The Zhentarim

he Zhentarim—also known as the Black Network—is a loose affiliation of merchants, mercenaries, and malefactors. Common folk know the Zhentarim as the people to talk to when you need the best guards or mercenaries money can buy. And if the cargo is shady or the cause you’re fighting for is questionable or even unjust, the Zhentarim don’t mind.
Affiliation with the Zhentarim can be profitable to sellswords, thieves, and rogues of every stripe. It’s plausible that adventurers in your campaign might become members of the organization—but like most residents of Faerûn, they won’t know the full extent of the Zhentarim’s operations and goals.
Unknown to all but a few, the heart of the Zhentarim is a cabal of evil and sometimes monstrous leaders who seek to extend the Black Network’s blood-soaked reach into every assassination, black market, and illegal deal that happens in Faerûn. The order’s criminal connections burrow into every major city and thieves’ guild in the Western Heartlands and along the Sword Coast. Wherever a city’s coinage is disastrously undermined by counterfeiting, wherever an up-and-coming business runs roughshod over its established competitors, and wherever a political struggle turns to widespread intimidation, it’s a safe bet that the Zhentarim are involved.
However, engaging in mainstream corruption and wanting to see Tiamat ascendant are two different things. The Zhentarim have no illusions about what the Dragon Queen’s return would mean for their plans. Wanting to secretly rule the world from the shadows for themselves, the leaders of the Black Network have no desire to become agents and errand-runners for some petty god and her dragon cohorts.
This viewpoint makes the Zhentarim an interesting addition to the characters’ possible allies. Under normal circumstances, the Harpers, the Lords’ Alliance, the Order of the Gauntlet, and the Emerald Enclave would shun ties to the Black Network—and possibly arrest its emissaries. However, the crisis created by the Cult of the Dragon is unprecedented. Every resource that can be mustered will be needed in the final showdown against the cult, and the Zhentarim’s network of spies, assassins, and mercenary armies cannot be ignored.
Rian Nightshade Lawful evil female tiefling warlock

d10 Quest 4 1 Debt Collection Collect on a past-due debt I hear this one’s a runner 2 Thievery Steal a priceless item during a public event 3 Burglary Breaking and entering at its nest Keep an eye out for dogs—or worse 4 Assassination There’s no other option You’ve got the time, the place, and the target Make it look like an accident 5 Caravan Escort Make sure the goods get from point A to point B in one piece 6 Espionage Keep a low profile Don’t come back unless you’ve got some juicy intel 7 Smuggling There are buyers on the inside The only thing standing between the Zhentarim and payday is local law enforcement 8 Bodyguard Duty A cautious individual hired you to watch their back for the day It should be easy money Should 9 Vandalism Don’t forget your crowbar If this doesn’t send a message, there’s always arson 10 Blackmail Someone’s got skeletons in their closet   Find the dirt and put on the pressure

Criminal Contact d8 Specialty 5 1 Assassin. "When someone delivers a name to your contact, it may as well be engraved on a tombstone." 2 Burglar. "Your contact has mastered the art of breaking and entering." 3 Fence "Your contact has mastered the art of breaking and entering." 4 Fabricator. "Ah, good old white-collar crime! Your contact has an eye for detail and a collection of inks that would make a notary’s head spin." 5 Smuggler. "Your contact knows how to get contraband in and out of a location without tipping of the Watch or their hounds." 6 Spy. "It pays to listen. Your contact is a people person who can blend into any crowd." 7 Sweeper. "Committing a crime is easy—the hard part is getting away with it! Your contact makes the evidence disappear." 8 Ruffian. "Every once in a while, someone doesn’t hold up their part of the bargain. Your contact is the enforcer comes knocking."

Zhentarim Fang Wolf Viper Ardragon Dread Lord