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Pathfinder Adventure Path #145
Hellknight Hill
Dawn of A New Age
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.
PZO90146 Pathfinder Adventure Path Age of Cult of Cinders
ISBN 978-1-64078-188-7
Stand Against the Darkness
The citadel atop Hellknight Hill has been claimed, along with the ring of ancient portals in its basement. What dangers lie beyond this magical portal, and what do the cultists who've used it before have in store? There's only one way to find the heroes must travel through to the lands beyond, where they will make new allies, face new enemies, and do much, much more! The Age of Ashes Adventure Path continues with “Cult of Cinders”-a complete adventure for 5th-8th level characters.
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.
PZO90146 Pathfinder Adventure Path Age of Cult of Cinders
ISBN 978-1-64078-188-7
Stand Against the Darkness
The citadel atop Hellknight Hill has been claimed, along with the ring of ancient portals in its basement. What dangers lie beyond this magical portal, and what do the cultists who've used it before have in store? There's only one way to find the heroes must travel through to the lands beyond, where they will make new allies, face new enemies, and do much, much more! The Age of Ashes Adventure Path continues with “Cult of Cinders”-a complete adventure for 5th-8th level characters.
96 pages, Paperback
Published August 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 23, 2025
A great adventure to have with friends. Some areas might need more clarification for various actions, but mostly I understand that it's more like guidelines for the DM. My players are about to complete this book and are happy for the balance between fighting and roleplaying that is offered in the book.
January 10, 2021
Hellknight Hill is the first of six Pathfinder adventures that can be played as stand-alone modules or together for a campaign that will take characters to level 20. This module includes a summary of the overarching campaign (including brief synopses of each of the six modules) and the campaign actually has a lot of good ideas and from initial appearance seems to do a decent job of linking the various modules together. My imagination started working out some of the ways that I could change some of the campaign to fit into my homebrew world and potentially run it for one my gaming groups.
The Hellknight Hill module is standard adventure fare- a town with a nearby ruined castle that offers the adventurers an opportunity to explore, fight monsters and find treasure. Without giving away any spoilers, the adventurers will find that this castle holds an ancient secret that several powerful individuals and groups are interested in obtaining for them own nefarious purposes. There is a lot of combat encounters, the majority of the adventure is a series of “dungeon crawls,” so that might get monotonous for some groups, but one thing that I liked about these combat encounters is that many of them include options for non-combat resolutions through negotiation and other methods. This is unwritten, but understood to be an option in most encounters, but it was helpful to see it written out, including specific things that could be done to resolve hostilities.
I think this makes a good introductory adventure for a group of new heroes. There is a decent hook for the adventurers to come to the town of Breachill- the town’s monthly adventurer recruiting effort at the town council meeting to employ adventures to deal with issues of note, though I think that the adventure would have benefited from an encounter where maybe the party has a skill challenge (or something to that effect) where they would have to convince the town council to hire them instead of a competing group(s). The module as written has the adventuring party as the only heroes available so there is no one else competing for the job and if the player characters are brash, unpleasant, inept, or otherwise seem like a bad employment choice, well... that’s all the town has for options. A competing NPC group would be good for creating party bonding. While the majority of the encounters are combat-based, there were a couple that were not, and I thought these were good additions (the fire in the town hall offers a variety of player choices on how to handle the crisis).
The Hellknight Hill module is standard adventure fare- a town with a nearby ruined castle that offers the adventurers an opportunity to explore, fight monsters and find treasure. Without giving away any spoilers, the adventurers will find that this castle holds an ancient secret that several powerful individuals and groups are interested in obtaining for them own nefarious purposes. There is a lot of combat encounters, the majority of the adventure is a series of “dungeon crawls,” so that might get monotonous for some groups, but one thing that I liked about these combat encounters is that many of them include options for non-combat resolutions through negotiation and other methods. This is unwritten, but understood to be an option in most encounters, but it was helpful to see it written out, including specific things that could be done to resolve hostilities.
I think this makes a good introductory adventure for a group of new heroes. There is a decent hook for the adventurers to come to the town of Breachill- the town’s monthly adventurer recruiting effort at the town council meeting to employ adventures to deal with issues of note, though I think that the adventure would have benefited from an encounter where maybe the party has a skill challenge (or something to that effect) where they would have to convince the town council to hire them instead of a competing group(s). The module as written has the adventuring party as the only heroes available so there is no one else competing for the job and if the player characters are brash, unpleasant, inept, or otherwise seem like a bad employment choice, well... that’s all the town has for options. A competing NPC group would be good for creating party bonding. While the majority of the encounters are combat-based, there were a couple that were not, and I thought these were good additions (the fire in the town hall offers a variety of player choices on how to handle the crisis).
February 21, 2020
Vanilla.
February 12, 2022
Great first adventure path in 2nd edition. There are a few problems with this AP that come with using a brand new system. I GM's this game with four players using roll 20.
