Fires burn atop the ruined citadel on Hellknight Hill, sending plumes of red smoke into the air that could be a call for help. Within the old keep, strange invaders from a distant land, mysterious long-lost ruins, and the machinations of a shadowy organization await discovery. Something dire is building toward an apocalyptic event, and it falls to your characters to stop the end before it begins. The Age of Ashes Adventure Path begins with "Hellknight Hill"—a complete adventure for 1st- to 4th-level characters.
Age of Ashes represents a good framework for the initial book of the AP, but the motivations of the main villain for the book, and their competence, leave a bit to be desired. An experienced DM may want to restructure some components of the villain and her interaction with the plot to both make more sense and make them more competent, but the story as-written is still functional even if you don't make updates.
A solid introduction to this adventure path. I don't think it's unfair at any time (especially at level 1 it's sometimes such a thing) and it also offers some variety (we all thought the town hall right at the start was great). Plus, with the heroes' new home, there's also enough roleplay opportunities and relationships with NPCs to revisit over and over again to keep the motivation going. Actually there is absolutely nothing to complain about here. We liked it.
Creative Director
