The Resting Grounds - Hollow Knight Wiki Guide - IGN

Focus ResetSkip to contentFind in guideTask SearchChecklistsInteractive MapTable of Contents

Task Search

Checklists Guides Markers VideosSort and FilterNo Results

Checklists

New ChecklistAll ListsMy ChecklistsAllStory ChaptersGrubsBossesMask ShardsVessel FragmentsCharmsSpellsNail ArtsItems and EquipmentStory ChaptersMain StoryGrubsGrubsBossesBossesMask ShardsMask ShardsVessel FragmentsVessel FragmentsCharmsCharmsSpellsSpellsNail ArtsNail ArtsItems and EquipmentItems and EquipmentAll ListsMy ChecklistsHow creative can you get with your first free checklist?Create a free accountAll Interactive Maps and LocationsThe Resting GroundsBy Cameron Woolsey, Brian Barnett, Samuel Claiborn, +32 moreUpdated: Sep 1, 2025 9:32pm UTC

The Resting Grounds is an important spot to visit during your journey through Hollow Knight. This mysterious area houses an ally who'll grant you a tool vital to opening the way to the final encounter. This Resting Grounds walkthrough includes instructions on how to find the Resting Grounds in Hollow Knight, and where you can acquire the Dream Nail.

To learn how to obtain the various Collectibles Hollow Knight has to offer, visit our pages on Charms, Spells, Mask Shards, and more.

• How to Get to The Resting Grounds in Hollow Knight
  • How to Find the Gorgeous Husk Enemy
  • Grub 1 Location
  • How to Enter the locked Geo Chest Room at King's Station
• Where to Acquire the Dream Nail
  • Vessel Fragment Location
• Explore the Resting Grounds
  • Where to Get the Resting Grounds Map
  • Grub 2 Location

How to Get to The Resting Grounds in Hollow Knight

The next location you should visit in Hollow Knight is the Resting Grounds, but getting there requires you to revisit the City of Tears.

To get to The Resting Grounds in Hollow Knight, head right and hit the lever on the elevated platform after defeating the Dung Defender and claiming the Defender’s Crest.

Next, hop down, move below the platform, and use Desolate Dive on the crumbling ground just below.

After reaching the bottom, head right and pick up the King’s Idol, which can be sold to Relic Seeker Lemm for a whopping 800 Geo.

Climb back up the shaft and destroy the wooden bracing on the right. When that's done, head through the hole and into the next area.

Ascend the shaft, wall-jumping against the wall on the left side. At the top, dash to the ledge at the upper-right corner of the screen and enter the doorway to return to the City of Tears.

Once inside, hop up onto the ledge on the left and continue into the next screen. Dispatch the enemies in this area as you move through it, taking the exit on the left.

In the next area, you’ll find a lever. Hit it to unlock a shortcut to and from the earlier sections of the City of Tears.

Head left and you’ll encounter Hornet once again. She will speak of the sacrifice which sustains it and suggest the player seek out the “Grave in Ash.” We’ll get there soon enough, but for the time being, inspect the statue, which bears the likeness of the titular Hollow Knight. It will also add the Black Egg Temple to your map, represented by the head of the Hollow Knight.

Leave the fountain and head right, continuing past the path to Royal Waterways, making your way toward King’s Station.

Along the way, you should make a quick stop or three for items and loot.

How to Find the Gorgeous Husk Enemy

Go To MapHallownest MapIn the city is a rare, hiddenenemy you can take down for a heap of Geo. To find it, enter the area between the Watcher's Spire (right of the Fountain area) and King's Station. Climb up the platforms in front of the large building on the left. On the second platform is a door you can enter.

Inside the room is a small group of enemies. Wipe them out and pause for a moment. You should hear a strange humming with no clear source.

Walk up to the right-hand wall and hop while holding right. You should enter a secret vent.

Take the vent and head right to enter the next room, where you'll find the Gorgeous Husk, a massive, golden bug. Kick its glorious golden butt to gain a hefty sum of Geo.

You'll find another secret in the same area.

Grub 1 Location

Go To MapHallownest MapIn the same area where you found the Gorgeous Husk, left of King's Station, you can locate a trapped Grub. To find it, look for a door you can enter on the building on the right. The door is on the second platform below the top.

Enter the room, guarded by a massive Great Husk Sentry.

This is a dangerous foe, especially in this small space. Use hit-and-run tactics and the Nail Jump to deal damage. Defeat it to rescue the Grub.

Grub 40 - City of Tears

How to Enter the locked Geo Chest Room at King's Station

Go To MapHallownest MapAfter arriving at King's Station, you may notice a room above the entrance to the Stagway with a chest locked behind a door. Here's how to get in.

Drop below the room with the chest and walk toward the entrance to the Stagway, but don't head inside. Stop next to the sign. Just above the entrance is a wall that's tough to see.

Hop onto the wall and wall-climb to the room with the chest above.

Follow the platforms in King's Station up and take the exit on the middle platform of the right side to find a Bench and the second Stag Station in the City of Tears. Pay the 300 Geo to unlock the station.