A lot of this adventure is very fun. My players loved the first scene with the fire. They also loved any time they were in the city itself, such as the investigation at the start of part four. I liked the nod to the very first AP, instead of saving someone from a group of goblins, you are tasked with saving a group of goblins from someone. It was a fun way to reference the first AP in 1st edition. I think this first book also does a good job of laying down some good first clues and references to the greater mystery of the whole adventure path. My players were curious about the scarlet triad, the cinderclaws, and the mysterious malfunctioning portals in the sub-basement. Voz also managed to escape in my campaign, and I know at least one player was ready for some payback. My favorite part as a GM were the fun Kobald characters in part 3.
There were a few things that didn't work for me. The castle setting got tedious after awhile. Most of the book is clearing the same space of endless baddies. I know this goes a long way in setting up the reveal of owning the castle at the end, but my players groaned when they found out they were going back to the castle again in part four. Some of the fights were too hard, I had to pull punches and play stupid in order for the PCs to win a few times. I didn't like that there were two GM led NPCS that fought alongside the players. My players hated the first one, Alak and ditched him soon into part 3. They loved the second one, Renali. I also think there were too many fights that didn't contribute to the story much. I understand that it was necessary for exp reasons, but I cut a few fights in part 2 and 3 and probably could have cut more and been fine.
Overall this was a great first AP of pathfinder 2e with a few fixable problems. I give it 3.5 stars and recommend it for anyone who is looking for a more traditional fantasy adventure.
A lot of this adventure is very fun. My players loved the first scene with the fire. They also loved any time they were in the city itself, such as the investigation at the start of part four. I liked the nod to the very first AP, instead of saving someone from a group of goblins, you are tasked with saving a group of goblins from someone. It was a fun way to reference the first AP in 1st edition. I think this first book also does a good job of laying down some good first clues and references to the greater mystery of the whole adventure path. My players were curious about the scarlet triad, the cinderclaws, and the mysterious malfunctioning portals in the sub-basement. Voz also managed to escape in my campaign, and I know at least one player was ready for some payback. My favorite part as a GM were the fun Kobald characters in part 3.
There were a few things that didn't work for me. The castle setting got tedious after awhile. Most of the book is clearing the same space of endless baddies. I know this goes a long way in setting up the reveal of owning the castle at the end, but my players groaned when they found out they were going back to the castle again in part four. Some of the fights were too hard, I had to pull punches and play stupid in order for the PCs to win a few times. I didn't like that there were two GM led NPCS that fought alongside the players. My players hated the first one, Alak and ditched him soon into part 3. They loved the second one, Renali. I also think there were too many fights that didn't contribute to the story much. I understand that it was necessary for exp reasons, but I cut a few fights in part 2 and 3 and probably could have cut more and been fine.
Overall this was a great first AP of pathfinder 2e with a few fixable problems. I give it 3.5 stars and recommend it for anyone who is looking for a more traditional fantasy adventure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2020
I ran this for my roommates and they loved it. This module has some resplendent dungeon crawls, while serving as a great introduction to Pathfinder 2e. You will find your players can negotiate with many foes, this makes it feel realistic. It has great art, some of the monsters look better here then they do in the Bestiary. The maps & architecture are detailed, logical an interesting.
December 18, 2019
The first adventure in the Age of Ashes adventure path is a big one that is really a mini-campaign itself. With three dungeons to explore and lots of opportunities for role-playing and diplomacy, there is a lot to keep any party busy.
November 14, 2025
I'm disappointed in this first installment of the Age of Ashes AP, and fear what this portends for 2nd Edition Pathfinder adventures.
First, the positives:
- The basic premise of the adventure is fine, and the overarching plot of the AP is intriguing enough.
- The maps are high quality and fit the module well, being more evocative of place than any of the writing.
- The art is generally well done, although mismatched to descriptions at times, and paling in comparison to that used in the Core Rulebook and Bestiary of 2E.
- The author does a good job anticipating the mechanics that can be used in various situations and giving the possible results, though there's a bit of an over-reliance here. Sometimes, if there's no real uncertainty, it's ok to just give a result without a meaningless dieroll.
- The interaction with Alak is very well done, and I especially like the ways you can curry his favor.
- The varying histories of Breachill was a creative touch.
- The Adventure Toolbox in the back of the module is very useful and well done. It's meant as a fluid amalgamation of the end-of-module pieces in 1E paths (bestiary, religions, institutions, etc.). Especially well done is Mengkare's story.
Now on to the issues:
- Writing is utilitarian and functional at best, with basic, un-evocative prose.
- Page borders lack the thematic and evocative creativity of older APs. These are just boring.
- Where is the city statblock for Breachill? Depressing that city statblocks have apparently been dropped.
- Ham-handed goblin-inclusion narrative, complete with "puppy-dog eyes" on illustrations of goblins. Apparently, everyone is completely comfortable around goblins, despite the Goblinblood Wars having taken place a mere 20 years ago. Compare that to the (at times) militant passion many residents feel about the town's founder, who left 170 years ago.
- Villains seem utterly incompetent, with nonsensical decisions and choices built into the plot.
- Nonsensical treasure inclusion in ruined citadel (ex A3, Bugbear has +7 Perception but misses treasure in its lair), with far too much of value left behind by the supposedly organized and vigilant Order of the Nail.
