Has anyone managed a peaceful solution to the Zhentarim holdout? Even with my rogue getting in past the first encounter half the time the shop is bugged so I just moved in and stealth killed them all. Pretty easy but takes a while (at least at level 3) to snipe the lot from the shadowed walk near them. After that I just looted the whole place and wondered if there was a trick to this because they do have no special loot or quests or hints. Anyone ever got anything useful?

Since some people asked me how to reach the Zhentarim I post it in spoilers:

I walked in persuade her that i'm ok bought a slave wich escaped moments after , than she gives you a quest to retrieve a mages chest from the caravan.

Another way to get to the hideout, if you save the people being attacked by the Gnolls, who are in the Cave, they tell you where to go and give you a pass phrase to use in dialogue with the guy in that room that grants you entry to the hideout.

When entering this way, the Lady calls you out, telling you that's far enough, but the guy who directed me there, Rugan, steps up and tells them I saved him. They then let you in peacefully.

Ja, but if you've opened the mage's chest, all people in hideout become hostile...

Either way, you dont get access to the better shop items until after the caravan has been rescued and the chest returned unopened. And as far as I can tell, that is the only quest there aside from the one with the artist.

I ran into the guys in the cave and helped them beat the Gnolls. Then I stealth opened the Chest and took what was inside. When I went to the Barn and entered the hideout with the password nobody knew I had opened the chest. Not sure if that was a bug or what.

That might be a bug. I noticed the chest was still there in the cave with the stuff inside long after I'd completed the mission.

It's not a bug. It changes what's going on inside the cave. You'll get a chance to tell on yourself and the Zentharim will respond accordingly.

Edit: I decided to not only steal the content but snatched the entire chest during the fight, so might have a different scenario on your hands.

I would like more dialogue/story options with the boss in the Zhentarim Hideout.

For the shipment / chest in the cave (after the gnolls), I did the "evil" so-to-speak or unlawful option ... I opened it and succeeded at what had to be done ... [avoiding spoilers]

THE ISSUE :
La cheffe (Zarys) required we talk ... I reach her spot deep in the hideout, but there is only one dialogue option, a somewhat negative and silly one (openly admit you have it and give it to her).
- also note the Detect Thoughts spell did nothing (but it would be a great spot to reveal that this single dialogue choice is very negative).

Anyhow, there are many easy lies possible here, that make perfect sense considering the whole caravan was butchered by gnolls serving the Absolute. Not to mention the rest of the chaos near-by.

I understand I may have selected the "wrong" dialogue option when I initially entered the hideout (do not remember it all), but it is obvious that most characters would not auto-denounce themselves outright to the Zhentarim. I would have told them that the gnolls of the Absolute tragically got their hands on the shipment... which is what would have happened in truth if the player does not defeat the gnolls. It is a half-truth and a very credible lie. Plus it makes the Zhentarim also hate the Absolute faction, which serves my interest.

That is one obvious lie in line with the story, but a few other options could be possible.

( So I just left the dialogue and exited after talking to the other Zhentarim agents there. The result is similar to denying the whole thing, but without any role-play.)

My transaction also ended miserably this time (decided everyone profits most if I give the thing to Gale).

But when I get there, they've killed Olly, Rugan is tied up, as they attack us without even a possibility to explain anything (Not that "So where's the flask?" "We've eaten it whoopsie" is much of an explanation bit still).

However what irks me is I cannot seem to be able to actually free Rugan after dealing with everyone in there although I chose the OPTION in dialogue, he's still pretty much restrained and In have to leave the poor bastard there.

The same thing happens to me, too. They let me in, saying something like “Oh you’re Rugan’s friend come in” and then if I try to hand the unopened box to the boss everyone automatically turns hostile for no reason.

I managed to give the chest to Zarys after killing Rugan in the gnoll cave (Olly died to the gnolls) but not before I got the password from him.
I get into the hideout with the password, I gave the chest to Zarys and get proclaimed a friend of the Zhents, but the trader still doesn't want to give me the extended inventory.
And apparently he sell some good stuff.

