Karne

Karne, also called Kharne, was an agent for the Zhentarim in the late 14 century DR. He was formerly a sellsword operating in Nashkel and the mortal enemy of the vampire king of the Battle of Bones, Mordoc SeLanmere. Karne was quick to ascend through the ranks of the Black Network and was likely a direct advisor to Fzoul Chembryl.

Sellsword
As a sellsword, Karne operated out of Nashkel, though it is unknown if he was actually from Amn. In Nashkel, he fought the Harper Jherek and it appears they had a long fight that ended in both believing they'd let the other live.

Karne then encountered Mordoc SeLanmere, who very quickly became his mortal enemy. Mordoc defeated Karne, though it was apparent that Karne faked his own death, something Mordoc soon figured out.

Zhentarim
Karne was then recruited by the Zhentarim and his skills proved of great use to them. Karne and his partner, the lizardman Sleyvas, then hatched a plan that could restore the Zhentarim to their former glory. They were to remove Eldrith the Betrayer from her status as ruler of the Onyx Tower and give it to the Zhentarim. This plan landed Karne a spot as a direct advisor to Fzoul Chembryl.

Karne then returned to Baldur's Gate after a long time and led his own thieves guild, named Xantam's Guild after the beholder Xantam whom Karne appeared to serve. Karne sent his best man to the Keep of Pale Night posing as a servant of Eldrith the Betrayer. The vampire alchemist constructed the Orb of the Undead, which Karne used to wreak havoc in Baldur's Gate.

In Baldur's Gate, Karne attacked three travelers and robbed them of their gold. These travelers—Vahn, Kromlech Bruenghor, and Adrianna—destroyed the Orb of the Undead and rescued a former thief, Eathon, from Xantam's Guild. They then tracked Karne down to the thieves guild headquarters. Here they attacked him and he, seeing their fighting abilities, feigned his own death to orchestrate Xantam's death.

Karne and Sleyvas then began to secretly guide the trio through a series of events that led them to the Betrayer, whom they killed. Slevyas then reported back to Karne, who created a goblin army called the Red Fang Marauders and a thieves guild, the Hands of Glory, in Baldur's Gate.

War Against the Vampires
After learning that the Onyx Tower had fallen into the hands of Mordoc SeLanmere, the Red Fang Marauders disbanded. Karne led the Zhentarim in the Western Heartlands and attempted to stop five unlikely allies, Harper agents, from activating the Onyx Tower (though the Harpers were only activating it to destroy it). Though he failed, he was forced to place the Zhentarim into an alliance with the Harpers and for the first time since Nashkel, he saw Jherek. Working with Jherek and five Harpers—Dorn Redbear, Ysuran Auondril, Borador Goldhand, Allessia Faithhammer, and Vhaidra Uoswiir—Karne traveled to the Keep of Pale Night and freed Vahn, Kromlech and Adriana.

Karne then led the eight adventurers into Mordoc's chambers, while he and Jherek stayed on previous levels to shield the heroes and thus orchestrated the defeat of his mortal enemy. However, Mordoc fled and took the Onyx Tower to Baldur's Gate. At Baldur's Gate, Karne assisted the soldiers of Baldur's Gate in fighting the vampires and undead. Following Mordoc's death, he disappeared quietly.

Appearances

 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance
 * Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II