Handful of Coins

The Handful of Coins, who were also simply called the Coins, were a secret group of merchants within Zhentil Keep who were not affiliated with the Zhentarim. They were an informal group who protected their members from abuse by the lords and/or the Zhentarim. They also protected themselves from the magistrate and tried to improve foreign trade in the Keep. Their true power, however, derived from the sponsorship by some beholders that provided secret aid for the Coins against the Zhentish assaults. The beholders helped them behind the scenes in order to balance the Zhent's power and also involved anti-Zhent groups like Knights of the North.

History
The Handful of Coins disbanded after the 1368 DR invasion by Cyric's monstrous army, with many of their members dead or fleeingthe city. They reformed some time after and pledged their loyalty to Lord Orgauth. In 1373 DR the Handful still existed but ran a black market.