Ran this low tier and players were fairly challenged. A very nice introduction to Tianxia with a good range of terrain and monster challenges. Final fight was suitably difficult for fatigued characters.

Although I personally like this series and have played and ran both, the first is pretty tough on new players or those accustomed to more rp than combat. Other than that, as a GM I loved the setting and feared it equally as a player. Its a fun, emotion inducing romp into one of the best multi-arc stories yet written.

There were a few enjoyable details in this scenario that my character had fun with, but overall this is not the most memorable of scenarios. I feel like the writer really wanted to set a scenario in Tian Xia (instead of having a strong story idea) and wrote this scenario as a result. The setting was cool but the environmental effects, which are rarely used, were downright dangerous. Some of the fights were pretty challenging. There wasn't a whole lot of roleplay and this scenario just wasn't that intriguing for me. I only ran all the parts to get the boon.

Player Review (mid-low tier, playe multiple times)

Significantly better than it's sequel, but still kind of meh overall. In my first play through, a snowcat dropped (and nearly outright killed) a (not level 1) player right at the start, before anyone could act. DM allowed us to rush to him and cast a spell which woud have been far out of range, but that seemed a little odd right off the bat. The next encounter is absolutely dreadful, every time I have played. It takes forever before the player's can actually do anything. The monsters are essentually out of reach for even spells and long distance ranged attacks, and the party basically waits their turn to climb (40 or 50ft) up while being attacked.

Nothing about this scenario really says Tian Xia to me it could really take place anywhere, and really would probably be much better to be placed anywhere else to draw the characters in rather than the fairly obvious railroad. Not terrible, and in my opinion better than it's later sequel scenarios. A good DM can add a lot of flavor and some extra RP. One thing I really liked was how the final BBEG is so played up and given such a mystic.

I played this scenario as a level 1 Druid. Overall, this was not bad, but I wanted more from the location. More emphasis on the local people/culture. The tallest mountain in the world is cool and all, but as far as flavor text is concerned...blegh. That being said, the combat was fun and well paced and the faction missions added to the feel of the scenario.