So, I'm getting one of those books for Urag gro-Shrub and I had to go to Silverdrift Lair. I had to kill a dragon priest but he did not have a mask for me to take when looted. I haven't received the side quest for dragon masks yet although I have the Morokei mask from doing the college of winterhold quest in Labyrinthian.

my question is, Should I have waited with doing this small quest for Urag just so that the dragon priest would be still alive so that I can get mask from him or will there be another priest when I finally get the dragon priest mask quest? I really don't want to screw up this questline with these accidental/or too early NPC deaths who you will need later on. I'm going to hold off with playing just so i don't go any further until someone can help me out, just so i can load to previous time just in case.

As far as I know, the masks are available on the priests if you dont have the quests.

I do not have the quest but have dispatched with Volung (sp) and he has his mask on him, the one with better prices in merchants and carry more.

Only Named dragon priests have the masks, so if it was a generic one you are OK

ahhh, ok, great thank-you for your quick reply!.........now back to skyrim!

I confirm. I collected all 8 masks and figured out to go to labyrinthian with them due to the one loading screen. I did not even know there was a quest related to that before now.

There is no quest. It's just something you figure out. The priests with masks always have the masks. There is no messing it up.