Marked for Death!

This is the first in a series of postings about events and activities surrounding our twenty-fifth anniversary in 2013. Today I'm going to tease you with news about a major upcoming death in the Druid Cycle campaign world that will occur at some point in 2013. Normally I prefer to let the dice fall where they may (alas, poor Brewmaster General!), but in some cases the death of a character serves a crucial story purpose.

So...

Above whose head does the Sword of Damocles hang? I'll give you some hints.
1. It could be a PC or an NPC. If it's a PC, however, I will ensure that the player is on board with this plan and will compensate him/her accordingly for the loss of a character.
2. This is not a minor character, but one of the most important characters in the game world -- someone whose importance can be measured both in terms of D&D characteristics (level, combat abilities, etc.) as well as impact on the storylines.
3. This person occupies a distinct role or place in the world, and his/her absence will be felt by everyone.

More hints as we count down to 2013. If you want to venture a guess, just email me. The first person who guesses the character's identity will win a prize! (Disclaimer: Prize may be imaginary in nature.)