History Characters / HollowKnightNPCs

The most skilled disciple of the Great Nailsage, who has hung up his Nail for a simpler life as an artist. He resides in a hut deep in Greenpath, where he'll teach the Knight the "Great Slash" Nail Art.

!Denizens of Hallownest
The many friendly (or at least not kill-y) faces the Knight meets on his journey throughout Hallownest.

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[[folder:Unn]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unn.png]]

->''"...She is calling... Home so close.."''
-->'''-Moss Knight, at the Lake of Unn'''

A gigantic slug that lives in a secret cavern beyond the Lake of Unn.

* FlatCharacter: [[spoiler:She stares at you, spits out a charm for you, then leaves for good.]]
* GreenThumb: [[spoiler:She's implied to be the source of Greenpath's vegetation.]]
* MoreThanMindControl: [[spoiler:Implied that the Mosskin are defending Unn and Greenpath rather than going after the Knight for the Radiance's sake, which is hinted at by the fact that their eyes don't glow when hostile, and that they are constantly thinking about protecting Unn. Despite that, they are still infected]]
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[[/folder]]

!!Fungal Wastes [=NPCs=]
[=NPCs=] that can be found within the spore-filled, noxious caverns of the Fungal Wastes.
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!!Historic [=NPCs=]
[=NPCs=] that are important to the history of Hollownest.
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[[folder:The Pale King]]
[[quoteright:190:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pale_king.png]]

->''"No cost too great.''\\
''No mind to think.''\\
''No will to break.''\\
''No voice to cry suffering.''\\
''Born of God and Void.''\\
''You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams.''\\
''You are the Vessel.''\\
''You are the Hollow Knight."''
-->'''-The Pale King, heard while ascending the Abyss'''

The mysterious ruler and founder of Hallownest, venerated by his subjects. By the time the player character arrives, much of his kingdom has been in ruins for over a century following a [[HatePlague devastating]] [[ZombieApocalypse plague]], and the King himself has long since departed for parts unknown.
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* AbusiveParent: Subverted. While the details of what he was like as a person before the infection are unknown, his plan to create the perfect hollow Vessel to contain the infection required [[spoiler:the sacrifice of thousands of his own spawn until one of them became perfectly "hollow" enough to contain Radiance.]] Ironically, [[spoiler:it was because he wasn't heartless ''enough'' that doomed the plan, as he became attached to the Hollow Knight and raised them into adulthood, causing them to gain an "idea instilled" and become no longer truly hollow.]]
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: His original form is [[spoiler:of a gigantic Wyrm, specifically the giant discarded shell at Kingdom's Edge is actually his old corpse, containing a broken pod that is implied to be where his current form was birthed from and where the Knight obtains the King's Brand.]] It is unknown how many of the regular Hallownest citizens actually know the true origin of their King, and only the more ancient beings seem to be aware, [[spoiler:such as his mate and Queen the White Lady, who only ever refers to him as the "Wyrm".]]
* AGodAmI: Revered by his people as a deity, and called himself one. [[spoiler:The fact that his crown is virtually identical to the one worn by the Radiance — extra point notwithstanding -- is unlikely to be a coincidence.]]
* AmbiguousSituation: Just what happened to the Pale King? [[spoiler:While the Knight finds a corpse in White Palace, it's unclear what the White Palace the Knight visited really ''was''. The Godseeker in the Pantheon in Hallownest also never explicitly states that he died -- rather that he was "erased completely".]]
* BrokenPedestal: Eventually the lengths he went to in his desperation to contain the infection is revealed -- [[spoiler:he used thousands of his own children as the basis for the Vessels, a plan so "cruel" that it even turned off Ogrim, the King's most loyal Knight]].
* CoolCrown: The King's shell doubles as a crown. His [[ArcSymbol four-pronged crown sigil]] can be found [[SigilSpam everywhere you look]]. [[spoiler:Its points are quite similar to the three horns that decorated his archenemy, the Radiance. It also resembles the maw of the dead Wyrm from which he was born.]]
* FounderOfTheKingdom: Founded Hallownest and reigned as its king.
* GodIsFlawed: Powerful, wise and otherworldly, the King was not perfect. His initiative to tame Deepnest and his plot to seal the plague ultimately failed. [[spoiler:He chose to sacrifice his own spawn by the thousands in order to save the rest of the Kingdom. However the plan failed when he ultimately could not be cold enough to the original Hollow Knight while raising them to adulthood.]]
* GoodIsNotSoft: The Pale King [[spoiler:brought sapience to some of the bugs and guided them as their monarch. Despite being a reclusive figure, he was worshipped by his people. He was willing to go to any lengths to ensure the survival of his kingdom, even if it meant doing unsavory things.]]
* HumanoidAbomination: [[spoiler:He was apparently a reincarnation or a spawn of the dead Wyrm, and he had [[LovecraftianSuperpower Lovecraftian Superpowers]] such as being able to manipulate the Void. More benevolent than the norm, but he did chain hundreds of Void spawn to do his bidding against the Radiance.]]
* LightIsGood: [[spoiler:It was said that he shone with a pure white light that could blind somebody if they look for too long. If the White Palace is any indication, it might be true.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Despite the lengths he was willing to go to, the inscription in front of the entrance to the Abyss indicates that the King was so disgusted with what he had to do to [[spoiler:seal the Radiance]] that, after [[spoiler:creating the Hollow Knight]], he sealed the Abyss up and never set foot in it again.
--> [[spoiler:''Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Our pure Vessel has ascended.'']]
--> [[spoiler:''[[MyGreatestFailure Beyond lies only the refuse and regret of its creation. We shall enter that place no longer.]]'']]
* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler:''Possibly.'' His corpse can be found still sitting on his throne at the end of the White Palace, but the game keeps it ambiguous on whether the White Palace the Knight visits is a memory, or was the real deal transported to the dream world.]]
* PowerOfTheVoid: [[spoiler:The King had a knack for shaping the Void and making it do his bidding, and using it as a power source for constructs like the Kingsmoulds and Wingmoulds. Trouble is, the game also suggests it wasn't the safest thing to deal with, if the occasional corpses bleeding black from the eyes are any indication.]]
* RoyalWe: Spoke like this, judging by the inscriptions written for "higher beings" being written by him.
* SympatheticAdulterer: Though he was married to [[spoiler:the White Lady]], the Pale King had to give [[spoiler:Herrah the Beast a child]] if he wanted Deepnest's loyalty. [[spoiler:The White Lady]] not only feels no spite towards [[spoiler:Herrah]], she's actually very fond of the child that was born; [[spoiler:that child being Hornet]].
* TheUsurper: [[spoiler:A lore tablet in White Palace reveals he wanted to rule as the only god by granting intelligence to certain bugs so they would worship him.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: Learning about the king and his actions reveal major parts of the game's backstory.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:As Hallownest was taken by the plague, he was willing to [[OffingTheOffspring sacrifice anything]] to keep it at bay. Using the Dream Nail on his corpse reveals his final thoughts: ''"…No cost too great…"'']]
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[[/folder]]

[[folder:The White Lady]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/white_lady_cut.png]]

->''"To claim its role requires strength of some magnitude. Prepare yourself well before attempting the task."''
-->'''-The White Lady, after attaining her White Fragment'''

A large treelike being dwelling in the Queen's Gardens. She gives the Knight half of the Kingsoul.
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* BlindSeer: For all her wisdom, the White Lady is nearly completely blind, and will believe that Ogrim the Dung Defender is with the Knight if they enter her chamber while wearing the [[{{Fartillery}} Defender's Crest]]. She also does not know that Dryya, the Great Knight protecting her has long-since died just outside her hut.
* GirlInABox: The White Lady is confined to a solitary hut on the outer rim of the Queen's Gardens, unable to move and protected only by the motionless corpse of one of her loyal knights, seemingly not even aware of the other's passing.
* HappilyMarried: Heavily implied to have been this with [[spoiler:the Pale King]]. If she is talked to [[spoiler:after obtaining the Kingsoul, she'll refer to the Pale King as her "beloved Wyrm".]]
* LightIsGood: She's literally glowing.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: An extremely rare non-monstrous example. We never get to see what exactly her "seeds" are, because she chose to bind herself to suppress her voracious desire to breed out of regret for something she did in the past. [[spoiler:She was the mother of the thousands of Vessels left in the Abyss, and recognizes the Knight as one of her 'spawn'.]]
* PlantPerson: She is sometimes referred to as "the Root", and she speaks of herself using plant-like terms, such as sensing things through her roots or spreading seeds.
* PsychicStatic: Dream Nailing her will not yield thoughts beyond her noticing it, though you being able to use it in the first place gives her hope you'll be able to break the seals you need to.
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: If the implications about [[spoiler:her being the Queen of Hallownest]] are true. She is enormous compared to [[spoiler:the Pale King]] who is relatively normal-sized.
* WillfullyWeak: She explains to the Knight that the bindings preventing her from moving were fashioned by her own hand, as she fears that her instinct to spread and reproduce would overpower her judgment.
* UselessBystanderParent: While she likely [[spoiler:did not participate as directly as the Pale King in the conversion of their children into empty Vessels, she did know and [[OffingTheOffspring seemingly allowed thousands of her spawn to die]] and be reborn in the Abyss.]] On the other hand, she is one of the most important and useful [=NPCs=] in explaining the plot and does aid the player-Knight by providing [[spoiler:half of the King's Soul, and directing them to the Birthplace.]]
* ThatThingIsNotMyChild: Played with. The White Lady is never hostile or outright cold to the Knight, but she speaks to them very formally rather than [[spoiler:addressing them like one of her children.]] Justified in that while [[spoiler:she acknowledges that "there's a part" of herself in the Knight, and even calls them her "spawn", the process of becoming a Vessel basically killed and ripped out the insides of that child to be replaced by Void.]] She may also be deliberately keeping herself emotionally distant as [[spoiler:the failure of the original Hollow Knight was because they were tarnished by "an idea instilled", which is implied to be because the Pale King bonded with the Hollow Knight while raising them to adulthood and they began to have a mind, will, and purpose of their own.]] In that case, for the greater good, she cannot fully acknowledge the Knight.
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[[/folder]]

