Amazing post, you really put incredible effort in the presentation and content. !1UP

If done manually it could be like combining cards, where you have a fixed amount of specific resources you need to "combine" to meet the recipe and get the item/spell. However when I thought about it, it came to my mind that a luck-based element could also be interesting.

I think it was mentioned a few times that crafting would be random and it will not be possible to get a specific item or spell. However, I could imagine that there will be certain recipes, that contain a list of items and spells it can create, which all cost the same. If it creates a Dragon spell/item, it will need Heliostones but probably fewer or none of the other magical resources.

This makes it also easier to introduce new editions via additional recipe lists. Also, rather doing just Splinter-based recipes, there could be ability- and effect-based recipes.

Obtaining a recipe could be a whole process of its own. Maybe it must be purchased to burn DEC. That would give all recipes a hopefully stable-ish price. Or they could be found by doing quests and are tradable NFTs.