#The School Of Hallownest

[schoolofhallownest]

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the School Of Hallownest! Please make yourself comfortable and get ready to learn all about this vast and mysterious kingdom we call home!

Ask questions about Hallownest and I shall do my best to answer you.

[bluegekk0]

Finally decided to work on the designs for all the side characters in the FPK AU, mostly residents of Dirtmouth as that's where the main portion of the AU takes place

Here's the full height chart including the FPK family members

(short bios for each of the characters under the cut)

Vyrm (alternate spelling of "Wyrm") - once the king of Hallownest, now a simple resident of Dirtmouth tormented by the guilt of his past actions and his own emotional trauma. Following the return of the infection, he disappeared in a self-manifested realm where he hibernated for years until he was woken up by Little Ghost. He woke up without his powers and completely alone, which forced him to hunt animals for food in order to survive. That was until he was found by Hornet and taken to Dirtmouth, where he reunited with Holly and Grimm, who would later become his partner and husband. He embraces his instincts by hunting animals and eating raw meat, though he is far from a dangerous beast. He owns a small tinkerer's shop in Dirtmouth, where he sells his creations.

Grimm - the exiled god of nightmares, banished from Godhome by his sister, The Radiance many years ago. A very alluring type with a past of promiscuous endeavors. He travels with his Troupe to perform and complete rituals, through which he replaces his physical body. He spent hundreds of years feeling loneliness, unable to find love due to his immortality, until he met Vyrm. They became close friends, though they were not able to confess their love and start a relationship until after Vyrm’s hibernation. Grimm and his Troupe now permanently reside in Dirtmouth, from which they travel to other kingdoms to perform their shows and the ritual. He drinks blood to prolong the lifespan of each physical body, and he has a fondness for fruits.

Hornet - the beloved daughter of Vyrm and the Deepnest queen Herrah. She grew up showered with her father’s love and formed a very close bond with him. Unfortunately, following her father's disappearance, she was forced to spend years all on her own, which turned her bitter and difficult to approach. She now struggles with anger issues and intense fear of getting attached, but deep down she cares a lot about her family. She moved to Dirtmouth following the end of the infection and now works as a hunter and gatherer..

Holly - the child of Vyrm and The White Lady, and the only known surviving vessel. A very gentle soul who finds joy in art of many forms. Now that The Radiance is gone, they enjoy a quiet and peaceful life living in the Vyrm family home in Dirtmouth. With their arm missing and their body weakened, they are unable to hold their nail, instead they focus on more relaxing activities to pass their time. They wear a prosthetic arm made by their father.

Lewk - Vyrm and Grimm's first child, a very curious and kind pup who attends Dirtmouth's school and constantly looks for ways to help others. Unlike his siblings, he shares some physical traits with the Grimmchild form of Grimm's ritual cycle, which is how he got his wings.

Milo and Asta - twins, the newest addition to the family. Milo, technically the youngest member of the family, is weak and sickly compared to his twin sister, struggling to keep up with his peers, which makes him very grumpy. Asta is stronger than her brother, full of energy and mischief, though underneath all of that there is a very compassionate individual who is very protective of her little brother.

Zote - a self proclaimed knight of great renown, in reality a lonely young bug living in a world of delusions. He was rejected by his hometown and his family, and so he traveled until he reached Hallownest. After the end of the infection, he found himself “adopted” by Vyrm’s family, and is on a slow journey of becoming less arrogant and mean.

Ogrim - one of the great knights of the Pale King, the last one that remained in Hallownest, best friends with Vyrm and a close friend of the family. Found by Hornet following Vyrm's return from hibernation, and invited to live in Dirtmouth alongside them. Leaving his duty as the knight behind, he put away his armor in favor of more comfortable clothing. He eventually embraced his long forgotten hobby of cooking and opened a small diner in the town. Liked by everyone thanks to his contagious optimism and supportive attitude.

Brumm - Grimm's right-hand man and trusted friend. Runs the Troupe in Grimm's absence and assists him during the rituals, and in his spare time directs the Troupe's music crew. He is a quiet individual focused on his job. In the past he had one-sided feelings for Grimm, now years later his eyes are set on one of the Nailmaster brothers, Mato.

Divine - Grimm's closest friend, she and her team are responsible for the costumes in the Troupe, and later also clothes for the Dirtmouth community. Once a lady from a distant land, she was invited to the Troupe following a war that destroyed her home. She's chatty and glamorous, and loves advising Vyrm on romantic matters.

The White Lady - Vyrm's former life and once the Queen of Hallownest. Cold and emotionally distant, often comes off as self-absorbed. She was blind to Vyrm's needs during their time together, and ended up neglecting and hurting him. Before the marriage, she was the Lady of the Queen's Gardens Mansion, and this is where she resides following the end of the infection. Years spent in the cocoon made her reflect on her past behavior, and while her interactions with Vyrm these days are rare, she puts effort into being more thoughtful towards him and his family.

Mato - one of the Nailmaster brothers, he got attached to Ghost of Hallownest after briefly teaching them. Following the end of the infection, he traveled from the Howling Cliffs to Dirtmouth to find out what happened to them, and after discovering that the town was now full of life, he began visiting it more often.

Bretta - a young writer and a hopeless romantic, she used to be infatuated by Zote before finding out he was full of lies, though she ended up forgiving him. She writes short stories and poems under an alias, and shares Holly's interest in plush sewing. She has a crush on Hornet, and finds both her and Grimm to be very inspiring to write about.

Iselda - the owner of Dirtmouth's cartography shop, Cornifer's wife. She is a close friend of Vyrm after helping treat his wounds following the Grimmkin incident. After the end of the infection, she began joining her husband on his map marking adventures. She can be a little intimidating, at times she sounds perpetually annoyed, but she always proves to be very caring about others.

Cornifer - Iselda's husband, co-owns the cartography shop. Frequently travels around Hallownest, mapping each location thoroughly. He is good friends with Vyrm, whom he enjoys discussing the Hallownest architecture and geography with. He's extremely detail focused which sometimes makes him miss the bigger picture, though he more than makes up for it with his very approachable personality.

Elderbug - one of the older residents of the town and a respected figure. He's very pessimistic and grumpy, and is especially annoyed by public displays of affection, suggesting that something in his past might have made him sensitive to it. He can usually be found in the town centre or in his little garden.

Tiso - an arrogant troublemaker and Hornet's self-proclaimed rival. Lives in the City of Tears but frequently visits Dirtmouth to challenge her to fights. He planned to battle in the Colosseum but changed his mind last minute out of cowardice. He's extremely sensitive about this subject and reacts with anger anytime it's brought up.

