(Adventure Path Subscriber here)
(Heavy spoilers follow - if you're a player, you're seriously risking spoiling your fun)
I have the print version and have just completed reading it, though to be completely fair, I usually skim articles beyond adventure (or give them a once over).
THE CONTENT
1. Foreword by James Jacobs
Also contains a list of example NPC leaders (see 3. below).
2. Rivers Run Red by Rob McCreary
The scenario follows previous book's format (more hexes to explore), adds five site-based hexploration adventures, eight (interior cover) plus two (hexploration) quests and four important events.
While general hex-encounter CRs do not increase much, the events, quests and hexplorations are significantly harder than before. Challenge difficulty is goes often beyond combat values - characters need to worry about their reputation.
The events accompany development of player's kingdom.
Recommended time span of this tome is about two years (one year of downtime prior to the adventure, one year or so for the adventure to run).
The adventuring takes place in between kingdom turns (around a month each).
Reading the scenario, I had a distinct impression of author being severely constrained by lack of space. The adventures, especially the more complicated ones, are more like framework to be filled by GM than a detailed material. Still, I really liked the conspiracy, ecological angle of certain conflicts and advice where to begin founding cities.
3. Of Cities and Kings by James Jacobs
The rules to run a kingdom. Somewhat abstract, with a simple statblock to record development, a page to copy and cut off tokens and a page with a city district to fill. The rules do not take into account seasons or specific natural resources.
Easy to understand and nicely laid out, though order of turns with brief explanations would help immensely with grasping rules. For example, a simple block algorithm containing all steps (founding the kingdom, founding a city, founding a village/landmark, adding a hex, losing a hex, four canonical kingdom phases - upkeep, improvement, income, event, electing a leader) should fit a page.
Incidentally, city district map would be better off replaced with a simple table composed of squares - tokens have a tendency to fall off, and scrawling notes is likely to be more legible than icons, pardon, tokens of buildings.
Of special note are random kingdom events - they can be plugged into any campaign to provide interesting developments for your campaign world.
4. Erastil by Sean K. Reynolds
Ye olde woodland/rural deity.
Disclaimer: I am not particularly interested in these thingies. I am Scarred Lands GM through and through. Complex and multifaceted deities of Scarn spoiled me (to name a few: Seraphic Engine, rewriting of history, alliance between alignment opposites to further common causes).
5. Pathfinder's Journal: Prodigal Sons by Richard Pett
Next chapter in
picaresque novel. Interesting though the protagonist is dumb, dumb and dumber still.
6. Bestiary by: Adam Daigle, Ed Greenwood, Rob McCreary, Sean K. Reynolds, James Sutter
Very solid. Comes with obligatory wandering monsters table.
Listing:
- exquisite Ceratiodi race - much more socially advanced concept than Sahuagins (for more, read Outsea entry in Guide to River Kingdoms).
- Grim White Stag... now, I watched Princess Mononoke several times, and about the only thing I would ever change with regard to this gorgeous creature, would be to firmly entrench it into day-night cycle and plug into one of further stories as much content of the film as possible.
- Hodag - a semi-intelligent crocodile for temperate to cold climate.
- Rorkoun - a leech from hell, to be used as a punishment for characters resting in a wrong place.
- Trollhound - a green-skinned dog with regeneration.
7. Pregenerated Characters.
4th level.
8. Preview
(...)
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Overall, very solid and delivering on the promise. Heartily recommended.
Regards,
Ruemere
PS. (For Rechan and possibly someone else) Due to my location and chosen method of shipping, the delay before I can review is about 30 days. Reading PDFs is fine, however savoring the taste of a good stuff is possible only with print products. Vanishing of Varnhold has been sent of 18th of May, so expected review may occurr around 18th of June... still, as I have access to PDF, let me know if you need to know something specific and I'll download it and share my information.
