Products like these are the reason I'm no longer supporting WotC, and all of those gaming dollars will be going to Paizo. Wow. The background info, the hints on how to get a party together, the flavor, the presentation - it is all perfect. And at $2.00 a pop, and free PDF download available, it is clear that Paizo is concerned more with the player's experience than squeezing every dollar out of us. Please keep up the good work, Paizo!

Well written, but I can't wait for the guide book for Korvosa. The place sounds very regimented. Nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. Still nice setup.

first i'll say, just to make it clear: this guide is very good, and i'd liked it.
but there is a major problam in this guidebook: it gives to much information. the endless lists of not- really-importent-to-know people frpm the city will quicly overwhelm any but the most enthuistic players, so they might miss importent pats.
second problam: from reading the guide, it is easy to guss what the first adventure is going to be about, for it holds many obvios clues.
therefore, i am going to edit this guide before asking my playrs to read it, and i recommend that you as DM's should do the same.

This is another great introduction to a Pathfinder Adventure Path!

I'll be picking up a 5 pack to pass out to my group.

Designed to prepare players and their characters for partipation in the Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign, this product opens with an introduction to the city of Korvosa where much of the action takes place. It's intended that characters will be natives of Korvosa and moreover at some time in their past have had a run-in with a local crime lord called Gaerdran Lamm... with a cunning mechanic that gives each character some small advantage related to the nature of his particular quarrel.

You'll find the usual run-down on the city's attitude to the regular races and classes, and how characters of each feel in general about the place; along with some items of equipement commonly used there and several feats unique to the city or at least useful there. For example, someone raised in the rooftops slums called the Shingles may take a feat Shingle Runner which basically confers the skills of parkour (free running), while a wizard can choose the benefits of the Acadamae Graduate, a well-regarded college of magic within the city.

Then comes a section on Traits. Here, each character can start fleshing out their prior involvement with Gaerdran Lamm, build some backstory and gain something in the process. It's an excellent tool to start creating a common bond between party members and provides for role-playing and adventure opportunities alongside the main campaign.

Overall, another good introductory book that makes you itch to begin playing - or running - the new campaign.

This is exactly the sort of players guide I like. Chock full of information and very little crunch involved.