undercity.[11] The Undercity The center of all mining in Mirabar. It is guarded by the Axe of Mirabar, and accessible via a staircase from Undercity Square, followed by a pulley-operated lift in a shaft of hundreds of feet. The base of this shaft is another guarded room with several exits all with either iron doors or portcullises.[12] There is another entrance which is a sloping, winding tunnel.[13] The subterranean level closest to the ground is called the First Below.[14] Mirabar is defended by the Axe of Mirabar, an army of around two thousand, including humans and five hundred dwarves.[6][15] There is virtually no crime, and the city utilizes professional thief trackers, the 'Shadow District', to monitor any potential criminals.[16] Making maps of the city is illegal for security purposes, because the city is concerned about intelligence getting into the hands of Mirabar's enemies, especially Luskan.[17] An attack on a councilor or a councilor-elect is punishable by execution. This is to prevent plots to foil a candidate's election campaign.[17] TradeEdit The stone and metals taken out of the mines are worked by craftsmen. After being expertly cut and hewn, the stone is transported magically at high cost to Luskan, to then be transported south. Some buildings in Amn, Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep use Mirabar stone, typically that which has been quarried from the areas to the west or south of the city.[16] Any worthless stone is crushed to improve the city's roads. This operation continues in almost all weather, even during the winter.[16] Trade with Luskan was important to Mirabar. As of 1370 DR, the Mirabar District in Luskan was an entire district used by Mirabarran trade companies, such as Anvilfist Banner, the Golden Hand, and Thalorin's Manymetals.[18] HistoryEdit Mirabar was built upon the foundations of Gharraghaur's Iron Tower[19] by Ereskas Torlath. Later, during the Goblin Wars, Mirabar was sacked by the goblin chieftain Nethaug[20][21]. Mirabar was responsible for bringing prosperity to both Illusk and Stornanter when the three cities began trading with one another though when Prince Galnorn of Illusk attempted to conquer Mirabar in 1023 DR the relationship was soured. Mirabar was attacked in 1253 DR by a horde of orcs. They attacked the western wall but this was merely a decoy - the main attack was at the eastern wall. Torgar Hammerstriker was among the dwarves who held the eastern wall during the attack.[22] House rivalriesEdit Open fighting between houses in the streets and mines in Mirabar's past was revealed by the Harpers to be a plot by agents from Hellgate Keep, the Zhentarim and Luskanites. After this discovery, the houses united against Mirabar's enemies. This resulted in a careful watch for anything suspicious in the city's mines, and the city's inhabitants are particularly wary of those from Luskan.[23] Recent HistoryEdit In 1367 DR, a wizard named Shoundra managed to establish herself as a new temporal power in the city calling herself Sceptrana[24]. She had authority over Mirabar's trade agreements[25] - making her an incredibly powerful individual Mithral Hall The reopening of Mithral Hall has caused tensions to flare in Mirabar. The Clan Battlehammer stronghold has better and more metal coming out of its mines which has taken a lot of custom away from Mirabar. Although in public Mirabar greets its fellow dwarves with warmth,[26] in reality most curse them for the loss of their buyers. The council members are also divided on the matter, some welcome their new rivals as a prompt for the miners to work harder to up their production. Most want the miners to explore further into the mines to unveil deeper and richer veins of metal and ore (unfortunately, Mirabar doesn't have enough miners to work new veins of ore without reassigning members of the Axe but they are needed to protect the existing mines from Underdark monsters so little exploring has been done in the more dangerous deeper levels), while others want covert operations to be taken out against the hall, weakening their charcoal to spoil smelting. Still others want to confiscate all Battlehammer trading caravans coming west of Mithral Hall's territory but most agree that would likely provoke a war. King Bruenor Battlehammer of Mithral Hall visited Mirabar in 1370 DR,[8] which caused a stir when some of the dwarves, including Torgar Hammerstriker, socialized with him and his caravan.[27] Marchion Elastul considered Mithral Hall to be an enemy of Mirabar,[28] but Torgar realised the potential of a union between the two strongholds, working together to provide a wide range of wares. When Elastul refused to yield on the issue, Torgar left Mirabar for Mithral Hall, an action which sparked much political tension in Mirabar. Torgar was then secretly captured and imprisoned by the Hammers.[29] When news leaked of Torgar's imprisonment, rioting broke out amongst the dwarves in the Undercity.[30] When the rioting broke out on the streets above ground and threatened to turn into open warfare, Elastul was forced to concede and free Torgar.[31] The situation caused the exodus of four hundred of the dwarves of Mirabar.[32] Mining progress The mines are operated by around one thousand of the dwarves, who have a target quota set by the Council. Although the deeper veins contain ore of better quality, they are more dangerous to mine because of the monsters, and Mirabar cannot afford to cut production for long enough to locate any such veins. The marchion has hired over two dozen alchemists and metallurgists[6] who promise to make a new metal stronger and easier to enchant than Adamantine. So far all they have provided is a plan that will take five years to complete.[citation needed] This ensures that they are well paid for this time without providing any evidence.[citation needed] It seems all but the marchion agree that they are con artists.[citation needed] LuskanEdit Luskan, as a sign of 'good faith', reduced its annual harbour fees by half but Mirabar has paid through until 1377 DR so it matters little at the moment. In fact, Mirabar's 'Shadow District' reports that rumours tell of Luskan attempting to work out the same deal as it has with Mirabar with Mithral Hall as well, prompting security to lax in the city.[citation needed] The Axe of Mirabar is the two thousand strong[1] militia of Mirabar, consisting of humans and five hundred dwarves.