Is anyone else in this predicament? I have made tons of all other types of essences, but I have ZERO weak fire essences...Any suggestions on where to find them?

If you have stronger fire essences, you can make weaker ones out of them by using the mortar and pestle on them.

Take one that's one step up from weak... glowing I think? Then use the mortar and pestle on it and it will become the next lower type.

Ahhh! Brilliant!! I feel stupid now.

Conversely, put two weaks on an alchemy bench and use the mortar and pestle on it and the two get combined into one stronger one.

I'm surprised that putting a more powerful essence on the workbench and using the mortar and pestle only yields one weaker essence - you'd think it would yield 2 (or more depending on the power level of the essence). Especially after reading Sir Fink's post above.

If 2 weaker essences combines to form one higher level essence, shouldn't 1 higher level essence yield 2 of the next lower level of essence? For example:

If 2 faint essences = 1 weak essence, shouldn't
1 glowing essence = 2 weak essences?

Is my logic too simple?

You'd think so, but no. Also, you don't have to put the essences in the workbench to make the waeaker ones, you can do it from your inventory, just like creating essences from monster parts.

I checked last night and I have a ton of weak fire essences (a stack of 10, plus another partial stack of 6 or so). I think I got them from fire mephit hides from battles that I think are upcoming for you.

Bah! Those mephits dropped no hides!!