I have three characters with approximately 300 days of living, most of them died by the thrill of killing njerpez and bad luck (never again fighting someone with a bastard sword a and shield even if it has fur armor) but my most successful char had a nice cabin filled with everything (assorted weapons, a bunch of good quality furs, all kinds of plants for healing, etc) but the joy of combat got me.
As a side off topic note: ¿It is possible to flee from combat from a njerpez by running and manage to slip away or once you are injured enough it means you are good as dead?