I gotta know

As the years of Lucan D'Lere's reign had stretched on, in obvious defiance of mortality, rumors had grown. One persistent bit of speculation, was that he was a lich, but it had never been proven. Not his Lucanic Knights, not even his most trusted adviser, Tayil N'Velex, knew all of his secrets. Even if pressed Tayil could honestly say she did not know what his phylactery was or where it was. It seemed to be inexplicably missing or so well hidden as to not exist.

Now that it has since been revealed that he is an arch revenant, not a lich, the following answers, given in 2007 by Vhalen, may make more sense:

1. Where did Lucan gain the mystical knowledge to know what the rights were to become a Lich? This is generally something a Necromancer would do, not a Paladin.
VH: Norrathians are unsure if Lucan is truly a lich, but he has certainly been introduced to some form of necromantic rituals. These most likely were the result of his early alliance with the Dismal Rage. However, do not think that a single mortal alliance has made him who he is today.

2. What are his origins like lineage, parents, race, etc.?
VH: There are those in Norrath that have held that secret for ages. These Norrathians have held this secret since before the existence of Lucan D'Lere.

3. When did he start gaining these dark powers that gave him the knowledge of the dead?
VH: Lucan learned a lot about necromantic arts from his alliance with the Dismal Rage, but this was only the beginning of his journey.

4. Why would a priest turn someone into a creature 10 times more powerful then they were especially when that person was an enemy?
VH: I would never create something more powerful than I unless I held some way of controlling its actions or destroying it.

5. Where did the Dismal Rage get this kind of power unless they were secretly a guild of Necromancers and not priests at all?
VH: The dark arts of necromancy are not ignored by the Dismal Rage. Many of their members hail from Neriak, vault of some of the greatest secrets of the dark arts.

6. You don't get the powers of a Lich from becoming a Lich, you must possess them before you ever become one otherwise the conversion would kill you, so where did these powers come from?
VH: Is Lucan a lich?

7. I am not sure but if my memory serves me correctly the only way to become a Lich is to be of sufficient power as a Necromancer in order to ascend to the status of a Lich and this cannot be accomplished by a third party, it is a rite you perform on yourself. I believe it is a forbidden ceremony for any but a Necromancer to perform.
VH: See answer to 6.

8. At what point does a lust for power turn one from good to not-good? The EQ1 quest giver seems to argue that it was when he started hiring mercenaries to supplement the protective force of the city which started him down the road to "darkness," hardly the most damning of offenses.
VH: Lucan certainly was a hero to the people at one time. However, he held a lust for power beneath the exterior of a valorous knight of Marr. There is a power within Lucan that cannot be extinguished by any form of religious doctrine. Is it "darkness?"

9. Why was Sentry Dillius killed? This seems to have been Lucan's point of no return, but I've never heard a satisfactory reason for why a sentry needed to be bumped off.
VH: There are historian explorers delving into the untimely death of Sir Dillius. Their findings should be revealed someday... unless the Lucanic Knights put an "end" to the investigations.

10. We know Lucan is a widow [sic]. Who was his wife? How and when did she die?
VH: This is something that will also be revealed in the future.

~ Kaitheel