Llorkh

Llorkh was a human town to the northeast of Loudwater in the Gray Vale.

Establishment & Expansion
Llorkh was founded by the Netherese fleeing the downfall of their kingdom. Later on, further settlement occurred by pioneers from Waterdeep, sponsored by Waterdhavian families. Llorkh became an important mining town of approximately 2,000 humans and 300 dwarves.

Zhentarim Control
Around the time that iron and silver production from the nearby hills started to wane, Zhentarim agents began to arrive. Soon thereafter, in 1353 DR, the last of the old Lords, Phintarn Redblade, was found dead at the base of Lord's Keep. Overnight, the Zhentarim installed their own man, Geildarr Ithym, in the Lord's Keep. Four hundred "Lord's Men" arrived and slaughtered all of the militia under the pretext that they were trouble-makers. A significant number of townsfolk left Llorkh, along with the dwarves.

As soon as control over the town was consolidated, Zhentarim caravans began to arrive from the Anauroch. Lorkh thus became the western end of the Zhentarim trade route, the Black Road, and a point from which to further trade interests in western Faerûn. The Zhentarim maintained both a significant number of soldiers and three hundred purple-cloaked Lord's Men. These defended the city against orcs, adventurers and ungrateful townsfolk.

1479 DR
Due in no small part to the return of Thultanthar and the reassertion of Netherese dominance over the former Anauroch desert, Zhentarim trade along the Black Road has been negatively affected. Consequently, Llorkh has sharply declined in recent years and lays largely in ruins. A string of incompetent rulers drove off most of the honest residents, and recently the ruined city has served as a haven for a series of self-styled bandit kings and their lackeys.