Originally posted by Cleo:

I appreciate all the replies to my query. When these raids happen, most of my tamed (level 0) wolves die so I guess I’m going to have to bite the proverbial bullet and tame a 2 star wolf and start a breeding program. I’ve moved my wolves to another part of my island for now.

This is from the official Valheim wiki:
“Defeating The Elder enables “A foul smell from the swamp” (if Bonemass hasn’t been defeated)

I think what most posts are saying is that it doesn’t matter when Bonemass is killed, the “foul smell” event will still randomly happen. Is that right?

Nope , if bonemass is killed will never activates , because its the switch to "stop" for ever that raid or make it work, if you didnt kill elder ( a bad tip because u will have hard time to mine iron without his key , and how did you gathered 10 white bones to summon bonemass ? Only minning mud scrap piles in swamp ? That surely take u a lot of time ) and do it after bonemass only surtling , skelleton and blob will happen ( blobs never happen to me on 2 worlds ) , killong bonemass disable that event and enable others