!!!The Dreamers
[[folder:In General]]
[[quoteright:295:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dreamer_masks_8.png]]
-->''To protect the Vessel, the Dreamers lay sleeping.''\\
''Through their devotion, Hallownest lasts eternal.''

In order to contain the infection plaguing Hallownest, the Pale King enlisted the help of three renowned bugs, placing each of them into a deep sleep in order to seal the Black Egg Temple. If the Knight hopes to bring the infection to an end, they must seek out each of the Dreamers, enter their dreams, and slay them in their sleep.
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* BlackCloak: All of them wear black garbs to indicate their status as Dreamers.
* DreamWeaver: The deep sleep they've been put in not only grants them the power to each place a seal on the egg of the Black Egg Temple but also forms a protective barrier around their unconscious bodies, lets them project their voices and images to the Knight, and allows them to trap the Knight in the dream world until the Seer guides them to the Dream Nail.
* FinalSpeech: Dream Nailing each of them multiple times in the dream realm before ending their lives provides their final thoughts. Their Dream Nail dialogue is notable for being much longer than any other NPC in the game.
* SlainInTheirSleep: Using the Dream Nail, the Knight enters their dreams in order to end their lives and break their seals on the Black Egg Temple.
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[[/folder]]

[[folder:Monomon the Teacher]]
[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b_monomon.png]]

->''"...For diversity, a Seal...''\\
''...A world forever unchanging...''\\
''...the Seals, must break...''\\
''...Forever...''\\
''...Forever...''\\
''...Better, an end..."''
-->'''-Monomon's FinalSpeech'''

The chief researcher of Hallownest who makes her home in the Teacher's Archives, located in Fog Canyon. The Oomas and Uomas that populate the Canyon are creations of hers.
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* BatmanGambit: Implied to be why she [[spoiler:gave Quirrel her mask before he left Hallownest. She knew that sooner or later, even with LaserGuidedAmnesia, she would call Quirrel back to Hallownest, allowing her to be restored and her seal broken when the time was right.]]
* TheSpock: Fitting for Hallownest's chief researcher, she's the most intelligent of the three Dreamers. She appears to be the only Dreamer that logically recognizes it is time for the seals to be broken, is responsible for many of the artificial lifeforms in Hallownest, and even sets up some extra protection for herself and her seal by [[spoiler:entrusting her mask to Quirrel before he leaves Hallownest, [[BatmanGambit knowing he'd return eventually.]]]]
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[[/folder]]

[[folder:Lurien the Watcher]]
[[quoteright:131:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b_lurien.png]]

->''"...For King beloved...''\\
''...To sleep. To serve...''\\
''...Bonds must remain...''\\
''...Remain...''\\
''...Remain...''\\
''...Remain..."''
-->'''-Lurien's FinalSpeech'''

A bug who watches over the City of Tears from the Watcher's Spire, protected by his force of Watcher Knights.
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* WellIntentionedExtremist: Lurien seems to believe that the Knight's quest to break the seals and confront the source of the infection will only end up making things worse, and attempts to discourage the Knight from going further in Greenpath before trapping them in the dream world when they reach the Resting Grounds.
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[[/folder]]

[[folder:Herrah the Beast]]
[[quoteright:147:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b_herrah.png]]

->''"...Bound...For brood...For child...''\\
''...Fair bargain made...''\\
''...Give all...''\\
''...For her..''\\
''...For her..''\\
''...For her.."''
-->'''-Herrah's FinalSpeech'''

Chief of the beasts of Deepnest, and [[spoiler:mother of Hornet. Her cooperation and enlistment as a Dreamer was part of a deal she made with Hallownest, in exchange for the Pale King fathering Hornet with her.]] She is secluded away in the Beast's Den.
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* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Heavily implied. You can't be the chief of a place like [[MalevolentArchitecture Deep]][[WretchedHive nest]] for nothing, after all.
* DealWithTheDevil: {{Subverted}}. Herrah demanded that [[spoiler:the Pale King father a child with her]] in exchange for her becoming a Dreamer, but not only do both the Pale King and the White Lady not mind the cost of this deal, Herrah upholds her end of the bargain without any treachery whatsoever.
* GoodParents: [[spoiler:[[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou While she wasn't allowed much time with Hornet due to her duties as a Dreamer,]] her FinalSpeech indicates that, if nothing else, she genuinely loved her daughter and upheld her deal with the Pale King almost solely for her sake.]]
* NobleDemon: She may have been the leader of one of the most dangerous and psychotic areas of Hallownest, but she upheld her end of the deal with the Pale King until her death, and she genuinely loved her daughter [[spoiler: Hornet.]]
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[[/folder]]

[[Characters/HollowKnightProtagonists Protagonist]] | ''[[Characters/HollowKnightHallownest Hallownest]]'' ([[Characters/HollowKnightNPCs Assorted [=NPCs=]]], [[Characters/HollowKnightLoreAndHistory Historic Characters]], [[Characters/HollowKnightBosses Bosses]]) | ''[[Characters/HollowKnightSilksongPharloom Pharloom]]'']]]]-]

[[Characters/HollowKnightProtagonists Protagonist]] | [=NPCs=] ('''Hollow Knight''') | Bosses ([[Characters/HollowKnightBosses Hollow Knight]])]]]]-]
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[[Characters/HollowKnightProtagonists Protagonist]] | [=NPCs=] ('''Hollow Knight''') | Bosses ([[Characters/HollowKnightBossesAndEnemies Hollow Knight]])]]]]-]

A big bug digging through garbage in the Royal Waterways of Hallownest. Fairly protective of his belongings, but is willing to share his "food" with the Knight for some geo.

* DistressedDude: Possibly. Wearing the Defender's Crest charm while talking to him has him essentially say that the Dung Defender helped him at some point.
* DeathByAdaptation: A unique case because it's in the same game. [[spoiler:Since Rancid eggs are more akin to VendorTrash in Steel Soul Mode, Tuk is sadly dead of the plague when the Knight goes to his location, his final thoughts being a plea to help him find what he was looking for.]]
* HiddenDepths: Stays in the Waterways [[spoiler:searching around and praying that someone will come back to him eventually, apparently after they got into a fight where the other left him alone. This bug is implied to be Boon, another bug Quirrel meets in the tie-in comic. He also really values friends, which is the reason he's staying put and looking around at all.]]
* GoMadFromTheIsolation: Implied to be what's happened to him.

[[folder:Mask Maker]]

[[folder:Millibelle]]

[[folder:Salubra]]
[[quoteright:245:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/salubra.png]]

* FlatCharacter: [[spoiler:Stares at you, spits out a charm for you, then leaves for good.]]
* GreenThumb: [[spoiler:Implied to be the source of Greenpath's vegetation.]]

[=NPCs=] that members of the Grimm Troupe and were introduced in the Grimm Troupe [=DLC=].

->''"Some rare creatures are so weak, so helpless, so inept and so irritating that hunting them gives no pleasure."''
-->'''-Hunter's Journal'''

* ChargedAttack: Sheo teaches the normal charged attack, Oro teaches a charged DashAttack, and Mato teaches a charged SpinAttack that deals less damage but strikes several times.

