Recently just found about the official forums, figure I’d repost what I already have up back in the NRFTW subreddit.
This is a follow-up post about Ember Crafting I posted yesterday. (link for context)
Me and a handful of other players totally overlooked the ember crafting system, only finding out about it late into the main story.
Sure, a window pops up when you first loot a fallen ember, and I knew you could craft with embers from the breach preview video; I was just waiting for a more engaging prompt. (considering how impactful ember crafting can be for your build)
But I believe there is a clear disconnect between ember crafting and every other crafting option: The lack of an NPC/Dedicated Crafting Table.
Wanna forge a weapon? Go to Filmore/ an Anvil
Wanna enchant your gear? Go to Eleanor
Exalting? The Watcher.
That’s when a rough draft for an Ember Crafting tutorial just popped up in my mind
(The setting would be early game, you’ve just started leveling up the vendors)
(You loot a purple item, but the stats aren’t that good.)
(You sell it to a vendor, that prompts the vendor to say something along the lines of)
“Woah, there!”
“That’s a shiny new toy you’ve got on ya. It would be a shame to just leave it on my shelf as a dust collector.”
“Especially in these trying times…”
“Why don’t you head on over to the smithy, maybe he has an idea on how to make use of this.”
(Mini quest pops up)
[Gear Up]
(You head over to Filmore, exclamation point over his head.)
“Well, look what we have here.”
“I bet you had a blast, blasting through the risen with that on you!”
“… You’re selling it?”
“Are you sure you’re not slowly becoming a torn? Have the town physician take a gander at your vision?”
“… I see something special in this right here, but I’m afraid it’s beyond what my old hammer and anvil are able to forge.”
“Perhaps someone with a more refined and elegant touch would be able to draw out its full potential.”
(You head over to Eleanor.)
“Greetings, Cerim. I sense great purpose in your current visit”
“Come. Let the stars shine their light upon this little one.”
“…”
Eleanor shudders
“… It seems this little one casts a dense and pestilent shadow that not even the stars can penetrate”
"Take caution, Cerim. If you wish to continue on your current path, I advise you look to those of a more scholarly background for guidance. Lucky for you, Sacrament has two of them.
(You head for the Rookery, just across the bridge.)
(Roan)
“Ah, Cerim! Have you found more Plague Icho-”
(The Watcher)
“The… Pestilence…? Here, in Sacrament?”
“… It’s too soon.”
(Roan)
“Oh no, Master, it’s the Cerim. They’ve returned with mor-”
(Roan senses something eerie around you.)
"C-cerim? W-w-would you mind if I took a look at… that…?"
(You hand over a piece of plagued equipment)
"… God’s reach, this is most concerning indeed. What you have on you right now is a piece of Plagued Equipment. I have no doubt it grants you untold strength, but I cannot overlook the harm it may cause you."
“Or those around you…”
“If only there was a way to, not necessarily, control the plague within it; but a way for you to resist its properties. If only we had-”
(Roan notices the Fallen Ember in your inventory)
“That’s it, Cerim! With this Fallen Ember and your ancient heritage, I’m sure your body will be able to adapt to the Plagued Equipments influence!”
(You open a separate menu for Ember Crafting)
fin
A bit of a wild goose chase I must admit, but I believe this sets a foundational crafting process for people to follow:
Filmore → Eleanor → Rookery
Ground/Bought/Crafted Equipment → Enchant/Infuse → Ember Craft/Exalt
The part about relating the Cerim to Fallen Embers is a total ass-pull btw