Hollow Knight

**Hollow Knight** is a 2017 Metroidvania video game developed and published by independent developer Team Cherry.

## Synopsis

This is the story of a knight, in a quest to uncover the secrets of the long-abandoned kingdom of the Hallownest insects, whose depths attract the adventurous and brave with the promise of treasure or the answer to ancient mysteries.

## Plot

The Knight arrives in Dirtmouth, a quiet town that sits just above the remains of the kingdom of Hallownest and is home to Elderbug, the first NPC the Knight meets. As the Knight ventures through the ruins, they learn that Hallownest was once a flourishing kingdom which fell after becoming overrun with "The Infection", a supernatural disease that can infect anyone who has free will. The Infection gives its subjects heightened strength but at the cost of their civility, causing madness and undeath. Hallownest's ruler, The Pale King, had previously attempted to lock away the Infection in the Temple of the Black Egg. Despite the temple's magical seals, the disease managed to escape and Hallownest fell into ruin. The Knight's mission is to find and kill three bugs called the Dreamers, who act as the living seals on the temple door. Once the seals have been removed, the Knight may confront the source of the Infection. This quest brings the Knight into conflict with Hornet, a warrior who tests their combat prowess in several battles.

Through dialogue with non-player characters, environmental imagery, and writings scattered throughout Hallownest, the Knight learns the origins of the Infection. In ancient times, a tribe of moths that lived in Hallownest worshipped the Radiance, a primordial being who could control the minds of other bugs. When the Pale King arrived at Hallownest from afar, he used his powers to give sapience and knowledge to the creatures of the realm. The moths soon joined the other bugs of Hallownest in worshipping the Pale King, draining the power of the Radiance as she was slowly forgotten. Beneath the notice of the Pale King, some worship of the Radiance continued, allowing her to remain alive inside the Dream Realm.

Hallownest prospered until the Radiance began appearing in the dreams of its people, poisoning their minds with the Infection. In an attempt to contain the menace, the Pale King used an ancient power called Void to create the Vessels. creatures that could trap the Infection within their own bodies. Due to the Vessels being made from Void, they are considered to not have free will, thus allowing them to not be infected since they cannot dream. The Pale King chose a Vessel known as the Hollow Knight to trap the Radiance, leaving the rest locked in a pit called the Abyss. After the Hollow Knight was locked within the Temple of the Black Egg, the Radiance persisted within the Vessel, weakening the temple's seals and allowing the Infection to escape.

Throughout the game, it is implied that the Knight was a Vessel who managed to escape the Abyss. They gradually defeat the Dreamers and their guardians, removing the seals on the door. Inside, they encounter and battle with the infected Hollow Knight. Depending on the player's actions, multiple endings can then be achieved. These endings include the Knight defeating the infected Hollow Knight and taking its place containing the Radiance, defeating the Hollow Knight with Hornet's assistance, or using the Void Heart item to directly fight and defeat the Radiance inside the Dream Realm.

### The Grimm Troupe

A Nightmare Lantern was added to the Howling Cliffs. After using the Dream Nail on a masked bug, the lantern summons a mysterious group of circus performers to Dirtmouth, who identify themselves as the Grimm Troupe. Their leader, Troupe Master Grimm, gives the Knight a quest to collect magic flames throughout Hallownest in order to take part in a "twisted ritual". He gives the player the Grimmchild charm, which absorbs the flames into itself, progressing the ritual and allowing the Grimmchild to attack the Knight's enemies. Eventually, the Knight must choose to either complete the ritual by fighting Grimm and his powerful Nightmare King form, or prevent the ritual and banish the Grimm Troupe with the help of Brumm, a traitorous troupe member.

### Godmaster

The main hub of the expansion is known as Godhome, and is accessed by using the Dream Nail on a new NPC called the Godseeker found in the Junk Pit of the Royal Waterways. Within Godhome are five "pantheons", each being a "boss rush", containing a set of bosses that must all be defeated consecutively without dying. The final pantheon, the Pantheon of Hallownest, contains every boss in the game or alternate forms of original bosses. If the Knight completes the Pantheon of Hallownest, the Absolute Radiance, a more powerful version of the Radiance, appears, acting as the new final boss. Upon defeating it, two unique endings can then be achieved, each involving the destruction of Godhome by a powerful Void creature.