Grimm Troupe (Lore)

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For the content pack released on 26 October, 2017, see The Grimm Troupe.
For a detailed description of the Grimm Troupe's Quest, see The Grimm Troupe (Quest).

Shadows dream of endless fire,
Flames devour and embers swoop,
One will light the Nightmare Lantern,
Call and serve in Grimm's dread Troupe.
– 'The Grimm Troupe'

The lands of Hallownest are filled by several groups of strange sapient creatures. They occupy various territories around the vast kingdom and developed their own societies and cultures aside from the Pale King's rule.


Table of Contents

BeesFlukesFoolsMantis TribeMosskin TribeMoth TribeMushroom ClanSnail ShamansSoul Sanctum's ScholarsSpider TribeThe Grimm TroupeGodseekers


The Grimm Troupe are a joyous group of travelling performer bugs of various species. Their colour theme is red, and they all wear white masks with vertical splits crossing their eyes.[1] The known members are Grimm, the Troupe Master, Brumm, the accordion player, and Divine, as well as a couple of Grimmsteeds.

In truth, the members of the Troupe are servants to the Nightmare's Heart, a being born from Nightmares,[2] and tied to a perpetual Ritual to sustain it.[3] They travel through dreams wherever an acolyte has set and lit a Nightmare Lantern,[4] but are banished from it if it is destroyed.[5] There, Grimmkin Novices, Grimmkin Masters, and Grimmkin Nightmares travel to harvest Flames of Nightmares and feed them to a Grimmchild.[6] Once the child reaches maturation, the Nightmare King must be killed to sustain the Nightmare's Heart, and then be reborn anew.[7]

The Grimm Troupe enters Hallownest once the Knight has lit the abandoned Nightmare Lantern in the Howling Cliffs, placed by a dead acolyte. They set their tents in Dirtmouth, under the anxious looks of the local inhabitants. There, Grimm offers the Knight to take part in the Ritual, and entrusts them with the Grimmchild.[6] The Knight must guide it through Hallownest and take the Nightmare Flames from the Grimmkin.[6] Grimm also indulges them in a fiery fight for an audience of Grimmkin and rewards them for their performance.

As the Ritual reaches its end, Brumm offers the Knight a choice. Either they complete the Ritual by killing the Nightmare King, or they banish the Troupe from Hallownest by destroying the Nightmare Lantern.[8] Whichever path the Knight takes, the Grimm Troupe vanishes from Dirtmouth. Nymm, an amnesic bug bearing resemblance to Brumm, lingers in Dirtmouth if they were banished.

Gallery


References

  1. Elderbug: Whole structures appearing out of nowhere, dreadful music, horrific masks."
  2. Nightmare King Grimm in Godmaster content Godhome: "Deepest power... the Heart..."
  3. Troupe Master Grimm Dream Nail dialogue: "perfect tool to prolong the heart of Grimm."
  4. Troupe Master Grimm Hunter's Journal entry: "Through dream I travel, at lantern's call"
  5. Brumm: "Let us destroy the anchor, and banish the Master. Never shall he return here again!"
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Troupe Master Grimm: "Your own part is far from over. As the lantern flared your role was cast, our compact written in scarlet fire. [...] Across these lands my kin now spread, harvesting that essence peculiar to my... breed, the flame in dream. Seek my kin; claim their flame and return it to me. [...] My child shall guide you to the flame and gather within itself that burning essence."
  7. Grimmkin Master Hunter's Journal entry: "Burn the father, feed the child."
  8. Brumm: "If you wish to silence this endless song, meet me where it began... But if you wish to continue the Ritual... Mrmm. As long as you do it without regret, I will bear you no hatred."