Pathfinder Adventure Path #145: Hellknight Hill (Age of Ashes 1 of 6)

Zaister wrote:

In case you missed it, James also revealed the titles and authors of all six parts of this adventure path:

** spoiler omitted **

Run Lundeen? Is someone threatening me?

Please excuse the typo! :)

How soon after release would this be made available on Roll20 like War for the Crown and Rise of the Runelords? I'm really looking forward to being able to run this, but my main playgroup is online-only due to living all across the coastal US.

I'd like to know as well as I do all my games over there, though I remember from the team saying or posting that VTT's will get access as a priority, I think from one of the Twitch vids if I'm not mistaken.

Roll20 has about 4 million as a player/GM base so a pretty big audience there so fingers crossed this will be available day one, as well as the single module Fall of Plaguestone, then Kingmaker Com AP for PF II as well :)

Tom

Rysky wrote:

WILL THERE BE PLAYER'S GUIDES???

Of course.

Hellknight rules won't be in the Age of Ashes player's guide, but we'll have those rules out very soon. Playing a Hellknight in Age of Ashes should be interesting.

As for exactly WHAT is going into the Player's Guide... I can't say yet because I haven't yet written it. I've got more ideas in it than are responsible to include in it, of course. I'll likely aim to keep it pretty simple and short so that...

...A) It doesn't kill an already incredibly busy editorial department here, and...

...B) Doesn't overwhelm players with too many new options, when everyone's gonna still be focusing on the options in the Core rules.

I know it's a bit later on than this original post, and you can't really reveal too much in specifics, but say we want to run the first book of the AP within a few weeks of the 2e release. Any chance the "very soon" will encompass this? I would really love to let my players play one, and worst comes to worst I'll just let them play a fighter or paladin and reskin things until official rules come out. Any possible insight you could grant? Thanks!

James Jacobs wrote:

Rysky wrote:

WILL THERE BE PLAYER'S GUIDES???

Of course.

Hellknight rules won't be in the Age of Ashes player's guide, but we'll have those rules out very soon. Playing a Hellknight in Age of Ashes should be interesting.

As for exactly WHAT is going into the Player's Guide... I can't say yet because I haven't yet written it. I've got more ideas in it than are responsible to include in it, of course. I'll likely aim to keep it pretty simple and short so that...

...A) It doesn't kill an already incredibly busy editorial department here, and...

...B) Doesn't overwhelm players with too many new options, when everyone's gonna still be focusing on the options in the Core rules.

I know it's a bit later on than this original post, and you can't really reveal too much in specifics, but say we want to run the first book of the AP within a few weeks of the 2e release. Any chance the "very soon" will encompass this? I would really love to let my players play one, and worst comes to worst I'll just let them play a fighter or paladin and reskin things until official rules come out. Any possible insight you could grant? Thanks!

You'll need to let them reskin.

Sanguine Lupus wrote:

James Jacobs wrote:

Rysky wrote:

WILL THERE BE PLAYER'S GUIDES???

Of course.

Hellknight rules won't be in the Age of Ashes player's guide, but we'll have those rules out very soon. Playing a Hellknight in Age of Ashes should be interesting.

As for exactly WHAT is going into the Player's Guide... I can't say yet because I haven't yet written it. I've got more ideas in it than are responsible to include in it, of course. I'll likely aim to keep it pretty simple and short so that...

...A) It doesn't kill an already incredibly busy editorial department here, and...

...B) Doesn't overwhelm players with too many new options, when everyone's gonna still be focusing on the options in the Core rules.

I know it's a bit later on than this original post, and you can't really reveal too much in specifics, but say we want to run the first book of the AP within a few weeks of the 2e release. Any chance the "very soon" will encompass this? I would really love to let my players play one, and worst comes to worst I'll just let them play a fighter or paladin and reskin things until official rules come out. Any possible insight you could grant? Thanks!

You'll need to let them reskin.

Sounds good! Thanks for the response, and keep up the great work! I'm hyped for the new ed, and your appearances on PF Friday are always fun!

When will we get information about parts 2-6 of Age of Ashes? At PaizoCon possibly?

When will we get information about parts 2-6 of Age of Ashes? At PaizoCon possibly?

2: "Cult of Cinders" by Eleanor Ferron Expected August 2019

I guess we'll probably see those once we get closer to July...

We'll absolutely have more info about Age of Ashes and more at Paizocon.

By more do you mean the next AP after Ages of Ashes?

By more do you mean the next AP after Ages of Ashes?

Yes. Traditionally, we've announced the first AP of the coming year at PaizoCon, and the second AP of the coming year at Gen Con.

We'll absolutely have more info about Age of Ashes and more at Paizocon.

That's great Mr. Jacobs! I'm really hyped for this AP!

Hope there're lots of dragon themed articles to make it more immersive, just as there were lots of giant related articles in Giantslayers. Especially one article for each of the two dragon deities. *-*

Hope to see dragons using their high intellect rather than brute force as well... But that seems to be the case.

