Mirabar

Mirabar is a mining city of great wealth located on the Sword Coast. It is the richest city north of Waterdeep. The city is occupied by 4000 shield dwarves who live underground near to their workshops, which produced 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, but the true power is an elected assembly called the Council of Sparkling Stones, a mixed dwarven and human group that meet once a year to determine production quotas and whether or not to threaten current clients with reduced output. It is led by the dwarven cleric of Dumathoin, Agrathan Hardhammer. 
Defense and Justice
Mirabar is defended by the Axe of Mirabar, an army of around two thousand, including humans and five hundred dwarves. There is virtually no crime, and the city utilizes professional thief trackers, the "Shadow District", to monitor any potential criminals.
Making maps of the city is illegal for security purposes, because the city was concerned about intelligence getting into the hands of Mirabar's enemies, especially Luskan. 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.
The Axe of Mirabar has a legendary regiment of elite members, each having a unique ability but all being hand selected by Agrathan Hardhammer.
Trade The stone and metals taken out of the mines are worked by craftsmen. After being expertly cut and hewn, the stone is transported on floating barges magically at high cost to Luskan, to then be transported south. Some buildings in Amn, Baldur's Gate, and Waterdeep used Mirabar stone, typically that which had been quarried from the areas to the west or south of the city.
Any worthless stone is crushed and used to improve the city's roads. This operation continues in almost all weather, even during the winter.
Trade with Luskan is important to Mirabar. As of 1370 DR, the Mirabar District in Luskan is an entire district used by Mirabarran trade companies, such as Anvilfist Banner, the Golden Hand, and Thalorin's Manymetals.
Coinage In 1481 DR, Mirabar was using trade bars of its own manufacture. These are 1-foot-long (30 centimeters) spindles of iron, like two long four-sided pyramids joined at the base. They make a distinctive tone when struck. The trade bars are worth 5 gp.
History Mirabar was built upon the foundations of Gharraghaur's Iron Tower by Ereskas Torlath. Later, during the Goblin Wars, Mirabar was sacked by the goblin chieftain Nethaug.
Mirabar was responsible for bringing prosperity to both Illusk and Stornanter when the three cities began trading with one another. However, when Prince Galnorn of Illusk attempted to conquer Mirabar in the Year of the Pirates' Trove, 1023 DR the relationship was soured.
Mirabar was attacked in the Year of Beckoning Death, 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.
House Rivalries Open fighting between houses in the streets and mines in Mirabar 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.

Description
Mirabar stands on a knoll on the north banks of the River Mirar. 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. 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.

The Council of Sparkling Stones
The Council of Sparkling Stones is an elected council in Mirabar. Members swear an oath of loyalty to Mirabar and its marchion. It meets each autumn to plan the year ahead and organize trade agreements.
Composition
As of 1485 DR, the Council comprised 42 members. Of these, 25 were shield dwarves and 17 were humans, and 16 councilors were female, and 26 were male. The marchion Selin Ramur is the chief justice. Elections were held annually in the spring to determine the new members who would take their positions at the next meeting in the fall.
Meeting
The Council meets once a year in the fall, usually over four days. There is an informal discussion, then a chance for short, formal speeches, then a secret ballot to decide upon what had been discussed. The marchion then traveles to the cities in the south to personally bring the news and to negotiate trade, acquiring deals for luxuries not available in Mirabar.
Notable Members
Agrathan Hardhammer
Dunstun Forgebar
Shadrar Thundersar
Heldorn Thaerntyl
Elyth Talboskh
Pheln Aldtorth
Maern Hammaver

Type

City

The Axe of Mirabar
The Axe of Mirabar is the two-thousand strong militia of Mirabar, consisting of humans and five hundred dwarves. The Axe is responsible for keeping the mines of Mirabar clear of monsters. 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) on their shield or armor. They fight with crossbows, lances, and hammers, riding mountain ponies, war boar and rothé in the winter. New members have to take an oath to protect the Marchion of Mirabar.

Notable Locations

1. Hall of All Fires - A large hall lined with furnaces with a capacity of more than two thousand.
2. Undercity Square - An open area between three buildings and containing the entrance to the Undercity.
3. 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 hundreds of feet deep. The base of this shaft is another guarded room with several exits, all with either iron doors or portcullises. There is another entrance that is a sloping, winding tunnel. The subterranean level closest to the ground is called the First Below.
4. Mug O' Ale - A higher end establishment frequented by many of the upper class of Mirabar and foreign visitors alike. It is also used as a hub by "The Hand of the Axe", an elite force of 12 Dwarves within the Axe of Mirabar.