These tips can help you survive in the crusader mod:

Weapons: depending on your class you will spawn with an unenchanted wooden weapon, type of wood depends on character race. use this weapon carefully, stone upgrades can be found in several areas.

Biomes: The new mobs spawn in multiple biomes, ghouls in swamps,

Taming creatures: there are a decent variety of creatures you can tame.

Dungeons: they may be dangerous, but they have good loot if you can defeat the enemies inside, a good beginner dungeon are goblin camps, if you feel confident a minotaur maze or ghoul crypt can be done.

Locks: you will need lockpicks or keys to open these, you can get lockpicks from killing goblins, if you are not a thief it will be difficult, although bashing the lock can be effective it will damage items inside.