Quirrel - a curious wanderer and once an apprentice to Monomon the Teacher, tasked with protecting her dreamer mask. Holding the mask halted his aging process, and after her death, he aged visibly. With no purpose left, he planted his nail by the Blue Lake, but continued his life of wandering and exploration until he reached Dirtmouth, where he would become a teacher to the town's youth. He's very patient and understanding, though he can be a little absent-minded, likely due to his age and his struggles with memory.

Lemm - owner of the relic shop in the City of Tears. Following the end of the infection and the city's consequent revival, he became a respected shop owner, which made him quite wealthy. After Vyrm's return, he quickly realized his true identity, and began pestering him about his past in hopes of learning more about the kingdom, until Grimm's threats stopped him. He's very abrasive and unpleasant, though his passion for history and the relics in his possession is remarkable.

Lurien - the last of the Dreamers, who managed to survive after Ghost of Hallownest chose to unite the void and become the Shade Lord before reaching his spire. He holds the position of the highest authority in the City of Tears, willing to do anything to bring it back to its former glory and reclaim all of its districts from the criminals that plague it since the end of the infection. He struck a deal with Grimm, thanks to which he is able to keep the criminal population in check.

[lilybug-02]

If you don't mind me theorizing about how the bugs would react to the surface:

Zote The Mighty would bravely go to the surface and proceed to get his butt handed to him by either a cat, a squirrel, a mouse, or the first creature he challenged. He would die a glorious death in a hard fought battle.

Tiso would tame a mouse. I believe in him (there's a high chance he would get injured in this endeavor)

Elderbug and Bretta would NOT attempt to go to the surface at all, but wouldn't mind listening to tales from the surface.

Sly would also not attempt to go to the surface, but would be fine if he did

All the bugs would enjoy Dewi's after school snack.

Don't worry, I'm pretty sure Ghost would "fend off" a beast for Zote the Mighty if he got in a skirmish. (Wouldn't be the first time ;P)

Tiso would totally try and fight a mouse for the recognition. My man🧍‍♂️🐜

I have a feeling more of the bugs of Hallownest would eventually get the nerve to meet Dewi and ask for PROOF of this so called "true surface" world. I mean who doesn't want a giant cookie that could last you weeks!?

[alaskaartz]

FINALLY THIS IS DONE-

Ok so these are Ghost's friends- if you wanna more know then keep reading

OK- Ivy: She is 6 years old, just few months younger than Ghost, Ivy is the adopted daughter of Sheo and (Nail)Smith, Ghost and Ivy met at their first day of school and they've been friends ever since, Ivy is a very energetic child and VERY artistic, I suppose she takes after her dads in that way :) Ivy was taught Hallownest sign language, so once she learned that's the only way Ghost can communicate, she started translating what Ghost was saying for people, Ivy and her family are the only people allowed inside the palace without having to be escorted by guards. Rose: Rose is the daughter of Ze'mer. Rose is 5 years old. Ze'mer had Rose on her own and the royal family was her only support through it, Ze'mer loves rose more than anything and sometimes tells her about TC (aka traitor child) Rose is almost a mini copy of Ze'mer sometimes, Rose is quiet and clever but is always up for a round of tag or hide and go seek. Rose often comes to the palace on the weekends because Ze'mer works 7 days a week instead of 5 days a week. Lily: Lily is 4 years old and the daughter of Isma and Ogrim, Lily is very small so most of the time her clothes don't fit her right, she can be fierce like Isma and a sweetheart like Ogrim. Lily is also very energetic and can be seen often chasing Ghost around the palace when Isma and Ogrim take her to work with them.

[cloudyswritings]

city of tears headcanons

what it says on the tin.

The city was actually built with the rain in mind, the design perplexed a lot of the bugs who were first building it, but the kings foresight pulled through in the end and built a city that could withstand millennia of rain.

Speaking of rain, the rain falling from the blue lake above was actually initially more of a flood/heavier rain, the citizens however liked the mood it created so much that they eventually used magic to perpetuate the downpour while reducing it to a more manageable flow.

The city is much, much larger than we see in cannon, and had a very diverse mix of bugs due to being the capital of hallownest(which is a trade kingdom roughly in the middle of the wyrm wastes).

Places of note:

Buzzers: a quaint little dive bar on lower west side of the city. It’s run by an old bald faced hornet who gives the restaurant its name. This bar mainly caters to the predatory bugs of Hallownest but all bugs are welcome. This place is famous for its hemolymph wine and exquisite(read greasy as hell) gruzzer steaks.

The Confluece of Waters: a massive concert hall in the east side of the city, this is the place where all of the waterways of the city meet up. The walls of this building are actually just made up of waterfalls and channels, it’s a truly impressive feat of engineering. Despite the omnipresent sound of water the acoustics inside the building itself are actually fantastic.

Hegemols school for young knights: this academy is the main location where future knights and members of the Hallownest military are trained. It’s nominally overseen by Hegemol, who scouts upcoming knights to present to the king, however his duties mean it’s largely run by the educators present. It’s located at the edge of the western part of the city. Bugs of all walks of life can apply here, and many see it as a way to move up in station.

Chauncey’s: A shop belonging to an orb weaver spider named Chauncey, they’re not from deepnest, or even the regions surrounding Hallownest. They moved to the city with hopes of becoming the best known tailor in the kingdom, success however hasn’t been forthcoming. The prejudices of the bugs of hallownest have made business tough for them. However the king himself recently commissioned works from them in something of a scandal.

The embassy of Unn: This building is located on the Easter half of the city and is where Isma reports back to Unn with news regarding the pale court. The building itself was grown over the course of many seasons and the walls are entirely made of living plant matter. It also serves as a temple/church to Unn for those in the city who worship her.

[ashcoveredtraveler]

Headcannon Dumping

-The Blue Lake is a saltwater lake, but the salt filters through the ground making the rain not salty. Miners then mine the salt from the side or under in the lake.

-Vessels that either gain better ability/control of soul or inherited plant-ness of their mother, they can continuously gain soul from the ground beneath them or even in the air.

-Dirtmouth has an open sky above it, so it is home to a snow festival and lantern lighting events along with winter stolses.

-Important members of the court or guards have spells placed among them to make them live longer. Those would be: Monomon, Quirrel, Lurien, his butler and The Great Knights.

-I think the Pale Court mod actually encompass how The Great Knights would have fought in Hallownest glory days. But if that was the case, then I would think that every other boss would need to be upped like Pure Vessel, Hive Knight, maybe the Nailmasters.

-The Archives operates as a University or maybe a grad school for anyone in the STEM field. The archives also operates as a school for kids who are unfortunate, like orphans or for those who are considering an higher education but their area doesn't have it, like those in Fungal Wastes or Greenpath(not like those places done have any education, they have a different type that can't be applicable all around Hallownest).

