Treaty of the Ride

The Treaty of the Ride was a pact signed between the forces of Zhentil Keep and the sister cities of Phlan and Melvaunt in 906 DR. The treaty officially brought an end to the four years of battle between the two opposing sides.

History
In 902 DR, at the beginning of spring and directly after the thawing of the Moonsea, Zhentil Keep launched a surprise attack on the nearby city of Phlan. In the course of the attack they set the city aflame with fiery arrows and then rushed to take the Stojanow Gate and Valjevo Castle while the citizens were distracted trying to put out the fires in the city.

The sister city of Phlan, Melvaunt, heard of the attack and was quick to send its navy of warships along the coast to retake Phlan from Zhentillar control. After a short battle on Thorn Island the Zhentilar flotilla retreated back to Zhentil Keep, and Phlan was liberated.

Following this conflict was a four-year campaign of battles between the two opposing sides which was never officially labeled a war. Over those four years though, the Zhentilar forces were proving to have the upper hand. In 906 DR the Zhentilar's won several decisive victorys in the Grass Sea, East of the Quivering Forest. Zhentil Keep may have continued the campaign until they retook Phlan, but around the same time period the Zhentilar forces in the South suffered a heavy setback with the defeat of the drow in the Ashaba Valley and the establishment of the outpost of Shadowdale by Cormyr. This led to the Zhentilar's drafting a peace treaty, albeit one that worked highly in their favor.

The peace treaty was signed in the foothills of the Dragonspine Mountains, at the mouth of the Stojanow River. A delegation of Barbarians from The Ride witnessed the signing, though it was suspected that they were coerced into being present by the Zhentarim. This treaty was known as the Treaty of the Ride, and remained in place even after the partial destruction of Zhentil Keep in 1368 DR.

Effects
The Treaty saw a major increase in Zhentil Keep's presence and influence in the city of Phlan. Zhentilar troops were permitted into the city and while Phlan remained an independent city state politically it lost a great deal of the freedom it once enjoyed. This remained the state until 1375 DR when the city was once again attacked and ultimately conquered by the forces of Zhentil Keep.