I think I can finally see the issues some of you may have in the early game after watching this video.
I'll implement a pursuit range, and probably nerf traveler speed by 10% so he can't keep up for that long.
I'm considering making the first map a "no-wander" zone. Enemies will still pursue when aggroed, but won't come in on their own. This should give enough time to make preparations before picking a fight.
I'll add some form of strength comparison in the enemy tooltips, so it's easier to judge the encounter for new players before engaging.