- In game, the crystals in Crystal Peaks were apparently bought as they were admired by Hallownest individuals even though we only see the crystals in peaks(and I don't know what PK would allow objects to be sold with The Radiances influence in them). This would have been one of PK's sources of research on how to defeat her.

-Moth Lurien

-Moth Xero

-Soul Master is a cicadia, and I only think this is the case because of this post by @cupcakeshakesnake

-The amount of vessels that died in The Abyss is the same amount as the bugs that were killed by the infection. It's like would you kill a million people to save a million people, but pk ended up killing 2 million people all together

-Void doesn't just stain things black, it washes color out. If there is a black spot of void colorful wallpaper and you are able to wipe it away, a light outline of the design would stain but it would be pale white color.

-On contrary to some beliefs, you actually can't apply to become a Great Knight either by good, bad or questionable actions(I was brainstorming how all of the Great Knights got recruited, and I will make a dedicated post to it).

- Not everything in Hallownest is actually Hallownest. Forgotten Crossroads, Dirtmouth, City of Tears, Waterways and Queens Gardens are actually part of Hallownest while everything else is a territory of Hallownest and is partly governed by it.

-PK has eyelids along with eyeballs. You can see the eyeballs from the reflection in the dark but both of them are very very dark, making his eyes to appear hollow.

-This headcannon is depending on how much I want PK to suffer, but he can permetly go blind. Wyrms don't have sight, so when he can actually see his body is unable to support it and just degrades.

-There are Queens idols with the king's idols, but they aren't seen around as much as kings idols as the king is credited to creating Hallownest. However her idols are found in hospital, mostly in the maternity ward, and the households in new families.

[hollownest-whore]

Rewriting a few things, feel free to suggest anything! Or like tell me to do something cooler lol...

In the Neighbourhood AU Ghost and their siblings run away leaving the house life in shambles. Hollow is smothered and locked away inside to keep a steady eye on, and PK (Wyryn) has made all efforts to find his kids. Lemm unintentionally taking in the group having to manage his new unfortunate situation

Shenanigans ensue! Extensive extra info undercut...

Wyryn White, and Lady White. owners of the largest neighbourhood estate, renovating it from its "humble" beginnings to a highly regarded suburban community

Their children in order of age, Hollow [18], Vessel[17], Ghost [16] (Stepdaughter Hornet)[16] and Wilt [10]

Miss Radiance was the previous owner of the neighbourhood "Hallownest" and she now lives in her separate estate, plotting against the White family like a home alone villain

Other important people...

▪︎Uncle Grimm who is trying to help (making it worse)

▪︎Flukehermit (Hermie) lives outside the "Tears" gated area but gets in with grant of her mother being the local waterways authority

▪︎Lurien and [Soulmaster] (the only) members of the Neighbourhood Watch who live together, the former wants to impress Wyryn by finding his kids for him, Soul grows weed/j

▪︎Monomon, principal of the local public school and her good friend/understudy Quirrel, a teacher (Tiso is also a substitute teacher god forbid)

▪︎Herrah, a wealthy woman from inheritance, and is an Investor of the property, worked with Wyryn to rid the previous mistress and had a kid with him (Lady White didn't mind). Has her own "section" of the neighbourhood. And within it, a famous "haunted" forest called Deepnest

▪︎Cloth, Myla, [Godtamer] and Tiso all are in a band called the Yellow Jackets <3 who play music in the lower ends part of the neighbourhood Wyryn doesn't really pay attention too

▪︎ theres a Fight Club called "The Colosseum" ran by "Little Fool" that's known for its brutal consequences

▪︎ the previous community gardens tended too by Lady Unn was renovated into a personal garden's area for Lady White

▪︎dude in the woods that photographs everyone and everything, to keep in a beastiary. Still not as creepy as Lurien

▪︎the horrific amalgamation of lingering regrets from all the neighbourhood inhabitants manifesting into a supernatural force known as void that sucks the life out of anyone who comes into contact with it- it's okay tho it's in the sewers!

As a thank you for reading heres a doodle

[spectruminterests]

What other ideas did you also have for the Hollow Knight Modern AU?

I have… a lot. (For context: I originally posted about my Hollow Knight Modern AU here). I tried to type some things out and then tumblr erased it, so instead you get my unorganized ramblings that I have on my notes app. (Under the cut so not everyone has to read them). Essentially, Pale Royal (the Pale King) is the mayor of the oddball town of Hallownest and the somewhat negligent father of five chaotic children.

Character names:

Pale Royal (= The Pale King)

Blanca Royal (White Lady) 

Hollis Royal (The Hollow Knight/Pure Vessel)

Kinsey Royal (Broken Vessel/Lost Kin)

Hornet Weaver (Hornet- her mom insisted she should have the Weaver name)

Herrah Weaver (Herrah the Beast)

Greene Royal (Greenpath vessel)

Knight "Ghost" Royal (The Knight/Ghost/player character)

Grimm Nightmare Sr. (Troupe Master/Nightmare King Grimm)

Grimm Nightmare Jr. (Grimmchild)

Dr. Sophia Monomon (Monomon the Teacher, I chose the name Sophia because it means wisdom or knowledge)

Quirrel Monomon (Quirrel, Monomon's adopted son)

Morningstar Claw (Mantis Lord)

Lance Claw (Mantis Lord)

Arrow Claw (Mantis Lord)

Mace Claw (Traitor Lord) 

Bretta Scriber (Bretta)

Tiso Shieldsmith (Tiso)

Sybil Erebis (Seer)

Pale and Blanca have an open relationship - Blanca and Herrah get along fine and Pale having a child with Herrah wasn’t a problem for Blanca. Blanca is also bisexual and in a relationship with Dryya, the Hallownest Chief of Police. 

Tween Hornet: What are you talking about I have no interest in girly things I like ninjas and swords! *hides princess book under the bed* 

Ghost: second grade Force of Chaos

Grimmchild/Grimm Jr.: Second grade arsonist and Ghost's best friend/accomplice 

Pale King and White Lady: parenting is easy! Just let the kids figure it out for themselves! 

Teenage/Young adult Hollow Knight: the only responsible person in the household. Is slowly going insane taking care of four younger siblings. 

Troupe Master Grimm/Grimm Sr.: Similar parenting philosophy to PK and WL. Is *fabulous* Actively encourages his son to be a ball of chaos. 

Herrah: Like a crazy cat lady but with spiders. Her home is not a place for the faint of heart. 

Teenage Mantis Lords: Sisters Morningstar, Lance, and Arrow. Leaders of the student-run Fencing Club which is really just a veneer for a bunch of kids who want to be TOUGH WARRIORS! Members include Hornet and Cloth. 

