Treading "over" Illefarn

I finally got a chance to update my blog list with the blogs I'm actually reading which was good.  Now onto the whole reason for my post.

I'm using the old Under Illefarn adventure as the seed point for my new campaign.  I think Daggerford is a great starting point for this particular venture into the realms.  I'm going to have to lower the statistics for most of the NPC's - here is a quick approximate go at it:

Duke Daggerford - Fighter 4
Bronwyn - Wizard 3
Sir Llewellyn Long Hand - Fighter 6
Kelson - Fighter 4
Delfen Yellowknife - Wizard 5
Gydion - Wizard 8
Sir Elorfindar - Elf 8
Derval Ironeater - Dwarf 3
Fulbar Hardcheese - Halfling 4
Bando The Lame - Halfling Cleric 3 (Tymora)
Maerovyna - Cleric 5 (Chauntea)
Liam Sunmist - Cleric 2 Lathandar
Baergon Bluesword - Cleric 5 (Tempus)

My plan is to completely scrap the dungeon portion of the module.  Derval's dwarven family are down in the dungeon doing fun things, but I'm not going to invite the players to join in.

Instead I'm going to start the players on a couple of the militia based adventures all the while throwing out some hints about events going on around the surrounding area.  Here are a couple of rumors and threads, I'll work on more over time:

The recent lizardman attacks on surrounding keeps and towns may be spurred on by Yuanti snakemen and Naga from the marsh of Chelimber.  They worship a great snake god in the dark of night.  Are they using demon magic to infiltrate Daggerford?

A plague of small red dragons the size of horses has beset the lands north of waterdeep.  These dragons are obsessively collecting every piece of gold they can take from caravans, but where they take their treasure  and to what end is unknown.

The thieves guild has explosively returned to Waterdeep.  Rumors tell that they have assassinated at least half of the lords of Waterdeep, taken over the dungeons under Mount Waterdeep, and led a prison rebellion freeing most of the prisoners in the city.

Attacks originating from Dragonspear Castle have intensified.  The orcs and goblins are more organized than usual, could these attacks be infernally inspired?

Reports of missing persons abound in the streets of Waterdeep, what group or force could be responsible for these disappearances?

More ideas to follow....

I'd like to try to keep long term plans out of my mind for this game.  I just want to keep "plot" out of this game and just throw rumors and challenges at the players and see what happens.  I was listening to a podcast where the hosts were talking about their "plots" as GM's and I feel like they were really putting their players on the "rails" - I don't want to do that.