Zhentarim

Token Process

In addition to the mechanical requirements listed below, players will also need DM approval, where only after will they be assimilated into the guild.

To apply for a Prestige Class token, please contact DMs on the forums, via PM to Active DM's.

Please study the Roleplay tips below. Your concept must understand secrecy and display the ability to work with a secret organization, as well as show why the Zhentarim would be interested at all.

Roleplay

If you want to take one of the Zhentarim prestige classes, and to be counted as a full-fledged Zhentarim for systems purposes you need to get a token from a DM (first meeting the requirements above). However, the Zhentarim have many allies, and you can play an ally of the Zhentarim without having the token or taking a class.

You could play a starting character as an agent of the Zhentarim, although getting in contact with the existing Zhentarim on Arelith island might take a very long time given their secrecy.

Players on Arelith do not need to fear that their Zhentarim class is metagamed from the playerlist, as the player's build is hidden. The class abilities are also quite subtle, so if you're careful it won't be obvious that you have the class.

WARNING: If your Zhentarim betrays the Zhentarim Cell or outs other Zhentarim, they risk character deletion should they be killed, as Zhentarim do not tolerate outers/betrayers in their own cell.

The Zhentarim

The Zhentarim, also 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 (mostly 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. The Zhentarim have created cells on Arelith with the goal of aquiring power over the island.

Intrigue and backstabbing occur within the organization - officers within the Black Network have gotten to where they are on not only in their skill but also for their willingness to defame, debilitate, or otherwise betray their fellows to impress someone higher in the organization - a Zhent cares only for more power.

The Zhentarim is among the most famed and feared "secret" organizations in Faerûn. Its members have their hands in nearly every illicit business imaginable, from assassination to drug trafficking to slavery.

Zhentarim Ideals

The Zhentarim is an unscrupulous shadow network that seeks to expand its influence and power throughout Faerûn. The organization is ambitious, opportunistic, and meritocratic.

Goals

• Amass wealth.
• Look for opportunities to seize power.
• Gain influence over important people and organizations.
• Dominate Faerûn.

Beliefs

• The Zhentarim is your family. You watch out for it, and it watches out for you.
• You are the master of your own destiny. Never be less than what you deserve to be.
• Everything—and everyone—has a price.

Arelith Changes

There are five prestige classes for Zhentarim.

Zhentarims examining characters will get feedback if the person they are looking at also carries a Zhentarim Pin (the Prestige Class token).

Zhentarim Naug-adar

The Zhentarim is among the most famed and feared "secret" organizations in Faerûn. Its members have their hands in nearly every illicit business imaginable, from assassination to drug trafficking to slavery.

Every Zhentarim caravan is said to be watched over by a spellcaster of some skill. Many mages join the Zhentarim for the political power it offers and the access to a large library of spells.

The naug-adar, or devil dogs, are the ever-watchful minor mages of the Zhentarim. These low-ranking or inexperienced mages are given certain spying and eavesdropping tasks that the Zhentarim deem important and that require the magical capabilities endowed by the ability to use wizard spells. While the naug-adar must perform their assigned tasks to remain in good stead with the Black Network, they are never promoted within the ranks of the Zhentarim until they show some initiative. They must unearth information of importance, manipulate people or events in a way beneficial to the Black Network, or arrange for the death of their rivals or superiors on their own to be considered for promotion. Needless to say, the result is that naug-adar are a bunch of prying, conniving, backstabbing vipers.

Beneficial information is passed up the chain of command promptly. Bad news is buried whenever possible. If information does not serve a naug-adar's needs, but does not hurt his or her prospects either, it is passed on about half the time; the rest of the time it is hoarded like secret gold, with each naug-adar thinking that something only she or he knows might help his or her cause down the line.

BAB: Middle
Hit Die: d6
Proficiencies: Simple weapons and light armor
Skill Points: 4 + Int Modifier.
Skill List: appraise, bluff, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, persuade, pick pocket, ride, spellcraft.
Bonus Pre-epic Feats: As wizard.
Bonus Epic Feats: As Sorcerer and Wizard.

Requirements

Alignment: Any evil
Skills: Bluff 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks
Feats: Great Fortitude, Thug
Classes: May not have any other Zhentarim class. Must have an arcane caster class.
Special: This class requires a permission token.

Abilities

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP
		F	R	W
1th	+0	+0	+2	+2	+1 Arcane Caster Level 1st Bonus Feat Skill Focus: Lore Spell Penetration	6
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	+1 Arcane Caster Level Skill Focus: Spellcraft	12
3rd	+2	+0	+3	+3	+1 Caster Level Epic Skill Focus: Concentration Greater Spell Penetration	18
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	+1 Arcane Caster Level	24
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	+1 Arcane Caster Level Eschew Material - Does not require spell components 2nd Bonus Feat Epic Skill Focus: Spellcraft	30

Zhentarim Fear Speaker

Fear Speakers have their origins in the days of Cyric's ascent as the chief god of the Zhentil Keep and the Black Network. In those days the Priesthood of Cyric was unchallenged and those who took up the divine cause of the Black Sun could not be questioned. Part holy warrior, part spy, and absolutely concerned with rank both in the church as well as the Network these men and women would stop at nothing; including fabricating disobedience to their god in order to rise.

