Originally posted by MyUrp1:

I beat the first boss, and I've done a lot of exploring and building but I still don't feel ready to take on The Elder.

That caution will keep you alive. Trust it. Overconfidence has been responsible for most of my deaths. That and a lack of preparation, which stems from... well, guess.

Originally posted by MyUrp1:

I've set up forging, got my bronze axe, set up portals to get around, crafted a nice finewood bow with flaming arrows... so generally I can kill the critters I'm running into.

Flaming arrows are the Elder's weakness, so you're on the right track. Mêlée with him is doable, but I don't recommend it.

Originally posted by MyUrp1:

But I still struggle with skeleton archers and greydwarf shamans.

Once you get full, upgraded Bronze, you'll be a lot safer from all kinds of damage (except poison). Unpopular opinion here, but the movement penalty from Bronze is worth it - T4 Bronze has the same armour values as T1 Iron. As for poison, you'll want two health foods. Cooked Meat and Neck Tail are enough, believe it or not. Honey is the anti-poison food in early game - its heal over time is very strong and if you have enough beehives, you'll never run out of it.

Originally posted by MyUrp1:

I thought making some other bronze equipment would help but my flint spear strikes faster than a bronze sword so doesn't seem helpful, and I don't see any good armor in the tech tree (especially since mobility seems more important than defense in going after The Elder). So...

The only gear you need to bring him down are a Finewood Bow (try for T3 or T4), fire arrows (number will depend on bow skill and bow quality - 200 should be enough in any case) and some T2 Troll Hide. I recommend T3 Bronze to make his hits manageable for your first fight with him - yes, you lose mobility, but that's why you level the Running skill. It takes a bit of time, but it'll serve you well in all biomes. Remember to have the Rested buff up when mastering skills - it gives a +50% experience bonus.

Originally posted by MyUrp1:

I guess I'm just not sure what to do next. I can wander around aimlessly, get myself randomly killed by deathsquitos and other fun, or... ? Suggestions?

You don't have to do any of what I've suggested, of course. But I'd recommend against jumping into biomes beyond your gear level. The Swamp has archers that make the Skeleton ones look like fluffy kittens, the Mountain can drop you dead in seconds and the Plains... well, you've heard the stories. As for Bow skill, 50-60 is plenty for fighting the Elder - may even be overkill, depending on who you ask. I suspect it's doable with 40. The better your armour, the less bow skill you need.