* MrExposition: If Sheo and the Nailsmith become friends, you can meet the two making figurines of the King's knights. Sheo talks at length about the five greatest, though he doesn't seem to remember (or doesn't care for) the last one, Ogrim the Dung Defender, who ironically appears to be the last living great knight.
* NoodleIncident: Oro has done something in the past that [[CainAndAbel caused bad blood between him and Mato]], but neither of them explain what it was. Sheo has no idea either, and wishes they'd just get along.
* RetiredBadass: Sheo has put down his nail to become an artist.
* TheUnfought: According to the Kickstarter campaign, these three were supposed to be beaten in duels in order to learn their skills. In the original release they amounted to [[CutsceneBoss cutscene bosses]], and Sheo doesn't want to fight anymore anyway. Thankfully, all three eventually got battles put in the game.

* {{BFS}}: The sword seen in his storeroom is larger than he is by a fair margin. The ''Godmaster'' update confirms that it is indeed his sword and that he is very capable of wielding it.

* SpinAttack: One of his staple attacks when fought is to take his [[{{BFS}} massive sword]] and turn himself into a living buzzsaw that follows the Knight around the room.

[[folder:Sheo, Oro, and Mato]]

Three warrior brothers who live at certain corners in Hallowest, spending their days in quiet introspection of their art. They will teach the Knight three types of charged attacks.

* BonusBoss: As of the Godmaster update, the dream versions of all three nailmasters are now able to be fought. Sheo still uses his artist tools to fight rather than his nail, though.

!!Grimm Troupe [=NPCs=]
[=NPCs=] that members of the Grimm Troupe and were introduced in the Grimm Troupe [=DLC=].

[[folder:Divine]]
[[quoteright:340:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/divine2.png]]

->''"We came, and I can smell something. Something deep below us. I want it... I want it!"''
-->'''-Divine, when first encountered'''

Ostensibly a queen termite and a member of the Grimm Troupe, she occupies the tent adjacent to that of Troupe Master Grimm. She will strengthen Leg Eater's breakable charms into unbreakable ones for a substantial donation of Geo.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: If you talk to the denizens of Dirtmouth, they all comment that there's something "sinister" about the Troupe, but it's not entirely clear what it is.
** Divine is a follower of Grimm, and is therefore already keeping morally dubious company. [[spoiler:Whether her cannibalism of Leg Eater at the conclusion of her quest line is altogether consensual is also unclear, because it happens off-screen.]]
* ExtremeOmnivore: Upon her arrival to Dirtmouth, Divine appears more than eager to consume charms, Geo [[spoiler:and potential love interests]].
* LiteralManeater: [[spoiler:If the player character approaches Leg Eater after having upgraded all of his charms, Leg Eater will comment on their irresistible scent and travel to Dirtmouth to seek out Divine. He is eaten off-screen, leaving nothing behind save his disembodied claws in the corner of Divine's tent.]]
* MoneySink: Cumulatively amounting to 36 grand, Divine's prices for upgrading Leg Eater's charms are easily the highest in Hallownest, and are intended as a post-game sink for players that have accumulated a surplus after buying everything else. [[spoiler:By the time you finish the process of strengthening the charms, Divine will be incredibly wealthy, which Leg eater takes as a symbol of leadership and is implied to be part of the reason he's drawn to her.]]
* ToiletHumour: Her method of strengthening your charms is eating them and then pooping them out. It works, though.
* TwoFaced: May very well be the case, considering that Divine is never seen without her trademark half-mask.

[[folder:Brumm]]
[[quoteright:275:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brumm_tent.png]]

->''"When flame burns bright inside one's mind''\\
''Kin heed the call 'cross lands and time."''
-->'''-Brumm, when Dream Nailed'''

A gruff, top-heavy member of the Grimm Troupe, Brumm plays the accordion at the entrance to Troupe Master Grimm's tent. Initially withdrawn, Brumm's motivations become clearer as the Knight starts collecting flame for Grimm's ritual.

* BambooTechnology: If you look closely, the accordion that Brumm plays appears to be another, smaller bug.
* CreepyCircusMusic: The accordion leitmotif gives the Grimm Troupe a decidedly more French-sounding interpretation of this trope.
* DefectorFromDecadence: [[spoiler:If the Knight meets Brumm in the Distant Village before defeating Nightmare King Grimm and completing the ritual, Brumm will profess that although he is still loyal to Grimm, he has grown disillusioned with The Ritual. He bids that the Knight extinguish the Nightmare Lantern to banish the Grimm Troupe from Hallownest. This leads to the Banishment ending and allows the player to complete the Grimm Troupe questline without beating Nightmare King Grimm.]]
* HeroWithBadPublicity: [[spoiler:He very much wants to stop the Grimm Troupe's ritual from taking place, which is presented in the game as a good thing. Brumm himself, however, speaks cryptically and doesn't communicate his goals well, making him come across as creepy despite his good intentions.]]

[[folder:Nymm]]
[[quoteright:160:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nymm.png]]

->''"The old bug over there was very welcoming, but still I find the place a little melancholy, what with the wind, and the darkness, and the sense of decline... I was hoping my music could go some way to livening up the place."''
-->'''-Nymm, when first encountered'''

A bug who plays an accordion-like bug to bring cheer to the fading town of Dirtmouth. He only appears if the Knight performs specific actions after summoning the Grimm Troupe.
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* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:If the player should proceed to extinguish the Nightmare Lantern, the Grimm Troupe will disappear from Dirtmouth without a trace, save for Nymm. Nymm appears visually similar to Brumm, but is shorter, more verbose and lacks his mask. He has no recollection of how he'd arrived to Dirtmouth, but offers the Knight a charm that bears a peculiar resemblance to Brumm's mask, and comments that the charm seems oddly familiar if equipped. It's therefore quite likely that Brumm became Nymm after being freed of the ritual, losing his memories in the process.]]

!!Historic [=NPCs=]
[=NPCs=] that are important to the history of Hollownest.

[[folder:The Pale King]]
[[quoteright:190:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pale_king.png]]

->''"No cost too great.''\\
''No mind to think.''\\
''No will to break.''\\
''No voice to cry suffering.''\\
''Born of God and Void.''\\
''You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams.''\\
''You are the Vessel.''\\
''You are the Hollow Knight."''
-->'''-The Pale King, heard while ascending the Abyss'''

The mysterious ruler and founder of Hallownest, venerated by his subjects. By the time the player character arrives, much of his kingdom has been in ruins for over a century following a [[HatePlague devastating]] [[ZombieApocalypse plague]], and the King himself has long since departed for parts unknown.

!!! The Dreamers

* DreamWeaver: The deep sleep they've been put in not only grants them the power to each place a seal on the egg of the Black Egg Temple, but also forms a protective barrier around their unconscious bodies, lets them project their voices and images to the Knight, and allows them to trap the Knight in the dream world until the Seer guides them to the Dream Nail.

-->'''Monomon''': ''For diversity, a Seal...''\\

''...Better, an end...''
-->'''Lurien''': ''...For King beloved...''\\

''...Remain...''
-->'''Herrah''': ''...Bound...For brood...For child...''\\
''...Fair bargain made...''\\
''...Give all...''\\
''...For her..''\\
''...For her..''\\
''...For her..''
* SlainInTheirSleep: Using the Dream Nail, the Knight enters their dreams in order to end their lives and break their seals on the Black Egg Temple.

[[folder:Monomon the Teacher]]
[[quoteright:213:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b_monomon.png]]

The chief researcher of Hallownest who makes her home in the Teacher's Archives, located in Fog Canyon. The Oomas and Uomas that populate the Canyon are creations of hers.

* BatmanGambit: Implied to be why she [[spoiler:gave Quirrel her mask before he left Hallownest. She knew that sooner or later, even with LaserGuidedAmnesia, she would call Quirrel back to Hallownest, allowing her to be restored and her seal broken when the time was right.]]
* TheSpock: Fitting for Hallownest's chief researcher, she's the most intelligent of the three Dreamers. She appears to be the only Dreamer that logically recognizes it is time for the seals to be broken, is responsible for many of the artificial lifeforms in Hallownest, and even sets up some extra protection for herself and her seal by [[spoiler:entrusting her mask to Quirrel before he leaves Hallownest, [[BatmanGambit knowing he'll return eventually.]]]]

