After several "Foul Smell from the Swamp" struggles at my Black Forest log cabin, with no defences or choke-points... I sailed to set up in a meadow near Bonemass, building a fort with raised earth foundations, stakewalls around, and long narrow causeway up to the fort where I could stand on a platform as solo archer defender.

It worked out great! Except for a few times when "A Foul Smell from the Swamp" occurred while I was at one of my other locations. :/

I like how the game is mostly at-your-own-pace, but does have a bit of pressure from the current boss under threat, or from creatures you've been slaying. It gives a reason to engineer some defences, like how the simple workbench encourages building some kind of shelter, and smoke encourages at least a little ingenuity.