To the Rising Sun:
A red glow flares up briefly in the creature's eyesockets as the only visible sign of vexation.
"You blind fool. As if you have the leisure to refuse an ally; and all out of misplaced morality.
Do you think your troups will feel very inclined to agree with you? Willing to sacrifice them by the hundreds of thousands out of concern for a few criminals? Is that what passes for justice in your vaunted Alliance?
I should very much like to see your followers' reaction to that news. I daresay your troops would suffer a serious lapse in loyalty. Do you want to find out?
For the moment, it does not suit me to reveal my hand to the Church of Shade, so the question will have to remain unanswered until that time. Consider carefully, the offer remains standing."
At that, the skeleton collapses into a heap of inanimate bones.
--
To Edena:
I *was* rather disappointed at so many posts being deleted, I missed the whole Vecna/Toril arc.
I'll agree with the others. This is *your* thread by all serious measures, we're all just happy we can participate. Certainly no one else but you could possibly run this sort of thing

If you'd rather start over, we start over. This is wonderful fun!
I wouldn't really call for a day's pause though, adrenaline is a-flowin' right now!
--
To RiotGear:
You're free to take any countermeasure you like of course, but the Apotheosis should still be a very closely guarded secret, as far as I'm aware, as is Acererak's presence (at least by name), unless someone went looking for the cause of the undead insurgence explicitly.