Brumm

Brumm is a member of the Grimm Troupe. Although he initially encourages the Knight to search for flames for the Grimmchild, he begins having second thoughts about the Ritual later on.He has a stout body, and although he is shorter than Grimm in height, he is quite robust. He has thick, fingerless arms, which feature a pattern of alternating light gray and dark gray lines. He wears the traditional mask of the Troupe, and his figure seems to have two horns that blend with the dark gray of his skin. He wears a sort of furry cloak, or rather red fur, that completely covers his neck. He always carries an accordion, which is actually a large, fat larva used as an accordion.Physically, he presents himself as a large insect with a thick and curved body, covered on its upper part by dense, dull scarlet or reddish fur that surrounds his neck like a scarf. His face is hidden behind the company's characteristic pale, elongated mask, which features two dark eye slits, giving him a perpetually somber expression. Regarding his personality, despite initially appearing as a submissive and loyal servant to Master Grimm, Brumm possesses a deep moral compass and a spirit weary of bondage. Unlike other members who blindly revere the Ritual of the Nightmare's Heart, he experiences tremendous guilt and internal conflict, understanding that their collection of flames profanes fallen realms. This compassion and his desire to break the eternal cycle of servitude lead him to take a highly courageous stance, going as far as secretly betraying his master by offering the Knight the opportunity to banish the company, thus freeing everyone involved from their invisible chains.

The History of Hallownest: The kingdom of Hallownest prospered under the rule of the Pale King, a mystic being who granted mind and will to the insects, expanding a brilliant civilization over the ruins of an ancient moth deity known as the Radiance. However, the Radiance did not completely disappear; she began to manifest herself in the dreams of the inhabitants through an orange plague that erased their free will and turned them into wild beasts. In a desperate attempt to contain the infection, the monarch used a substance called Void to create thousands of artificial, emotionless beings, finally choosing one of them to be the perfect vessel: the Hollow Knight. This being was enchained and sealed in the Temple of the Black Egg by three Dreamers who acted as magical locks. Unfortunately, the plan failed due to a subtle emotional impurity within the vessel, causing the plague to leak and the kingdom to completely collapse. Centuries later, a small Knight, another of the king's discarded children, returns from exile, drawn by the call of the dying kingdom. Through their journey across forgotten caverns and ruined cities, the protagonist absorbs the souls of the fallen, defeats the three Dreamers, and decides the fate of Hallownest, either by taking the place of the corrupted vessel or by directly destroying the Radiance in the dream realm to eradicate the infection forever.

Troupe Master Grimm: Troupe Master Grimm is both a quest NPC and boss introduced by the Grimm Troupe in Hollow Knight. He is the main character behind his quest. Nightmare King Grimm is his Dream form.Grimm is the master of the Grimm Troupe, a mysterious travelling circus. In truth, Grimm and his Troupe travel from the Nightmare Realm to wherever the Nightmare Lantern has been lit by acolytes. They gather Nightmare Flames from ruined lands to fuel the sinister being enslaving the Troupe, the Nightmare's Heart.Their ritual to feed the Nightmare's Heart consists of feeding first a Grimmchild with Nightmare Flames. They then slay the Nightmare King for it to be reborn anew through the Grimmchild.Grimm and his Troupe set up tents in Dirtmouth as soon as the Knight has lit the Nightmare Lantern. Inside the main building, Grimm appears to them in a show of red light and smoke. The Troupe Master is aware that the Knight called them with the Lantern and offers them the choice to participate in their Ritual. He then gives them the Grimmchild and entrusts them to collect the Nightmare Flames gathered by his Grimmkins throughout Hallownest.With each set of three Flames gathered, Grimm has the Grimmchild consume them to grow. After the second set, the Troupe Master tests the Knight's strength in a fiery, theatrical battle, in preparation for their confrontation with the Nightmare King. He also rewards them with a Charm Notch.After collecting the third set of Flames, Grimm can be found sleeping in his quarters. As such, he is ready for the Knight to use the Dream Nail on him and enter the Nightmare Realm. If they successfully slay the Nightmare King, the Ritual is completed, and the Troupe leaves Hallownest before the Knight wakes up. The Troupe also disappears if the Knight helps Brumm banish them instead of facing the King.Grimm: In his regular appearance, Grimm is a slender dark being covered by a multicolored cloak, with a gray exterior and a red interior. His face is pale with red eyes, and underneath his cloak, his body is scaled and red. As the Nightmare King, Grimm's body turns entirely red, with his cloak having a maroon color. His face remains pale and his limbs remain black. In his staggered form, Grimm resembles the Grimmchild's third form, only his eyes are glowing red and the rest of his body is black.Grimm, throughout all of his interactions with the Knight, remains polite and respectful, bowing in shows of respect to them on several occasions. He is dedicated to the part he plays in the Ritual, and has a flair for theatrics, keeping with his persona of the leader of a traveling troupe. He views battle as a form of dancing and in combat shall unleash moves that cause his always nearby audience to cheer.His respect extends to the Godseeker, for when summoned to do battle with the Knight before her, he shall again bow towards her. Dreamnailing him shows Grimm is in fact delighted to be in Godhome, viewing it as a pleasure to take part in the Godseeker's quest to find the strongest creature in Hallownest.