[2] Its members wear the crest of Mirabar (a deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base on a black field[3]) on their shield or armour. They fight with crossbows, lances and hammers, riding mountain ponies, and rothé in the winter.[4] It is commanded by Torgar Hammerstriker.[5] The Axe is responsible for keeping the mines of Mirabar clear of monsters.[2] New members must take an oath to protect the Marchion of Mirabar.[6] Axe of Mirabar Basic Information Base of operations Mirabar Leader(s) Torgar Hammerstriker Symbol A deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring, flat base on a black field Membership Members 2000 Race(s) 500 dwarves, the rest humans Relationships Enemies Anyone who threatens Mirabar Джерело: <http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Axe_of_Mirabar> The Mirabar District (also known as the Mirabar Shield) was a district on the north bank of the city of Luskan, and was dedicated to the warehouses used by Mirabarran merchants operating in the city. As of 1370 DR, companies such as Anvilfist Banner, the Golden Hand, and Thalorin's Manymetals traded in this district. These companies operated up to 90 guards to prevent "accidental" injuries from the Luskan militia, who were known to fire into the district for "blood money".[1] Мирабар - это самый богатый город Севера на данный момент. Он стоит на вершине холма на северной стороне Реки Мирар, как неприступная крепость, окруженная со всех сторон покатыми внешними стенами, широкими как кварталы в Глубоководье. Защитники могут посылать огненные стрелы со стен, или лить на них воду зимой, чтобы превратить их в ледяные склоны. Здесь нет нехватки в камне и оружии. Даже у доков есть зубчатые стены и фортификации. Посетители Мирабара часто удивляются тому, что здесь не так много дварфов, так как люди - это большая часть населения города на поверхности. Другая часть города лежит под землей и там доминируют дварфы. Подземный Мирабар - это город залитых светом жилых пещер, невероятно горячих кузниц, литейных цехов, которые работают днями и ночами, и тоннелей ведущих к шахтам. Марчион Мирабара, Селин Рамур (ЗН мужчина Дамаранец дворянин) постоянно встречается с остальными членами Альянса Лордов, чтобы убедиться, что интересы Мирабара не игнорируются. Пока Марчион занимается внешней политикой, настоящая власть в городе принадлежит Совету Сверкающих Камней, группе старейшин дварфов, которая управляет защитой города и решает, где продавать выход из шахт Мирабара. Защитой города занимается Секира Мирабара, отлично вооруженный гарнизон. Все члены Секиры Мирабара - щитовые дварфы. Типичный член отряда - ветеран со следующими изменениями: Мирабарские власти были бы в ярости, узнай они, что арфисты подвергли риску безопасность города, создав постоянный круг телепортации в пределах стен Мирабара. Круг начертан на чердаке конюшни и может быть быстро спрятан под сеном. Смотритель круга, Зазспар Бронзогонь (ЗД мужчина щитовой дварф маг), изображает конюха, одетый в кожаную одежду и с соломинкой в бороде. Мирабар - человеческий город, построенный поверх дварфийских пещер. На поверхности насе¬ление состоит в основном из людей, встречается определенное количество дварфов, а также гномов и халфлингов. Верхние уровни подземной части города населены преимущественно дварфами и небольшим количеством людей. Такое смешение рас объясняется предпочтением каждой расы к опре¬деленным занятиям и различиях в навыках между расами: как среди людей встречаются те немногие, кому нравится работать в шахте, пить крепкие дварфийские напитки и работать под землей, так и среди дварфов есть небольшая доля тех, кому приятно жить под открытым небом, работать в порту, строить корабли или даже работать в каче¬стве их экипажа. Нижние уровни подземной части Мирабара населены исключительно дварфами, так как даже наиболее схожий по нраву с дварфами человек может прожить на такой глубине только ограниченное время. Почти все граждане Мирабара поклоняются Морадину и другим божествам двар- фийского пантеона, что делает Мирабар дварфий- ским по духу и этике, даже если его население и не полностью дварфийское. В этом отношении город похож на мой родной Сильверимун, в котором все говорит об эльфийских идеалах природной красоты. Давным-давно великое дварфийское королевство Гаррагор, находившееся к западу от Делзун, начало прокладывать шахты около реки Мирар и обнару¬жило огромные, практически неиссякаемые залежи драгоценных камней. Как и многие дварфийские государства, Гаррагор пал под нападениями орков, которые уничтожили королевство и его столицу, но не сумели воспользоваться их сокровищами. Поч¬ти тысячелетие нижний город стоял пустым, пока около восьмисот лет назад Принц Эрескас из Амна не основал на том же самом месте город Мирабар (случайно соблюдя дварфийскую традицию наи¬менования цитаделей Севера с окончанием «бар»). И только когда сюда стали возвращаться дварфы, чтобы снова начать работу в шахтах под городом, Мирабар стал богатеть вновь. Мирабар управляется наследным маркизом Сели- ном Роримом, который подписывает эдикты, подсо-вываемые ему под нос Советом Блестящих Камней. Совет состоит из группы дварфов и нескольких лю¬дей, который избраны направлять политику города и определять, где будет продано добытое в шахтах богатство. Хотя совет долго поддерживал союзничество Ми¬рабара с Альянсом Лордов, непосредственные пере¬говоры с другими лордами ведет именно маркиз. До настоящего момента Селин Рорим показал значи¬тельно большую способность принимать выгодные для города решения, чем его предшественники, и совет предоставляет ему большую свободу в перего¬ворах от имени города за пределами его стен. Его угроза выйти из Альянса ввиду неспособности последнего помочь северным городам в борьбе с по-следними нашествиями орд орков многие посчита¬ли пустым жестом, однако это позволило существен¬но улучшить отношения с Глубоководьем и Вратами Балдура, что не оставил без положительной оценки совет Мирабара. Городская стража, Секира Мирабара, существует в основном для предотвращения саботажа в шах¬тах, без которых экономика города рухнет. Стража также обеспечивает быструю и умелую оборону и защиту правопорядка в городе. Богатство Мира¬бара настолько велико, что город владеет доками, кораблями и укрепленными гаванями на многих островах Моря Мечей, ввиду чего город постоянно в поиске военной и магической защиты этих своих анклавов. Другие города могли бы использовать такие огром¬ные горы золота, как те, что есть в сокровищницах Мирабара, на демонстрацию своего процветания, но мирабарцы используют их на более