Zhentarim Basement

Surface entrance: Salazon’s barn

The entrance barn lies on the western side of Waukeen’s Rest at approximately X: -114, Y: 612. Approaching the shabby door can trigger a passive DC 15 Perception check, revealing movement inside. Salazon is hiding behind shelves and is ready to attack with Fire Bolt. The barrels near him include oil and firewine, making an aggressive response potentially explosive.

If Salazon is placated, he gives the party the Engraved Key and directs them towards the hatch in the barn. If the conversation fails, he ignites the nearby barrels and retreats into the hideout. The Zhentarim are not automatically hostile merely because Salazon attempted to blow up the entrance, so a failed barn encounter does not necessarily ruin the entire area.

The barn cellar

The hatch leads to a cluttered cellar containing camp supplies, crates and junk. A crate near the desk contains a spare key for the concealed route. The entrance to the next section is behind a wardrobe and becomes an interactable Hidden Stairs passage after it is revealed. The wardrobe can be unlocked with a key, lockpicked or destroyed.

The cellar is a useful staging area. Before going farther, consider:

Main entrance and Zarys

The Hidden Stairs descend into the main cavern. On the first visit, an automated dialogue with Zarys begins. Her response depends on the party’s dealings with Rugan and Olly, the fate of the caravan shipment and whether the party has already antagonised the Zhentarim.

The safest approach is to speak to Zarys and resolve the shipment situation before exploring restricted rooms or touching suspicious containers. If Rugan survives and reaches the basement with the shipment, he can help explain the party’s presence. If the agents have died, the party may need to pass dialogue checks. A peaceful resolution also causes some traps to be deactivated.

If Zarys is hostile, the entry gate can lock. It may be opened with the Iron Key carried by Garias or by using the nearby lever.

Underdark elevator

The elevator is in the northern part of the hideout, behind an illusionary wall near Istor. A passive DC 10 Investigation check can reveal the wall. The party can also receive hints from Istor or from Indra using Speak with Animals.

The elevator winch is locked. It can be opened by:

Unlocking the elevator does not normally make the Zhentarim hostile. It also grants the In Working Order inspiration to characters with the Guild Artisan background. Once opened, the lift provides a convenient route between the Zhentarim Basement and the Underdark’s Storehouse.

Barn

The barn is the concealed surface entrance. Its important features are:

Cellar

The cellar is above the main hideout and contains:

Most cellar containers are ordinary supplies rather than major quest rewards.

Main Zhentarim cavern

The central cave is the largest part of the location. Stone bridges and raised walkways overlook lower basins where Zhentarim agents are moving crates and preparing to leave. The area is visually open but divided by vertical levels, ladders, narrow paths and explosive hazards.

Office

The office is behind an iron gate in the far end of the cavern. Jarg’s Zhentarim Key opens this gate. A heavy chest inside contains Abyss Beckoners, and the chest is neither locked nor trapped.

Storage room

The storage room is also behind an iron gate. It can be opened with keys held by Zarys or Vol. A burrow hole behind crates can be used by Small or Tiny characters, or suitable summons, but entering this way without stealth can still be treated as trespassing.

The room contains two trapped chests. They hold:

The chests require DC 10 Sleight of Hand to disarm. Vol carries an Ornate Key that can open both.

Northern guard area

The northern end is patrolled by Jarg, Karad, Vol and three named wolves. This is also where the proximity explosives, office, storage room and Underdark elevator are concentrated.

A button controls the explosive system. It can be used to gain an advantage in a fight if the Zhentarim become hostile, but pressing it openly counts as a transgression. The explosives begin inactive and orange. If activated, they become dangerous proximity traps whose warning colours change as targets approach.

Zhentarim leaders and workers

Zarys is the leader of the local Zhentarim group. She controls access to the hideout, decides how the party is treated and determines whether Brem’s special stock becomes available.

Brem is the hideout’s trader and Oskar’s captor. He sells ordinary goods during normal circumstances and unlocks a superior special inventory if Zarys trusts the party.

Garias, Bellar and the other Zhentarim workers are involved in preparing the base for evacuation. Garias also carries the Iron Key that can open the entrance gate if the party becomes hostile.

Prisoner

Oskar Fevras is an artist from Baldur’s Gate held by the Zhentarim. He is not a Zhentarim member and is being kept as a possible ransom or source of profit. Speaking to him after gaining access starts Free the Artist.

Shipment agents

Rugan and Olly are associated with the shipment quest rather than being permanent residents of the hideout. Depending on the party’s decisions, they may arrive there, be absent, die earlier or appear in a punishment scene.

If the party struck a deal with Rugan to split the shipment’s profits, Olly is killed and Rugan is held captive by Zarys. The party can side with the Zhentarim by killing Rugan, or rescue him by fighting the Zhentarim. These outcomes provide different rewards and future consequences.

Named residents and creatures directory

Zhentarim

Visitors, prisoners and conditional characters

Named animals

The three wolves are treated as named creatures in the location’s directory. Istor is both a wolf and the animal associated with the elevator clues.

Peaceful and profitable outcome

The exact sequence matters. If the party steals the shipment but later meets Zarys without admitting it, Brem’s special stock may open, but Harold is not awarded until the shipment is delivered.

Opening the strongbox

Opening the Caravan Strongbox and taking the Iron Flask is the major hostile route. The flask is a quest reward in its own right, but removing it causes Zarys and the other Zhentarim to turn against the party. The Criminal background can receive the Open for a Surprise inspiration for taking it.

If the party wants both the Iron Flask and peaceful access to Brem’s stock, this is not normally possible through the ordinary quest resolution. Save before opening the box if you are deciding between the rewards.

Rugan’s betrayal route

If the party persuades or intimidates Rugan into surrendering the shipment or splitting the profits:

Killing Rugan can preserve access to Brem’s special stock, but it changes the moral and narrative outcome. Rescuing him by attacking the hideout yields no normal shipment rewards.

Timing and missability

The caravan encounter is time-sensitive in practical terms. If the party approaches the gnoll cave and then takes a long rest, the gnolls may kill both Rugan and Olly. If the agents are not yet present in the basement when the party expects them, another long rest can unblock the progression, but the state of the quest remains dependent on what happened earlier.

Brem

Brem is the only confirmed functional trader in the basement. His stock has two states:

The special stock includes distinctive equipment and is one of the strongest reasons to resolve the shipment without antagonising the Zhentarim. The inventory is conditional rather than an automatic feature of entering the hideout. If Zarys becomes hostile, the special stock does not appear normally, although some items may later be looted from Brem’s corpse.

Do not confuse Brem’s shop with the later Zhentarim traders found in other acts. Those are separate inventories and progression states.

Fixed or notable items in the basement

The buried valuables chest is in a shadowed area where guards rarely approach, making it one of the safer theft opportunities if the party chooses to steal from the hideout.

Related shipment-area loot

The following belong to the Risen Road caravan encounter, not to the Zhentarim Basement itself:

They are relevant to the same quest but should not be counted as basement collectibles.

Related but outside the basement

The location’s core geography, named residents, major items, quest outcomes and access conditions are well documented. Exact inventories for random crates and the full changing stock of Brem are not reproduced here because they vary with progression and game state.