Traitor Lord: Mantis sisters’ older brother Mace. A deadbeat high school dropout who makes a living as a drug dealer. The family doesn't talk about him. 

Lance: "Yes I'm a girl and anyone else who'd like to comment gets STABBED!" 

People know better than to mess with these kids. 

When Grimm gets a call from the school: "Oh? My son set a fire in the boys' bathroom, you say? Did he tell you why? Because toilet paper is very flammable, he said? Oh well, kids will be kids, it sounds very much like something I would have done at his age... Suspended? Surely that's a little harsh? With all due respect, I think this behavior is teaching him important life skills! Surely that should be more acceptable in a school?" 

I'm imagining Grimm Jr. asking Ghost to run away and join the circus with him 😆😆😆

"You'd be a great act, Ghost! I'm sure my dad wouldn't mind having another kid! You could be an acrobat or a clown or a mime... (at this point Ghost gives him a look).... okay, maybe not a mime."

The town of Hallownest is technically their "hometown," but the Nightmares travel. Grimm Sr. just drops his kid off at the local public school whenever he's too busy to take care of him, never mind whether or not he's actually enrolled. Cue a lot of teachers trying to figure out where the hell this kid came from. How much the kid is actually learning, missing school so often and being dropped in random classes is... questionable, but everything is fine! The Hallownest school system has already given up. Grimm Jr. really only goes to school because Dad is too busy to deal with him full time 😆

He's doing his best to just push his kid off on a stranger like in-game 😆

Ghost also often begs for Grimm to come sleep over, which of course causes more chaos than usual in the Royal household. Poor Hollis, trying to maintain some semblance of order. 

Bretta is already writing fanfic. Ghost once saves her from a bully by dropping onto him from a tree, at which point Bretta decides she’s in love. Then Bretta mentions this to Greene. Bretta: “Oh, is he your brother? He’s so hot! 😍😍” Greene: “… sibling. And they’re seven.” Bretta: “Oh… so that’s why he’s… they’re… so short….” *is mortified*

Bretta later develops a crush on Hollis and writes fan fiction about them.

Grimm just drops off his kid at the Royal house with no notice and no indication of how long he'll be gone 😆

The whole Royal family is autistic in some fashion, because look at them. Pale is an inventor in his spare time and is always thinking about how to optimize infrastructure in the town of Hallownest. He also works late and forgets to eat or sleep when he's hyperfocused. Blanca (White Lady) spends more time with her garden and her large variety of houseplants than with her children, and everything has to be clean and Just So or she'll make a fuss. She always adjusts her children's and stepdaughter's clothing before they leave the house, much to Ghost's and Hornet's chagrin.

Hollis couldn't break a rule to save their life and comes off as stiff and robotic when trying to interact with people. Their parents are proud of the former and entirely oblivious to the latter. 

Kinsey is sensory-sensitive and awkward. Loud noises, bright lights, and busy rooms drive them crazy. This does not stop them from being kind of an extrovert or from getting into trouble with Hornet. 

Hornet, for her part, has some sensory issues with clothing (and hates the fancy things her stepmother tries to shove her into with a passion) and speaks in a very blunt but also overly archaic/wordy manner (if you've seen her dialogue in game you'll know what I'm talking about). She has little interest in socializing with people unless a) they're her mom or siblings, b) she's causing trouble, and/ or c) it's something violence-related. 

Greene takes after their mom with their love of plants. They also love animals and are better with animals than people. They're super shy and awkward lol

Ghost is well, Ghost. They often struggle to speak/experience speech loss and have a raging case of ADHD in addition to the autism, making them constantly chasing after new and interesting things, unwilling and unable to pay attention unless they're interested, and entirely oblivious to social norms. In other words, they're hell to deal with 😆

Quirrel is Miss Monomon's adopted son and a giant nerd. He's 14 and a sophomore in high school because he skipped a grade as a kid. He has an I ❤️ isopods (group including pill bugs) pin on his backpack and is really into "bugs" and other invertebrates. 

Hollis, nicknamed "Holly" by their siblings, is Very Tall (like 6 foot 5 or something), rather gangly and skinny, and AMAB (in part to make their height more plausible lol). At first they look kinda intimidating but they wouldn't hurt a fly, and are just about the quietest, shyest person ever, with one exception: if you hurt their siblings, you incur their wrath. Other than that they will take anything that's thrown at them - bullying, name-calling, way too many home responsibilities for a teenager, etc. - with a stoic front. They have just about no self-esteem and have a bad case of "awkward tall person syndrome," always hunching over and trying not to stand out despite the fact that they are literally head and shoulders above their classmates. Like all their siblings they have white hair (which they keep long), pale skin and very dark eyes. 

Blanca (the White Lady) is an albino, thus the white skin, white hair, and very light blue eyes. She's also something of a Karen and acts like being an albino makes her an oppressed minority or something.

She also never leaves the house without makeup.

Tiso Shieldsmith is Hollis's classmate and maybe-friend who moved to Hallownest last year. He's kind of an idiot teenage boy and he calls Hollis "Stick Bug" thanks to their stick-bug-esque physique. He's, obviously, in the martial arts and fencing club, and he's kind of trying to be a tough jock but not always succeeding. I love the way he interacts with Hollis: 

"Yo, Stick Bug, my man!  I mean, my non-binary guy... I mean, uh...whatever. How are you doing, pal?" 

*Hollis stares at him in an expressionless way as Tiso rambles.* 

Hollis always refers to their parents as Mother and Father instead of just saying "Mom" or "Dad." It's out of respect mainly, and also because Blanca tends to like everything fancy. The outfit I drew Hollis in is what they normally wear to school, at their mother's request XD

Radiance is a local celebrity with a cult-like fan base. Miss Sybil (Seer) is the school's history teacher and the students are shocked when they discover she's an intense Radiance fan. “Radiance” is a stage name and she's Grimm's cousin (a relationship neither of them particularly care to mention most of the time). Pale hates her for reasons unknown, to the point where Pale has tried to pass all kinds of town restrictions on shows and circuses specifically because of Grimm and Radiance. Grimm either ignores the anti-circus ordinances or finds loopholes, and protesters stormed the town hall at the restrictions affecting the Radiance, enough that Pale had to undo them. 

Grimm has some level of ability to break the law in Hallownest in part because the police in Hallownest don't want to deal with him either (lol) and in part because Blanca has used her influence and her relationship with the Chief of Police, Dryya, to discourage the Hallownest Police Department from prosecuting him. “Oh, Mr. Nightmare can’t be in jail, his son is my youngest’s best friend, and the poor man is a single father. I can’t imagine what that would do to poor Grimm Junior. Not to mention I’ve heard that Radiance is actually a relative of his… do you want her fans storming the police department?” (This is, of course, behind her husband’s back.) 