практические нужды, например, чтобы быть в уверенности, что оборонительные постройки находятся в состоянии новых, что ворота закрываются достаточно плотно, и что здания и стены города крепки и надежны. С учетом недавнего уничтожения надземной части Сандабара орками, такие затраты вполне оправ¬даны, потому что никому бы не хотелось увидеть опустошенной надземную часть Мирабара - это было бы просто плохо для бизнеса. Мирабар не жалеет де¬нег на защиту своего богатства, и нанимает столько волшебников и приключенцев для своей защиты, сколько потребуется, чтобы держать в безопасно¬сти дороги, расследовать акты саботажа и прочими способами защищать жизненно важное горнодобы¬вающее производство города. С выходом на арену Мифрилового Зала в прошлом столетии, и, теперь, Гонтлгрима, Мирабар опасается, что его роль кузницы Севера под угрозой. Рудокопы, литейщики и кузнецы Мирабара работают с увели¬ченным усердием, чтобы увеличить свою производи¬тельность и улучшить качество продукции, а ювели¬ры и эмалировщики изучают способы соединения древних дварфийских, эльфийских и людских технологий в едином производственном процессе, подобно тому, как это делалось в древнем Фалорме. Мирабарские дварфы любят отращивать длинные и широкие (в отличие от клиновидных или зао¬стренных) бороды, а остальные волосы завязывать в тугие косы, и этой моде также подражают некото¬рые местные люди. Они любят использовать полированные, обрабо¬танные вечным огнем листы металла, в частности, меди, как двери или как зеркальные вставки в деревянные панели. Они любят вставлять драго¬ценные камни в рукоятки или нерабочие концы инструментов и оружия. Мирабарские дварфы обычно довольно богатые, и у них часто имеются коллекции необычных или редких драгоценных камней. Драгоценные камни часто используются в их перстнях-печатках. Также они часто инвестируют в дело (а не в собственность) о всему Побережью Меча. Мирабарские дварфы - искушенные и мудрые, и им чуждо ксенофобское или изоляционистское поведение некоторых других дварфов. Эти свои бо¬лее широкие взгляды они демонстрируют, становясь дипломатическими и коммерческими посредниками в переговорах и соглашениях между двумя дварфа- ми или между дварфом и кем-то еще в Фаершире и Невервинтере, а также в любом другом месте, куда они смогут пролезть Для других дварфов мирабарцы - переводчики и «люди, которые знают нужных людей» в преимуще¬ственно человеческих городах Побережья Меча и в большой части Сердцеземья. Большинство взрослых мирабарцев заключают сделки с самыми разны¬ми торговцами-людьми, таким образом избегая эксклюзивности и риска создать слишком узкую клиентскую базу, от которой они могут оказаться в зависимости. Таким образом они сохраняют свою бизнес-свободу и финансовую самостоятельность. Им отвратна мысль о том, что у людей может быть даже слабый шанс доминирования над ними. Богатство, проходящее через Мирабар не только расширило для всех мирабарцев знания о внешнем мире, но и дало возможность заниматься такими хобби, как коллекционирование предметов искус¬ства, в частности, картин и статуэток. Жилища большинства мирабарцев могут похвастаться удоб¬ной мебелью, разного размера картинами, изваяни¬ями и подвесными колокольчиками, звук которых всегда мягок и приятен, и никогда не громок или груб. В мирабарских семьях много драгоценных камней, которые используются и как валюта, и как персональные украшения, вместо того, чтобы быть упрятанными подальше. Полудрагоценными камня¬ми украшены некоторые улицы Мирабара, а на важ¬ных углах и перекрестках могут красоваться вос¬хитительные инкрустации некоторые из них такие новые, что с них едва сдули пыль после окончания работы ювелира. И все же, несмотря на общий высокий уровень состоятельности горожан Мирабара, в нем есть богатые и (относительно) бедные жители. Не все находятся в доле от продажи ресурсов города, и рабочие, трудящиеся за зарплату, не могут наде¬яться на процент от удачной сделки, заключенной владельцем бизнеса. Богатые купцы и бизнесмены достаточно осторожны, чтобы не кичиться своим успехом: их одежда может быть сделана из более дорогих тканей, но цветовая гамма и фасон пример¬но такие же как у более бедного населения. При¬хожие и гостиные в богатых домах обставляются примерно так же, как и в более бедных домах. Под¬держание внешнего впечатления равенства граж¬дан очень важно, потому что если кто-то, способный в принципе на преступление, например, кузнец располагающий арсеналом оружия, выкованного для владельца кузницы, узнает, насколько богаты наи¬более состоятельные мирабарцы, то очень вероятно, что произойдет кровопролитие. Мирабар - человеческий город, построенный поверх дварфийских пещер. На поверхности население состоит в основном из людей, встречается определенное количество дварфов, а также гномов и халфлингов. Верхние уровни подземной части города населены преимущественно дварфами и небольшим количеством людей. Такое смешение рас объясняется предпочтением каждой расы к определенным занятиям и различиях в навыках между расами: как среди людей встречаются те немногие, кому нравится работать в шахте, пить крепкие дварфийские напитки и работать под землей, так и среди дварфов есть небольшая доля тех, кому приятно жить под открытым небом, работать в порту, строить корабли или даже работать в качестве их экипажа. Нижние уровни подземной части Мирабара населены исключительно дварфами, так как даже наиболее схожий по нраву с дварфами человек может прожить на такой глубине только ограниченное время. Почти все граждане Мирабара поклоняются Морадину и другим божествам двар- фийского пантеона, что делает Мирабар дварфий- ским по духу и этике, даже если его население и не полностью дварфийское. В этом отношении город похож на мой родной Сильверимун, в котором все говорит об эльфийских идеалах природной красоты. Давным-давно великое дварфийское королевство Гаррагор, находившееся к западу от Делзун, начало прокладывать шахты около реки Мирар и обнаружило огромные, практически неиссякаемые залежи драгоценных камней. Как и многие дварфийские государства, Гаррагор пал под нападениями орков, которые уничтожили королевство и его столицу, но не сумели воспользоваться их сокровищами. Почти тысячелетие нижний город стоял пустым, пока около восьмисот лет назад Принц Эрескас из Амна не основал на том же самом месте город Мирабар (случайно соблюдя дварфийскую традицию наименования цитаделей Севера с окончанием «бар»). И только когда сюда стали возвращаться дварфы, чтобы снова начать работу в шахтах под городом, Мирабар стал богатеть вновь. Мирабар