Long before the Knight arrives in Dirtmouth, Hallownest was shaped by a clash between two higher beings: the Radiance and the Pale King. The original game reveals much of this history only through exploration, and the true ending exposes the full tragedy of the kingdom. Heavy spoilers for Hollow Knight follow.
At the earliest point in history, an unnamed ancient civilisation inhabited the region. Its bugs worshipped primordial forces such as the Radiance and the Void. That civilisation vanished under unknown circumstances, leaving cultural remnants buried deep beneath the kingdom. While the Void remained dormant, the Radiance persisted, but her influence faded when a new ruler appeared.
The Pale King's Rise
At an unspecified time, a great Wyrm arrived in the land. According to Mister Mushroom, Wyrms are ancient beings that pull bugs into their thrall. This Wyrm eventually shed its original form and took on the appearance of the local bugs. Emerging as the Pale King, a Higher Being, it established the Kingdom of Hallownest. From the Wyrm's Cast-Off Shell in Kingdom's Edge, ash still swirls in the air, marking the spot where the old body was left behind.
The Elegy for Hallownest, written by Monomon the Teacher, explains that the Pale King's presence redeemed the bugs' base instincts and granted them sapience. In return, he asked for worship and reverence. With that bargain accepted, the land became known as Hallownest, the eternal kingdom.
Many clans accepted the Pale King's rule, but not all knelt willingly. The bees isolated themselves in The Hive. The Spider Tribe of Deepnest rejected the Pale King outright. The Mantis Tribe, which predated his arrival, also refused to be subjected to him. Because Deepnest's beasts blocked expansion, the Pale King formed a truce with the Mantis Tribe. The Mantises agreed to guard the border between Deepnest and the Fungal Wastes in exchange for keeping their sovereignty over the Mantis Village.
The Pale King courted the White Lady and appointed the Five Great Knights to protect the kingdom. Under the monarchy, Hallownest prospered. An extensive tunnel system known as the Stagways was constructed, linking distant regions. The City of Tears became the capital, while the Pale King ruled from the White Palace. Despite his elusive nature, many subjects revered him.
The Radiance and the Infection
The Moth Tribe were born of the Radiance and worshipped her light. When the Pale King arrived, they abandoned her. Diminished, the Radiance sought to reclaim their minds and extend her influence further. She began appearing in the dreams of Hallownest's inhabitants. In response, the Pale King devised a plan to stop her once and for all.
He sought a Vessel to contain the Radiance. Deep within the Abyss, the Pale King and the White Lady sired children and infused them with Void. These Vessels were meant to lack a will, voice, and mind so the Radiance could not corrupt them. Any Vessel that displayed those traits was discarded. Thousands of corpses accumulated in the Abyss until the Pure Vessel finally emerged.
The chosen Vessel was taken to the White Palace and raised by the Pale King. Three Dreamers were then selected to enter an eternal sleep and combine their powers to seal the Black Egg Temple. They were Monomon the Teacher, Lurien the Watcher, and Herrah the Beast. Herrah, queen of the Spider Tribe, agreed to become a Dreamer only after the Pale King accepted her terms to have a child with her. That child was Hornet, who later became a protector of Hallownest and the protagonist of Hollow Knight: Silksong.
With the Radiance sealed inside the Vessel, both were locked in the Black Egg Temple. Hallownest erected a monument in the City of Tears, a fountain depicting the Hollow Knight surrounded by the Dreamers. But the plan failed. The Hollow Knight was not as pure as intended. Taking advantage of this flaw, the Radiance's influence seeped out, causing the Infection.
The Infection stripped the bugs of the sapience gifted by the Pale King. They reverted to aggressive, mindless creatures. The Five Great Knights struggled to protect the kingdom against this formless enemy. The White Lady bound herself to the Queen's Gardens, and the Pale King retreated to the Ancient Basin. The White Palace disappeared. Hallownest had fallen.
Key Factions and Their Choices
| Faction | Relationship to the Pale King |
|---|---|
| Mantis Tribe | Refused rule, later guarded the Deepnest border |
| Spider Tribe | Rejected the Pale King, but Herrah became a Dreamer |
| Moth Tribe | Abandoned the Radiance for the Pale King |
| The Hive | Isolated itself from the kingdom |
| The Five Great Knights | Served as the kingdom's protectors |
After the Fall
Few survived the Infection. Some bugs fled to Dirtmouth, a village on the outskirts of Hallownest, while others became trapped among the ruins. The game begins when a small Knight journeys through the wastelands beyond Hallownest and arrives in Dirtmouth. The purpose of that arrival is unknown, but the player slowly uncovers the history of the Pale King, the Radiance, and the failed Vessel.
As of 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong has kept interest in this universe alive, with Hornet's journey through Pharloom raising new questions about how Hallownest connects to a wider world. Even so, the original tragedy remains one of the most layered stories in modern gaming. The Pale King's attempt to create a perfect, mindless solution to the Radiance failed because the Hollow Knight still possessed a mind capable of connection. That single flaw brought down an eternal kingdom.
Hollow Knight is available on PC, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
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