This still seemed to be bugged as far as the trader selling to "Friends of Zhentarim."

I gave the unopened chest to boss lady, was declared a Friend of Zhentarim and see her in the City, but Brem the trader guy still says I have to be that status to get the better goods.

My first playthrough I fought the gnolls and saved the traders. I never had their chest and let them take it themselves. In turn they gave me the pass phrase to get in. The first time when arriving and trading he only showed me normal stuff and said I needed to talk to Zarys which I did. After that he was more than willing to trade the good stuff.

My next playthrough I let the gnolls kill the traders and I took the chest but didn't open it. Actually I think I tried and failed the lockpick attempt. Then I had to talk my way in to the Zhent hideout (which I'll admit took some savescumming to roll the numbers needed multiple times, otherwise I was always dead on the spot). But once in, I gave the unopened chest to Zarys and she declared us a friend of the Zhents. But the trader still would not offer to trade anything but normal crap. I think that's probably a bug.

I just had this happen to me as well. It wasnt like that before this most recent patch. Unfortunately that Zhent trader is also the one you need to obtain the studded leather armor +1 from. I went through the dialog with Zarys with every character, and she always said the trader would now show me the good stuff, but when I went down to him it was the same old stuff from before. So Id go back up and repeat the same dialog with Zarys and try again. No success. It seems to be stuck in some kind of feedback loop and isnt registering that speaking with Zarys unlocks the traders full inventory.

And I really experimented with it trying to get it to unlock because I had been able to before, so I knew something wasnt right.

Has anyone been able to access the traders full inventory since the most recent patch dropped? It could be Im doing something wrong, but then how did I do it before?

You don't have to save them to get the pass phrase. You can have tell the gnoll boss to take out the survivors, and while they are busy with that just pick off the gnolls from behind. Afterward, talk with the dead Rugan and Olly, and they will tell you where to go and the pass phrase.

As long as you are not the one to kill them, they will talk to you.

Seems to be bugged for me, got the key and went down to the Hideout, passed the skill checks in the talk with Zarys?
She tells me to come to here, and says she disabled the traps. I gladly wander through the first iron-barred door, walk down the tunnel and promptly we are blown up. Managed to survive and revive the dead ones, had to lockpick the next door,
see lots of oil on the floor, walk a bit further and all firey hell broke loose!

So something is a bit iffy..

Could be because the Gnoll's killed the two in that cave, but never got that as an topic in the conversation..

Yep, she said I was a friend of the Zhent which would be helpful when we get to BG, but yeah, trader still says I need Zarys to say I am a friend. I am guessing its bugged.

It is bugged, but I suspect there is a way around it by choosing a specific dialog path with Rugar after defeating the Gnolls by the Zhent cave. Dont go down the path where you talk about splitting the cargo and selling it behind his employers back. Dont try to get the chest from him either. Just get the password from him and get out of that convo as quickly as possible. Ive done this twice now, and both times I was able to get clearance from Zarys as a friend of the zhent and gain access to the traders secret items.

Im not saying this is definitive, only that Ive done it twice, and both times got the result I was looking for. It needs more testing though to be sure. The talk of selling the cargo behind the Zhents back seems to be the catalyst that later blocks you from gaining access to the traders secret items.

I think the entire quest line is bugged on Rugar if you try to split the chest. He just says your his savor if you save him and stays in the chair. I did see someone do a Youtube video where they didn't have the password and gave the chest to Zarys and was considered a Zhent friend after. I don't think you necessarily have to save Rugar, but it is worth testing out. Again, I think you are right about not siding, but I am pretty sure you don't have to have Rugar's password to be a friend of the Zhents. Just have to deliver the cargo or have Rugar deliver it. Either works. If you plan not to give the item in the chest to Gale that is.

Ahh ok. So it really revolves around just the chest? That actually simplifies things a bit and gives you more outs to gain access to the traders good items.
Good stuff. Il keep experimenting.