Grimm is also very good at finding loopholes, twisting people's words, and generally being a pain in the arse to anyone who has issues with him. 

Herrah has dark skin and a fat but very muscular figure. Usually around Hornet and the Royal kids she's all motherly and sweet, but when dealing with people she doesn't like she's intimidating AF. 

Obviously the Royal family is white af because... a) they're entitled jerks, at least to a degree and b) look at them. 

Hornet has brown/light brown skin but still has the white-blond hair and almost-black irises that run in Dad's side of the family. She gets strangers trying not to stare occasionally, but at least she isn't so pale she could be mistaken for a corpse XD

In fact I imagine that several of the characters often get strangers trying not to stare- Hollis and Grimm Jr. come to mind.

Grimm has dressed his son in red and black since he was a baby; it’s not every day you see an 8-year old dressed in a fancy black and red suit with a cape and makeup that looks like a cross between "vampire," "emo," and "circus." 

Tiso: Yo, Stick Bug! What's with the dress? You look like you're going to prom or something! 

[Hollis is wearing a white frilly dress that's too long to be anything other than one their mom ordered specially made, along with a fancy necklace and earrings]

Hollis: Mother has tea with her gardeners' club this afternoon and would like to show me off to all her gardening friends (said in a completely calm tone, even with a slight smile) 

Tiso: "Show you off?!?” You say it like you're her favorite doll instead of her kid! Are you expected to do anything at her event? That sure doesn't look like gardening clothes. Your mom is definitely being weird, you sure you're okay with this? 

Hollis: Of course. It means Mother is proud of me. 

Hollis has issues.

They're shy and desperate for approval and their parents are (somewhat unintentionally) walking all over them. They need love and support that's not tying their value to being "perfect." Luckily, their siblings don't want Perfect Obedient Hollis, they want the real, happy them. 

[pewpewsky]

"To protect the Vessel, the Dreamers lay sleeping.

Through their devotion, Hallownest lasts eternal."

Sorry for the lack of art lol, i'm almosting ending this school semester and like, one month without school lets gooo so im gonna post more

may also start to open requests

[goodmode]

do u have any headcanons about hk characters and spellwork (who can use what, what's possible and what isn't, whatever) :V?

take all this with a pinch of salt as i am typing from my phone in the back of a van and i am very sleepy

anyone could learn to spellcast with Soul! in the same way anyone could become an astrophysicist. most people do not.

the Soul Sanctum, and the Pale King's use of Soul spellwork, was considered highly innovative. mostly spellcasting is something only a few people can do/bother learning, but in Hallownest the King encourages it and the Soul Sanctum is dedicated to honing the craft, which makes Hallownest weirdly ahead of the game compared to a lot of places. soul scholars were kind of like the educated elite. but also wizards. people talked

you could simplify and say you have two main schools of thought: the scientific approach (Soul Sanctum, Pale King) and the spiritual approach (Snail Shamans, Moth Tribe). the two ways of thinking are not mutually exclusive and often overlap though. both can be used to great effect

there are bugs out there who have done crazy high level things like the Soul Sanctum in less scientifically-themed contexts, definitely. this tier of fanatical spell meddling is rareish though

Soul is the word many bugs use for the life force inside all living things. and yeah, basically! it's not exactly your sense of self though that's different

Soul and Void are effectively infinite. harnessing Soul to cast spells involves channelling it through certain means and generally you only have certain limited reserves to draw from at a time (see Soul Vessels for example)

Soul Master and the rest of the scholars were fixated on surpassing that limit. kind of a "what if humans used 100% of their brain" situation

if you actually found a way to use all of one bug's Soul at once it would be like splitting the atom - incredible amounts of energy released at once, even from an average bug who isn't a spell user in the first place. Mistakes and Follies collapsed into themselves long before they got anywhere near that level. it's basically just not sustainable or doable. (soul master voice: but is it)

spellwork is also kind of like using a certain muscle a lot. if you cast a lot of spells it'll get easier for you. if you're inherently a gifted type who has a lot of potential for spellwork, but never use it or pursue it, you'll still be pretty bad at it and get tired quickly compared to someone with no inherent ability who practices every day

Void is basically like its own version of Soul. the two are different but if you scanned a Void being and found no traces of Soul that doesn't mean they're soulless, it means they have their own version. you're looking at it. it's Void

the average bug does not contain any traces of Void by nature and thus spellwork with Void is rare and very poorly understood. those ancient bugs who worshipped the Void however would have had some in their system. how? don't ask questions you don't want answers to

once upon a time, all Void is/was, in all traces across the world, part of one unit. once in the dawn of time etc etc. the world has changed since but it's fundamentally all the same to itself.

spellwork with Void is essentially using Soul to bind and command some Void to do what you want it to do. this is why shade spell upgrades cost Soul, it's the Soul making it do that thing.

mess around with Void too much if you're a bug and it will do very strange things to the body. it stains shell, it leaks from the joints and the eyes, it puts strange thoughts in your head. Soul is easier, safer, and better understood, and also isn't partly echoing with its own collective sentience.

not that this kind of thing deters a Snail Shaman. pretty sure if a Snail Shaman was given half the chance they'd learn to spellcast with anything. magnets. active plutonium. whatever. mind your business

if you know how to see Soul inside a body, and concentrate, living things generally appear as opaque glowing white cutouts. the Soul inside a living creature is saturated to the point of looking like a white shape in space. you can't see this usually because their body is in the way and it's sort of, tied into their cells or whatever

you can use spellwork to do pretty much anything, if you're clever. the sky is the limit. flashy stuff like attack spells, subtle stuff like enhancing your senses or letting yourself see things not usually visible to the eye, defying gravity, Whatever. almost anything you can think of. the main barrier is that it's difficult and taxing. the average bug doesn't bother

oh god i haven't even done Dream. okay a short rundown: Dream is different again. it's about the self, about thoughts, about the conscious and subconscious, about the mind. you don't so much spellcast with Dream as just kind of... manipulate and explore what's around you. connect with others. influence, sometimes. mostly understand. it's not technically spellcasting though and this post is getting long so i'll leave it there for now sdffgjk

[schoolofhallownest]

Assignments

History

Math

Science

Reading/Writing

Art

P.E

Geography

[bluegekk0]

FPK AU reference sheets for the main cast!

(brief descriptions below the cut; click the names to be redirected to the character’s respective lore page)

Vyrm - once the king of Hallownest, now a simple resident of Dirtmouth tormented by the guilt of his past actions and his own emotional trauma. Following the return of the infection, he disappeared in a self-manifested realm where he hibernated for years until he was woken up by Little Ghost. He woke up without his powers and completely alone, which forced him to hunt animals for food in order to survive. That was until he was found by Hornet and taken to Dirtmouth, where he reunited with Holly and Grimm, who would later become his partner and husband. He embraces his instincts by hunting animals and eating raw meat, though he is far from a dangerous beast. He owns a small tinkerer's shop in Dirtmouth, where he sells his creations.

