My 5-Star review extends to all of the modules in this AP. The monsters at the back are very cool and perfect for any campaign run in the Darklands. The story itself has a lot of twists that are keeping my players guessing. The Pathfinder's diary has taken an interesting turn and I eagerly await the newt installment.

All in all, I would greatly recommend this to anyone who likes drow and seek to prevent the Second Darkness!

I ran Rise of the Rune Lords (RotRL), and felt honored to participate in the bold new world of AP's of a rival of WotC. I recall orchestrating the RotRL AP well enough, but it was filled with growth spurs that could dissuade lesser DM's from taking the reigns (although it boasts a breathtaking first chapter, the Skinsaw Murderes, and the nefarious Hook Mountain Massacre).

Not so with this first chapter of Second Darkness. It starts strong and easy for even a novice DM to run a smashing game. Just let "everyone have a blast" be the motto, and I think you'll be hard pressed to be bored or frustrated. Much of the kinks are worked out, and Paizo has mastered their field.

Getting ready to run Second Darkness with my weekly game group. So far i like what i have read, but i am in the early prep part of things so i'll confine my comments and suggestions to presentation rather than content. I downloaded the PDF for the purpose of printing out maps and handouts etc.

It would be easier if maps and handouts were available as jpg's then i could gang them on a page as i saw fit and print them with less paper waste. I understand why there might be reluctance to do that.

Printing them out of the PDF is an acceptable solution once you figure out how to "fudge" the page numbers to facilitate printing. Here's what i mean. Second Darkness starts with: Front Cover, Front Inside, Title Page, Credits, Table of Contents and then Page 4. To my PDF reader (Preview - Apple OSX), Page 4 is actually Page 6. So every time i need to print a page i need to add 2 to the page number i'm viewing. Simple enough, but annoying and easy to fix.

Just posting this as a suggestion and a way to make a great product even better. Keep the good stuff coming!!!

Riddleport is a large port city brimming with life, magic and adventure. Exotic wares and bizarre merchandise are brought from across the world to the open market here, which serves as an idle crime-planthouse.
Recruited as bouncers, bodyguards and special agents of a casino manager, the PCs are going to face a ride they did not sign up to. Gangster wars, scams, and arcane phenomena make the every day life of the typical Riddleport citizen an interesting one, but when a cloud as black as ink appears in the sky (supposedly connected to the famous cipher gate), an evil much, much more sinister than any city scum could ever be accompanies it. Could your PCs survive the revelation of a ten thousand years old elven conspiracy?
Packed full with cinematic moments, creative ideas and setting, and deep and complicated NPCs, SitS is a blast of a way to expose newbies to D&D, as well as a way to surprise and intrigue older players in the game. Its just that good.

I've never DMed an adventure path before, I did run Red Hand of Doom which is close but not quite it. I found that for the money this is a very rich source book. I would give it 5 stars but as someone pointed out I'm not sure the storyline is compelling enough to engage my players directly. The good news is that the individual pieces look like a blast, it's just the main storyline I'm not entirely certain about. My plan is to see how they react. If they don't play by the plan them I think there is enough source material here I can use the parts and play the adventure piecemeal and still have a great time.

I don't particularly care for the set piece but it might grow on me. I'm more likely to use it if the players fail to take the main hook in the adventure.

Other notable "really cool" stuff. The Player's Guide is great (you only get this with the subscription though), my players love it and it's a great way to get them engaged in the gameplay. The beastiary is filled with some great critters and very well presented. The magic items in the players guide and in the main adventure are also very nice.

Overall an easy 5 stars on the value front.

Hi, there will be NO SPOILERS in this review. And before you flame me, I LOVE Paizo and want to marry them and have a million of their babies. But I was dissapointed by this highly anticipated first chaper of Adventure Path three.

Review:
Adventure Path Part one: 2.5 stars
Fluff, Set Piece Adventure, art: 3.5 stars

I didn't feel like the first part of the adventure was written well enough to really hook the players. A key NPC is not fleshed out enough to be truly compelling. It's also a very specific 'genre' of game -- a small-time mafia story -- and your PCs might not go for it unless you prepare them to play in that genre.

Even with such prep and even with characters made for the setting, I can see the players easily ignoring the main hook and leaving the adventure plot far behind, which I don't feel should be a risk in the very first adventure of a campaign.

The first 'Set Piece' adventure I thought was a better intro to the city of Riddleport, but it is too linear. I preferred teh writing in LB1: The Last Baron or any of the Darkmoon Vale adventures.

The story arc for this path is a different matter: it's a bit Hollywood and maybe a tad cheesy, but will work well for a 'big' campaign ... if the plotwriting gets better.

I liked this adventured a lot! A bit alike Edge of Anarchy with several encounters to get the PCs to familiarize better with Riddleport and a great opportunity to get Roots in the place. Also I feel the adventure is open to have a wider arrange of alignments, not only for do-gooders!

Hope the review doesn't have spoilers...