[[folder:Lurien the Watcher]]
[[quoteright:131:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b_lurien.png]]

A bug who watches over the City of Tears from the Watcher's Spire, protected by his force of Watcher Knights.
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* WellIntentionedExtremist: Lurien seems to believe that the Knight's quest to break the seals and confront the source of the infection will only end up making things worse, and attempts to discourage the Knight from going further in Greenpath before trapping them in the dream world when they reach the Resting Grounds.
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[[/folder]]

[[folder:Herrah the Beast]]
[[quoteright:147:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b_herrah.png]]

Chief of the beasts of Deepnest, and [[spoiler:mother of Hornet. Her cooperation and enlistment as a Dreamer was part of a deal she made with Hallownest, in exchange for the Pale King fathering Hornet with her.]] She is secluded away in the Beast's Den.
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* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Heavily implied. You can't be the chief of a place like [[MalevolentArchitecture Deep]][[WretchedHive nest]] for nothing, after all.
* DealWithTheDevil: {{Subverted}}. Herrah demanded that [[spoiler:the Pale King father a child with her]] in exchange for her becoming a Dreamer, but not only do both the Pale King and the White Lady not mind the cost of this deal, Herrah upholds her end of the bargain without any treachery whatsoever.
* GoodParents: [[spoiler:[[DaddyHadAGoodReasonForAbandoningYou While she wasn't allowed much time with Hornet due to her duties as a Dreamer,]] her FinalSpeech indicates that, if nothing else, she genuinely loved her daughter and upheld her deal with the Pale King almost solely for her sake.]]
* NobleDemon: She may have been the leader of one of the most dangerous and psychotic areas of Hallownest, but she upheld her end of the deal with the Pale King until her death, and she genuinely loved her daughter [[spoiler: Hornet.]]
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[[/folder]]

-->"No cost too great..."

[[folder: The White Lady]]

* WellIntentionedExtremist: Judging by their dialogue, Lurien, at the very least, seem to believe that the Knight's quest to break the seals and confront the source of the infection will only end up making things worse, and attempt to discourage the Knight from going further in Greenpath before trapping them in the dream world when they reach the Resting Grounds. Monomon, on the other hand, can tell that the infection is worsening and that it would be better to risk Hallownest's destruction than leave it and its people in such dire straits, but begrudgingly follows along with Lurien nonetheless. Herrah does not seem to have any opinion on this.

* NobleDemon: She may have been the leader of one of the most dangerous and psychotic areas of Hallownest, but she upheld her end of the deal with the Pale King until her death, [[spoiler:and she genuinely loved her daughter Hornet.]]

->''"Ohhh, bury my mother, pale and slight,''
->''bury my father with his eyes shut tight!''
->''Bury my sisters, two by two,''
->''and then when you're done, let's bury me toooo!"''
-->'''-Myla, when first encountered'''

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brumm_circle.png]]

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* LaserGuidedAmnesia: [[spoiler:If the player should proceed to extinguish the Nightmare Lantern, the Grimm Troupe will disappear from Dirtmouth without a trace, save for an accordion-playing bug named Nymm. Nymm appears visually similar to Brumm, but is shorter, more verbose and lacks his mask. He has no recollection of how he'd arrived to Dirtmouth, but offers the Knight a charm that bears a peculiar resemblance to Brumm's mask, and comments that the charm seems oddly familiar if equipped. It's therefore quite likely that Brumm became Nymm after being freed of the ritual, losing his memories in the process.]]

!!Historic [=NPCs=]
[=NPCs=] that are important to the history of Hollownest.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/whitelady2.png]]

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zote.png]]

* SingleTaskRobot: Jinn mentions being that her only purposes seems to be to trade geo, discusses how much sturdier her body is than the Knight's, and has a highly unusual voice.

A colony of Grubs and their apparent patriarch who are among the first friendly creatures the Knight meets in Hallownest's Forgotten Crossroads. The animals and plague seem to leave them alone, but [[spoiler:the Collector]] has captured all of them in glass jars and left them in hard to reach nooks and crannies, or well guarded areas. The Grubfather rewards you as you get more and more grubs back home.

The many friendly and not as friendly faces the Knight meets on his journey throughout Hallownest.

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Cornifer and Iselda]]

->''""''
-->''''''

->''""''
-->''''''

[[folder: Bretta]]
[[quoteright:137:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bretta.png]]

->''""''
-->''''''

A rotund beetle girl whom the player character can rescue in the Fungal Wastes. Quiet and withdrawn, she nevertheless expresses an unmistakable crush towards her "White Saviour".

[[folder: Grubs and Grubfather]]
A colony of Grubs and their apparent patriarch who are among the first friendly creatures the Knight meets in Hallownest's Forgotten Crossroads. The animals and plague seem to leave them alone, but [[spoiler:the Collector]] has captured all of them in glass jars and left them in hard to reach nooks and crannies, or well guarded areas. The Grubfather rewards you as you get more and more grubs back home.

* AllThereInTheManual: The Indiebox for Hollow Knight comes with a pdf called "Grub Care Instructions". In it, it explains all their habits and how to raise one.
* AmbiguousSituation: The Care Instructions also have some indications that [[spoiler:The Grubs might be connected to Moths and Radiance, or are at least are much more than they seem. among them are flag raising details that they gain an "unseemly appetite" for eggs and flesh when presented with it, that their song has restorative, invigorating properties (proven by the Grubsong charm) and the last paragraph, which is as follows:]]
--> [[spoiler:As with all things, your time together with your adopted grub will come to an end at some point, when your grub moves on to the next stage of its life, do not try to stop it or mourn on the event as a loss. Everything has its time, and everything obeys its nature. Hold onto the happy memories you shared with your grub. Perhaps you will meet each other again, in your dreams...]]
** [[spoiler:Also of note are that several Moth Larvae are green in RealLife, such as Luna moths and Winter moths.]]
* BizarreAlienBiology: After saving all the grubs, getting the rewards, and resting at a bench, its almost alarming to find the Grubfather [[spoiler:bloated and sitting in the middle of the room, having apparently ''eaten'' all 46 other grubs whole. They're still alive -- and happy, apparently. The Grubberfly charm suggests that this is the next natural step in a Grub's life, and the Grubfather is simply acting as a protective cocoon of sorts for their development.]] Even so, for an insect this is is a strange sight.
* ChestMonster: There are enemies that imitate grubs, jar and all, and they are really convincing until released. [[spoiler:Reading their minds with the Dream Nail is how you pick out a faker.]]
* LivingMacGuffin: What the Grubs function as.

[[folder: Confessor Jiji]]
[[quoteright:254:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/confessor_jiji.png]]

An ancient bug in a turban who lives in a cave past the graveyard of Hallownest after unlocking it with a Simple Key. She's able to pull your Shade (which she calls a Stain of Regret) over to her cave in exchange for her favorite food -- Rancid Eggs.

[[spoiler:In Steel Soul Mode, since her services are not needed in a [[FinalDeathMode permanent death run]], she is replaced by Steel Soul Jinn.]]

* ByTheLightsOfTheirEyes: The only thing you can see of her until you get close enough is her big orange eyes, it can come as a JumpScare when she hops out of the darkness to talk to you face-to-face.
* CoolOldLady: Either extremely old, or TheAgeless, since she states that she's been sleeping in that cave until the Knight Unlocks it. The service she provides is an essential if you feel like your next run in the ruins will end in you dying before you find the Shade you left behind again.
* DarkIsNotEvil: In a recurring trend, she has powers associated with darkness in her drawing your Shades to you, but this service is probably one of the best AntiFrustrationFeatures the game has to offer, and she only wants bugs to come to terms with past regrets.
* HiddenDepths: Hitting her with the dream nail seems to imply that she (ironically) regrets being asleep for so long, and fears that whatever darkness is present now will destroy her if she somehow falls asleep in such a way again. For added irony [[spoiler:while there is a ton of darkness and void that spawns Siblings and Tendrils in The Abyss that do pose a very real threat to her, the more immediate danger that could consume her is a LightIsNotGood plague.]]
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Rancid Eggs, which other bugs are noted to ''die'' from trying to eat, mind you.

[[folder: Relic Seeker Lemm]]
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lemm_desk.png]]

A grumpy, long haired old bug with a fondness for the history of Hallownest that lives in the City of Tears in his curio shop. He doesn't sell anything from his collection, but he's not above paying you for the ones you find instead.

* CollectorOfTheStrange: Averted, collectors interested in history are both fairly important and not actually that uncommon, both in-game and in RealLife. In fact, he's probably actually one of the most level-headed characters you can meet in Hallownest as a whole.
* OlderThanTheyLook / VagueAge: Actually hard to say if he's that old, since he is looking into Hallownests history in the first place, but the reason behind the fact that he thinks the Knight looks familiar is subject to discussion.
* VendorTrash: The relics you can find are this to you, but since he loves to spend his time finding the meanings and history in them, they hold great value to him, which is dependent on what relics you find.
** Wanderer's Journals are semi-common stone messages written by various bugs in Hallownest, typically as they lay dying. They come in various languages that Lemm likes to decipher.
** Hallownest Seals are ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, and are more prized for rarity alone.
** King's Idols are mysterious figures bugs worshipped the king through, no two are exactly alike, and they may be clues to finding out who he was.
** Arcane Eggs are the rarest of rare finds, coming from before Hallownest's time. They too have some messages etched into them that Lemm is interested in.