- Description for Alak doesn't match art - he's carrying a greatsword, not a halberd. He's also not wearing full Hellknight armor, though the picture depicts him doing so.
- The usual and unfortunate Paizo gender activism is present, with the vast majority of the "leaders" in the module being female for some reason, detracting from the verisimilitude of the setting. (-1 star)
- The feel of the module is very cutesy, with winsome kobolds as comedic relief, doe-eyed cuddly goblins, etc.
- Plot points are communicated in an overly simplistic manner, seeming spelled out in large, bold letters by characters, monsters, and notes conveniently left behind. It almost feels as if this was written for a child.
- The whole adventure has a feel of innocence (think G or possibly PG rating) and does a poor job of conveying any uncomfortable emotions, such as menace, dread, foreboding, mystery, thrill, or even drama.
- No return of the Pathfinder's Journal, which IMO was one of the real strengths of 1E adventure paths until its unfortunate demise. The Journal often succeeded in setting mood and tone better even than the adventures themselves and gave keen insights into the lore of Golarion.
- Breachill comes off as a very bland town, save for its ancient history. There is almost a dismissive lack of attention to detail with the town, as if players won't care or be interested, or as if gamemasters should do it all themselves. No, that's why we buy these products.
Basically, Hellknight Hill is a very bland module. This is becoming a recurring theme for Pathfinder, and I surmise this may be due to fear of making even a single player troubled with portrayals of any type of uncomfortable emotion. To me, this is like a chef who is overly fearful of making a dish too spicy for his customers and goes to the opposite extreme. So what we are left with here is a bland mush, where everything feels the same and nothing stands out. There is no "truth" or special character to a place or person - everything regresses to the mean, in the apparent name of safety and not offending anyone.
First, the positives:
- The basic premise of the adventure is fine, and the overarching plot of the AP is intriguing enough.
- The maps are high quality and fit the module well, being more evocative of place than any of the writing.
- The art is generally well done, although mismatched to descriptions at times, and paling in comparison to that used in the Core Rulebook and Bestiary of 2E.
- The author does a good job anticipating the mechanics that can be used in various situations and giving the possible results, though there's a bit of an over-reliance here. Sometimes, if there's no real uncertainty, it's ok to just give a result without a meaningless dieroll.
- The interaction with Alak is very well done, and I especially like the ways you can curry his favor.
- The varying histories of Breachill was a creative touch.
- The Adventure Toolbox in the back of the module is very useful and well done. It's meant as a fluid amalgamation of the end-of-module pieces in 1E paths (bestiary, religions, institutions, etc.). Especially well done is Mengkare's story.
Now on to the issues:
- Writing is utilitarian and functional at best, with basic, un-evocative prose.
- Page borders lack the thematic and evocative creativity of older APs. These are just boring.
- Where is the city statblock for Breachill? Depressing that city statblocks have apparently been dropped.
- Ham-handed goblin-inclusion narrative, complete with "puppy-dog eyes" on illustrations of goblins. Apparently, everyone is completely comfortable around goblins, despite the Goblinblood Wars having taken place a mere 20 years ago. Compare that to the (at times) militant passion many residents feel about the town's founder, who left 170 years ago.
- Villains seem utterly incompetent, with nonsensical decisions and choices built into the plot.
- Nonsensical treasure inclusion in ruined citadel (ex A3, Bugbear has +7 Perception but misses treasure in its lair), with far too much of value left behind by the supposedly organized and vigilant Order of the Nail.
- Description for Alak doesn't match art - he's carrying a greatsword, not a halberd. He's also not wearing full Hellknight armor, though the picture depicts him doing so.
- The usual and unfortunate Paizo gender activism is present, with the vast majority of the "leaders" in the module being female for some reason, detracting from the verisimilitude of the setting. (-1 star)
- The feel of the module is very cutesy, with winsome kobolds as comedic relief, doe-eyed cuddly goblins, etc.
- Plot points are communicated in an overly simplistic manner, seeming spelled out in large, bold letters by characters, monsters, and notes conveniently left behind. It almost feels as if this was written for a child.
- The whole adventure has a feel of innocence (think G or possibly PG rating) and does a poor job of conveying any uncomfortable emotions, such as menace, dread, foreboding, mystery, thrill, or even drama.
- No return of the Pathfinder's Journal, which IMO was one of the real strengths of 1E adventure paths until its unfortunate demise. The Journal often succeeded in setting mood and tone better even than the adventures themselves and gave keen insights into the lore of Golarion.
- Breachill comes off as a very bland town, save for its ancient history. There is almost a dismissive lack of attention to detail with the town, as if players won't care or be interested, or as if gamemasters should do it all themselves. No, that's why we buy these products.
Basically, Hellknight Hill is a very bland module. This is becoming a recurring theme for Pathfinder, and I surmise this may be due to fear of making even a single player troubled with portrayals of any type of uncomfortable emotion. To me, this is like a chef who is overly fearful of making a dish too spicy for his customers and goes to the opposite extreme. So what we are left with here is a bland mush, where everything feels the same and nothing stands out. There is no "truth" or special character to a place or person - everything regresses to the mean, in the apparent name of safety and not offending anyone.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews