Denethix Campaign Setting 6-37
Wizard NPCs 38-40
Dungeon: Anomalous Subsurface Environment
History 41
Materials Science 42
Moktar Lair 43
Mount Rendon 45
The Gatehouse 45-51
Level 1 - The Dungeon Highway 52-68
Magic Items 69-70
Monsters 71-84
Out of the Box ready to run? I don't think so, though ASE1 is a very creative module abounding in fresh ideas. I'm not as big a fan of megadungeons as others are, but I've never seen one which makes for quick conversions. ASE1 is interesting because there are so many custom monsters and a few unique environmental features and magic items.
All of those monsters, magic items, and such would need to be converted to D&D Next stats. That's certainly rewarding, but it means a good deal of prep.
If you go in stages, session to session where the players are able walk away from the Dunethix city / campaign setting (half the module) without the campaign screeching to a halt, then it might be manageable. However, this isn't necessarily easy.
The trouble with starting campaigns in friendly cities is they require a lot more preparation because of ease of access to all a city offers. Not everything needs to be statted right away of course, and I don't know what D&D Next includes for urban design rules, but cities are generally more developed towns. Meaning more detail and more conversion than the typical starting area workload for civilization.
"The City of Hawks" novel presents a decent campaign start in a major city, but it starts small with the PCs even smaller. Usually the PCs are highly trained and a cut above everyone else at 1st level and starting in a boom town border region with inflated prices, low availability of goods, and lots of opportunities to risk death. City of Hawks is a novel not a game and begins with beggars and thieves in a small locked in quarter of Greyhawk city and expands from there. The book never needs to leave the city as that is the setting and locale for the adventures Gord goes on.
ASE1 on the other hand is a smaller city with a megadungeon beneath. The city would need an almost total conversion and the dungeon would need at least the Gatehouse and probably the Moktar lair too. Though I would provide multiple "keys" to open the former so the dungeon entrance isn't the only one in its design. I would also provide more adventures in the city and surrounding area.
*EDIT: all of this presumes you run it like I would run it. I know there are DMs who can get 8 hours of material with an hour of prep and start the PCs at the doorstep of the dungeon. D&D Next looks quick to run with simple rules, so maybe it might work for you?
