Ghilgutha, the Grand Interlocutor

In Zhentil Keep a Grand Congress of the Zhentarim was called, something that had not been done in nearly a decade. Something important was in the offing. The crowd after waiting thirty minutes, began to grow restless, when suddenly, a small goblin appeared on the dias holding a scroll. It was Ghilgutha, The Grand Interlocutor, the Mouth of Zhentar,principal spokesman of their leader. He began with the normal rambling grandiose and rather pompous preamble that unfortunatley marked the style of all the formal pronouncements of Zhentar the Unseen. The voice of Ghilgutha was insidiously reedy and nasal, such that it resembled the grinding of metal on metal.

Most of the crowd, tuned out this part of the oration and let their thoughts wander. The most common drifts of thought, were on lunch, and other carnal appetites, but the more intellectual chose to speculate on the physical appearance of Zhentar. Not even the inner circle of the Zhentarim, the Warethun , who are said to actually assemble in the actual presence of Zhentar on a regular basis, had actually seen him. No one knew what race he was, and even the projections of his actual voice were said to be magically disguised. He was a figure of great mystery. Still he took an interest in his minions, and was generous in his reward of success, just as he was terrible in his punishment for failure.

Interaction with Zhentar was generally through Ghilgutha or one of the lesser Interlocutors. It was known he was ancient, an Archmage of great power, a genius in the art of artifice. Beyond that......?. The audience began to drift back toward the droning voice of Ghilgutha. He was going on about something about a special zodiacal alignment, and a number of auspicious omens, when suddenly his normally shrill voice raised to an even higher pitch and intensity, focusing the attention of the crowd to his words.

Members of the Zhentarim. The Lord Zhentar would like you to know that we are standing on the threshold of a glorious new age. The ancestors of the koblinithi came to this world to carve out a great new civilization. They came as conquerors, ready to build a new dominion, escaping the ruin of their home world. For millennia, goblinkind has been driven into the periphery of Phaerun, despised, betrayed, belittled,impoverished, living off the scraps of this world's bounty. Lord Zhentar has changed this. He has brought pride back to our tribes, and carved out a realm of honor for us around the Moonsea.

This is just the beginning. Lord Zhentar means to claim for us, our ancient birthright. From this point onward he is to be known as the Supreme Overlord of Toril. He plans a re-organization of this world. The time of the elves and the dwarves is over! His first order as Supreme Overlord is to proclaim the Protectorate of Faerun, the template of the new Toril. A Toril that will one day be unified under his glorious will. The Human Age is over, the Goblin Age has begun. The tribes of Goblinkind will come into their rightful patrimony! The future belongs to US!!!!!!!!

As the goblins in the group generally began to stamp their feet and hoot in approval, the Grant Interlocutor seeing the nervous looks and shuffles of the humans in the group, offered additional words of mollification.

Loyal banandyrth will have a honored place in the New Order, and those who serve the Supreme Overlord as members of his Zhentarim, will be given fiefs, title and position regardless of their race.

Unfurling a map, the Interlocutor continues:

The Zhentarim Mandate has been laid out as the the area of special concern of this organzization, and ultimately to be the special demesne of the Zhentarim. When it is pacified, it will provide revenue, corvee labor for the organization, as well as plum administrative offices for those of the Order who through their acheivements and loyalty earn the pleasure of the Supreme Overlord. Brethren of the Zhentarim, the World of Toril is our oyster, suculunt, and prime for consumption. The future belongs to us, revel in the warmth of this glorious moment, for this is the instance when your true destiny begins, behold the Zhentarim Dawn!