Grimm - the exiled god of nightmares, banished from Godhome by his sister, The Radiance many years ago. A very alluring type with a past of promiscuous endeavors. He travels with his Troupe to perform and complete rituals, through which he replaces his physical body. He spent hundreds of years feeling loneliness, unable to find love due to his immortality, until he met Vyrm. They became close friends, though they were not able to confess their love and start a relationship until after Vyrm’s hibernation. Grimm and his Troupe now permanently reside in Dirtmouth, from which they travel to other kingdoms to perform their shows and the ritual. He drinks blood to prolong the lifespan of each physical body, and he has a fondness for fruits.

Lewk - Vyrm and Grimm's first son, raised in love and affection. He is an extremely kind and curious little pup, who finds interest in the daily routines of all family members, in particular Hornet's patrols. He also attends the small Dirtmouth school and eagerly listens to Quirrel's teachings. Lewk shows a particular interest in cooking, and he loves watching Hornet prepare meals for the family and helping Ogrim in his diner. Above all, he's still discovering the world around him and finding his own place in it.

Milo and Asta - twins, the newest addition to the family. Milo is the little skinny boy with pale skin and fluffy "pants". He hatched days after his sister, giving his parents a big scare, as they feared that he did not make it. He's much more frail than his siblings, much like Vyrm during his childhood. Surrounded by much needed care, Milo was able to survive the earliest days of his life, and while he's still quite sickly today, it is no longer a serious risk to him. He's practically inseparable from his Tiktik plushie and spends most of the day sleeping or watching everyone else from his little blanket burrow. Personality wise, he's a little grumpy and with every passing day it becomes more and more clear that he's jealous of his stronger siblings. Asta is the slightly older of the twins, Asta can best be described as a dark fluffy ball of temper. She's much stronger than her brother, though despite her tendency to bite fingers and cause trouble, she is very patient with him. While he sleeps, Asta can usually be found looking for ways to escape her blanket nest and wander around. Even at such young age she's very clever, she is a master escapist and especially good at hiding, which often causes her parents a lot of headache.

Hornet - the beloved daughter of Vyrm and the Deepnest queen Herrah. She grew up showered with her father’s love and formed a very close bond with him. Unfortunately, following her father's disappearance, she was forced to spend years all on her own, which turned her bitter and difficult to approach. She now struggles with anger issues and intense fear of getting attached, but deep down she cares a lot about her family. She moved to Dirtmouth following the end of the infection and now works as a hunter and gatherer..

Holly - the child of Vyrm and The White Lady, and the only known surviving vessel. A very gentle soul who finds joy in art of many forms. Now that The Radiance is gone, they enjoy a quiet and peaceful life living in the Vyrm family home in Dirtmouth. With their arm missing and their body weakened, they are unable to hold their nail, instead they focus on more relaxing activities to pass their time. They learned writing and simple sign language to communicate with the family, though their favorite forms of self-expression are drawing and sewing. They wear a prosthetic arm made by Vyrm.

Zote - a self proclaimed knight of great renown, in reality a lonely young bug living in a world of delusions. He was rejected by his hometown and his family, and so he traveled until he reached Hallownest. After the end of the infection, he found himself “adopted” by Vyrm’s family, and is on a slow journey of becoming less arrogant and mean.

---

Additional references:

[thelanor-s-astame]

Episode 4 (CLOTH GANG!!!)

So here we have Sly changing in to his Modern Form. That happens with a lot of reoccurring characters, like they'll have a proto form and then the second time they show up they're The Guy They'll Be The Rest Of The Time, because both me and the voice actor will have a little more time to think about the dude and what we want them to be. And that's always fun But now let's talk about The Bottom So I had already started thinking about the outward world building, I'd gotten started on that on the last episode. I also started on how our little guy was going to change, how he'd go through phases. Like The Murderer, The Warrior, The Gardener etc. And I'd mapped all that out and where it would end. (and that stuff hasn't changed that's still where were going)

But after that episode I started thinking about Where The Story Would Go From Here. And of course, at this point, just following Hollow Knights story was more than enough! Our little guy needed to descend farther down into the Abyss for some unknown reason, so here he goes! I started a rudimentary plan for what he would find down there, and how I would handle that, and then I beefed it up as I went.

But, I came up with a lot of it in the middle of editing this episode. That's why it's the first time our little guy mentions "Getting to the bottom" And That was something I added, like, in post. Those lines with sly I went to dalsson a few days before it released, and the scene where our little guy talks to himself on the elevator about his motivations for doing anything I recorded the day before it released.

So all that stuff was a super last minute addition that lead to the rest of the story! You know how it is! But some stuff I did have solidified when I started work on the episode is how the Myla stuff was going to go down. This was also the first real glimpse into how I was going to expand on Pre-Infection Hallownest and it's collapse. This was also where I added, I think my first clue to anything that would happen in the last episode. At this point I had essentially one major twist planned for it, that major twist is essentially a minor twist at this point that is a piece of the major twist. I keep hyping up the last episode, and a lot of that is me jsut being really excited to get to it! It's gonna be a hell of a lot of fun! Frezon's performance as The Hunter is probably my favorite out of all the ones he's done. I told him "Just voice him like he's Einhar from Path of Exile" and boy howdy did he give me just that!

Millebelle being like that Is just because I thought the idea of a character who who attempts to explain the reason she's wearing a bank robber suit and is carrying a giant sack that says $$$ is due to macroeconomic necessity, is really funny. I need everyone to understand 50%-75% of all the jokes I write are for me but you can laugh to if you want.

For Instance, Cornifer refers to the mantises as a "Proud warrior race with an interesting culture" who "relegated themselves down here when the city of tears expanded" Because I wrote conifer to be a guy who kinda gets stuck in his biases. Not because he's a jingoist or anything, more that he hears the school yard version of Other Cultures and kinda just assumes that's how it is for the rest of his life. Mostly because Cornifer looks a hell of a lot like a dude I knew in High School who was like that. The paragraph I wrote about conifer in The Lore bible was Sympathy For The Unimpressive White Guy or something like that. He's coming to the end of his arc soon. Big things coming for him!

So the Cloth recording session was a lot of fun. Me, Dergo, and Dalsson were all in the call while we were doing those lines, and those lines included the argument with Hornet about the fighters she liked that we're of course also directors. Pidwess = Paul W.S. Anderson, Zide = Zach Snyder, and May = Micheal Bay. And, of course, Hornet argues that these guys suck ass, and refers to them as The Vulgar Artists because I have heard those guys refereed to as the Vulgar Auteurs, and that's the most pretentious possible way to refer to these guys and I think it's really funny.