[[folder: Snail Shaman]]
[[quoteright:178:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/snail_shaman.png]]

An eccentric snail mystic who lives by a place called the Ancestral Mound. He gives the Knight a spell before forcing him into clearing out a creature that has made its home in the Mound.
----
* ActionSurvivor: [[spoiler: In a way. Once the plague overruns the Crossroads, the easiest route to get to him is walled off by an obscene amount of boils. However going through the original left-most route reveals that he is fine and his mound is unafflicted.]]
* AmbiguousGender: Given that snails are hermaphrodites, it's possible that the snail shaman isn't actually male, but merely has a masculine voice.
* AmbiguousSituation: The game states that he's a snail, but visually he appears to have more in common with characters like The Collector and Kingsmoulds, further strengthened by the spells and spell upgrades you get from him and his kin being based around the void. However, nothing ever confirms this or if the snails had anything to do with the Pale King's efforts to keep Radiance away and forgotten, barring [[spoiler:the Soul Sanctum experimenting on one in their own efforts.]]
* ButtMonkey: A non-humorous example: his family appears to have all died out before the events of the game, and you get their powers from what remains of them. The Shaman never seems to become suspicious and believes they are all voluntary gifts (which may or may not be true in two cases).
** You do not get Desolate Dive from a Snail, rather you get it from Soul Master, who likely experimented on one -- considering how the Shaman mentions an ill-tempered third uncle. [[spoiler:It's more or less confirmed when you find the apparently ''undead'' snail strapped to a dissection table in an optional area, which -- fittingly -- gives you the Vengeful Spirit upgrade.]]
** The Cousin in the Overgrown Mound is dead of some kind of fungus and shrubbery growing on it. you get the Howling Wraiths from her.
** The fourth aunt in the Crystallized Mound is trapped in a prison of crystal, and upon shattering it and her, gives the Descending Dark upgrade.
** A snail's sarcophagus can be found in the Resting Grounds, which gives you the Soul Eater Charm. The Snail Shaman makes no mention of a buried relative, but its not out of the question if they are related.
* {{Foil}}: To the Seer, both are mystics who are apparently the LastOfTheirKind of their tribes. The snails are centered around the void/black magic focused on damaging foes and affecting things in the waking world; the moths are worshippers of the light whos powers are typically uncombative and affect dreams.
* LastOfTheirKind: The only snail in Hallownest by the time the Knight gets there.
* SinkOrSwimMentor: Essentially, after giving you the spell, which causes the Knight to pass out, he puts you in the Ancestral Mound (gate barring your exit) to take care of the Elder Baldur, forcing you to use it in the mini-boss fight.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Seer]]
[[quoteright:182:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/seer.png]]

A moth who watches over the Resting Grounds and the Glade of Hope. She tasks the Knight with collecting enough essence to strengthen the Dream Nail.

* AmbiguouslyEvil: Well, ''evil'' may be stretching it, but her tribe [[spoiler:were the main worshippers of Radiance, and she finds shame in the way they turned from her. Her choosing a wielder for the dream nail also helps Radiance in the end since it breaks the seals holding the Hollow Knight. However, the Seer seems to be looking for a worthy wielder for the sake of having someone master it after she's gone, and expresses no desire to release anything.]]
* AscendedToAHigherPlaneOfExistence: [[spoiler:A unique case, in that it seems at least partially involuntary. She remembers Radiance, glows with red Dream energy, asks for forgiveness and vanishes. The achievement for doing this is even called "Ascension".]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Hints at several late-game revelations in many of your conversations with her, [[spoiler:with her final dialogue telling you who the TrueFinalBoss is, albeit vaguely.]]
* LastOfHerKind: The last of her tribe, further confirmed by the Dream Nail dialogue for the altar holding the Dreamshield charm underneath her home. [[spoiler:In your final conversation with her after collecting enough essence, she remembers Radiance and vanishes.]]
* MsExposition: Collect enough essence for the Dream Nail and she'll tell you the backstory of the setting in clear detail.
* MyGreatestFailure: [[spoiler:Considers her kind turning away from both Radiance and then the Pale King (once they started dreaming of the original Light all over again) to be one for her whole race, to the point that she openly asks the Knight that they not be remembered or honored because they don't deserve it.]]
* PsychicStatic: Prying into her mind with the Dream Nail will not get you any thoughts beyond a small admonishment that you'll find nothing interesting in a "dusty old mind" like hers, followed by an encouragement to keep being that curious with it.
* {{Seers}}: It's even in the name.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Sly]]
[[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sly_2.png]]

A firefly merchant who the Knight saves from succumbing to the plague in the Forgotten Crossroads. He runs Dirtmouth's main shop.

* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: He sells each health and soul upgrade shard at a higher price than the last. At first he argues that those are rare enough that he undersold the first few, but he eventually drops the excuses and starts joking about it. Justified by the Elderbug, who says Sly can afford to be so greedy because he is the only merchant in Dirtmouth.
* AllYourPowersCombined: During the first phase of his boss fight, he utilizes all nail arts from his pupils.
* {{BFS}}: The sword seen in his storeroom is larger than he is by a fair margin. The ''Godmaster'' update confirms that it is indeed his sword and that he is very capable of wielding it.
* BonusBoss: A dream version of himself is now one, as of the Godmaster update.
* HiddenDepths: It is repeatedly hinted that he's more than he seems, even before his identity as the Great Nailsage is revealed.
* KillerRabbit: How badass could this tiny firefly be? Enough to be the Nailmasters' teacher.
* OldMaster: Unbeknownst to the residents of Dirtmouth, Sly acted as a teacher to all three of the reclusive Nail Masters the player character can encounter in the game world. He rewards you with a charm to reduce start-up on charge attacks after you've studied with each of his pupils.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: He is tiny, about the same size as the Knight, but he is also a master of the art of combat who has trained some of the most skilled Nail wielders in the world.
* RetiredBadass: Once one of the deadliest warriors in Hallownest and beyond, now a greedy merchant.
* SpinAttack: One of his staple attacks when fought is to take his [[{{BFS}} massive sword]] and turn himself into a living buzzsaw that follows the Knight around the room.

[[folder: Salubra]]
[[quoteright:245:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/salubra.png]]

A morbidly obese mollusk living at the bottom of the Crossroads with a passion for charms; will enthusiastically sell charms and slots to the player character.

* AbhorrentAdmirer: Not necessarily, since the Knight can't really object, but based on her thoughts, flirtatious remarks and [[spoiler:the way she administers her blessing (a big sloppy kiss),]] she finds the Knight attractive, mysterious and dashing.
* AdamSmithHatesYourGuts: To a lesser extent than Sly, since most of her merchandise is unique. Nevertheless, every charm slot you buy from Salubra will be substantially more expensive than the last.
* BunnyEarsLawyer: She's a giggling doofus obsessed with charms sitting in technical isolation, but she's, well, obsessed with charms, so she know a great deal about them, giving sound advice like talking about how specific charms complement each others effects. In addition [[spoiler:her blessing confirms that she knows how to perform magic without using SOUL, the void, light, or dreams.]]
* EverythingsSparklyWithJewelry: Even discounting her necklace and affinity for selling accessories to the player, Salubra's shop appears well-stocked with jewelry and shiny trinkets.
* GonkyFemme: Salubra cuts a large, flabby figure, with a [[HeavyVoice tonality to match]]; this doesn't discourage her from wearing jewelry or tending to her eyelashes.
* TheHyena: Can be heard laughing constantly until business is made with her. Her Blessing also causes her to appear by you in spirit.
* WhileRomeBurns: Upon encountering the player character for the first time, Salubra asks if the neighbors recommended her services. Considering that the village she's situated in appears to be ruined and deserted save for a few shambling Husks, she may not have left her cabin in a long time.

[[folder: Leg Eater]]

[[folder: The Nailsmith]]
[[quoteright:210:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nailsmith.png]]

An old rhino beetle and blacksmith who still toils away in his workshop on the outskirts of the City of Tears. As his name suggests, he can upgrade the Knight's nail for the right price and with enough materials. The Knight is first directed to him by Quirrel, who strongly advises it to get its nail upgraded before facing the Mantis Lords.
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* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: After he's done forging the Pure Nail, the smith suddenly grows weary and [[spoiler:asks the Knight to kill him with the very weapon he's perfected. If you ignore him instead, you'll later find that he came across Nailmaster Sheo and started learning how to craft things other than weapons]].
* SuicideByCop: [[spoiler:He attempts this if you fully upgrade your nail. Can either be played straight or subverted.]]
* UltimateBlacksmith: A reclusive blacksmith who knows how to unlock the true potential of your nail.
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[[folder: The Hunter]]
[[quoteright:240:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hunter_83.png]]

A mysterious, bloodthirsty bug warrior obsessed with battle and war. He tasks the Knight with cataloguing the many monsters that infest the ruins of Hallownest, promising rewards the more he kills and discovers.

