*handed to Tarnis IC earlier today, before departing*

*Kharant hands a letter to Tarnis IC, warning him that if he does not wait a week till he opens it, it will explode killing the opener, obviously a lie.*

Tarnis. I am leaving this letter with you.

For what it is worth... I, Magus Forent Kharant of Thay bequeze my bank account, to the halfling Tarnis.

Banker, give it to him. As I instructed to you anyone person who speaks the word I have given you, is entitled to all money deposited under my name. I repeat the word again. Fara Era Thay. Thayan Fire. Give him the money.

On to the message.

Tarnis, tell the truth. Post flyers anonymously.... I do not care how. Spread the word. Make sure every person in sanctuary knows the truth.

I spent months researching.... I hit the same dead end over and over. Opening a portal should not have been so difficult… it did not make sense.

Then I discovered the truth.

I frequently went to the spell guard to share my notes with them. I spoke often with Michael De La Ray, experimenting deep in their enclave. Once I convinced them I was sincere they were very accommodating, letting me use their lab for my research, as long as I continued to share all of my notes with them.

Weeks ago an emergency came up, giant spiders swarmed over much of the city and the spellguard agent who was supervising me was forced to go. He did not have time to see me out. I told him I would continue my experiments with their equipment, he sealed the door out locking my way out.

It did not occur to him I would go deeper in. I went deeper. I encountered a number of powerful wards, fake walls, illusions, doors which are not doors, pits which are not pits, illusions meant to discourage a mans heart, to cause dread or panic or doubt. None of them can kill, I think. I am not certain about that.

I finally arrived deep enough.... I found the device. I recognized it at once. Similar devices exist in parts of Thay to prevent wizards from foreign wizards from opening portals and leading in armies.

This device was the largest I have ever seen, I could not imagine such a device could be created to such a size, or to posses such power.

The spellguard have a powerful artifact deep in their enclave, one deep gnome design. It disrupts portal travel to the surface and to many other places for..... an enormous distance in every direction. I was not able to fully calculate it, at the minimum I would place it at 400 miles. Perhaps as far as 600 in every direction from sanctuary. Get past that and portal magic will work normally to the surface. If you find a wizard who can open a portal… travel somehow further then 600 miles from sanctuary and return to your home.

I left and returned to my work bench in their lab, acting as if I had never left. The spellguard never questioned my absence, we talked shortly of my continued research, he left.

I left their building and have never gone back into it since.

There are a dozen mages in the city who could open portals, perhaps more..... but none of them can, for the jamming efforts of the spellguard. The spellguard keep us all here as their slaves, the council are little more then puppets.

I have met a man who I am utterly certain will lead us to the surface. For my diplomacy and tact, I am a coward at heart. I am a clever man but not a brave man. I would not have embarked on this journey if I was not entirely certain of success. I wished to return to found an embassy of the Empire but I will not, there will be no way for me to return again, no portal travel to the surface while the spellguard keep their device powered.

Tarnis, I wish you every luck in the world. I wish you to see the sun again and see the clouds over your head. If you reach the surface, travel to Thay and look for Magus Kharant in Thaymount. You will not be able to enter Thaymount, but you will be able to wait in the outer city and send word in-I will provide well for you for companionship in my days in this hell hole. Show this note to the border guards on your arrival, I will send advance word to the patrols when I return to Thay, should you arrive, you will not be harassed or delayed in any way.

By the time you read this, I will be back in Thay.

I asked you to come with us… I asked you over and over. I knew where I was going and I wished you to come with me… I could not say more at the time. I wished you had come. Escape. Get out of here. Find a woman and love her dearly. Most of all, see the sun.

I beg you, before you do…spread the word. Let others see the truth and they may escape as well.

-Magus Kharant, Retired Temporary Envoy to Sanctuary, from the Empire of Thay, now residing in Thaymount