And so we're recording this argument Dergo who voices Cloth goes "Cloth is totally in the right here Hornet is a dumb nerd! Cloth Gang!" Dalsson responds "FUCK YEAH CLOTH GANG!!!" And the rest of the conversation went Me: "Well you see hornet is trying to point out that-" Dergo: "SHUDDUP THEL CLOTH GANG!" Dalsson: "WHOOO CLOTH GANG! YEAH!" Me: "But you see-" Dergo: "CLOTH GANG! CLOTH GANG!" Dalsson: CLOTH GANG! CLOTH GANG!" Me: "h-hornet gang-" Dergo: "CLOTH GANG! CLOTH GANG!" Dalsson: "CLOTH GANG! CLOTH GANG!"

And it was extraordinarily funny. That's why we have an Emote in the discord (which is here btw and anyone can join! https://discord.gg/vT9brYHgu7) just called Cloth Gang And also why it's in the description! also, a thing I am surprised no one has pointed out. Cloth is the first person who mentions the Iridescents! And we'll talk about that more when the grim video comes around!

[masqueradingkitsune]

Elden ring sure is a game huh? I’m having a blast. Anyways!

Au posting! Location and energy: the crystal peaks

Personally one of my favorite areas in game I’m taking a bit of liberty with this one. Besides it’s my au I can do what I want

Deep in the mountains that surrounded Hallownest lay dormant crystalline structures. Their pink hue glimmer in light making the precious to collectors in the early days of the kingdoms. Many would travel to Hallownest in hopes they would strike it big by selling the crystals as trinkets. Little did they know what they were discovering.

But the mining turned out to be dangerous work, beasts lived underground tunneling through the dirt causing mineshafts to be unstable. Bandits liked to loom outside waiting to mug successful miners. And the crystals themselves seemed to fight back against their exploitation, it wasn’t uncommon to find burnt remains next to particularly large crystals.

A student at the college of soul in the city of tears took an interest in the crystals after finding some in a curiosity shop. They took them to the college to study their structure. During this study they found these crystals could channel the energy of soul as power and use it to “defend” itself. With this new knowledge in hand they went to the pale wyrm to present their findings.

It wasn’t much longer until the first prototype machines were being developed uses these crystals as their power sources. But of course to expand he would more than what just a few miners could provide, no he would need an industrial scale production. Devoting resources to make conveyors to carry out the mined crystals, new tools for digging deeper and deeper into the mountains.

The work was often dangerous but the Pale King demanded it so it would be done. Many who could not afford schooling and didn’t dare enlist in the king’s army often times found themselves as miners, providing the cities with power and light. Many were looked down upon for such unskilled work but the miners understood that Hallownest would not stand without them

[robsterskellington]

Hi....If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Oh, boy. Okay, this will take a hot minute, but thank you, I appreciate the question. None of these are in order, they're just my favourites.

1. Bungou Stray Dogs- Confession: I grew up hating manga and anime because in high school, I had friends obsessed with them, and they tried forcing me to watch them and read them, then they got angry when I had no interest. But with BSD, my younger cousin just needed someone to talk to about it, and I wasn't about to be rude, especially when he made it sound so interesting! I got Covid and had to take some time off work, so I gave it a shot- the characters were interesting, the dialogue was hilarious and the story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I caught up with the manga, and thankfully got into the franchise in time to watch seasons 4 and 5. I'm also working on a couple BSD fanfics with my cousin, they're just taking a while lol

2. Hollow Knight- I don't take recommendations for anything, like if someone tells me "You should watch ****", or "I recommend ****", my mind goes "Well, I know what I'm avoiding for the next several years!" Hollow Knight was a little different because my best friend spoke highly of it, and said that it would definitely be my kinda game. He was absolutely right, I have well over 550 hours on it, and I'm really good at the game. Still haven't beaten the Pantheon of Hallownest, though. The art is beautiful, the music is phenomenal, and I love the challenging Boss fights.

3. Sonic the Hedgehog- while I'm absolutely aware that a lot of the games are trash, the comics can be a bit of a mess, and the shows are... actually no, the shows are pretty good and I LOVED the movies, really looking forward to the third one. I binge watched Sonic Prime yesterday and loved it. But Sonic is what got me through high school, I love the fast paced gameplay, the stories were always interesting to me, and the characters were always able to make me smile, even on the worst days. Admittedly, though, I tend to like the games that people hated most: Sonic Unleashed would be my favourite Sonic game, because I loved the fast day stages, and I loved beating the everloving life out of enemies at nighttime. I enjoyed all the stupid glitches in 06, and I actually really liked playing as Silver because I had a better grip on his controls. Because I grew up playing on my DS the most, Rush, Rush Adventure, Colours DS and Chronicles were the Sonic games I played most, and Chronicles was easily my favourite, I liked the RPG style and the larger cast of characters to use.

4. Mario and Luigi/Paper Mario- since both of these are in the same franchise, I'll stick these two together, especially since I like them for near enough the same reasons. Each new villain that the games brought out always made me grin, I have a soft spot for both Fawful and Dimentio, though I love Antasma as well. The stories were really good, like Super Paper Mario made me cry quite a bit. I loved the RPG gameplay that most of these games had, I've always been great with my timing unless it's a Boss, in which case I always screw up somehow. The music is amazing, the stories are incredible and I love the humour. For both, my favourites would be Bowser's Inside Story and Super Paper Mario.

5. The Case Study of Vanitas- okay, so while BSD is absolutely my favourite anime, it wasn't the first one my cousin got me invested in, that would go to this one. The story was fascinating to me, I loved all the characters (except Moreau, he can die painfully, please), and it inspired another fic that my cousin and I wrote together. I enjoyed the character interactions and how much each of them grew in their own ways, as well as just how they all know how to do things while trusting each other. Does that make sense? Probably not, I'm ill and I'm rambling lol

6. The Nightmare Before Christmas- I never watched this movie until I was in college, and I only knew the basic premise because of Kingdom Hearts, but when an ex-friend of mine lent me her DVD of the movie, I was in love. The story was simple, but interesting. If I'd watched it as a child, Oogie Boogie would have absolutely scared the living daylights out of me, I still have a bit of a phobia of bugs and I can't understand why when they're relatively harmless where I live. This was the only Disney movie where I had actively learned to sing ALL of the songs. I haven't watched the movie in a while, so I should get back on that. Oh, and if anyone asks "Do you watch it on Halloween or Christmas?" The answer is both: it is both a Halloween and Christmas movie, though you could also watch it on Easter if you wanted to, just use the excuse that the Easter Bunny makes a brief cameo, making it an Easter movie for a few moments.