Though the Dark Sun seems to set over this black empire with the destruction of the Zhentil Keep, the turn of Fzoul Chembryl to Iyatchu Xvim and eventually back to the Black Lord this has not seen this style of priest banished from its ranks. Though most in the Zhentarim praise Bane; there are many dark cults who are tolerated within their number so long as they at least pay lip service... and there are quite a few members of Cyric's own order still lurking, waiting for that rise in rank which will see the Dark Sun rise again.

BAB: Middle
Hit Die: d8
Proficiencies: Simple weapons and light armor
Skill Points: 4 + Int Modifier
Skill List: appraise, bluff, concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon,
discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, parry, persuade, pick pocket, ride, spellcraft, tumble
Bonus Pre-epic Feats: divine might, divine shield, extra turning, favored enemy, greater spell focus
Epic Feats: As cleric

Requirements

Alignment: Any evil.
Skills: Bluff 4 ranks, Intimidate 4 ranks, Concentration 8 ranks.
Feats: Great Fortitude, Thug.
Classes: May not have any other Zhentarim class.
Special: This class requires a permission token.

Abilities

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP
		F	R	W
1th	+0	+0	+2	+2	+1 Divine Caster Level Skill Focus: Lore. 1st Bonus Feat Extend Spell Bardic Knowledge	8
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	+1 Divine Caster Level +3 DC on Turning	16
3rd	+2	+0	+3	+3	+1 Divine Caster Level. Planar Turning	24
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	+1 Divine Caster Level	32
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	+1 Divine Caster Level Gain piety from all aspects. 2nd Bonus Feat Armor Skin	40

Zhentarim Enforcer

Enforcers have their origins in the foot soldiers recruited by the priesthoods loyal to the Zhentarim. Jack booted thugs who bust down doors and haul off infidel and political prison alike to be slain or enslaved.

Many of their rites are only loosely based in the divine worship and seem to very much indulge in matters not unlike a blackguard; cavorting with fiends and other sentient immortal evils to gain power and thus rank in the Black Network. Surely they enforce the will of their mortal and divine lieges... but also themselves.

BAB: High
Hit Die: d10
Proficiencies: Simple and martial weapons, all armor, and shields
Skill Points: 4 + Int Modifier
Skill List: appraise, bluff, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, intimidate, listen, lore, move silently, parry, persuade, pick pocket, ride
Bonus Pre-epic feats: As fighter, except for weapon spec
Bonus Epic Feats: As fighter and paladin, except for (epic) weapon specialization

Requirements

Alignment: Any evil
Skills: Discipline 4 ranks, Search 4 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks, Bluff 8 ranks
Feats: Great Fortitude, Thug
Classes: May not have any other Zhentarim class
Special: This class requires a permission token

Abilities

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP
		F	R	W
1th	+1	+0	+2	+2	+2 Universal Saving Throws 1st Bonus Feat	10
2nd	+2	+0	+3	+3		20
3rd	+3	+0	+3	+3	+2 Universal Saving Throws Turn Undead 2nd Bonus Feat	30
4th	+4	+1	+4	+4		40
5th	+5	+1	+4	+4	+2 Universal Saving Throws 3rd Bonus Feat	50

Note: For non-blackguards, as long as your charisma score is above a base 11, the save progression will be replaced with Dark Blessing at Zhentarim Level 5

Zhentarim Operative

Though there are many diverse character types within its ranks, the Zhentarim operative is probably the one Faerûnians encounter most often - even if they never realize it. These are the spies, the thieves, the assassins lurking in the world. Undermining civilization, orchestrating coups, and those just trying to make their way through the ranks by making their fellows look worse than themselves.

BAB: Middle
Hit Die: d6
Proficiencies: Simple weapons and light armor
Skill Points: 8 + Int Modifier
Skill List: appraise, bluff, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, discipline, heal, hide, listen, lore, move silently, open lock, parry, persuade, pick pocket, ride, search, spot, tumble, use magic device
Bonus Pre-epic and Epic Feats: As rogue and ranger, except for two weapon fighting and ambidexterity. Can only take improved evasion or defensive roll at level 5.

Requirements

Alignment: Any evil
Skills: Discipline 4 ranks, Search 4 ranks, Bluff 6 ranks, Intimidate 6 ranks
Feats: Great Fortitude, Thug
Classes: May not have any other Zhentarim class
Special: This class requires a permission token

Abilities

Lvl	BAB	Saves			Feats	HP
		F	R	W
1th	+0	+0	+2	+2	Skill Focus: Lore 1st Bonus Feat Track +1 Caster Level Use Poison Rogue Affinity	6
2nd	+1	+0	+3	+3	Skill Focus: Bluff	12
3rd	+2	+0	+3	+3	+1 Untyped Caster Level	18
4th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Epic Skill Focus: Bluff	24
5th	+3	+1	+4	+4	Loviatar's Whip - +5 bonus to DCs vs Poison +1 Caster Level 2nd Bonus Feat Trackless Step	30

Zhentarim

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Notes

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References

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External Links

Zhentarim on FR wiki