The Zhentarim are one among the most infamous mercenary companies and “mercantile organizations” in Faerun. But who are these nefarious ne’er-do-wells?
Mention the Zhentarim in any tavern in Faerun, and you’ll know just how enmeshed the mercantile organization is in the local region. If you’re met with effusive praise, you can be sure that the Zhents have their claws in whomever you’re dealing with, if the name is spat as an epithet, you’ll know that the Zhents once had their claws in whomever you’re doing with. Where does this reputation come from?
Well to answer that, we trace the supposed origins of the Zhentarim back to the dark wizard Manshoon, who first incorporated the Zhentarim as a mercenary company to help support his rule over the Moonsea, and then on to his grander designs. Literally, Manshoon’s plans were “today the Moonsea, tomorrow the world!” It didn’t work out.
It never does, in Faerun, But the Zhentarim were particularly given to infighting and have ironically been the bane of their own existence–ironic because one of the first big batches of recruits were followers of Bane, god of oppression and hate and tyranny.
And out of this tyrannical-power-hungry batch of new recruits, one man rose through the ranks. Fzoul Chembryl, a worshipper of Bane who made secret deals with leaders in the Moonsea to help extend the reach of the Zhentarim, not as a military arm of Manshoon’s will, but rather as their own organization. Under Chembryl’s guidance, he sought to use the organization to manipulate things behind the scenes, and the Zhentarim took on a much more benign outward appearance.
To many, they represent some of the best guards ad mercenaries you can find. They support powerful merchants, with the aim of having a monopoly on protection services among Faerun’s great traders, ensuring that all business relies on them as an organization. Of course, their rise to power was never going to be on the level.
And if the Zhentarim found themselves competing with other mercenaries, they would use their considerable wealth and power, as well as outright lies and treachery to destroy those who might challenge them. As for where this money comes from?
Now we get into the other side of the Zhentarim. Their massive network of mercantile contracts allows them access to unprecedented resources, and it is not uncommon for Zhentarim agents to deal in illicit goods and contrabands, using the appearance of legitimacy to deal in poison, drugs, and worse.
To help cement their place at the top, the Zhentarim would choose powerful allies, focusing particularly on powerful evil creatures that could help them in their endeavours. It was not uncommon to find Zhentarim dealing with various Beholders and dragons–especially black dragons, and powerful undead creatures to secure their position as the force to be reckoned with in the Forgotten Realms.
Even now they spread their influence slowly, like a shadow creeping in the backrooms of merchant dens around Faerun.
Good luck, and beware the Zhentarim–unless you have the coin to hire them, that is
Source: Bell of Lost Souls