управляется наследным маркизом Сели- ном Роримом, который подписывает эдикты, подсовываемые ему под нос Советом Блестящих Камней. Совет состоит из группы дварфов и нескольких людей, который избраны направлять политику города и определять, где будет продано добытое в шахтах богатство. Вечное Сияние Дварфы первыми открыли секрет обработки металлов вечным сиянием. Эта технологии впоследствии имитировалась другими расами с разной степенью успешности. Броня, оружие и прочие металлические предметы, обработанные вечным сиянием, сохраняют яркость без периодической полировки, а также устойчивы к природным (а также в некоторых случаях магическим) ржавчине, коррозии и побежалости. ^ Хотя совет долго поддерживал союзничество Мирабара с Альянсом Лордов, непосредственные переговоры с другими лордами ведет именно маркиз. До настоящего момента Селин Рорим показал значительно большую способность принимать выгодные для города решения, чем его предшественники, и совет предоставляет ему большую свободу в переговорах от имени города за пределами его стен. Его угроза выйти из Альянса ввиду неспособности последнего помочь северным городам в борьбе с последними нашествиями орд орков многие посчитали пустым жестом, однако это позволило существенно улучшить отношения с Глубоководьем и Вратами Балдура, что не оставил без положительной оценки совет Мирабара. Городская стража, Секира Мирабара, существует в основном для предотвращения саботажа в шахтах, без которых экономика города рухнет. Стража также обеспечивает быструю и умелую оборону и защиту правопорядка в городе. Богатство Мирабара настолько велико, что город владеет доками, кораблями и укрепленными гаванями на многих островах Моря Мечей, ввиду чего город постоянно в поиске военной и магической защиты этих своих анклавов. Другие города могли бы использовать такие огромные горы золота, как те, что есть в сокровищницах Мирабара, на демонстрацию своего процветания, но мирабарцы используют их на более практические нужды, например, чтобы быть в уверенности, что оборонительные постройки находятся в состоянии новых, что ворота закрываются достаточно плотно, и что здания и стены города крепки и надежны. С учетом недавнего уничтожения надземной части Сандабара орками, такие затраты вполне оправданы, потому что никому бы не хотелось увидеть опустошенной надземную часть Мирабара - это было бы просто плохо для бизнеса. Мирабар не жалеет денег на защиту своего богатства, и нанимает столько волшебников и приключенцев для своей защиты, сколько потребуется, чтобы держать в безопасности дороги, расследовать акты саботажа и прочими способами защищать жизненно важное горнодобывающее производство города. С выходом на арену Мифрилового Зала в прошлом столетии, и, теперь, Гонтлгрима, Мирабар опасается, что его роль кузницы Севера под угрозой. Рудокопы, литейщики и кузнецы Мирабара работают с увеличенным усердием, чтобы увеличить свою производительность и улучшить качество продукции, а ювелиры и эмалировщики изучают способы соединения древних дварфийских, эльфийских и людских технологий в едином производственном процессе, подобно тому, как это делалось в древнем Фалорме. Мирабарские дварфы любят отращивать длинные и широкие (в отличие от клиновидных или заостренных) бороды, а остальные волосы завязывать в тугие косы, и этой моде также подражают некоторые местные люди. Они любят использовать полированные, обработанные вечным огнем листы металла, в частности, меди, как двери или как зеркальные вставки в деревянные панели. Они любят вставлять драгоценные камни в рукоятки или нерабочие концы инструментов и оружия. Мирабарские дварфы обычно довольно богатые, и у них часто имеются коллекции необычных или редких драгоценных камней. Драгоценные камни часто используются в их перстнях-печатках. Также они часто инвестируют в дело (а не в собственность) о всему Побережью Меча. Мирабарские дварфы - искушенные и мудрые, и им чуждо ксенофобское или изоляционистское поведение некоторых других дварфов. Эти свои более широкие взгляды они демонстрируют, становясь дипломатическими и коммерческими посредниками в переговорах и соглашениях между двумя дварфа- ми или между дварфом и кем-то еще в Фаершире и Невервинтере, а также в любом другом месте, куда они смогут пролезть Для других дварфов мирабарцы - переводчики и «люди, которые знают нужных людей» в преимущественно человеческих городах Побережья Меча и в большой части Сердцеземья. Большинство взрослых мирабарцев заключают сделки с самыми разными торговцами-людьми, таким образом избегая эксклюзивности и риска создать слишком узкую клиентскую базу, от которой они могут оказаться в зависимости. Таким образом они сохраняют свою бизнес-свободу и финансовую самостоятельность. Им отвратна мысль о том, что у людей может быть даже слабый шанс доминирования над ними. Богатство, проходящее через Мирабар не только расширило для всех мирабарцев знания о внешнем мире, но и дало возможность заниматься такими хобби, как коллекционирование предметов искусства, в частности, картин и статуэток. Жилища большинства мирабарцев могут похвастаться удобной мебелью, разного размера картинами, изваяниями и подвесными колокольчиками, звук которых всегда мягок и приятен, и никогда не громок или груб. В мирабарских семьях много драгоценных камней, которые используются и как валюта, и как персональные украшения, вместо того, чтобы быть упрятанными подальше. Полудрагоценными камнями украшены некоторые улицы Мирабара, а на важных углах и перекрестках могут красоваться восхитительные инкрустации некоторые из них такие новые, что с них едва сдули пыль после окончания работы ювелира. И все же, несмотря на общий высокий уровень состоятельности горожан Мирабара, в нем есть богатые и (относительно) бедные жители. Не все находятся в доле от продажи ресурсов города, и рабочие, трудящиеся за зарплату, не могут надеяться на процент от удачной сделки, заключенной владельцем бизнеса. Богатые купцы и бизнесмены достаточно осторожны, чтобы не кичиться своим успехом: их одежда может быть сделана из более дорогих тканей, но цветовая гамма и фасон примерно такие же как у более бедного населения. Прихожие и гостиные в богатых домах обставляются примерно так же, как и в более бедных домах. Поддержание внешнего впечатления равенства граждан очень важно, потому что если кто-то, способный в принципе на преступление, например, кузнец располагающий арсеналом оружия, выкованного для владельца кузницы, узнает, насколько богаты наиболее состоятельные мирабарцы, то очень вероятно, что произойдет кровопролитие.
