Mintarn

Mintarn is a medium-sized island 400 miles southwest of Waterdeep, in the Sea of Swords. It is best known as a safe haven for those in flight from the authorities. This beautiful tree-cloaked island is a free port on the Sword Coast where no questions are asked and no one is turned away.

Piracy
The island is a refuge for fugitives from justice, pirates, war refugees, mercenaries, and others who want to transact business (shady or otherwise), buy arms, or enjoy themselves away from the watchful eyes of foreign rulers and more proper authorities. Its wine taverns and festhalls are legendary up and down the Sword Coast for both their services and their danger.

Tyrancy
Mintarn is ruled by a self-styled 'tyrant' named Tarnheel Embuirhan. His Tyrancy, despite his title, is known to be open-minded, open-eyed, and open-handed, and lets Mintarn tend to itself in most of its day-to-day dealings. Tarnheel does keep order (brutally if the occasion calls for it), keeps individuals from using force to gain their ends on his island, and acts to prevent pirates, other realms, or other scallywags from gaining control of Mintarn.

However, in his later years Tarnheel became more and more like a tyrant with growing ties to the Church of Bane. The Zhentarim renegades have also gained more and more power in Mintarn, with some replacing Dunkin Tallmast as Tarnheel Embuirhan's closest advisor.

History
The island was ruled by Tarnheel Embuirhan from when he was a young man around 1360 DR. He ruled with an open mind and made sure that Waterdeep did not attack pirates on the Free Port of Mintarn. Tarnheel is said to have become the ruler of Mintarn due to his exellency as a warrior. Tarnheel then employed Dunkin Tallmast as the ambassador to the Free Port. In fact, when the Sea Sprite landed on the Free Port of Mintarn, Dunkin had Tarnhel duel with Drizzt Do'Urden.

Following the Spellplague, Tarnheel became increasingly tyrannical as his ties with the Church of Bane grew.