The
Zhentarim seeks to become omnipresent and inescapable, more wealthy and powerful, and most importantly, untouchable. Everyone should fear to cross them.
They are a mercenary company, and greater mercantile organization in Faerûn, who, over their 200 years of existence, has had a storied history as a cadre of self-serving thieves, spies, assassins and malevolent wizards,[10] who for a time, were indentured by their leaders to serve dark gods Bane and Cyric. Over the decades, the organization experienced several leaps and bounds in terms of successes, but also major misfortune, particularly for their historical strongholds around the Moonsea. As of 1489 DR the Zhentarim was headquartered in the Western Heartlands, at Darkhold Castle, nestled in the valley of the same name.
The Zhentarim is an unscrupulous shadow network that seeks to expand its influence and power base throughout Faerûn. Its members pursue wealth and power through any means, though the public face of the organization appears much more benign—the Zhentarim provides the best mercenaries money can buy.
The merchant princes of Port Nyanzaru hire Zhentarim guards to defend the city walls and Zhentarim mercenaries to protect hunting, lumbering, and mining operations in the jungle and foothills. The Black Network has used this wide-ranging access to the city to set up its own woodcutting camps and mining operations. It also mounts treasure-hunting expeditions. In addition, Black Network spies have learned that Artus Cimber is in Chult, and they've assembled teams to find the ex-Harper and wrest the Ring of Winter from him.