Вечное Сияние (Everbright)
Дварфы первыми открыли секрет обработки металлов вечным сиянием. Эта технологии впоследствии имитировалась другими расами с разной степенью успешности. Броня, оружие и прочие металлические предметы, обработанные вечным сиянием, сохраняют яркость без периодической полировки, а также устойчивы к природным (а также в некоторых случаях магическим) ржавчине, коррозии и побежалости. Mirabar EDIT SHARE Overview of Mirabar Gallery Mirabar Geography Region Sword Coast North, northwest Faerûn Size Small city Society Races Humans Shield dwarves Politics Gov't type Council of Sparkling Stones Ruler marchion History Population 10,307[1] in 1372 DR Ruler Elastul Raurym in 1368 DR Selin Ramur (late 1480s or early 1490s DR)[2] Inhabitants of Mirabar Locations in Mirabar Mirabar was a mining city of great wealth located on the Sword Coast. As of 1368 DR it was the richest city north of Waterdeep.[3] In 1370 DR, the city was occupied by 1600[4] shield dwarves who lived underground near to their workshops, which produced metal goods for export in the region and beyond. The humans above cooperated with the dwarves to handle the mining, move the ore to market and defend the city against magical threats. Mirabar was ruled by a hereditary marchion, but the true power was in an elected[5] assembly called the Council of Sparkling Stones,[6] a dwarven and human group that met once a year to determine production quotas[7] and whether or not to threaten current clients with reduced output. It was led by the dwarven cleric of Dumathoin, Agrathan Hardhammer. Mirabar also had an elected sceptrana,[5] Shoudra Stargleam in 1370 DR.[8] Contents[show] DescriptionEdit Mirabar stands on a knoll on the north banks of the River Mirar.[3] On the surface, Mirabar is populated with squat stone buildings and a few stone towers. It is arranged in such a way as to provide great efficiency.[9] Its walls are extremely thick and sloping, so as to allow water to be poured down them in the winter, which freezes to make them slippery. The area around the city is dotted with open mines and heaps of rock. Roads lead to its major mines in the Spine of the World mountains, which yield a wide range of metals and gemstones, so they are guarded against orc and monster raids by the Axe of Mirabar (see Militia below). The badge of Mirabar is a deep red double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring flat base, on a black field.[9] Notable LocationsEdit Hall of All Fires A large hall lined with furnaces[10] with a capacity of more than two thousand.[11] Undercity Square An open area between three buildings and containing the entrance to the Undercity.[12] The Undercity The center of all mining in Mirabar. It is guarded by the Axe of Mirabar, and accessible via a staircase from Undercity Square, followed by a pulley-operated lift in a shaft of hundreds of feet. The base of this shaft is another guarded room with several exits all with either iron doors or portcullises.[13] There is another entrance which is a sloping, winding tunnel.[14] The subterranean level closest to the ground is called the First Below.[15] Defense and justiceEdit See also: Axe of Mirabar Mirabar is defended by the Axe of Mirabar, an army of around two thousand, including humans and five hundred dwarves.[7][16] There is virtually no crime, and the city utilizes professional thief trackers, the 'Shadow District', to monitor any potential criminals.[17] Making maps of the city is illegal for security purposes, because the city is concerned about intelligence getting into the hands of Mirabars 's enemies, especially Luskan.[18] An attack on a councilor or a councilor-elect is punishable by execution. This is to prevent plots to foil a candidate's election campaign.[18] TradeEdit The stone and metals taken out of the mines are worked by craftsmen. After being expertly cut and hewn, the stone is transported magically at high cost to Luskan, to then be transported south. Some buildings in Amn, Baldur's Gate and Waterdeep use Mirabar stone, typically that which has been quarried from the areas to the west or south of the city.[17] Any worthless stone is crushed to improve the city's roads. This operation continues in almost all weather, even during the winter.[17] Trade with Luskan was important to Mirabar. As of 1370 DR, the Mirabar District in Luskan was an entire district used by Mirabarran trade companies, such as Anvilfist Banner, the Golden Hand, and Thalorin's Manymetals.[19] Coinage Edit In 1491 DR, Mirabar was using trade bars of its own manufacture[20]. These were one foot long spindles of iron, like two long four-sided pyramids joined at the base. They made a distinctive tone when struck. The trade bars were worth 5 gp. HistoryEdit Mirabar was built upon the foundations of Gharraghaur's Iron Tower[21] by Ereskas Torlath. Later, during the Goblin Wars, Mirabar was sacked by the goblin chieftain Nethaug[22][23]. Mirabar was responsible for bringing prosperity to both Illusk and Stornanter when the three cities began trading with one another though when Prince Galnorn of Illusk attempted to conquer Mirabar in 1023 DR the relationship was soured. Mirabar was attacked in 1253 DR by a horde of orcs. They attacked the western wall but this was merely a decoy - the main attack was at the eastern wall. Torgar Hammerstriker was among the dwarves who held the eastern wall during the attack.[24] House rivalriesEdit Open fighting between houses in the streets and mines in Mirabar's past was revealed by the Harpers to be a plot by agents from Hellgate Keep, the Zhentarim and Luskanites. After this discovery, the houses united against Mirabar's enemies. This resulted in a careful watch for anything suspicious in the city's mines, and the city's inhabitants are particularly wary of those from Luskan.[25] Recent HistoryEdit In 1367 DR, a wizard named Shoudra managed to establish herself as a new temporal power in the city calling herself Sceptrana[26]. She had authority over Mirabar's trade agreements[27] - making her an incredibly powerful individual. Mithral HallEdit The reopening of Mithral Hall has caused tensions to flare in Mirabar. The Clan Battlehammer stronghold has better and more metal coming out of its mines which has taken a lot of custom away from Mirabar. Although in public Mirabar greets its fellow dwarves with warmth,[28] in reality most curse them for the loss of their buyers. The council members are also divided on the matter, some welcome their new rivals as a prompt for the miners to work harder to up their production. Most want the miners to explore further into the mines to unveil deeper and richer veins of metal and ore (unfortunately, Mirabar doesn't have enough miners to work new veins of ore without reassigning members of the Axe but they are needed to protect the existing mines from Underdark monsters so little exploring has been done in the more dangerous deeper levels), while others want covert operations to be taken out against the hall, weakening their charcoal to spoil smelting. Still others want to confiscate all Battlehammer trading caravans coming west of Mithral Hall's territory but most agree that would likely provoke a war. King Bruenor Battlehammer of Mithral Hall visited Mirabar in 1370 DR,[9] which caused a stir when some of the dwarves, including Torgar Hammerstriker, socialized with him and his caravan.[29] Marchion Elastul considered Mithral Hall to be an enemy of Mirabar,[30] but Torgar realised the potential of a union between the two strongholds, working together to provide a wide range of wares. When Elastul refused to yield on the issue, Torgar left Mirabar for Mithral Hall, an action which sparked much political tension in Mirabar. Torgar was then secretly captured and imprisoned by the Hammers.[31] When news leaked of Torgar's imprisonment, rioting broke out amongst the dwarves in the Undercity.