In Elona+ you lose charisma and will if you die in those quests. I think our potential gets increased to make up for your stat loss, though, so it's like getting a refund from useful stats to slightly-less useful potential.
If you really can't handle etherwind, get a cloak of Vindale, or be an Elea, or both. It specifically happens in the first 10 days of every 3rd month (so the beginning of 3 6 9 and 12 you will want to be near/in town).
Regarding heavy rain being a huge pain in the ass, you can wish for/find (wishing is easier but I have found one off some kind of lich enemy before) an aurora ring. They prevent you from getting confused (not blinded though so you still have to know which way to go) in heavy rain, stop you from randomly taking extra time to walk through snow, and also give you some sound resistance and a bit of DV/PV. They're pretty nice.
And this may be subjective/plain wrong, but in Elona+ it feels like guns are easier to use. Probably on account of the mod adding Firearm skill to everybody in the world. You can grab a machine gun and an energy cell, read a few change material scrolls (blessings on scrolls optional) and suddenly have adamantium machine guns that shoot people for 10d4 damage and have a hit bonus of like 20. Guns are pretty good.
Basically wish for stuff as soon as you can. Seven league boots + aurora ring + cloak of vindale = don't really worry about weather/travel ever