The Black Network has an open recruitment policy. Anyone can join. Tenacity and loyalty are highly valued (but not essential) traits in new members.
The Zhentarim is a shadow organization that trades mercenaries and goods (including weapons) for profit. It has long sought to gain political influence in Waterdeep, but the strength of the city’s Masked Lords, nobility, and professional guilds makes that difficult.
The Zhentarim in Waterdeep is a fractured organization. Those who support Manshoon want to destroy Xanathar and seize political and economic control of the city. Those who oppose Manshoon want to expose and destroy him before they are themselves apprehended or driven out of the city by the local authorities.
Zhentarim support comes in these ways:
- Davil can arrange meetings with influential nobles and members of city guilds.
- Adventurers can procure discounted potions and poisons from Skeemo’s shop, Weirdbottle’s Concoctions, in the Trades Ward.
- Tashlyn offers mercenaries, either thugs costing 2 sp per day each or veterans costing 2 gp per day each.
- Istrid offers loans of up to 2,500 gp with an interest rate of 10 percent per tenday.
- Adventurers can hire Ziraj to assassinate someone, in return for some undisclosed favor to be called in later.