Bring portal mats and enough wood to make a workbench that you put alongside a sunken crypt. Then put a steep ladder over it - yes I know you can jump to the top of a crypt but in the heat of fear and wetness, your jumping may be iffy. Know that the only thing that can get you on top of a crypt is a night time baddie. All other enemies can't hurt you up there, well skeles can plink at you but that's it. You can explore in a circle around the crypt then move to the next one when you find it. You can safely store stuff in chests up there too.

Until you are comfortable in the swamp never try to melee leeches, they poison you if you get in the water with them. Always use bow. Watch for them as very important resource. It's always good to set up a leech farm path to come back to regularly, even better if there are some other "glowy" things to farm along the way. The swamp is actually quite a fun area but is indeed a step up from black forest. Turn up your sound, most everything announces itself. Very small swampy areas, too small for crypts, can be great resource farms, especially if it butts up against meadows. Lots of loot waiting for you. Keep track of time, do Not be out there at night until you are much better equipped. Always carry stam and health potions and don't be afraid to use them. Dying in the swamp doesn't have to be a right of passage.