The Zhentarim, (pronounced: /zˈhɛntɑːrɪm/ z-HENT-ah-rim) previously known as the Black Network, was 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, 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 in the Moonsea.
Aims and goals
As an extension of the will of the dark wizard Manshoon, the Zhentarim was initially formed as a mercenary company to support his rule over the Moonsea with the aim of spreading that control over all of Faerûn.After he recruited the faithful of Bane, unscrupulous merchants and lesser mages to his cause, they collectively sought to dominate all aspects of the Realms, either by manipulation, outright control or, if they couldn't exert control over something, extinction.[
After the mass purge of the Cyricists, known as the Banedeath, and the subsequent partial destruction of Zhentil Keep following the Cyrinishad debacle, the power of the Zhentarim passed to the Bane-worshiping Fzoul Chembryl. He made secret deals with leaders in the Moonsea to erect temples to Iyachtu Xvim, Bane's divine son, within the capitals of their city-states. His aim to extend the will of the Lord of Tyrants across Toril was a dynamic factor behind many of the changes within the organization. He sought to use the Black Network to set the stage for the return of the Lord of Tyrants.
By the late 15th century the goals of the Zhentarim came in line with their original ideals, despite their more benign public perception. By offering the best guards and mercenaries, with the final aim of an iron-fisted monopoly on protection services in the Realms, they sought to make the merchants of Faerûn, and thus the continental economy, completely reliant upon them as an organization. While many of their practices and services they offered were completely legal, they were not above spending a tremendous amount of gold to destroy their competitors and secure future profits to increase their wealth, influence and power.
Activities
In order to achieve their financial goals the Zhentarim agents often dealt in illicit goods and contraband, using their extensive mercantile contacts to move products throughout the Moonsea, neighboring lands and over Faerûn's more hazardous terrains. The types of commodities they dealt in were slaves, poison, drugs and even smokepowder weapons.
As a means of eliminating their competition, the Zhentarim used the Zhentilar army of Zhentil Keep or recruited bands of monstrous humanoids to take down rival caravans, often completing the route under their own banner to earn good faith and new business with merchant groups. They were not above resorting to sabotage, blackmail, arson to outright murder to undermine their mercantile or political opponents. They were even known to purposefully upset the balance of natural beasts, stir up aggressive monster populations within the wild, and even have their mages summon foul monstrosities to threaten isolated towns and villages, in effect forcing the residents to rely upon the protection of the Zhentilar.
History
Founding
The Zhentarim was founded in 1261 DR by the power-hungry wizard Manshoon, the lord of Zhentil Keep, as tool for his ambitions of expanding his realm of control. He was soon joined by the Baneite cleric Fzoul Chembryl, in 1263 DR, who broke away from the orthodox church in Mulmaster, bringing with him a a small army of his fellow priests into the lesser ranks of the Zhentarim. He then disposed of the high-ranking priests within Zhentil Keep and converted the city's lesser clergy to the worship of Bane. Paranoid even in the early years of their alliance, Manshoon offset the possible threat of Fzoul's influence by concocting a plan with the beholder Xantriph. They had the Banite priests confess their sins and swear fealty to Manshoon alone. Xantriph's lair, the floating Temple in the Sky, became an outpost for Zhentilar troops and Banite priests in former Teshendale.
Manshoon planned on capturing the Citadel of the Raven during the first days of the Zhentarim, though they were not powerful enough as an organization to openly attack a city of the Moonsea. While it was openly discussed for years, many senior members of the Zhentarim advocated against assaulting the city, fearful of losing their investments that funded the Black Network. Putting that scheme on hold, they greatly strengthened their economic holdings during the Moonsea War of 1306 DR. The allied forces of Zhentil Keep, Hillsfar, Melvaunt, Phlan and Sembia untied together to defeat the city-state of Mulmaster.
15th Century
The Zhentarim was again taken over by the forces of Cyric, who engaged in battle with the forces of Bane. In 1420 DR, an evil mage named Rezlus took over the Banites and attempted to conquer Daggerdale. He failed and the Banites fell with only the forces of Cyric remaining.
By 1434 DR, the final Manshoon clone raised an army of undead and took refuge in the citadel of Stormwatch. From there, he retook the Zhentarim, with only Darkhold and Stormwatch as their remaining bases of operations. The Zhentarim were reduced to nothing more than mercenaries who hoped to gain former glory and took any contract as long as it paid well.