The Rise and Fall of Hallownest The Pale King and the Radiance: Before Hallownest, the Moth Tribe worshiped the Radiance, a god of light and dreams. When an ancient Wyrm transformed into the Pale King, he granted the bugs of the land sapience and language. The Moths eventually abandoned the Radiance to worship him, causing the forgotten god to become vengeful. The Infection: The Radiance began appearing in the dreams of the kingdom's citizens, poisoning their minds and turning them into mindless, orange-leaking "infected" husks. The Vessel Plan: To contain the Infection, the Pale King and the White Lady created the Vessels—millions of offspring born in the Abyss and hollowed out by the Void. Hollow Knight's Story and Lore Explained Who Are The Dreamers In Hollow Knight? Sad Hidden Lore Details From Hollow Knight The Sacrifice of the Hollow Knight The Pure Vessel: The King searched for a "pure" vessel with "no mind to think, no will to break, no voice to cry suffering". He chose one—the Hollow Knight—and sealed it within the Temple of the Black Egg to act as a cage for the Radiance. The Three Dreamers: To ensure the seal was never broken, three prominent figures—Lurien the Watcher, Monomon the Teacher, and Herrah the Beast—agreed to fall into an eternal slumber as additional seals. The Failure: The Hollow Knight was not truly hollow; it had developed an "idea instilled"—an emotional bond with its father—allowing the Radiance to eventually leak back out and destroy the kingdom. The Knight’s Journey The protagonist, simply known as The Knight, is another discarded Vessel that escaped the Abyss and left Hallownest, only to be drawn back years later by the cries of its failing sibling. Guided by Hornet—the daughter of the Pale King and Herrah—the Knight must decide whether to replace the failing Hollow Knight or find a way to destroy the Radiance forever.