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Lord Rad
Great Reader
United Kingdom
2080 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Nov 2002 : 09:35:19
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Im looking for as much information that I can get on the Zhentarim, its members, operations, costume....everything.
What are the best products for this? I didnt find "The Ruins of Zhentil Keep" that much of a help. I had always hoped that TSR had produced a sourcebook for the Zhentarim in the style of the "Drow of the Underdark" and "Cult of the Dragon" sourcebooks  oh well, guess ill have to make my own 
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Lord Rad
"What? No, I wasn't reading your module. I was just looking at the pictures"
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Edited by - Lord Rad on 06 Nov 2002 09:35:49
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Mumadar Ibn Huzal
Master of Realmslore
1338 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2002 : 10:33:09
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| Lords of Darkness (3e Product) Describes the current affair of state for the Black Network. It also provides some 'template' Zhent characters. Not sure if it contains the level of detail you're looking for, but it could help. |
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ArcticKnight
Learned Scribe
USA
169 Posts |
Posted - 06 Nov 2002 : 14:43:26
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this is just an off the wall guess but maybe 2ed "Code of the Harpers" sourcebook might have some good info on the zhents, being that they are the harpers main enemy...
ive never actually looked at the book but im just guessing. |
"The man who does not read has little advantage over the man who cannot read."
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Captain Louis
Acolyte
USA
26 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2002 : 02:23:39
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| The second edition boxed set The Ruins of Zhentil Keep will contain the information on the Zhents from 2nd edition and before, and most of the info can be used to help mold campaigns and adventures. The Code of the Harpers, which is also a 2nd edition book, will also include something of the Zhentarim. Finally, for 3rd edition, Lords of Darkness and The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting will have something, though, still, the most detail will be found in The Ruins of Zhentil Keep. |
Ow, I cut my lip!
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 14:51:19
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Lord Rad,
I'm not certain if jumping in a mere (16) years later or not seems reasonable, but hey, why not? I mean, you are only a Great Reader now...
The following are pretty decent sources:
- Lords of Darkness
- Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting
- Ruins of Zhentil Keep
- Mysteries of the Moonsea
- Grand History of the Realms
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 20:00:26
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the BEST source of information in my mind would be the old Polyhedron Articles. :)
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 20:08:39
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Aside from those, the next best sources would be Cloak & Dagger, Ruins of Zhentil Keep box set, and Castles box set. The former in the newest of these three, and has information based of the others. The Castles boxed set has a big write-up of Darkhold.
Also, Krash wrote one or two articles on the Zhentarim for Dragon Mag a while back.
Once you're past those sources, you get to almost every other Realms product ever, which have little sections on the Zhents.
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 20:15:15
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As for making your own, I'm happy to share what I'm doing, if you want to see it. I have a modern Zhentarim - in a long-term power rebuilding in the shadows. They have formed an alliance with a faction of Banites and the surviving Baneliches of the Realms to build anew in the old model.
There are more individuals of power now, but the organization is even more complex. Just because a mage is a Zhentarim, working for/with Manshoon does not mean that he has any idea whether another mage is as well. This loose organization opposes any possible coups simply by removing the possibility of assuming Manshoon's position.
Also, it is important to note that there are still 2 Manshoons :). One in relative hiding in the spell-chambers beneath the citadel, and Grand-Daddy Manshoon, to whom I apply the name Manshoon Prime (from Cloak and Dagger), who is the grand puppet-master of the new and old Zhentarim. He is also the one who was manipulating/covertly controlling Vampshoon in Ed's novels as Elminster revealed before barbecuing with his silver fire. Where Vampshoon spurned Mystra, Manshoon Prime accepted her challenge to build a more freely open group of wizards working together to master/learn magic.
I'm constantly trying to build on what I have and I figure in a few years I will finish :P
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
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The Masked Mage
Great Reader
USA
2420 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 21:42:49
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| haha - that's classic - I didn't look at the dates, just did the active topic |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3285 Posts |
Posted - 24 Sep 2018 : 23:24:42
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Guess some of these old dusty scrolls needed to be moved around. Got me sneezing over here... |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
Edited by - Brimstone on 24 Sep 2018 23:24:58 |
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TomCosta
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
954 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2018 : 01:38:24
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| Depending on the era, all of the campaign settings, IIRC, have info on the Zhentarim. The FR wiki also has quite a bit with links to sources. |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2018 : 20:28:45
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Master Rupert,
I had a good laugh at your post. I of course don't know what you look like, but I had envisioned in my mind, an old master of Candlekeep, quickly poking his head around a corner into an antechamber to listen in, and then stating flatly, with no affectation about his face..........Lord Rad hasn't been here in about 11 years.........then walking away. hahaha
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Lord Rad hasn't posted here in about 11 years.
