Hi there. I'm looking for suggestions about how to change the plot of IMR. My players are all teenagers and I have considered adapting it to suit them better. My rough idea is this:

I will skip the whole unicorn/hag/tower thing in favour of meeting one of the quest-givers probably Lynx and get straight into the story. In the negotiations with Lynx I think I might even sweeten the deal for them by giving them a stronghold (probably in Waterdeep as this has been a base for other adventures) which then needs fixing up. This gives them some impetus and purpose and hopefully will stop them from asking too many awkward questions.

I am considering changing the mysterious patron(s) because ultimately I don't think they will really care about Zariel and Bel fighting each other because there is no direct connection to my players. It's a bit like there being a big fight 'over there' in the distance. I was thinking that Lynx could be a servant of Vecna. Surely he'd be behind something like this?

I will keep the two adventure locations and the time travel as they are entertaining and interesting. I have a very rough idea that after the first adventure area is complete the party should be contacted by another party which is a rival/enemy of the first one. This pushes the narrative forward and reveals more story details although I'm not sure what yet.

Ultimately I found the published ending underwhelming. My players will be disappointed to play through an excellent campaign only to fight a bunch of cultists at the end. 

So, I'd love to hear plot suggestions, especially regarding patrons and an ending that impacts my players directly.

Thanks