7. Five Nights at Freddy's- this was something a lot of my high school "friends" tried forcing me to like by making me play it without giving me any context, but I ended up liking on my own by watching YouTube videos in my own time away from them. I understand that the timeline is so convoluted that even MatPat seems to be struggling to make it all fit, but I've always found the overall mystery fascinating and the character designs are really cool. Springtrap used to make me more nervous than any of the Nightmare Animatronics, although that could just be the knowledge that the Nightmares are an illusion while Springtrap had a rotten corpse inside it. Obviously I know that the newer games are a bit more broken, but I still love them. After all, without Security Breach, we wouldn't have Sunny and Moon, and I'd argue that a few people on Tumblr's lives have gotten better from their existence alone.

8. Bendy and the Ink Machine/Bendy and the Dark Revival- this is the only series of horror games I can play without having a full on panic attack, so that gives it a few points. I'll ignore whatever nonsense is going on with the books and a will remain unnamed co-creator, because I am the sort of person who will separate a creation from creator. I won't let someone ruin something I love for any reason. Anyway, I always found that the premise was interesting, I liked the artstyle and loved the characters. The voice acting, character models and the little combat we had were all excellent. I do like how Dark Revival took the story, but I admit that I haven't played that yet, because I'm hoping it'll come out on the Switch eventually, since that's what I played Ink Machine on. Oh, and I'll be honest when I say that when the pandemic first started, I read a lot of the fanfics people created on this franchise, and it was because of them that I got this Tumblr account in the first place.

9. Kingdom Hearts- this was actually the first game I ever played on a console that wasn't handheld; my older half-brother came to stay with us when I was really young and he wanted to bond with me, so we played Kingdom Hearts together. I sorta remembered the game in college and watched all the games on YouTube before buying a PS4 with my first work paycheck and then buying the Final Mix games. Again, convoluted story, but I don't care. I love the characters, all the different worlds you can explore, how different the battle system is. I never played or watched any of the Final Fantasy games, so I don't know much about their characters, but Cloud has always interested me for some reason? Anyway, I loved the bond that Sora, Donald and Goofy (in that order), have together, and being able to watch them grow as friends and as a team, saving all the Disney worlds makes me feel like a child again.

10. Spy X Family- this anime, I actually did watch on my own, purely because I saw an ad for it and thought "This looks cute, let's see if it actually is!" And yes, it was. My cousin was so happy that I watched it because he wasn't sure if I'd like something relatively soft, compared to BSD, and I unintentionally got my best friend to watch it, when I talked to him about it. Now we're all looking forward to the new movie and new season! The characters are all quirky in their own ways, the story doesn't take itself too seriously while also fitting in dramatic moments and even some emotional ones. Anya is a precious cinnamon roll and literally everyone should protect her.

TL;DR, if I had to pick a top 10 things I like, in no particular order, it's Bungou Stray Dogs, Hollow Knight, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario and Luigi/Paper Mario, The Case Study of Vanitas, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Five Nights at Freddy's, Bendy and the Ink Machine/Bendy and the Dark Revival, Kingdom Hearts, and Spy X Family.

Okay, thank you for that question and I'm so sorry if you regret asking because I have no idea how to shut up when I start lol

[bobbinbugs]

Thinking about Hornet and her implied backstory, that said, here’s a list of headcanons.

Spent short time frame living with Herrah after birth - all newborn bugs are more akin to 3-4yos by our standards, so she knew some stuff. She learned a bit about her mother’s culture, how to spider, and the strong community in Deepnest, raised communally with the midwife’s supervision. Was still in an odd position as technically princess, but the other babies didn’t know - was never close with any deepnest bug beside her mother, but was overall accepted in a way she hasn’t been since. Herrah also told her as much truth as she could about what was happening to Hallownest and what would happen to her.

Herrah also consulted Vespa on the name of the baby. The spiders and the bees had an alliance, and Herrah hoped that Hornet would train under Vespa.

Sent away to live within the white palace pre-sealing while still very young. Hornet got to know the other dreamers a little bit, but again, barely remembers them now. She overheard many things in discussions with Monomon when they thought she wasn’t listening, but she learned of and got used to the vessel concept young.

Was taught things like courtly manners, high education, and ruling responsibility, in the assumption that Hallownest would have a future. However she was yet again in an odd position, as a princess who would never inherent a kingdom, and the story of her siring an open secret. Either way, as her sire, the Pale King was expected to be responsible for what happened to her after Herrah was sealed away, and he expected her to live in the palace. (Bring light to the dark, civilize the beasts... etc.)

Hornet hated it. Bright palace vs dark Deepnest. Constricting attire vs the freedom of hatchlings to feel and explore their home. The most comforting thing to her was the dark, still presence of the Pure Vessel, who was often being trained or otherwise unavailable, but their emotional distance didn’t bother her much. She still convinced them to teach her some basic nail techniques. They were familiar and that’s what mattered. Hornet had quite the temper, but learned how to repress herself as part of her courtly manners, even if she didn’t generally do it at that age.

After the sealing, both Herrah and HK - the only people she tolerated - were gone, her surly mood exacerbated. While Hallownest enjoyed a renaissance, Hornet became the weird, dirty girl that coolly tells you the date and time of your death if you look at her wrong, as well as someone who tells you they’re not mad and then breaks plates as soon as you’re out of the room. In an effort to conform, she started not only repressing but closing off some of her emotions - trying not to think too hard about things and focusing mostly on what she can do so she doesn’t boil over. the vessels and PK as a whole became part of this - if Hornet really unpacked her feelings she’d find a lot of rage for PK (her mother’s pointless dreaming, the children slated to die, general shitty fatherhood, the sheer weight of his failures that he imposes on others...) that she ignores because she got used to it.

PK, staking on Herrah’s closeness with the Vespa, sent her off for intensive training at the Hive. Hornet trained for a few years under Vespa and her knight to be, Hive Knight, similar to a boarding school. The constant movement and intense work was good for her mood, and she built up a rapport with Hive Knight - they developed the spikeball weapon together, each with their own twist on it. Hornet’s hot temper became a very, very cold rage that’s nigh-impossible to break.

It’s unclear how the fall of the kingdom went from Hornet’s perspective, but either way, the Radiance came back as the infection, and the hive was sealed off. if she didn’t finish training beforehand, she would have been kicked out - either way, the pale king essentially gave her a patrol (or she offered to patrol and protect the kingdom? or did it of her own accord without his approval?) that she upholds diligently, drawing on Vespa’s training, her mother’s advice, and her own drive for survival.