* TheAce: It has comments on every monster in the game, which implies it is aware of every single creature in Hallownest and still hunts with impunity, as though none are a threat to him. Once you complete the journal (which requires defeating the Final Boss), it makes you think it will face you in a Boss Battle for a moment, theme music and all. Even though he doesn't fight you, the fact the game highlughted how threatening he was even post-Final Boss suggests that he would be a strong opponent even by comparison.
* BaitAndSwitch: [[spoiler:Upon completing the monster compendium, he breaks the floor underneath himself and stands up to reveal a monstrous true form (face still hidden by the bush around his head) and roar as if he's initiating a boss battle… only to hold his hand out with the reward he promised. The battle music even starts, but [[LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand peters out in seconds]].]]
* BloodKnight: He ''really'' enjoys the hunt, and welcomes anyone who shares his enthusiasm. He is not particularly picky about whose blood is spilled, either—[[CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption you have to kill several completely harmless creatures to complete the journal]]. [[spoiler:When you finally complete the Journal and use the Dream Nail on him, his thoughts reveal that he inwardly admits you're stronger than he is now, wondering and ''hoping'' you'll come back to hunt him for both your sake and his own]].
* BraggingRightsReward: [[spoiler:As far as anyone knows, the Hunter's Mark does nothing except proving that you have competed the bestiary and giving you an achievement.]]
* EvenEvilHasStandards: The Hunter has no problems killing defenseless creatures, but even he considers Zote too pathetic to kill.
* ExtremeOmnivore: True to its name, it will eat almost anything it can kill - and there don't seem to be many creatures that it can't. One Journal Entry notes it and its siblings used to hunt each other in the nest, and now it hunts alone. This could be reminiscing about family nostalgia now that the siblings are split up... or the Hunter ate its own siblings.
* FaceFramedInShadow: All we ever see of him is his glowing eyes. [[spoiler:He stands up when granting the Knight a Hunter's Mark.]]
* HiddenDepths: He's not just a murderous feral beast; several completed journal entries show that he's quite eloquent when he wants to be, has a solid understanding of the world around him, knows the plague isn't worth the cost of his free will for the extra power, and muses about the desire to find someone special and have children.
* MonsterCompendium: He's the one who gives you it and tasks you with filling it out.
* WarriorPoet: Several of his comments on the journal are either contemplating the big questions of life or explaining why Hallowest was doomed to ruin from the beginning.

[[folder: Nailmasters Sheo, Oro, and Mato]]
[[quoteright:341:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sheoromato.png]]

Three warrior brothers who live at certain corners in Hallowest, spending their days in quiet introspection of their art. They will teach the Knight three types of charged attacks.

* BonusBoss: As of the Godmaster update, the dream versions of all three nailmasters are now able to be fought. Sheo still uses his artist tools to fight rather than his nail, though.
* ChargedAttack: Sheo teaches the normal charged attack, Oro teaches a charged DashAttack, and Mato teaches a charged SpinAttack that deals less damage but strikes several times.
* NiceGuy: Sheo and Mato are happy to teach the Knight and have its company. Oro, however, prefers to be left alone and charges you for the lesson.
* MrExposition: If Sheo and the Nailsmith become friends, you can meet the two making figurines of the King's knights. Sheo talks at length about the five greatest, though he doesn't seem to remember (or doesn't care for) the last one, Ogrim the Dung Defender, who ironically appears to be the last living great knight.
* NoodleIncident: Oro has done something in the past that [[CainAndAbel caused bad blood between him and Mato]], but neither of them explain what it was. Sheo has no idea either, and wishes they'd just get along.
* RetiredBadass: Sheo has put down his nail to become an artist.
* TheUnfought: According to the Kickstarter campaign, these three were supposed to be beaten in duels in order to learn their skills. In the original release they amounted to [[CutsceneBoss cutscene bosses]], and Sheo doesn't want to fight anymore anyway. Thankfully, all three eventually got battles put in the game.

[[folder: The Grey Mourner]]
[[quoteright:298:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/greymourner.png]]

A mysterious bug dwelling in the Resting Grounds. She asks the Knight to deliver a Delicate Flower to the grave of her mantis lover.

[[folder: The White Lady]]
[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/whitelady2.png]]

A large treelike being dwelling in the Queen's Gardens. She gives the Knight half of the Kingsoul.

* BlindSeer: For all her wisdom, the White Lady is nearly completely blind, and will believe that Ogrim the Dung Defender is with the Knight if they enter her chamber while wearing the [[{{Fartillery}} Defender's Crest]]. She also does not know that Dryya, the Great Knight protecting her has long-since died just outside her hut.
* GirlInABox: The White Lady is confined to a solitary hut on the outer rim of the Queen's Gardens, unable to move and protected only by the motionless corpse of one of her loyal knights, seemingly not even aware of the other's passing.
* HappilyMarried: Heavily implied to have been this with [[spoiler:the Pale King]]. If she is talked to [[spoiler:after obtaining the Kingsoul, she'll refer to the Pale King as her "beloved Wyrm".]]
* LightIsGood: She's literally glowing.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: An extremely rare non-monstrous example. We never get to see what exactly her "seeds" are, because she chose to bind herself to suppress her voracious desire to breed out of regret for something she did in the past. [[spoiler:She was the mother of the thousands of Vessels left in the Abyss, and recognizes the Knight as one of her 'spawn'.]]
* PlantPerson: She is sometimes referred to as "the Root", and she speaks of herself using plant-like terms, such as sensing things through her roots or spreading seeds.
* PsychicStatic: Dream Nailing her will not yield thoughts beyond her noticing it, though you being able to use it in the first place gives her hope you'll be able to break the seals you need to.
* TinyGuyHugeGirl: If the implications about [[spoiler:her being the Queen of Hallownest]] are true. She is enormous compared to [[spoiler:the Pale King]] who is relatively normal-sized.
* WillfullyWeak: She explains to the Knight that the bindings preventing her from moving were fashioned by her own hand, as she fears that her instinct to spread and reproduce would overpower her judgment.
* UselessBystanderParent: While she likely [[spoiler:did not participate as directly as the Pale King in the conversion of their children into empty Vessels, she did know and [[OffingTheOffspring seemingly allowed thousands of her spawn to die]] and be reborn in the Abyss.]] On the other hand, she is one of the most important and useful [=NPCs=] in explaining the plot and does aid the player-Knight by providing [[spoiler:half of the King's Soul, and directing them to the Birthplace.]]
* ThatThingIsNotMyChild: Played with. The White Lady is never hostile or outright cold to the Knight, but she speaks to them very formally rather than [[spoiler:addressing them like one of her children.]] Justified in that while [[spoiler:she acknowledges that "there's a part" of herself in the Knight, and even calls them her "spawn", the process of becoming a Vessel basically killed and ripped out the insides of that child to be replaced by Void.]] She may also be deliberately keeping herself emotionally distant as [[spoiler:the failure of the original Hollow Knight was because they were tarnished by "an idea instilled", which is implied to be because the Pale King bonded with the Hollow Knight while raising them to adulthood and they began to have a mind, will, and purpose of their own.]] In that case, for the greater good, she cannot fully acknowledge the Knight.

[[folder: The Godseeker]]

[[folder: The Pale King]]
[[quoteright:190:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pale_king.png]]
-->"No cost too great..."

The mysterious ruler and founder of Hallownest, venerated by his subjects. By the time the player character arrives, much of his kingdom has been in ruins for over a century following a [[HatePlague devastating]] [[ZombieApocalypse plague]], and the King himself has long since departed for parts unknown.

