Today, we will discuss how to build Crude Portals, visit the Untamed Realms (procedurally-generated assisted Realms), and open up Public Realms! This guide is designed for new players who may be unfamiliar with building Portals and exploring the multi-Realmic void. Additionally, this guide will provide an overview of one of the social aspects of Nightingale’s Online Mode, specifically how you can access Public Realms when setting up a Portal.
Let’s get your journey into the Untamed Realms started!
What are Crude Portals, Untamed Realms, Realm Cards, and Public Realms?
Before we get into the guide, let’s get some technical definitions off of our chest:
- Crude Portals: These are portals that players can build and unlock in the Progression Tree. These Magickal Structures offer the ability to place a Portal wherever you’d like. Crude Portals provide a convenient and efficient way to access the Portal Network from any location. Additionally, you can find Fae Portals in each Realm, which you can also activate with Realm Cards to access new Realms.
- Untamed Realms: These are procedurally-generated Realms outside of the handcrafted Storied Realms you travel across during the main campaign. These Realms contain higher levels of rare resources and offer additional points of interest for Realmwalkers to explore. In Online Mode, these Realms can be set to Public (Public Realms), allowing you to encounter and interact with other random Realmwalkers. If you prefer to play with friends only, you can keep the realm Private and invite specific players to join. In both cases, the maximum number of Realmwalkers per Realm is 6.
- Realm Cards: These magickal items are used to access the Portal Network. You can craft Realm Cards for the Untamed Realms with an Enchanter’s Focus. When you approach any portal outside the Crossways, you can use these Untamed Realm Cards to open a new portal to the corresponding Realm.
How to Build a Crude Portal?
First things first, in order to build your own Crude Portal, you'll need to have made it past the Abeyance Realm. From there, you can unlock the Portal schematic in the Tier 2 Structures Tab in your Progression Tree. In addition, you'll need to have a Refined Enchantment Table, unlocked under the Tier 2 Magic Tab in the Progression Tree. It will cost you Tier 2 Essence to unlock the Crude Portal and Refined Enchantment Table.
Have you unlocked those recipes? Good! But to make a Portal, we will need one vital resource: the rare Synchronous Lotus. These Synchronous Lotuses are of a mysterious Fae origin and have the power to access the Portal Network. You'll find these in chests predominately in bunkers and Sites of Power. Once you've got one, you'll be able to build a Crude Portal.
Now you have all the necessary materials, place the portal in a good location, typically near your Respite Estate (but you can place your Portal anywhere, don’t let us boss you around).
Now that you have a Portal structure of your very own, you'll need a Realm Card to activate it and access the Untamed Realms.
How to Craft an Untamed Realm Card?
For this guide, we suggest that you start with lower-level Untamed Realms like Antiquarian Cards. Crafting higher-level Untamed Realm cards, like Hunt or Gloom, will require you to have advanced further in the Progression Tree and have access to more advanced Refined materials unlocked in the late game. However, the overall process is similar.
You’ll need to have built a Refined Enchanter’s Focus. You’ll then need Paper and Ink to craft each Realm Card (tip: Bound Inchor is a good resource for crafting plenty of ink). Once you have the necessary materials, start crafting your Untamed Realm Card at the Refined Enchanter’s Focus.
Did you know that each Untamed Realm has unique properties beyond their Biome? For example: various Realms may contain rarer resources like Iron or different species of plants like Sunflowers. It’s important to take note of these differences as you explore various Untamed Realms so you can farm those items later.
Once you've made an Untamed Realm Card, like the Antiquarian Card with the Biome of your choice, go to your Crude Portal and open the Portal Menu. You may also use the existing Portal Structures you find in other Realms (except the Portals found in the Crossways), but these come with the drawback of not being moveable.
What do the Portal Settings Mean and How to Access Public Realms?
There’s just one more step before you open the portal, and that’s adjusting your Realm settings!
As you navigate through the Portal Menu, you will see your Portal Cards on the left and the option to ‘Open Portal’. To the left of this interface, there are several choices such as difficulty settings, making the Realm public, and resetting the Realm. Let’s break down what each of these settings means:
- Difficulty: Opting for a higher difficulty level will result in an increased collection of Essence while exploring the Realm and engaging with points of interest. That said, higher difficulty means tougher enemies, so make sure you have the appropriate level of equipment or a group of fellow Realmwalkers to support you if needed. Realm difficulty does not dictate the type of resources you will discover. You can also reset the Realm difficulty when you rest in a bed.
- Public Realms: The next setting depends on if you’re playing Online or Offline Mode. If you’re Offline, you can ignore this section. But If you’re playing Online and want to encounter other random Realmwalkers while you explore Untamed Realms, you can set the Realm to ‘Public’. However, if you prefer to maintain the privacy of your Realm, make sure the ‘Public Realm’ option is turned off before opening the portal. Don’t worry, if you’re Realm is set to private, you can still invite your friends to that Realm, they will just require an invite from you.
- Reset Realm: Finally, the ‘Reset Realm’ option will generate a new Realm based on the card you place in the portal. This offers the opportunity to replay points of interest and acquire additional resources. Please be cautious, as this action will erase any structures you’ve built in that Realm. If you remove a Realm Card from a portal it doesn’t erase that Realm’s progress. You can add the same cards at any point to access that same Realm again (meaning your structures and progress persist). You will need to specifically select the ‘Reset Realm’ option to access an all-new Realm based on that Realm Card.
Additional things to be aware of in Public Realms: other players can currently access your storage and do damage to your Estate. You are also unable to kick other players from the Realm. If you want to return to your Respite, you’ll have to use the ‘Return to Respite’ feature in the Map. You will also need to build your own Realmic Transmuter if you wish to use Minor Realm Cards.
Once you’re happy with your settings and you’ve placed the Untamed Realm Card in the Portal Interface, proceed to open the portal. Wait momentarily for the portal to illuminate, and then embark on your first Untamed Realm. If you’ve opened a Public Realm, you may start to encounter other Realmwalkers who also entered that same Untamed Realm. Give them a wave or salute from us and Allan Quatermain.
Keep in mind that if you close the portal and replace the Realm Card with a different one, you will need to craft a new Realm Card of the same type to access that Realm again. You can always build additional Crude Portals to suit your needs. You can also craft Estate Cards, that imprint a Realm destination onto the card, allowing you to access that Realm from a portal - you can also share this card with other players so they can access your Realm.
How do I use Minor Realm Cards?
An additional note on Realm Cards. As you progress through the Realms you’ll discover Minor Realm Cards, which you can also unlock in the Progression tab and craft yourself. These cards can be played at a Realmic Transmuter, either one you find in the Realm (the first one you’ll discover is at the center of the Crossways) or that you build yourself. These act as Realm modifiers that can affect things like enemies, the weather, resources, and even gravity. And while Minor Cards offer a number of bonus effects, they can feature drawbacks - so pay attention to the card description.
Excellent work Realmwalker! You’re ready to continue the journey on your own.
You now know all you need to know to start exploring all of the Untamed Realms. As you progress through the Campaign and the Progression Tree, you'll be able to unlock higher-level Untamed Realms that feature their own set of rare resources and more points of interest to discover.
Remember, you can also build a new Respite in any of the Untamed Realms, so don’t be afraid to set your roots wherever you find most appealing!
See you in the Realms,
The Nightingale Team
