Of Ash and Steel: How to Find and Unlock All Ancient Knowledge

Of Ash and Steel puts you in the shoes of a city cartographer, starting out as an illiterate commoner and rising to become a brave adventurer. Along the way, you’ll face dangerous creatures, deserter gangs, and hordes of the undead. In this guide, we’ll explain how to obtain all ancient knowledge skills.

Ancient Knowledge consists of special magical abilities for Tristan. Throughout your playthrough, you can unlock eight abilities—four active and four passive. Unlike most RPGs, there’s no classic magic system here; instead, magic plays a supportive role.

The first magical skill, “Dectat's Rongue,” lets the hero read ancient books and pillars. You unlock it in Chapter 3, “Dirt and Stones,” at the end of the “Strange Crystals” quest. To get it, you’ll need to escape the mines and find out where the crystals are coming from. Eventually, Tristan will reach the “Swamp Village” location, where cultists grow the crystals in a cave at the far south.

Ancient books are scattered all over the island, but some can only be found during main story quests. The rest become available as soon as you acquire your first magical skill. So, let’s first cover those you’ll learn as part of the main storyline.

This skill lets you use portals—piles of stones with a white rune on the ground. All arches teleport the hero to a giant pioneer statue in the “Outskirts” area. You unlock this ability in Chapter 4, “Frozen Captivity,” at the end of the “Great Escape” quest.

A cluster of fireflies appears above the hero’s head, lighting up a small area around them. After escaping from prison, you’ll need to attend the elders’ council in Chapter 4, “Frozen Captivity,” during the “Crimson Skies” quest. Head to the library, which is to the left of the market in front of the governor’s castle. The ancient book is on the first floor.

The hero releases a magical wave that destroys crystals and knocks enemies down. The book is located in the southeast of the “Frost Valley” area, which Tristan visits during the “Ice Ridge” story quest in Chapter 4, “Frozen Captivity.”

The ancient books from the following sections can be found right after you unlock the first magical skill, “Dectat's Tongue.”

This ability lets you teleport behind an enemy. In the “Fisherman’s Village” area, near the path to Irwin’s hut and across from the entrance to the alchemist Corodelius’s house, there’s a graveyard with an abandoned brick chapel.

You’ll find five candles scattered around the graveyard that can be lit, and there’s a note with a clue inside the chapel. Light the candles in the order shown on the diagram, then pull the lever in the church corner. This will open a grate to the basement where the book is hidden.

Instantly restores your health. Head to the Free Hunters’ Fortress. Go down to the great tree, enter the druids’ cave, and look for the book in the upper chamber.

When the hero is near a treasure chest, a distinct sound will play. Near the waterfall by the path to the “Camp” area, there’s a trail leading to an abandoned fortress full of skeletons. The book is in the upper tower.

After reaching level 20, the hero gains +2 non-combat skill points with every level up. In the northwest of the “Hunters” area, there’s an abandoned chapel with a pedestal and a book in the basement. Head south from the outskirts toward Ivar’s village. After passing through the transition between the outskirts and the hunters’ area, look for ruins on the right.