[32] When the rioting broke out on the streets above ground and threatened to turn into open warfare, Elastul was forced to concede and free Torgar.[33] The situation caused the exodus of four hundred of the dwarves of Mirabar.[34] Mining progressEdit The mines are operated by around one thousand of the dwarves, who have a target quota set by the Council. Although the deeper veins contain ore of better quality, they are more dangerous to mine because of the monsters, and Mirabar cannot afford to cut production for long enough to locate any such veins. The marchion has hired over two dozen alchemists and metallurgists[7] who promise to make a new metal stronger and easier to enchant than Adamantine. So far all they have provided is a plan that will take five years to complete.[citation needed] This ensures that they are well paid for this time without providing any evidence.[citation needed] It seems all but the marchion agree that they are con artists.[citation needed] LuskanEdit Luskan, as a sign of 'good faith', reduced its annual harbour fees by half but Mirabar has paid through until 1377 DR so it matters little at the moment. In fact, Mirabar's 'Shadow District' reports that rumours tell of Luskan attempting to work out the same deal as it has with Mirabar with Mithral Hall as well, prompting security to become more lax in the city.[citation needed] Holidays Each Midsummer, the Mirar Run is held, during which the inhabitants of Mirabar race their khyeks (sealed leather canoes) along a twenty-mile stretch of the River Mirar.[35]
Show spoiler
Mirabar Circle
The Mirabarran authorities would be angry to learn that the Harpers have compromised the city’s security by constructing a permanent teleportation circle within Mirabar’s walls. The circle is inscribed in a stable house loft and can be quickly hidden under hay. The circle’s attendant, Zazspar Bronzefire (LG male shield dwarf mage), poses as a stablehand, complete with leather overalls and straw in his beard.The greatest mining center of the northern Sword Coast has sloped walls as thick through at the base as many city blocks in Waterdeep. Defenders can fire arrows down the walls, or, in winter, pour water down them to make ice slides. The land around the city is littered with mine heads, open quarries, and heaps of slag and waste rock. The city itself stands on a knoll on the north bank of the Mirar. It’s linked by good roads to its major mines in the Spine of the World. The mines of Mirabar yield up vast quantities of almost all known metals and gemstones, so they are guarded against orc and monster raids by a standing army, the Axe of Mirabar. At 1,000 strong, the Axe is a force of grim, experienced warriors who fight with crossbows, lances, and ham¬mers, riding mountain ponies in summer and rothe in winter. Mer¬chant houses in the city keep another 500 trained soldiers under arms. Mirabar is the richest city north of Waterdeep, bar none. It sends bars of metal, fine gems, and metalwork of the compound at Luskan. Thence, these exports travel by ship down the Sword Coast or over land via the Long Road. The city also ships slabs of quarried stone to anyone willing to pay the huge costs of magically floating them to Luskan, from whence they are shipped south. Many palaces in Amn and grand houses in Waterdeep and Baldur’s Gate incorporate Mirabar stone. Mirabar’s masons can supply precisely cut blocks of the particular stones, grades, and hues desired, something local quarries often can’t do. Much of this stone comes from the mines west of the city or south across the Mirar. Worthless stone is crushed and used to repair and widen the gravel wagon roads. Crews work con¬tinuously at this, except in the worst winter weather. Mirabar is a city of grim folk, hard work, long hours, hard drinking, and exhausted slumber. There’s little row-diness and almost no crime. Visitors are watched to make sure they’re not thinking of creating either, or spying for Luskan, the Zhentarim, Hellgate Keep, the grasping mages of Thay, or anyone else. Thieves, be warned! The city employs professional thief-watch¬ers to tail you continuously, and they’re very good at the task. In the past, Mirabarran merchant houses carried rivalries to the point of open fighting in the streets and mines, and bitter trials were held here frequently. With the help of the Harpers, several rivalries were revealed to be the work of Luskan- ites, Zhentarim, and even agents from Hellgate Keep, skillfully manip- ulating the Mirabarrans from behind the scenes. Since those revelations, the rivalries have turned to a com¬mon front against the outside world. The miners of Mirabar are now on alert for plots, attempts to sway or mislead them, and attacks or surveil¬lance by their rivals. They pay special attention to Luskan, but they also watch the barbarians, subterranean drow, and duergar looking for a way to invade the city. Mirabar’s trading decisions have a long and far reach across Faerun. Many a would-be conqueror has been thwarted by the disapproving miners of Mirabar, as Mirabar’s enemies often abruptly have difficulty acquir¬ing metal and weapons save by force. Some 19,000 humans and more than 4,000 dwarves dwell together in relative harmony in Mirabar, working the earth shoulder to shoulder. Rival¬ries over forge skill are common, but all regard fellow citizens as friends and the rest of the world as unfriendly (or even as foes). Treachery would be unthinkable to a dwarf of Mirabar, and it is hard to tempt even the poorest human in the city. The folk of Mirabar are ruled by a marchion, but true power in the city is held by the elected Council of Sparkling Stones. This council meets each fall to plan out the amount of metal and stone to be hauled out in the year ahead, and to whom those assets will be sold. The council keeps Mirabar in the Lords’ Alliance, viewing it as a vital lifeline against overwhelming orc horde attacks and Luskanite aggression. The marchion of Mirabar is Elastul Raurym, who is always accompanied by his “Hammers,” four henchmen named Djassar, Hulmm, Kriiador, and Turvon. When he rides out of the city, he goes accompanied by 64 warriors who wear platinum-coated full plate armor. The marchion also brings along two of his Hammers, leaving the other two behind in the city to act as war captains. Fortunately, the mar¬chion only leaves the city once a year. After the council meets in the fall, the marchion rides south, carrying the word of the Council. He also negoti¬ates trade agreements with rulers who have need of Mirabar’s metal, and can trade luxuries Mirabar lacks to get it. The Council of Sparkling Stones is an elected assembly of 42 folk. The marchion is their chief justice and mouthpiece. Ten of the present coun¬cilors are dwarves (two females and eight males) and the rest are human (14 women and 18 men). Prominent Councilors include Agrathan Hard- hammer, a dwarven priest of Dumath- oin; Dunstun Forgebar, a dwarven priest of Vergadain; Shadrar Thunder- sar, a warrior; Heldorn “Goldsun” Thaerntyl, an adventurer; and Elyth Talboskh, Pheln Aldtorth, and Maern Hammaver, all merchants. Proceedings are by informal debate, followed by a round of formal speeches firmly kept short, and then a secret ballot. The Council typically takes four days, ending with a feast. Voting for positions on the Council is held in the spring, but the newly elected members don’t take office until after the next Council, in the fall. Attacks on Councilors are punishable by instant execution, which prevents plots against Councilors-elect before they take office. Mirabar’s fleet is based in the out¬ermost northern reach of Luskan’s harbor, where the city has an armed enclave. It also has fortified bases on Ruathyrm and Mintarn. The backbone of the fleet is 30 heavy, ore-carrying cogs. All of these have fortified bow and stern castles, rams, and hurling armaments. Mirabar also has 30 smaller craft, mainly fast coasters and caravels. The high captains of Luskan often threaten to seize Mirabar’s fleet and seal off the harbor to it unless the annual harbor fees aren’t paid well in advance. As the fee is now 76,000 gp per year, and it has been paid in advance for the next two decades, feelings in Mirabar are building towards war with Luskan. Mirabar is quietly hiring mages with battle expe¬rience. The mages are then paid handsome annual salaries to tutor lesser wizards and add to the magical defenses of Mirabar in anticipation of the strife to come. For security rea¬sons, publishing maps of Mirabar is a hanging offense, and I could find none outside Candlekeep and the vaults of noble families in Waterdeep. The agents of Mirabar have quietly done a very thorough job of destroy¬ing all maps of the city, so none appear herein. I can say from my visit that the city has tall, slate-roofed buildings of fitted stone opening onto cobbled streets. The city is set within concentric rings of defensive walls so that beseiged defenders can fall back from the outer wall without leaving the city unprotected. A walled, well-guarded food garden grows in the center of the city. Guards told me that the garden keeps Mirabar less dependent on imported food. Luskan had tried to starve out Mirabar several times in the past, and Mirabarrans grew tired of eating fungi brought up from the Underdark, so the garden was commissioned. The area also features well shafts that bring up water from the deep Underdark—water warmed by the heat of the depths! In the center of the garden is a shrine to Chauntea, and the city also houses a shrine to Tymora. The only other tem¬ples in Mirabar are underground, and they venerate the dwarven gods. The Royal Badge of Mirabar is an upright, double-bladed axe with a pointed haft and a flaring flat base. It is customarily rust-red on a black field, though the field is sometimes a deep purple, or white on ship pennants. In all honesty, though, there’s not much to see in Mirabar except in the private homes of the wealthy and the business offices of merchant houses. There you’ll see gems and polished rock inlays to rival the richest palaces of Faerun, plus exquisite metal sculp¬tures and mechanical toys worth thousands of gold coins. Metal birds sing in these places of wealth and ostentation, bell trees play different tunes depending on which sculpted leaf you push, and so on. They also feature gilded furniture and taps from which water runs—all the luxu¬ries one can imagine. The streets, however, are cold gray stone, with rock dust everywhere. Landmarks The one spot of color in town (aside from window boxes) is the walled food garden at the center of town, but no one’s allowed within throwing distance of that, except along the statue-lined avenue that leads to the Hall of Sparkling Stones. That massive, domed, stone fortress stands at the center of the city on a raised eminence or knoll, looming watchfully over Mirabar. It looks for all the world like a giant, watchful guard in helm and full plate, his shield drawn up before his face. Inside, its soaring central hall reaches to the roof, where a magnificent, many-hued glass window depicts the double axe of Mirabar encircled by flying dragons of various hues. The window casts its polychromatic light onto the ring¬shaped Council table below. The polished, black marble table is pierced by four passages to permit access to the podium at its center. The chamber floor is inlaid with scenes traced in gold, silver, electrum, copper, platinum, mithral, and adamant. The pillared, sculpted walls feature balconies stacked above each other at least six high. There may be seven levels, but it was dark, and the roof very high above me. Tiny beljurils (stones that give off absorbed light from time to time in little winking flashes) have been set here and there about the chamber’s walls and balconies. This is the marchion’s palace and courtroom; the state chamber of Mirabar, where important visitors are received; and the meeting place of the Council. It is the most impressive room—in terms of grandeur—that I’ve seen in my life thus far. The archi¬tects set out to impress the visitor and succeeded with awesome ease. The many balconies are crowded with Mirabarrans during the Council and at important trials. They share floors with small, wooden panelled meeting rooms. I’m told that these rooms have secret passages between them where Mirabarran agents listen, armed with wands of paralyzation and hand crossbows loaded with sleep- venomed bolts, to prevent problems. The rest of the city is row upon row of frowning buildings. The streets nar¬row 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. One street looks very much like another. 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, the Street of the Flame, the Street of the Anvil, and so on. The city has four gates. Sunset Gate is on the west; Northgate is where the mine wagons rumble in and out almost ceaselessly; Eastgate is where the orc watch is mounted and most of the army is quartered; and the River Gate guards the bridge across the Mirar. Most of the taverns in Mirabar are marked by a simple tankard sign¬board. These are places where exhausted women and men go to have a pint of ale or a whiskey and to soothe aching limbs before stumbling home to bed. There’s no entertain¬ment, not much talk or noise, and no thing exciting to see or hear. Folk are too tired to fight or talk much. Mirabar has many, many smithies, metalworkers, enamellers, chasers, etchers, stonemasons, and so on, each with his or her own shop. There are more dwarven artisans in the First Below, the uppermost subterranean level of the city. It would take more than a year just to find and set foot in all of these shops. Mirabar is a city of hard work, with a grim, gray efficient manner. It also has a heart of gold and precious things held guarded within, like the Mirabar- rans who live there. Having visited this rough gem of the North, I can now understand the quiet, unshakable pride I once heard in the voice of a dusty merchant in a noisy Waterdeep tavern, when he said, “I’ve come all the way from Mirabar. I live there.” The House of The Bright Blade Shop This establishment is probably the most popular shop in Mirabar among human tourists. The House of the Bright Blade is widely known in the North as the place to get swords that seem to have been made just for you. It’s the smithy and shop of the noted swordsmith Zespara Alather. She toils here with the aid of six female apprentices. Two of these are humans and four are dwarves. The front room is guarded by six warriors in full plate armor and four unarmored, undercover ex-thieves armed with wands of paralyzation. These 10 women wait outside for any thieving patrons to dash out. The secured room is full of glittering steel. There are hundreds of swords and dag¬gers of all sizes, finishes, and prices. The PLace The front room has polished, panelled, wooden walls, and a continual light spell cast on the ceiling that gives a bright, steady radiance. A special spell cast on the room by a wizard friend of Zespara allows her telekinese any blade she has made, or helped to make, into her hand. This works only while she is in this room. Blades will float smoothly to her. She can use this ability not only to impress customers and pull down high-hung blade with ease, but also to raise a blade barrier at will or to prevent any of her blades from being used against her; they sim¬ply will not strike her body. The Prices Swords and daggers of all sorts are available here at premium prices. Zespara and her oldest apprentice, the magnificently bearded she-dwarf Calauthra Morgyr, can expertly choose a weapon with the right reach and weight for a customer. Blades can also be custom-made in two days for triple the usual cost, or in seven days for double the usual cost. All of Zespara’s work is of the finest quality, with clean, spare styling. Sadly, she does not ornament blades with gems or other gewgaws that might ruin their balance or utility, or wink back light betrayingly when drawn. She will, however, craft hilts and pommels with beautiful, sweep¬ing-curve designs. Travelers 'Lore One of the blades in Zespara’s shop is a speaking sword. It contains the soul of an imprisoned mage, put there for his own protection by Zespara’s wizard friend. This mage will refuse to give his name or otherwise reveal anything of his own nature. He will chitchat with clients, though. He is bored, and loves to hear about happenings in the Realms, particularly adventures, humorous occurrences, and what’s going on in Thay. He will trade information for information, and is full of mage-lore about Thay, Aglarond, and Altumbel, where a lot of Red Wizards have hidden their refuges. Zespara’s shop stands atop the site of an old, abandoned temple to Auril. The temple can be accessed via a trapdoor in the floor of the passage between the shop and the smithy. Worshippers of the Frostmaiden keep returning to worship in the temple, and Zespara’s apprentices keep having to drive them out, along with the aid of the dwarves who live in the First Below nearby. Auril’s followers seem to be searching for something, as they attack the temple walls with pickaxes and prybars. Perhaps they seek hidden treasure or sacred items of power left behind by earlier worshippers of Auril. The Goblet and Gems This is the only exciting and impressive-looking tavern in Mirabar. Its magically lit, golden goblet signboard beckons to passersby. Inside, they’ll find a crowded room filled with music and dancing. There are many side booths where folk drink and enjoy the company of the “Gems” the place is named for. These skilled professional escorts hail from across Faerun. There are fair¬skinned Northerners and petite, golden-skinned exotic beauties from far Kara-Tur. Each booth has a back way out for trips upstairs or for fast exits. Most of them link to the gambling rooms under the dancing hall. Travelers and miners with money to spare and a thirst for drink and enticement find their way to this exciting place. By day, it’s a quiet spot to chat or plot over a few drinks, but after dusk, it fills up quickly with folk who want to party. The Place The landmark feature of this estab¬lishment is the glowing giant goblet out front. Behind its golden glow, the Goblet rises darkly and impressively. It’s built of black stone with smoothly finished edges and a curving roof in the form of a giant helm. Inside, it has carpeted halls, dim lighting, sound-deadening pillows, tapestries, and smooth, stone walls. Glowing glyphs indicate the jakes and exits. The Prospect This is the only wild place in all of Mirabar. The soldiers like a place to be rowdy, but they also like to confine such potential trouble to one well- watched place. This, hopefully, pre¬vents enemy agents from instigating riots that might cover attempts to loot or set fire to places in Mirabar, or attempts to slay Councilors or impor¬tant merchants. Each Gem is a spy for the Council, well paid and expertly coached on observing, remembering what is seen and heard, and on self-defense. There is a secret rope-and-pulley ele- vator hidden behind tapestries on each floor, and a ready detachment of 12 Axes can arrive from their quarters in the basement in a very short time if an alarm bell is rung on any floor. The Gem’s taproom is usually a deafening party of drinking, dancing, games of tag, wrestling, and throw- goblet. The halls sometimes get used for wild tag games, but are otherwise quiet and private. Festhall rooms have locking doors and are soundproofed. Each has at least two spyholes Gems can listen at. They’re instructed to lis¬ten to any gathering for talk of unlaw¬ful acts or business hostile to Mirabar. Th eProvender Food here consists only of bacon twists, spicy fried frogs on skewers, crackers, and tangy cheese slabs (called salties) intended to make one drink more. The drinks are all house liquids, but they’re good indeed. There’s an ale, a lager, a stout, a red, a white, a sherry, and even an imitation zzar. ThePrices Prices for drinks are 6 sp per tankard or tallglass, or if two are ordered at the same time, 5 sp each. The food is 1 sp per small plate, regardless of what is ordered. Rooms are available for 2 gp per hour. Travelers' Lore The Goblet was the favorite drinking place of Arendoum the Archmage a decade ago. The man wore a skull mask and turned all who displeased him into worms or slugs. Before he disappeared into another plane, he hid a magical gem somewhere in the Goblet. It’s a self-replenishing gem of spellstoring, able to hurl killing spells stored within. It can glow with a soft green faerie fire- like radiance, or emit a feather fall effect whenever grasped and willed to do so. Many have searched for this gem, but it eludes all detection magic. It’s called the Mythongh Duarba, after its dead maker, whom the mage Arendoum seized it from. The Sign of The Forgenammer Inn Visitors to Mirabar who aren’t staying in the homes of Mirabarran hosts or the guesthouses of merchant companies are firmly directed by soldiers of the Axe to go to this inn. The Hammer stands with stables, stronghouse, and kitchen garden in its own walled compound just inside the River Gate. Guests are discreetly watched by Mirabarran agents. The Place The walls of the compound are adorned with the symbol of the inn. It’s a vertical hammer, head uppermost. The same symbol appears on the stout, copper-plated, double doors of the inn. Beyond them is a dimly lit network of stone chambers, interlaced with chimneys, fireplaces, and dark, narrow stairs winding up and down between the rooms. The inn is cool in summer and warm in winter, and guest’s rooms have bear-pelt rugs and canopied beds for warmth and comfort. The layout of the inn is rather confusing, discouraging guests from visiting one another. There is a dining room by the entrance. The way to it is clearly marked at all stairs by an arrow accompanied by the drawing of a bowl of soup with steam rising from it. TheProspect The Hammer is as warm and snug as any inn this far north, but it’s always gloomily lit. Candle-lamps are plentiful; each room comes with two candle-holders, a candle-lantern, and a dozen candles, replenished daily. Guests get comfortable, private rooms with a daily hot-water bath. TheProvender The fare in the dining room of the Hammer is fairly standard for a northern inn: whole roast boar or deer, or lacking these, ox, mutton, or horse steaks. They’re served with fowl such as pheasant, goose, and grouse, and small meats like muskrat or hare on the side. The high points are a surprisingly spicy, cold potato-and-greens salad, and a delightful curry of golden rice (the hue comes from the many eggs used), lamb kidneys, almonds, and all the kitchen leftovers. The Prices Meals in the dining room cost 1 gp per head, plus ale or wine at 4 sp per tallglass or tankard. If one rents a room, the meal is included in the price of the room, along with stabling, baths, and laundry. The total fee is 7 gp per night. 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. 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 Under city. 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. 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. 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.
Защита
Armed forces
1000 Axes of MirabarThe city's defense falls to the Axe of Mirabar, a well-armed garrison. All members of the Axe of Mirabar are shield dwarves. A typical member is a veteran, with the following changes: • A member of the Axe of Mirabar has AC 18 (plate), 67 (9d8 + 27) hit points, and a speed of 25 feet. • He or she has a Constitution score of 16 (+3) and dark- vision out to a range of 60 feet. • He or she speaks Common and Dwarvish. • He or she has advantage on saving throws against poi¬son and resistance to poison damage. • He or she wields a battleaxe instead of a longsword, and a handaxe instead of a shortsword.
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