James Jacobs wrote:

We'll absolutely have more info about Age of Ashes and more at Paizocon.

That's great Mr. Jacobs! I'm really hyped for this AP!

Hope there're lots of dragon themed articles to make it more immersive, just as there were lots of giant related articles in Giantslayers. Especially one article for each of the two dragon deities. *-*

Hope to see dragons using their high intellect rather than brute force as well... But that seems to be the case.

You'll want to check Inner Sea Faiths for articles on Dahak and Apsu. Since we've already done those articles, they won't be revisited in this Adventure Path.

Can anyone say Dragon Egg?

The Gold Sovereign wrote:

James Jacobs wrote:

We'll absolutely have more info about Age of Ashes and more at Paizocon.

That's great Mr. Jacobs! I'm really hyped for this AP!

Hope there're lots of dragon themed articles to make it more immersive, just as there were lots of giant related articles in Giantslayers. Especially one article for each of the two dragon deities. *-*

Hope to see dragons using their high intellect rather than brute force as well... But that seems to be the case.

You'll want to check Inner Sea Faiths for articles on Dahak and Apsu. Since we've already done those articles, they won't be revisited in this Adventure Path.

Oh,I see. That makes sense, really. I was just thinking there could be something new for the followers of the dragon gods using 2E rules, but I suppose there're other ways to cover this.

In that case, I hope there'll be official stats for their heralds in the bestiary section.

Oh,I see. That makes sense, really. I was just thinking there could be something new for the followers of the dragon gods using 2E rules, but I suppose there're other ways to cover this.

There will be, but later. This adventure path isn't a great choice for PC dragon god worshipers, so it doesn't make sense to have that be a big part of Age of Ashes.

In that case, I hope there'll be official stats for their heralds in the bestiary section.

Nope; sorry. The bestiary for this Adventure Path has to do some extra heavy lifting to support monsters that show up in the actual adventures, and heralds of the dragon gods aren't on that list.

Didn't see anything in the comments about it, but will this AP include any flip maps? Or will there be a flip map pack available for purchase relatively soon after launch?

I REALLY love the custom flip maps and all the maps Paizo come out with, and would love to have all of them ready to bust out, rather than having to crudely draw them on a dry erase board.

Didn't see anything in the comments about it, but will this AP include any flip maps? Or will there be a flip map pack available for purchase relatively soon after launch?

I REALLY love the custom flip maps and all the maps Paizo come out with, and would love to have all of them ready to bust out, rather than having to crudely draw them on a dry erase board.

Sadly there will be no flip-mats for Age of Ashes.

There is no word about a map-pack yet.
I expect more info at Paizocon on the weekend.

From Paizocon reveal:

First new 2e AP: Age of Ashes - starts near hell knight fortress in Isgir(sp?). Starts in July.

2nd AP: Extinction Curse. Starts January- June. Based on Aroden’s rising of the Starstone and whatnot. Something might try to sink the Isle of Kortos...and the party might start as circus performers.

Thanks to Painlord!

When will the rest of the adventure path be shown on the website?

We'll probably get some new items added to the shop next week after everyone is recovered from PaizoCon.

We'll probably get some new items added to the shop next week after everyone is recovered from PaizoCon.

Given how hoarse some of the Paizo people have sounded over the last few days, even a few days more to overcome con-crud.

I really hope the Ashen Man from Doomsday Dawn will be making an appearance in this AP.

Fumarole wrote:

When will we get information about parts 2-6 of Age of Ashes? At PaizoCon possibly?

1: "Hellknight Hill" by Amanda Hammon Expected July 2019

2: "Cult of Cinders" by Eleanor Ferron Expected August 2019
3: "Tomorrow Must Burn" by Ron Lundeen Expected September 2019
4: "Fires of the Haunted City" by Linda Zayas-Palmer Expected October 2019
5: "Against the Scarlet Triad" by John Compton Expected November 2019
6: "Broken Promises" by Luis Loza Expected December 2019

It is worth observing there here, as with the first Starfinder AP Dead Suns the entire first Adventure Path for the new rules system is being written in-house at Paizo. Every single one of the authors of Age of Ashes works in The Pit.

From a practical perspective, this means that Paizo did not have the added complexity and difficulty of changing the rules at the same time as having to communicate those rule changes to freelance AP authors. From a practical standpoint, looking to freelancers for the first AP of a rules system that has not been released yet just won't work.

And even with the second PF2 AP, which will feature freelance authors, it's still going to very much be a case where the freelance authors contracted to write those volumes are still largely going to be "at sea".

I don't think we will witness the power of the fully operational Pathfinder Adventure Path until early 2021. By that time, the new rules will be fully integrated into the thinking of freelancers.

Mind you, in my experience, so many of Paizo's freelancers are in the "Adventure Author" sub-genre of RPG fans. Very few of them play regularly and even fewer GM regularly. This can be a problem in integrating a new rules system into the adventure design (yes, this is what development passes are for, but still.)

