For anyone that hasn't seen my other thread, here's the beginning of the discussion.

We're about 5 gaming sessions in and have covered parts 1 & 2 of Ghosts of Dragonspear Castle.

In addition to the storyline there our adventurers have had run-ins with some Umberlee animated undead which had their own properties (ie they weren't animated with negative energy, rather with evil magic and sea water 'blood'). One of the PC's is actually an undead animated by Kossuth though he believes himself to be animated by Amaunator. Either way he's animated through fiery magic combined with the force of his spirit.

Another one of the PC's (my daughter) had written a very in-depth backstory for her character of a journey from near Myth Drannor to Zhentil Keep, and then all the way to Daggerford on the Sword Coast. As part of that story she has in her possession a book of poetry she's been told holds the key to 'destroying all undead' - one of the primary drives for her character who lost her family to an undead attack.

In actuality (and unbeknownst to the characters) the book is far more - it contains the key to claiming the portfolio of undeath relinquished by Velsharoon on his death in 1425. It could truly destroy all undead on Toril - but it could also allow a minor deity or even a mortal to ascend to godhood and is sure to be greatly coveted by any that learn of its existence. The book will not easily give up its secrets though as only Ao understands how to unravel them at this point. That said, there are clues in the world and players that if they knew of the book would have part of the answer - whether those players will ever come together will depend a lot on the actions of the PC's and the way the rest of The Sundering series of books play out. I figure that the book provides a nice springboard for adventures well into epic levels.

Even not knowing of the book, several powerful entities have started playing with the 'rules' of undeath and forming in their own image. Umberlee and Kossuth are the vanguard of this group but Mask is soon to enter the game as soon as he's returned (spoiler alert from book 2 of The Sundering). I've decided that our time-line is before those events but only just - so during our gaming I can return Mask as a player. This is constantly evolving and I'm trying to take into account the actions of the group as well as the books of The Sundering so I'm constantly ret-con'ing as it makes sense within our story line.

One of those threads that has been ret-con'd in and works rather well is that I've started planting the seeds that my friendly Halfling Rogue NPC I'm running with them is more than he seems. He's actually a follower of Mask despite Mask being a 'dead god' at the time and has been following the book of poetry mentioned earlier since before my daughter's character, a Cleric-Ranger of Selune, came into possession of it. Mask hasn't been very active with his followers but he was able to impart his interest in the book. My character knows that Mask is interested but not knowing why he's been willing to play things out and learn what he can. Despite her following Selune my character's actually taken a liking to the Cleric-Ranger but his loyalties are still stronger to Mask which could complicate their relationship once Mask returns.

So all of those updates out of the way, I've stumbled upon a minor character in FR's lore that I think fits this story VERY well. Very near Daggerford, the main base of operations for our current story, is a place called Warlock's Keep. It's home to Larloch, a lich of very great power and most likely more powerful than Szass Tam. Interestingly the two liches have met and are on decent terms (for liches) and have traded powerful magic items with each other.

Larloch is a bit insane and is obsessed with magic - the workings of the weave, power, and experimenting in new magic. If any non-deity were likely to realize changes in undeath it would be a magic-obsessed, tinkering lich. My thought is to pull him in to the story somehow. Have him tinkering with some of the new rules of undeath, have the players come to investigate, and then have them eventually be captured by Larloch.

Larloch's not a bloodthirsty sort though. He's very curious about these changes and as he's wont to do sends the group to investigate them, of course with the request gaeses and curses placed on them to ensure they do what they're told. This is long-term planning at this point. I really don't think the group of level 5's and 6's right now would go marching off to take out a lich's stronghold. That said, I can start introducing his 'experiments' right now and intertwine that story line with progress through our main module.

Last thing and a bit off-topic but the last book of The Sundering gave me an idea for one of the other PC's. His story is that he was an elemental in the service of Imix until Imix killed the woman he loved - a paladin of Lathander. He'd been wandering the Fugue Plane until he was plucked out by Kelemvor, Kossuth, and Amaunator to thwart Imix's plans which revolve around the story-line of our main module. In actuality I've decided he's a Deva that's had that past implanted by Kossuth. His past is much different but Kossuth felt he needed another pawn in his fight to keep Imix irrelevant in the current power-structure. In addition, Kossuth wanted an ally for his first experiment in 'remaking' undeath and raising the prominence of fire throughout the realms. Kossuth is the main player among the deities and primordials in the story-line. He's realized that the war with the gods is over and the primordials lost - so if you can't beat them join them! He's looking to become a god in his own right with portfolios of fire and undeath (though an undeath in his image).

That's my thoughts at this point - would love to get feedback from some FR-lore junkies.