This ruthlessly competitive group capitalized (literally) on the losses and outrage following the Chardalyn Desolation of the Ten Towns of Icewind Dale to install an iron-fisted rule and bring in outside powers.
- The Lord Patrician (modeled after Discworld's Vetinari) Naerth Maildanarr out of Targos and has gathered the support of several powers, including:
- Lord Protector Vaelish Gant (Vaelish the Brown) of Bremen, made an almost saint-like hero for employing his arts in the town's defense.
- The Zhentarim, called "The Black Network" - mercenaries (and worse) applying muscle and magic to gain wealth and power - represented by a mysterious individual called "The Legate".
- Goodman Galadorf Muzgardt with The Darklake Merchant Guild, backed by the Muzgardt Clan of Duergar, now holding Sunblight Stronghold and bringing Darklake Ale and other goods from the Underdark.
- Treaty of noninterference with Xardorok Sunblight, so long as his activities remain confined to Caer Konig "and below".
The Chardalyn Syndicate's activities can best be summed up with:
- Fiercely compete for resources and profit ("survival of the fittest")
- Gold is thicker than Blood ("forgive and forget" if this lends to #1: profit)
- Merciless ruthlessness toward Auril and all who sympathize with her (the only exception to #1: profit)
What this means practically is (#1) feed and shelter your own first, then profit on those needs from others (the trout of Maer Dualdon became tightly controlled, for example). Walls were raised in both Targos and Bremen, ahead of assistance for housing refugees displaced. The absence of Good Mead's liquor was a boon for the new import of Darklake Ale.
(#2) Backing Targos and Bremen is the Black Network of sell-sword mercenaries and tradesmen called the Zhentarim, and with the Zhentarim came Clan Muzgardt and trade through the Underdark, via construction and patrolling of a "subway" for beast-driven minecarts connecting an Upperdark passage to Targos with the Middledark Wastelands and then the Upperdark of Spine Stronghold - taken from the Sunblights by the Muzgardts. Further, a truce was established with Xardorok Sunblight of Caer Konig as part of the surrender to the Muzgardts, leaving hostilities of revenge to be the Free Towns concern after the Sunblight Duergar completed weregild payments for losses of life in Targos and Bremen.
(#3) Redirecting the anger and hatred of their townspeople, Naerth and Vaelish amplified the hostilities toward the Frostmaiden, her Children of Auril, minions (such as yeti, coldlight walkers, and ice trolls), and of course the White Inquisitor. This has helped justify the wall projects, spending on militarization of the city watches (payments to Zhentarim sell-swords), and an ever-present threat from the outside. This persecution aligns (perhaps merely by chance) with the increasingly open agenda of the Knights of the Black Sword.