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<blockquote data-quote="Magean" data-source="post: 7444118" data-attributes="member: 6896297">Thanks for your answer! Here's what I'm going with: my Dwarf was born in the mountains in the vicinity of Darkhold, as a second-class clan member. The Zhent abducted him at a young age among other hostages, to keep the clan into submission. The Dwarf then was relatively well-treated, and proved a bright student with a gift for magic. Years later, when the hostages were freed, our Dwarf realized he felt no loyalty any more to the clan that let him down, and where he would have no career prospect anyway, and in particular no hope to advance his study of arcane magic.Instead, he asked a high-ranked Zhent mage to accept him as an apprentice. The mage, surmising potential for a useful tool, accepted to sponsor the young Dwarf, teaching him and otherwise funding his education, sustenance, etc. In exchange, the Dwarf pledged to serve his sponsor long enough for the latter to turn a hefty profit from the investment: he would help in mercenary work, advance his master's ambition in Zhent politics, and so on. Over time, the Dwarf came to feel the same kind of attachment to the Zhentarim that Dwarves normally feel for their clan. He had become loyal to the &quot;family&quot;, even though he felt the Black Network would be better served with him more involved in higher-order decision making, so he thought.One day, the Dwarf was contacted by his master: should he help in a particularly dangerous (and, in all likelihood, of the utmost importance) mission in the Underdark, his debt would be considered repayed. The Dwarf, eager to rise in the ranks of the Zhentarim, accepted the offer. Unfortunately for him, the expedition didn't go well...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Magean, post: 7444118, member: 6896297"] Thanks for your answer! Here's what I'm going with: my Dwarf was born in the mountains in the vicinity of Darkhold, as a second-class clan member. The Zhent abducted him at a young age among other hostages, to keep the clan into submission. The Dwarf then was relatively well-treated, and proved a bright student with a gift for magic. Years later, when the hostages were freed, our Dwarf realized he felt no loyalty any more to the clan that let him down, and where he would have no career prospect anyway, and in particular no hope to advance his study of arcane magic. Instead, he asked a high-ranked Zhent mage to accept him as an apprentice. The mage, surmising potential for a useful tool, accepted to sponsor the young Dwarf, teaching him and otherwise funding his education, sustenance, etc. In exchange, the Dwarf pledged to serve his sponsor long enough for the latter to turn a hefty profit from the investment: he would help in mercenary work, advance his master's ambition in Zhent politics, and so on. Over time, the Dwarf came to feel the same kind of attachment to the Zhentarim that Dwarves normally feel for their clan. He had become loyal to the "family", even though he felt the Black Network would be better served with him more involved in higher-order decision making, so he thought. One day, the Dwarf was contacted by his master: should he help in a particularly dangerous (and, in all likelihood, of the utmost importance) mission in the Underdark, his debt would be considered repayed. The Dwarf, eager to rise in the ranks of the Zhentarim, accepted the offer. Unfortunately for him, the expedition didn't go well... [/QUOTE]

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