* AbusiveParent: Subverted. While the details of what he was like as a person before the infection are unknown, his plan to create the perfect hollow Vessel to contain the infection required [[spoiler:the sacrifice of thousands of his own spawn until one of them became perfectly "hollow" enough to contain Radiance.]] Ironically, [[spoiler:it was because he wasn't heartless ''enough'' that doomed the plan, as he became attached to the Hollow Knight and raised them into adulthood, causing them to gain an "idea instilled" and become no longer truly hollow.]]
* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: His original form is [[spoiler:of a gigantic Wyrm, specifically the giant discarded shell at Kingdom's Edge is actually his old corpse, containing a broken pod that is implied to be where his current form was birthed from and where the Knight obtains the King's Brand.]] It is unknown how many of the regular Hallownest citizens actually know the true origin of their King, and only the more ancient beings seem to be aware, [[spoiler:such as his mate and Queen the White Lady, who only ever refers to him as the "Wyrm".]]
* AGodAmI: Revered by his people as a deity, and called himself one. [[spoiler:The fact that his crown is virtually identical to the one worn by the Radiance — extra point notwithstanding -- is unlikely to be coincidence.]]
* AmbiguousSituation: Just what happened to the Pale King? [[spoiler:While the Knight finds a corpse in White Palace, it's unclear what the White Palace the Knight visited really ''was''. The Godseeker in the Pantheon in Hallownest also never explicitly states that he died -- rather that he was "erased completely".]]
* BrokenPedestal: Eventually the lengths he went to in his desperation to contain the infection is revealed -- [[spoiler:he used thousands of his own children as the basis for the Vessels, a plan so "cruel" that it even turned off Ogrim, the King's most loyal Knight]].
* CoolCrown: The King's shell doubles as a crown. His [[ArcSymbol four-pronged crown sigil]] can be found [[SigilSpam everywhere you look]]. [[spoiler:Its points are quite similar to the three horns that decorated his archenemy, the Radiance. It also resembles the maw of the dead Wyrm from which he was born.]]
* FounderOfTheKingdom: Founded Hallownest and reigned as its king.
* GodIsFlawed: Powerful, wise and otherworldly, the King was not perfect. His initiative to tame Deepnest and his plot to seal the plague ultimately failed. [[spoiler:He chose to sacrifice his own spawn by the thousands in order to save the rest of the Kingdom. However the plan failed when he ultimately could not be cold enough to the original Hollow Knight while raising them to adulthood.]]
* GoodIsNotSoft: The Pale King [[spoiler:brought sapience to some of the bugs and guided them as their monarch. Despite being a reclusive figure, he was worshipped by his people. He was willing to go to any lengths to ensure the survival of his kingdom, even if it meant doing unsavory things.]]
* HumanoidAbomination: [[spoiler:He was apparently a reincarnation or a spawn of the dead Wyrm, and he had [[LovecraftianSuperpower Lovecraftian Superpowers]] such as being able to manipulate the Void. More benevolent than the norm, but he did chain hundreds of Void spawn to do his bidding against the Radiance.]]
* LightIsGood: [[spoiler:It was said that he shone with a pure white light that could blind somebody if they look for too long. If the White Palace is any indication, it might be true.]]
* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Despite the lengths he was willing to go to, the inscription in front of the entrance to the Abyss indicates that the King was so disgusted with what he had to do to [[spoiler:seal the Radiance]] that, after [[spoiler:creating the Hollow Knight]], he sealed the Abyss up and never set foot in it again.
--> [[spoiler:''Higher beings, these words are for you alone. Our pure Vessel has ascended.'']]
--> [[spoiler:''[[MyGreatestFailure Beyond lies only the refuse and regret of its creation. We shall enter that place no longer.]]'']]
* PosthumousCharacter: [[spoiler:''Possibly.'' His corpse can be found still sitting on his throne at the end of the White Palace, but the game keeps it ambiguous on whether the White Palace the Knight visits is a memory, or was the real deal transported to the dream world.]]
* PowerOfTheVoid: [[spoiler:The King had a knack for shaping the Void and making it do his bidding, and using it as a power source for constructs like the Kingsmoulds and Wingmoulds. Trouble is, the game also suggests it wasn't the safest thing to deal with, if the occasional corpses bleeding black from the eyes are any indication.]]
* RoyalWe: Spoke like this, judging by the inscriptions written for "higher beings" being written by him.
* SympatheticAdulterer: Though he was married to [[spoiler:the White Lady]], the Pale King had to give [[spoiler:Herrah the Beast a child]] if he wanted Deepnest's loyalty. [[spoiler:The White Lady]] not only feels no spite towards [[spoiler:Herrah]], she's actually very fond of the child that was born; [[spoiler:that child being Hornet]].
* TheUsurper: [[spoiler:A lore tablet in White Palace reveals he wanted to rule as the only god by granting intelligence to certain bugs so they would worship him.]]
* WalkingSpoiler: Learning about the king and his actions reveal major parts of the game's backstory.
* WellIntentionedExtremist: [[spoiler:As Hallownest was taken by the plague, he was willing to [[OffingTheOffspring sacrifice anything]] to keep it at bay. Using the Dream Nail on his corpse reveals his final thoughts: ''"…No cost too great…"'']]

[[folder: Minor [=NPCs=]]]
!! Willoh
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/willoh.png]]

Some kind of Giraffe Weevil that lives in Queen's Station around Greenpath, munching on something and seemingly unaware of the Plague.

* BitchInSheepsClothing: States that she likes your company, but reading her mind reveals [[spoiler:that she is contemplating eating the Knight. The only reason she doesn't is because the Husks she's eaten have tasted bland and she's found something already good to eat. Furthermore, the nook above her head contains a dead bug whose final moments were apparently spent begging Willoh not to eat him while he cowered just out of her reach.]]
* SatelliteCharacter: She serves no purpose other than being a random NPC who's position gives you a hint towards a collectible [[spoiler:hidden in the nook she sticks her head into for her food.]]
* SeldomSeenSpecies: A Giraffe Weevil.

!!Tuk
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tuk.png]]

A big bug digging through garbage in the Royal Waterways of Hallownest. Fairly protective of his belongings, but is willing to share his "food" with the Knight for some geo.

* DistressedDude: Possibly. Wearing the Defender's Crest charm while talking to him has him essentially say that the Dung Defender helped him at some point.
* DeathByAdaptation: A unique case because it's in the same game. [[spoiler:Since Rancid eggs are more akin to VendorTrash in Steel Soul Mode, Tuk is sadly dead of the plague when the Knight goes to his location, his final thoughts being a plea to help him find what he was looking for.]]
* HiddenDepths: Stays in the Waterways [[spoiler:searching around and praying that someone will come back to him eventually, apparently after they got into a fight where the other left him alone. This bug is implied to be Boon, another bug Quirrel meets in the tie-in comic. He also really values friends, which is the reason he's staying put and looking around at all.]]
* GoMadFromTheIsolation: Implied to be what's happened to him.

!! Mask Maker
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mask_maker.png]]

A strange creature that lives by Deepnest, making masks for those in the world that need them.

* DarkIsNotEvil: States that it's his duty to make faces for those that do not have any of their own, and isn't even mad if the Knight hits him in the face with a spell. [[spoiler:He also knows what the Vessels are.]]
* ExcuseMeWhileIMultitask: Is constantly painting and using a pick to make masks. He doesn't stop, even when talking to you.
* NightmareFace: knocking off whatever mask he's wearing reveals a bird-like face with flared nostrils and two huge -- apparently ''bleeding''- eyes that have constantly moving, sketchy swirls in them.

!! Midwife
[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/midwife.png]]

A shady resident of Deepnest with a suspiciously over-happy mask on her face. She explains the history of the area bit-by-bit to you, but has a nasty surprise that interrupts her each time...
----
* AbusiveParents: [[WildMassGuessing Maybe.]] Her name would imply she was Herrah's midwife [[spoiler:and thus likely Hornet's ParentalSubstitute, but given that the Midwife is a ravenous lunatic, [[{{Understatement}} it's unlikely she was much of a role model for Hornet if that was the case.]]]]
* BitchInSheepsClothing: Talks calmly, and acts polite, but she will [[spoiler:take a bite out of you if you get too comfy around her.]]
* {{Expy}}: Bears an uncanny resemblance to No-Face from ''Anime/SpiritedAway''.
* FauxAffablyEvil: It's obvious there's something off about her from her appearance alone, [[spoiler:and it's confirmed every time she's done giving you some information.]]
* [[MrExposition Mrs. Exposition]]: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed,]] but she does give the Knight a few nuggets of info about Deepnest's history [[spoiler:in between her attempts to eat them.]]
* NightmareFace: [[spoiler:Her mask splits open to reveal this to you in order for her to attack, and you can't talk to her until you drive her back or run away and reset the area.]]
* NotSoStoic: She seems a smooth talker, but reading the spoilers above and reading her mind reveals that she's a violent paranoid loony who's terrified of having her mind read.
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!! Moss Prophet
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/moss_prophet.png]]

A large Moss covered bug in Greenpath in the early stages of being infected by the plague. He preaches about [[spoiler:a being of light]] to a bunch of Mossy Vagabonds and pushes for them to accept the light.
----
* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Since it's very possible that his Vagabonds will be dead and un-fightable by the time you get to him, once you examine their corpses, the entry for them is given to you then and there.
* BodyHorror: Not only is he covered in the plague's boils to the point that he can't move, but it also seems as though a fungus is growing and overtaking him too. [[spoiler:Once you beat the Broken Vessel, both leave him in a state of AndIMustScream, along with his followers, both of which look like nothing more than infected foliage at that point.]]
* DirtyCoward: Hides away once his Vagabonds attack you, and once they're dead, he continues to sing the Light's praise.
* MadOracle: The Moss Prophet himself is harmless, but clearly the infection has left him a bit off his rocker. His ramblings are extremely vague.
* PosthumousCharacter: If you beat the Broken Vessel and haven't gone to his area yet.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: He and the Vagabonds who listen to his every word are so far out of the way of where you are going in Greenpath that the player is likely to find them all dead on an initial run. However, the Prophet sets up that there is a [[spoiler:higher being]] causing this HatePlague Hallownest is being infected by, and his death reveals just how bad even those who try accept the infection, [[spoiler:and therefore the BigBad,]] are afflicted by it.