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2018 : 20:37:21
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Master Mage,
I cannot disagree with you there. Articles such as "Elminster's Everwinking Eye" and many others are an absolute treasure trove of material.
Great catch on that!
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
the BEST source of information in my mind would be the old Polyhedron Articles. :)
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 25 Sep 2018 : 20:38:52
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Master Mage,
Great point regarding the Castle boxed set. Great item there as well.
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by The Masked Mage
Aside from those, the next best sources would be Cloak & Dagger, Ruins of Zhentil Keep box set, and Castles box set. The former in the newest of these three, and has information based of the others. The Castles boxed set has a big write-up of Darkhold.
Also, Krash wrote one or two articles on the Zhentarim for Dragon Mag a while back.
Once you're past those sources, you get to almost every other Realms product ever, which have little sections on the Zhents.
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2018 : 03:42:57
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Master Rupert,
I had a good laugh at your post. I of course don't know what you look like, but I had envisioned in my mind, an old master of Candlekeep, quickly poking his head around a corner into an antechamber to listen in, and then stating flatly, with no affectation about his face..........Lord Rad hasn't been here in about 11 years.........then walking away. hahaha
Best regards,
*shrugs* I was just looking at the membership list, since I've not seen a lot of these names in years -- you're finding threads that predate my time here, and some of these folks haven't posted in so long I've forgotten about them. There aren't many people still active here that were around before I came aboard.
But my point in commenting on Lord Rad's absence was to point out that you're responding to people that will likely never see your comments, since they've long since stopped coming here. That's part of why I and a lot of others rely on the Active Topics feature -- to see what's actually being discussed right now. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2018 : 04:15:10
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Master Rupert,
I hope that didn't come across the wrong way. I didn't meant that to come across as a laugh at your expense. I just had a funny mental image pop up in my head.
I've been resurrecting the older threads through comments as a means to generate some posts about good ole fashioned 3rd edition Realms stuff. I apologize if it is causing problems, as I certainly do not want to do so. I find the old threads as a user of the site to be very interesting.
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Master Rupert,
I had a good laugh at your post. I of course don't know what you look like, but I had envisioned in my mind, an old master of Candlekeep, quickly poking his head around a corner into an antechamber to listen in, and then stating flatly, with no affectation about his face..........Lord Rad hasn't been here in about 11 years.........then walking away. hahaha
Best regards,
*shrugs* I was just looking at the membership list, since I've not seen a lot of these names in years -- you're finding threads that predate my time here, and some of these folks haven't posted in so long I've forgotten about them. There aren't many people still active here that were around before I came aboard.
But my point in commenting on Lord Rad's absence was to point out that you're responding to people that will likely never see your comments, since they've long since stopped coming here. That's part of why I and a lot of others rely on the Active Topics feature -- to see what's actually being discussed right now.
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36779 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2018 : 04:54:04
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No worries. Just keep in mind, though, that if a topic hasn't been touched in a long time, there's likely a reason.  |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Fineva
Seeker
Canada
79 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2018 : 05:35:25
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| I am looking for zent army numbers, thanks to this dusty scroll I hope to see you tell me what products would help my Zhentil keep rebuilding story. |
I" am Sathia of Orogoth |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2018 : 15:31:54
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Seeker Fineva,
I'm glad you came along with that question: I firmly believe that Master Rupert was on the cusp of sending a Doombringer after me to cease my never ending resurrections! The Lord of the Dead I think may not find my efforts good ones!
I jest. Let's see what we have here.
Around 1357 DR:
#8776; 22,000 total soldiers
#8776; 16,000 mercenary soldiers able to be called upon
#8776; 5,000 in the Citadel of the Raven
#8776; 17,000 along the Long Road (the Long Road through Narfell, not the one between Mirabar and Waterdeep)
#8776; 1,000 in Darkhold with Pereghost
Post-1368
#8776; 2,000 in Teshwave
#8776; 3,000 in Zhentil Keep
#8776; 2,000 in the Citadel of the Raven
#8776; 800 in Darkhold
Source: The Ruins of Zhentil Keep Boxed Set
Best regards,
quote:
Originally posted by Fineva
I am looking for zent army numbers, thanks to this dusty scroll I hope to see you tell me what products would help my Zhentil keep rebuilding story.
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
Edited by - cpthero2 on 26 Sep 2018 15:32:24 |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 26 Sep 2018 : 15:33:13
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Seeker Fineva,
My apologies about the "#8776." That was a copy and paste of the approximate sign.
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2285 Posts |
Posted - 08 Feb 2020 : 05:12:18
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Seeker Fineva,
Did you ever find the answers you were looking for, and if so, I'd love to know what you did with the information! Did Phlan fall again, and that dang pyramid opens its secrets to you?!
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Topic |
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Whats the best source for info on the Zhentarim?
