I didn't really like how Darl didn't have any ties to the Age of Worms plotline, so I made some changes that I thought I'd share.
after learning the location of Tilagos from Lashonna, Mahuudril double-crosses her and sends an agent of the Ebon Triad named Darl Quethos to recover the fountain of dreams. Lashonna realizes that she must act quickly and sends the PCs to Tilagos, hoping they will find the fountain before Darl and Co.
Mahuudril claims that the knowledge of the fountain will reveal the final rites needed to awaken the Overgod. Darl, however, has other plans for the fountain. Unbeknownst to Mahuudril, Darl is actually a very powerful priest of Vecna who knows that the Ebon Triad is a sham. He intends to use the knoweldge of the fountain for his own purposes (to recover the Eye of Vecna? To learn how the Order of the Storm magically erased the records of their deeds?). He will eventually betray his companions (the Sinfire twins are monks of the Scarlet Brotherhood who became followers of Hextor, and then Ebon Triad cultists), but he must first ensure that the PCs do not gain access to the fountain before he does. He keeps the Hand of Vecna hidden with a black glove, and not even his companions or Mahuudril knows that he posseses the powerful artifact.
While the PCs are at Tilagos, Lashonna attempts to destroy Mahuudril. I haven't yet decided if she will succeed or not.
Wow! That could introduce a whole bunch of political intrigue, with secret meeting places in Alhaster (besides the well), agents to trail, and all that sort of stuff. A covert war between the two would be interesting, though you'd have to change the overriding goals of the two slightly. I think it says in the Wormcrawl that Mahuudril is wooed away from Dragotha by Lashonna but Dragotha secures her alliance before she takes the Monolith away. How strange would it be to have Mahuudril ask the PCs for help? ("Remember that vile Avolakia that told us Lashonna is a vampire? She was right!!)
As far as Lashonna versus Mahuudril in a straight up fight, Lashonna has her beat in spades...Lashonna's DCs are in the forties, and a full attack from her be death for almost any character.
Yes, Mahuudril would never fight Lashonna if she had a choice. She would, however, be quite safe in the Wormcrawl Fissure. Lashonna's attempt (successful or not) to destroy Mahuudril is only partly revenge; she is afraid that if the PCs track down "Mother Maggot", they will learn the truth about her. At the very least, it will make for a more interesting encounter with Mahuudril in the Wormcrawl, where she can use her high diplomacy and bluff skills to good effect.
You mentioned Kyuss's monolith, and I have a change to make with that as well. I think I will have the monolith remain in the Wormcrawl while the PCs fight Dragotha (the presence of the monolith will make this battle a bit harder, but from the many stories on this board, it seems the battle is generally too easy). Lashonna will then attempt to persuade the PCs to bring it to her. If they refuse, she will steal it (shouldn't be much more difficult than stealing it from Dragotha). Either way, the monolith will end up at the top of the Spire and events will progress more or less as normal from that point on.
This is actually what I might do as well if my group teleports in. I've kind of been fretting about adventure timing issues regarding when exactly I have Lashonna make her move. If I do it too early, and the party for whatever reason teleports back to Alhaster, the cool adventure in the Writhing Tabernacle won't happen since they'll be more worried about stopping Kyuss in Alhaster. While as a DM I have control over when this happens, if they confront Dragotha with the monolith missing and they retreat back to Alhaster if they fail...stuff's gonna get weird. To make matters worse, the last time my PCs left Alhaster, the Prince momentarily halted construction after a change of heart. (PCs gave him the painting of Kuluth-Mar from SoLS and rolled a really good Diplomacy, explaining the similiarities between his "dream" and Kyuss's former seat of power.) To find the Spire suddenly constructed (Which it will be with powerful magic) will set them off and make them forego their quest against Dragotha. Interestingly enough, if this would happen, it would be there doom. Giving Kyuss the ability to utilize Dragotha as a 'familiar' is just plain wrong.
My group's going to finish 3 Faces of Evil next session, and I've going to go with a variation of the Faceless One is a Similacrum of Darl idea.
In my campaign, Darl has his own agenda (so far undefined) which is separate from the Ebon Trid and the coming of the Age of Worms, but will come across the path of the PCs more and more.
I'll have the Faceless One's death trigger a programmed illusion of melodrama, introduceing himself and promising doom to all the PCS. Darl himself will be made aware of the PCs existence at this time, learn everything there is to know about them, and promptly dismiss them as beneath him.
Then I'll have the PCs find evidece throughout of his presence, and build him up as a major threat, but meanwhile, Darl has bigger fish to fry and so will not be paying any attention to them.
So his attitude on the island will be along the lines of, "Oh yeah. These guys. *Shrug* Well, best kill them."
Something along those lines.
Don't forget Balakarde's input. He can tell the party that Dragotha will need to be taken out before attempting to prevent Kyuss's return in Alhaster. Otherwise, they will end up facing Dragotha, Kyuss, AND Lashonna.
If the party makes the wrong decision, it IS the climax of the campaign and no one said the party needs to win...
I made the Faceless One a simulacrum, and have ambushed them with another FO simulacrum a while back. My reasoning for the FO's lack of a defined face is that the real FO didn't want to have his identity known if his simulacrum was captured or destroyed, so he didn't give it his face. Problem with it being Darl's simulacrum is that Darl is a cleric and FO was a wizard. Suppose he could be a mystic theurge, but i'm tired of redoing stats.
A fun new way to explain why the classes don't match up.
Players Handbook II!
Near the back is a set of rebuild quests that allow players to rebuild a character.
If the players ask "What?" then you have him say, "I have become one of Vecna's favored. Now Die."
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In my campaign, Darl is actually Filge, who escaped from prison after the PCs captured and subdued him. He's been focusing on his own goals, knowing (as he's a worshipper of the Shadow [Vecna]) that he'd run across the PCs again.
I had re-written Filge as a Dread Necromancer, and I'll update him to be Darl's level when I get closer to that adventure.
I just finished the battle with Darl, and although he escaped, the PCs still believe that he is simply an agent of the Ebon Triad. They have no idea of his ulterior motives (and how could they, I guess). We shall see if he becomes a recurring villain or not.
Some other changes I made to the adventure included removing the whole battle with the swords of Kyuss. Instead, I just had the PC who drank from the fountain watch the battle from above (like the visions in SoLS). He never saw Lashonna die, so he doesn't have any questions as to how she could be alive now. Now that they know she is a silver dragon, one of my players said "well, I no longer have any doubts that Lashonna is a good-guy". Hah.
The PCs then decided to take a break and craft some items. I'm gonna give them a week before they are too late to retrieve the phylactery. If they arrive at Kongen-Thulnir within a week, they will encounter Dragotha's forces. If they arrive within 7-8 days, they will encounter Dragotha's forces as well as Dragotha himself. If they wait any longer, they will be too late. Dragotha will slay one of his dragons and hide the phylactery and the body somewhere safe. He will then seek out the PCs and attempt to destroy them.
Of course, Lashonna knows that Dragotha will be after the phylactery the moment its location is revealed. So, she will warn the PCs that they have very little time. She will also warn them that even those they consider allies may have ulterior motives and to stay alert. A few days later, she will use a false sending to appear as Tenser and instill some doubt in the players' minds about their favorite archmage.