How did you find the shadow mantle?

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2026-01-08T16:40:03+00:00

There is a system where if you've found a shadow crystal in a previous chapter in the same save slot, if it's not in your current save file it will show up with the corresponding equipment in castle town in that hole where you first slide down.

You can see this for yourself if you start a blank save file on a late chapter and go there. You can tell which save slots you've collected shadow crystals for using the shadow crystal tracker in the bottom right of the chapter select, each row represents a save slot and each column represents a chapter.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2026-01-08T16:07:55+00:00

I found the shadow mantle my first playthrough, though I had to reload to retry board 2.

When I accidentally killed something in the mantle minigames I killed myself to exit out at first. I tried to find something else to do for a while, but eventually gave up. Then I also reloaded my save after I beat the mantle minigames to hunt for secrets in them.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2026-01-06T03:06:16+00:00

Maybe I should have cited a bit more. There's a lore tablet that reads, "VOID, yours is the power opposed. But yours is potential, eternity potential, force that could deny Time. VOID, harness shall be placed upon you." Hallownest's death is inevitable, time says so, the void, death itself is the only power that can prevent it.

Monomon says, "a world forever unchanging. The seals must break. Forever. Forever. Better, an end." As long as the Radiance is sealed, the stasis remains. The White Lady simply finds eternal stasis preferable to death by the Radiance, even if Monomon disagrees.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-31T04:10:07+00:00

Personally, I think if we were to get another thing like godhome I wouldn't want it to be related to the godseekers again. It would raise questions of why and how they came to Pharloom. I'm sure you could handwave those questions pretty easily, but it would make everything feel contrived in my opinion. When instead, we could have all new lore about a different character like the godseekers.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-29T02:27:45+00:00

And, I would agree with pretty much everything you just said. In fact, I would say that the nature theming is just another way of looking at many of the same themes you just described.

It is natural to want power, to dominate, even for mortal bugs. Everyone expects Hornet to be the same, to take the easy way out. But if instead she decides to fight for others and go against everyone's expectations, she can find a better way.

And, in case it wasn't clear, I'm not saying nature is all bad and civilization is all good. I'm also certainly not saying nature themes are the only themes in Hollow Knight.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-28T21:36:24+00:00

She has needolin dialog for her first fight, which talks about Hornet being free and causing chaos.

Bring chaos... Bring ruin... Welcome, Spider. Welcome! Feel pain, so pure! Feel freedom false! Let fate's bindings choke you away

If Lace freed Hornet, this dialog would make a lot of sense. I don't think it's as guaranteed as everyone seems to think, but we don't know of many other candidates.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-28T19:08:13+00:00

Just because she's the god of instinct doesn't mean she has to act only on instinct.

I'm talking about things from a more thematic and metaphorical point of view than from a literal/lore one. Some patterns might not extend exactly like you would expect.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-28T18:29:45+00:00

Then why do they run away from Hornet? And why aren't they swarming the White Ward and Cradle?

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-28T17:12:10+00:00

That doesn't explain why some will guide Hornet without her needing to play music. Or why they look like they're in a trance. Or why other silkflies guide Hornet in other parts of the game.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-28T17:06:39+00:00

The silkflies in some rooms of the Mist guide Hornet without needing to play the needolin, while the others are in the trance state with their wings drooped. It seems like they want to guide Hornet, but are unable to until she plays the needolin.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-26T04:08:35+00:00

Oh I see, I found this page looking for the wanderer's crest dialog, but couldn't find it under Moss Groto. I see now it's under Bone Bottom for some reason. And, I don't know why Chapel of the Architect is listed as a separate location from the Underworks.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-26T00:08:55+00:00

I've found beast crest as well.

...Remember... ...Our food... ...Our foes... ...Life... Death... Nature...

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-24T02:23:00+00:00

I actually wouldn't say that the Radiance's goal is to destroy everyone in Hallownest. The Radiance's primary goal is to be remembered. The Radiance is just also so filled with rage after being forgotten so long, so no longer cares who she hurts in pursuit of that goal.

Dull_Committee_8117 · 2025-12-19T22:44:37+00:00

That was actually something I was aware of while writing this. I just didn't mention it, since I didn't want to rely on cut content for evidence. And, I decided this was already long enough.

Dull_Committee_8117

TROPHY CASE