When you're ready, head left and back out to King’s Station. Ascend the platforms until you reach the top, where you'll find an exit in the ceiling. Head up to reach the area above.

Where to Get the Dream Nail in Hollow Knight

Follow the path up and use the first elevator, then head right and take the second elevator up.

Wanderer's Journal Location

Go To MapHallownest MapLeave the first elevator on the first floor it reaches. Head right to find a Wanderer's Journal in front of a bug corpse.

Vessel Fragment Location

Go To MapHallownest MapBefore continuing to the Resting Grounds past the elevators, you can acquire a Vessel Fragment. After leaving the second elevator, climb up to the top-left corner of the room to find an entrance in the ceiling.

Head inside and enter the room above. Gates slam down, locking you inside, where you must fight many enemies.

Slay all the enemies to unlock the gates on the left and right. Head right to find the Vessel Fragment reward.

Vessel Fragment 3 - City of Tears

Head left until you reach the exit, then take it to enter the next area.

Take the massive lift up, then head left and use the platforms to reach the lever in the upper-left corner of the room. Hop up through the opening and into the next area.

If you need to replenish Soul before heading up, drop to the ledge below the lever and attack the wall to the left. It breaks, revealing a small Soul Totem.

Once above, you'll find yourself under a platform covered in tombs. Interacting with the center tomb gives you the message: "Cursed are those who turn against the King." Mysterious. You can solve this riddle later when you return with the Dream Nail.

Head right and you’ll soon arrive at a platform with three large obelisks set upon it. Hop up onto the platform and you’ll be trapped in a bubble of light. Voices will speak to the Knight before transferring him to the dream realm.

Soon, a glowing figure appears, creating floating platforms for the Knight. Follow them to the right until you reach the end, then speak to the figure to obtain the Dream Nail.

Explore the Resting Grounds

You’ll then awaken and meet a new character, the Seer. The Seer explains that they can empower your new Dream Nail if you bring them Essence, a substance which can be gathered from the small coiled plants (called Whispering Roots) scattered throughout Hallownest. Exit and you’ll discover you have been taken to the Resting Grounds area.

Hop down a level and you’ll find your first Whispering Root. Strike it with the Dream Nail and it will scatter small orbs around the area.

Track them all down and absorb their Essence. When finished, head back up and land on the second ledge from the top on the left side. Continue left and you’ll enter a secret alcove which contains the Dreamshield Charm.

Dreamshield

Where to Get the Resting Grounds Map - Cornifer Location

Cornifer is nowhere to be found in the Resting Grounds. So, where do you get the map for the area? You can get the Resting Grounds map first by heading to the shaft outside the Seer's room and locating the Stag Station on the right-hand side. Enter the station and interact with the note on the ground to the left of the Bench. The letter was left by Cornifer, who invites you to purchase the area map from Iselda at her shop in Dirtmouth.

Return to Dirtmouth via the Stagway and speak with Iselda. Purchase the map for 75 Geo.

Resting Grounds Map

Return to the central shaft, then drop to the bottom and head right. Hop atop the grave, then use Desolate Dive to break through into the caves below the Resting Grounds.

Head right and slash through the damaged wall. Continue right and follow the path. Stop when you reach a wall. Here, hitting the bottom part of the wall reveals a breakable surface. Smash through it!

Beyond the broken wall is a new enemy type called an Entombed Husk. These enemies may seem slow and lazy, but they move deceptively quickly with a forward slash if you get too close. To beat them, walk up, smack them, and then dash away. Repeat this process until you prevail.

Hidden Geo Deposit Location

Go To MapHallownest MapYou can find a chest filled with precious Geo after defeating the first Entombed Husk in the tunnels below the Resting Grounds. After beating the Husk, walk a short distance until the ceiling rises sharply, creating a small dent.

Jump up and slash the ceiling to reveal a breakable surface.

Smash through and hop up, but watch out for the Belfly! Dodge the enemy and look for the chest on a ledge in the room.

Grub 2 Location

Go To MapHallownest MapAs it turns out, the room above the tunnel keeps on giving. After getting the Geo chest, hop across the gap and enter the tunnel. Watch out! There's another Entombed Husk wedged inside.

Kill the Husk and enter the room behind it to find the trapped Grub.

Grub 13 - Resting Grounds

Continue through the tunnel, breaking through damaged walls until you reach the far right side. Keep moving to avoid the spiked pits as you proceed to the right, and eventually, you will find the extremely powerful Soul Eater Charm, which greatly increases the amount of Soul gathered when striking enemies with the Nail.

Soul Eater

Head left and proceed through the rest of the area and break through the wooden bracing at the far left end. This will open a path leading to the City of Tears elevator.

At this point, you've done all you can at the Resting Grounds. You can return to Dirtmouth or the Forgotten Crossroads. Both locations are where you should head next before making your way to the next area, Crystal Peak.

The Resting Grounds Completed

Up Next: Crystal Peak

PreviousDung DefenderNextCrystal Peak

Top Guide Sections

• Walkthrough
• Bosses
• Collectibles
• Items, Equipment, and Upgrades

Was this guide helpful?

Leave feedbackGo to comments