Greetings Officer Barkely,

In our last correspondence you revoked my permission to use the Art in unwarded areas, permission that you had granted to me over four months ago. You also stated that the warded robe you promised never arrived due to budgetary reasons.

I am writing on behalf of the Watch and Council, to discover the exact cost of a single piece of warded clothing, so that we might all continue on with our daily lives. I am sure we all can agree that it is ludicrous that a practitioner of the Art within the Watch is unable to prevent criminals from fleeing her custody, due to being unable to cast within unwarded areas. With the information of an exact cost, of the warded robe at hand, we can properly address the issue.

-Private Alyssara Nil'Vara

*The letter is resent, this time in a slightly larger script than before*

Private Nil'Vara,

..If we were to trade with those duergar from Mur ..If we were to trade with those kobolds from the Shadow Tribe ..If we were to trade with those non-existent Svirfneblin at the Blue Mushroom Inn ..Or if we were to turn back time, then we may be able to reconsider your request.

But with the current state of Sanctuary, our order will not supply an outsider to the Order of the Spellguard with a robe properly warded against the detection of magic to our outside enemies. Months ago, it may have been just a matter of funding, and to an individual who had demonstrated an enormous service to our dear city may be given the opportunity to acquire a robe labored over by our most skilled Agents. But that is no longer the case.

An intelligent individual such as yourself must have paused to ponder where Sanctuary and the Spellguard receives its rare components, its attuned gemstones, its precious metals, and its alchemical substances and compounds. If you have, then you may already know the answer. In case you haven't, I will state it clearly, "They don't." With trade to these outside communities deemed unfavorable and unnecessary, on top of a bar against the most natural and abundant Underdark races entering the city to trade, we are supplied by only a trickle of wandering merchants.

And let me assure you, these merchants do not carry the quality of goods we would expect or desire. And on top of that, Sanctuary has nothing to offer these individuals. What does Sanctuary produce? A few sets of mundane armors, a few longswords, and a few haunches of rothe meat, which, by the way, the druids have been saying are becoming more and more scarce due to over hunting. With the Spellguard budget as low as it is, we have been forced to scrap existing projects and scavenge more and more to maintain the most minimal level of operation in service to the city. We have not the time nor the excess resources to produce items that are valuable in trade, so we are forced to play the Merchant's Game and exchange consistently at a loss.

As you can see, there is more to worry about than wizards casting spells in the Watch. Until this economic situation changes, I'm afraid nothing will change for you. I hope you can find a new niche in the Watch ranks, perhaps as a dedicated potion brewer to reinforce your exuberant companions or maybe as a dedicated cleaner. I've heard the conditions in the barracks are dreadful, at least for someone apparently so skilled in magic.

Officer Barkley

Greetings once again Officer Barkely,

Your response puzzles me to say the least, considering your response that was sent to me less than a tenday ago. Enclosed is an excerpt from your prior correspondence. I find it strange that in less than a tenday, the economic position of the Spellguard has changed so drastically. Perhaps you might be able to address why that position changed at such an interesting time, given that your previous position less than ten days ago, was that if the funding of the Spellguard was increased, that obtaining a robe would be a trivial matter. Now it is an impossibility, I find the timing on such to be quite a coincidence.

-Private Alyssara Nil'Vara

*Attached is a portion of the letter*

Private Nil'Vara,

I was quite convinced I had sent you a missive explaining the situation! Due to the decrease in our funding since our reintigration into the city we find ourselves hard pressed to maintain the various sytems within the city. For now at least I fear we could not afford the expense or time of our enchanters to create a modified garment for you. Yourself, your fellow Watch members and The Sheriff himself might consider asking The Council for an increase in our funding before their budget negotiations finish. If such is forthcoming then it is possible we may be able to find the resources to supply your Watch Wizard initiative with appropriate equipment to undertake their duties.