!!Unn
[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unn.png]]

A gigantic slug that lives in a secret cavern beyond the Lake of Unn.
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* FlatCharacter: [[spoiler:Stares at you, spits out a charm for you, then leaves for good.]]
* GreenThumb: [[spoiler:Implied to be the source of Greenpath's vegetation.]]
* MoreThanMindControl: [[spoiler:Implied that the Mosskin are defending Unn and Greenpath rather than going after the Knight for the Radiance's sake, which is hinted at by the fact that their eyes don't glow when hostile, and that they are constantly thinking about protecting Unn. Despite that, they are still infected]]
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!!Millibelle
[[quoteright:185:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/millibelle.png]]

A humble bug who runs a bank in Fog Canyon, offering a way to keep some money safe in the event you die.
----
* BitchInSheepsClothing: [[spoiler:She's actually trying to scam you out of geo, and succeeds if you put at least half the money cap in her "bank".]]
* EvilDetectingDog: [[spoiler:Any charms that summon allies or objects for you, such as Grimmchild or Dreamshield, will attempt to attack Millibelle if you approach her, scaring her and locking the "bank" until you change charms.]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:She can be found in the Pleasure House after stealing your geo, where you can beat her up to your heart's content and get back the money she stole, and then some.]]
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!!Little Fool
[[quoteright:108:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/little_fool.png]]

A little Bug hanging upside down from the ceiling in chains in the Colosseum of Fools' entrance. By paying him, you unlock the trials the colosseum has to offer.
----
* TragicDream: He desperately wants to get back into the Lord Fool's good graces. [[PosthumousCharacter The Lord Fool is long dead by the time you reach the Colosseum of Fools.]]
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!![[spoiler:Steel Soul Jinn]]
[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/steelsouljinn.png]]

A mysterious, stark white creature that replaces Confessor Jiji if you play the HarderThanHard Steel Soul Mode. Since Rancid Eggs aren't useful in a Permadeath mode, Jinn buys them with geo instead.
----
* SingleTaskRobot: Jinn mentions being that her only purposes seems to be to trade geo, discusses how much sturdier her body is than the Knight's, and has a highly unusual voice.

!!Myla
[[quoteright:140:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/myla.png]]

A carefree, jovial bug girl toiling away in the mines of Crystal Peak. Although friendly and cheerful, it quickly becomes apparent that there's something not quite right about her.
-----
* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler:If you hit her with the dream nail after her infection, you find she's still thinking about the song she sung when she first met you.]]
* CloudCuckooLander: She acts rather odd, [[spoiler:even before she becomes infected]].
* TheCorruption: [[spoiler:She becomes infected sometime after the player defeats the Soul Master, and her condition rapidly deteriorates until she becomes a husk.]]
* {{Foreshadowing}}: If you hit her with the Dream Nail right before [[spoiler:the point she goes mindless, you find there is ''someone'' commanding her to "kill the empty one"]].
** [[spoiler:The fact that she shares the same basic model and look of the standard Husk Miner enemies in Crystal Peak (found just beyond her) hints at her final fate.]]
* TheInsomniac: She offhandedly mentions skipping sleep while she labors in her mine, seeming to consider it a perk of her solitude.
* KillTheCutie: [[spoiler:She does not survive the events of the game, catching the infection and becoming a [[OurZombiesAreDifferent husk]], forcing the player to put her down.]]
* MusicalChores: Sings and hums a somewhat morbid song to herself while she works, though she occasionally forgets the lines.
-->''Ohhh, bury the knight with her velvet gloves,\\
Bury the thief with the one she loved!\\
Bury the priest in her tattered gown,\\
Then bury the beggar and his golden crooooooown!''\\
'''(...)'''\\
''Ohhh, bury my mother, pale and slight,\\
Bury my father with his eyes shut tight!\\
Bury my sisters, two by two,\\
And when you're done, let's bury me too!''
** MadnessMantra: She continues to try singing as [[spoiler:her infection worsens, ominously lingering and stuttering on the verses. Upon becoming a relatively-silent husk, using the Dream Nail reveals that she is still thinking of the song, [[SurvivalMantra possibly out of a failed attempt to preserve her crumbling sanity]].]]
--->[[spoiler:''...Bury my body... c-cover my shell,\\
What meaning in darkness? Yet here I remain...\\
I'll wait here forever...till light blooms again...\\
...Bury... body... cover... shell,\\
Darkness. No meaning... [[AC:DANGEROUS]]... Still, remain...\\
[[AC:LIGHT]].... again...'']]
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: She constantly hums her song to herself while she eagerly chips away at the crystals in her mine. She eventually stops both due to [[spoiler:catching the plague, and being [[SanitySlippageSong unable to sing coherently]] due to the voice in her head. When she succumbs and becomes a husk, she resumes working, but is eerily silent.]]
* SanitySlippage: Starts becoming increasingly unhinged as the plot progresses [[spoiler:due to her infection]].
* SpeechImpediment: Stutters constantly in normal conversation (likely due to not having many people to talk to), [[StutterStop though it mostly disappears when she sings]].
* TragicMonster: [[spoiler:She gets infected early on and eventually becomes a husk.]]
* UniqueEnemy: [[spoiler:Infected Myla shares the attacks and appearance of a Husk Miner, though she has unique lines when hit with the Dream Nail, as well as a unique death cry. She also does not respawn upon being slain.]]
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!!Eternal Emilitia
[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/emilitia.png]]

An unjustly (according to her) disavowed member of Hallownest's social upper crust. Although untouched by the plague, Emilitia seems rather eccentric.
-----
* BitchInSheepsClothing: If the Knight uses the Dream Nail on her, we can see that beneath her polite speech, she looks down on the Knight, calling it a ''litte grub'' and assumes that it will die from the bugs outside.
* DancinInTheRuins: She's overjoyed at the disintegration of the society from which she was outcast. Upon breaking into her home, the player finds her giggling merrily to herself with nary a concern for the Husks wandering out in the street.
* IdleRich: In a literal sense, given that she likely hasn't ventured outside her house since the kingdom's collapse.
* NoodleIncident: The circumstances surrounding Emilitia's expulsion from her socialite cliques are never made clear.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Emilitia claims to have witnessed the collapse of Hallownest; given that the event in question occurs over a hundred years prior to the start of the game, her 'title' may be justified. [[spoiler:She momentarily confuses the Knight for the Pale King if you talk to her after having obtained the King's Brand.]]
* {{Socialite}}: Formerly.
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!!Bardoon
[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bardoon.png]]

A prodigious grub found dozing at Kingdom's Edge.
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* AnOddPlaceToSleep: Bardoon scaled the lofty crags of Kingdom's Edge to escape harassment from [[HatePlague simple minds, lost to light]].
* MrExposition: Tells the Knight about the Wyrm and the Pale King.
* NighInvulnerable: He just sees the Infected as bothersome rather than a threat, and hitting him with your nail ''literally'' just tickles him.
* GentleGiant: The great caterpillar's gigantic, serpentine body is visible in the background as the Knight makes its way up the treacherous cliffs towards the Colosseum of Fools. Despite his size, Bardoon is non-confrontational and only seeks some peace and quiet while he hibernates.
* PsychicBlockDefense: You can't pry into his mind much with the Dream Nail, you'll only get a polite warning that's a fairly rude thing to do.
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Bardoon recounts the arrival of the [[spoiler:Wyrm and his transformation into the Pale King]] as though he'd witnessed it himself. He is likely among the most oldest still-living characters within Hallownest.
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!! Fluke Hermit
[[quoteright:146:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fluke_hermit.png]]

A sentient female Fluke wearing a cloth that can be found in a secret room in the Junk Pit as of the Gods and Glory update. Prodding a smaller fluke in her room, she becomes worried and heads to higher ground once the Godseeker is awakened.
----
* CuteMonsterGirl: In comparison to her mindless violent family members, yes.
* HiddenDepths: Seems to hide away in the Junk Pit not just because she thinks its safe, but because her mother's treasures are there too and she is protecting them as a responsibility. Her dialog also suggests that she is raising her siblings now.
* MotherOfAThousandYoung: [[spoiler:Wearing the flukenest charm has her recognize it as part of the Flukemarm, as well as an epiphany that she might become the next Flukemarm in her mother's place.]]
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: Downplayed, she's the only friendly Fluke the Knight meets, as well as the only one developing speech, but she doesn't seem to acknowledge the Knight unless they have the Flukenest charm equipped.
* VerbalTic: "gla gla" and variations of it dot her dialog.
[[/folder]]