Companions & NPCs

In the vast and perilous world of Enshrouded, you are not entirely alone. While the core of your journey is often a solitary one, you'll encounter and eventually awaken several crucial NPCs who serve as your craftspeople, offering vital services, recipes, and progression paths. These companions are essential for upgrading your gear, crafting advanced items, and ultimately, surviving the Shroud.

Awakening Your First Companion: The Blacksmith

Your journey to gather companions begins early in the game, and the Blacksmith is typically your first crucial unlock. Follow these steps to bring him to your side:

Initial Quest: After completing the introductory quests and establishing your first Flame Altar, you'll receive the quest "Find the Blacksmith." This quest will guide you towards his location.
Locating the Ancient Vault: The Blacksmith is trapped within an Ancient Vault. These vaults are distinct structures, often marked on your map once the quest is active. The first one is usually found within the Springlands area.
Navigating the Vault:
- Enter the vault cautiously. You'll likely encounter Scavengers or other low-level enemies.
- Proceed through the vault, often involving platforming or simple puzzles to open doors.
- Look for a glowing, interactive pod. This is where the Blacksmith is held.
Awakening the Blacksmith: Interact with the pod. A short cinematic will play, and the Blacksmith, Oswald Anders, will be freed.
Summoning to Your Base: Once freed, you'll receive a new quest, "A New Home for the Blacksmith." Return to your base (where your Flame Altar is located). Open your crafting menu (default 'E' or 'Tab') and navigate to the "Summon" tab. Select the Blacksmith and place him within the boundaries of your Flame Altar.
Unlocking Services: Once summoned, the Blacksmith will offer his services, including crafting basic armor, weapons, and tools. He's also your primary source for upgrading existing gear.

Expanding Your Roster: Other Essential Craftspeople

As you progress through the main questline, you'll unlock additional craftspeople, each specializing in different areas. Prioritizing their awakening is key to unlocking new crafting recipes and advanced gear.

The Hunter: Athalan Skree

The Hunter is vital for ranged combatants and those seeking advanced survival tools. She provides recipes for bows, arrows, and specialized armor.

Quest Trigger: The quest to find the Hunter typically becomes available after you've made some progress with the Blacksmith and explored a bit further into the Springlands.
Location: Like the Blacksmith, she is found in an Ancient Vault, often located in a different section of the Springlands or bordering region.
Unlocking Services: Summon her to your base after freeing her from her pod. She will then offer her crafting services for ranged weapons, ammunition, and light armor.

The Alchemist: Balthazar

The Alchemist is indispensable for mages, healers, and anyone needing potions, elixirs, and magical staves. He also provides essential crafting materials for magical gear.

Quest Trigger: The quest to find the Alchemist usually appears after you've unlocked both the Blacksmith and the Hunter, pushing you into slightly more challenging areas.
Location: His Ancient Vault is typically found deeper within the Springlands or in a new biome like the Revelwood, requiring more exploration.
Unlocking Services: Summon him to your base. He will then provide access to potion crafting, magical weapon recipes, and various alchemical ingredients.

The Farmer: Emily Fae

The Farmer is crucial for sustainable food production, advanced cooking recipes, and farming plots. She ensures you have a steady supply of buffs and healing items.

Quest Trigger: The quest to find the Farmer often becomes available after you've ventured into the Revelwood region and progressed through some of the main story quests there.
Location: Her Ancient Vault is typically found within the Revelwood, often requiring navigation through Shrouded areas.
Unlocking Services: Once freed and summoned, she will allow you to craft various food items, plant seeds, and create farming plots, significantly boosting your survival capabilities.

The Carpenter: Cade Hawkeye

The Carpenter is essential for advanced base building, crafting intricate furniture, and specialized utility blocks. He also provides recipes for more durable and aesthetic structures.

Quest Trigger: The quest to find the Carpenter usually appears later in your progression, often after you've established a strong foothold in the Revelwood and potentially ventured into new biomes.
Location: His Ancient Vault is generally located in a more advanced region of the map, such as the Nomad Highlands.
Unlocking Services: After freeing and summoning him, the Carpenter will offer a wide array of building materials, decorative items, and advanced utility structures for your base.

Utilizing Your Companions Effectively

Once summoned to your base, your companions are more than just static vendors. They are interactive elements that drive your progression:

Proximity Matters: To access a companion's crafting menu, you must be within a certain range of them. Place them strategically around your Flame Altar for easy access.
Quest Givers: Each companion will offer a series of quests. Completing these quests often unlocks new crafting recipes, advanced tools, or even leads to finding other companions. Always check their dialogue options for new tasks.
Crafting Stations: Many advanced recipes require specific crafting stations that the companions themselves provide or enable. For example, the Blacksmith will allow you to build a Forge, and the Alchemist a Alchemy Station. Ensure you build these stations near your companions for optimal workflow.
Upgrades: Companions are your primary source for upgrading your gear. The Blacksmith, for instance, can enhance your weapons and armor, increasing their stats and durability.
Resource Management: Keep an eye on the resources required for companion recipes. Often, their quests will guide you to areas rich in the materials you'll need.

By diligently seeking out and utilizing each of these craftspeople, you will steadily unlock the full potential of crafting and progression in Enshrouded, transforming your humble shelter into a thriving hub of activity and power.