I do hope Paizo, in assigning the first volume of the new PF2 AP to Amanda Hammon leaves this poor woman with a better assignment than the one she got for Dead Suns Vol 3. I am dead certain she can write better than the Procrustean Mess of an AP volume that Splintered Worlds ended up as a result of Starfinder RPG's development. (Personally, I'd have keyed Rob McCreary's car over being stuck with my name on Dead Suns 3!)

I don't think we will witness the power of the fully operational Pathfinder Adventure Path ...

*Darth Vader voice* I find your lack of faith...disturbing...

Dead Suns Book 3 was the best volume of the entire AP - Eox was liked best by everyone who took part in the game (8 different people).
So i amactually looking forward to "Hellknight Hill".

What is very true, is that almost every first adventure for a new rules set ends up bad rules-wise in retrospective (Council of Thieves for PF 1.0 is the same level of bad rules as Hoard of the Dragon Queen for D&D 5e imo).

I am not worried about Paizo publishing a bad story, but i am worried about Paizo publishing a bad rules set.

I'm mostly just waiting to see how it all pans out in 5 years time if they'll update PF2 sort like how we get Pathfinder Unchained a while back.

But for this? I'm totally down for exploring Citadel Altaerein. It seems like a nice place to go visit...I mean maybe? ;)

Pathfinder Adventure Path: Cult of Cinders (Age of Ashes part 2 of 6)
is also supposed to be an august 2019 release.
That product has no product page and is still missing from the release schedule page.
I think it is the only missing one for august, though.

I'm assuming having no lead web designer might be part of the problem Marco.

I'll be honest, what I've read so far about this AP reads a bit like "Golarion: World Tour", where the point of the AP is to show as many locations as possible. Not that I don't appreciate a return to Ravounel, though I'd have rather seen what's going on with Ameiko. :p

I mean it is more of Inner Sea world tour since I don't think you visit Casmaron, Arcadia or Tian Xia? Or parts of Garund in the south

Yeah, you're probably right about that.

Aaand seems like border theming this time is fire and chains :D

I'm liking that art.

Oh good Mersiel has her old style footware thats a relief.

The colors for the AP and the cover are perfectly awesome. Dahak is fearsome indeed. I hope we get to face him in other adventures again. And by him I mean his followers, not the god himself... ^^'

Niiiiiiiiiiiiice!

I approve of having three things I love, fire, skeletons (possibly even Skeletal CHampions), and dragons. Also the chains are a nice touch too.

I love this cover. :)

I'll be honest, what I've read so far about this AP reads a bit like "Golarion: World Tour", where the point of the AP is to show as many locations as possible. Not that I don't appreciate a return to Ravounel, though I'd have rather seen what's going on with Ameiko. :p

AND

I mean it is more of Inner Sea world tour since I don't think you visit Casmaron, Arcadia or Tian Xia? Or parts of Garund in the south

Now I want to see an AP in which the PCs are in a band that tours Golarion (or at least the Inner Sea region) . . . .

Now I want to see an AP in which the PCs are in a band that tours Golarion (or at least the Inner Sea region) . . . .

The band-thing is pretty close to the theme of the second AP if I remember what was told on PaizoCon correctly

UnArcaneElection wrote:

Now I want to see an AP in which the PCs are in a band that tours Golarion (or at least the Inner Sea region) . . . .

The band-thing is pretty close to the theme of the second AP if I remember what was told on PaizoCon correctly

Traveling circus. Exclusively on the Isle of Kortos. And the AP apparently never actually goes to Absalom.

But do they get to play "We're an Absalom band?" *hums tune by Grand Funk Railroad...*

Interesting to see that "Adventure Path" is no longer part of the Pathfinder logo, and only appears rather small next to the AP name.

The Gold Sovereign wrote:

It sounds like an amazing AP.

I'm anxious to see what comes next, after we have "concluded" our fight against two of our greatest enemies (the Runelords and the Tyrant) one after the other.

Will the evolution of Pathfinder give us an even greater enemy to fear?

I hope so. It IS someone you folks already know, after all. Mwa ha ha.

My money is on Daralathyxl, the so called "Sixth King of the Mountains"

:P

I'm unsure if everyone knows the name of the evil cult we are going up against, so spoilers ahead.

It was said at the PaizoCon that we might be able to reason with the BigBad.

Daralathyxl is probably the oldest and mightiest dragon of all Avistan, he is already an emperor and to some he could be said to be a god. I'm sure it's nearly impossible to convince him he is wrong and that he would reduce anyone trying to say those words to ashes...

...

It was said at the PaizoCon that we might be able to reason with the BigBad.
...

I think it could be Mengkare.

Promise, the only city of note on Hermea, is surrounded by high red sandstone walls, so I'd be unsuprised if that's the setting for the sixth adventure.

I guess we'll see when part 6 gets released in 2020.