| When attempting to leave Pharloom for the first time while in Acts 1 or 2 |  These sands mark the edge of Pharloom's territory. I was brought to this land through the caverns beyond.
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| Trying to leave Pharloom again while in Acts 1 or 2 | I cannot yet leave this land. Until I slay its source, this kingdom's hunger for me will never abate.
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| When attempting to leave Pharloom for the first time while in Act 3 | If I chose to head beyond, I would abandon Pharloom to a collapse of my making.
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| Trying to leave Pharloom again while in Act 3 | I will not flee. I cannot abandon the kingdom to a collapse of my making.
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Blasted Steps
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The Blasted Steps are a stormy, ruined desert area in Hollow Knight: Silksong. Located on the western edge of Pharloom, the Blasted Steps are the final path up to the Grand Gate and entrance into the Citadel.
Description
The Blasted Steps are the highest point of Pharloom's midlands, marking the western border between Pharloom and the Wasteland surrounding the kingdom. Composed of natural caves, a path has been carved for the pilgrimage, turning these caves into the steps at the foot of the Citadel. Strong winds and sand from the Wasteland continually batter the Blasted Steps, eroding much of the old construction. The sand that composes much of the areas floors are constantly passed through by deadly Sandcarvers, who pop out whenever they detect nearby life.
Compared to surrounding areas, the Blasted Steps are a significant leap in terms of difficult platforming. Through the caverns, strong winds periodically blow through to the east, diminishing the effectiveness of the Drifter's Cloak. The vertical nature of the Steps demands more involved use of the Cling Grip, and numerous hanging bells requiring several Needle-bounces to scale the area. Inside the pit, many gilded cages hang down from the ceiling, several of which extend down as far as the gap between Mosshome and the Wormways.
The main landmark of Blasted Steps is a huge pit in the centre-east, which vertically spans almost the entirety of the areas height. At the bottom is a bridge destroyed by Hornet in the game's opening cutscene, where the pit extends down into Bone Bottom. In a fashion similar to Moss Grotto, the initial path through the Steps weaves around this gap, starting to it's left, passing through it to a section at it's right before weaving up to the roof of the pit.
A path extending west from the pit leads to an area pervaded by coral, where the Great Conchflies appear to reside. Past the two mates is the far western edge, where the Pinstress resides in her floating home. Platforming above her home using Clawline leads to the neighbouring Sands of Karak, from where two other shortcuts back into the Steps can be opened.
One of the shortcuts to Karak is located nearby the top of the huge pit, in a vertical room that leads to multiple other, mostly small, rooms. From top to bottom: a dark room focused around small nest of Squirrms; a settlement of Snitchflies, where Grindle sets up shop, that requires Faydown Cloak to access; the path to the pit, which contains a Bellway; and a long hallway leading to Lumble the Lucky.
At the peak of the Blasted Steps is the entrance to The Citadel, blocked by the Grand Gate. This gate can only be unlocked by ringing five bells scattered around Pharloom, and is guarded by the Last Judge, who is the final challenge before the Citadel. Once this gate is open and the Last Judge defeated, the Flea Caravan moves into her arena after twelve Fleas have been saved.
If Hornet attempts to leave Pharloom by crossing the Wastelands border, she has unique dialogue with herself:
History
Once part of the area now known as the Sands of Karak, the land bordering the Wasteland was vibrant and flowing with rivers of water.[1] Corals scaled the wall and floor during the land's prime, supplied by water falling from the Coral Tower.[2] When this water dried up, the area eventually became a desert, with the only remnants of its past being dried coral.
With the creation of the Citadel at Pharloom's summit, the area below the Order of Karak's home was turned into the Blasted Steps. Simple bugs are compelled to take on a pilgrimage to reach the Citadel, believing the massive structure calls to them.[3][4] The Blasted Steps act as the final hurdle of the pilgrimage, their ascension necessary to reach the Grand Gate.
Preventing the sinful from entering the sacred Citadel are the Judges; aged Squirrms tasked from birth to guard the Steps.[5] On the path of the steps, pilgrims judged to be sinful are killed by the Judges.[6][7] The Last Judge who guards the Grand Gate is the final arbiter of the steps, having likely stood for countless generations to ensure that only the sinless ever passed through the Grand Gate.[8][9]
How to Access
The Blasted Steps are accessed from the west of Shellwood, going west from the Bench near the Bellway Station. Cling Grip is required to enter the area.
Area Features
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Magnetite Dice
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Mask Shard x 1
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Memory Locket x 1
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Craftmetal x 1
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Flea x 1
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Silkeater x 1
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Beast Shard x 1
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| Text | Tablet | Location |
|---|---|---|
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Pilgrim |
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Bug born of Pharloom. You have been chosen. |
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I have departed to scale Pharloom's frigid mount. If any bug exists brave enough to match my pin's fatal resolve, then climb and face me upon its stormward side. |
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Gallery
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Bellway Station
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Lower Toll Bench
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Upper Toll Bench
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Great Conchflies Arena
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Last Judge Arena
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Carriage
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Grindle Hideout
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Pinstress Hut Outside
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Pinstress Hut Inside
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Entry to Pharloom
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Entry to Pharloom (Act 3)
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Squirrm Room Entrance
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Squirrms singing along Hornet
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Squirrm Room Shardbeast
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Garmond and Zaza (Act 3)
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Hornet's captors passing through the Blasted Steps
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Pre-release screenshot
Trivia
- Originally, the Blasted Steps were part of the cut Red Coral Gorge area, allowing early screenshots to possibly showcase what the Blasted Steps canonically looked like in its prime.
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Pre-release screenshot
Names in Other Languages
| Language | Name | Meaning/Explanation |
|---|---|---|
 Brazilian Portuguese
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Degraus Devastados | Destroyed Steps |
 French
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Marches Érodées | Eroded Steps |
 German
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Gesprengte Stufen | Blasted Steps |
 Italian
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Gradini Distrutti | Destroyed Steps |
 Japanese
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暴風の石段 Bōfū no ishidan |
Stone Steps of Storm |
 Korean
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풍화된 계단 Punghwadoen gyedan |
Weathered Stairs, 풍화된 can literally be translated as "transformed by wind". |
 Russian
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Подточенные ступени Podtočennye stupeni |
Eroded Steps |
 Simplified Chinese
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蚀阶 Shí jiē? |
Eroded Steps |
 Spanish
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Escalones Ajados | Eroded Steps |
 Internal name
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JUDGE_STEPSCORAL_STEPS
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Red Coral Gorge's Coral Steps was an earlier name and concept for Blasted Steps |
References
- ↑ Sands of Karak Lore Tablet: "Coral sways, clear water flows, upon our river free of time."
- ↑ Sands of Karak Lore Tablet: "At water's source, and coral's heart, our lord born last to rule."
- ↑ Aged Pilgrim dialogue: "Might have taken me a beat to build the courage, but I can feel it, closer now... the Citadel calling me up."
- ↑ Hornet dialogue with Pilby: "Your life is your own, and need not be squandered at the ghostly call of the Citadel."
- ↑ Lore Tablet in Blasted Steps: Bug born of Pharloom. You have been chosen.
May our Citadel's holy gilding harden your soft shell.
Stand eternal as our arbiter, that no bug bearing sin shall step within our sacred halls. - ↑ Judge Hunter's Journal entry: "They remorselessly eliminate any pilgrim or passerby deemed impure to their sight."
- ↑ Last Judge Needolin dialogue: "Only the pure may pass! Smite the sinners!"
- ↑ Last Judge Hunter's Journal Entry: "Final arbiter of the Blasted Steps, tasked to ensure only the sinless ever step beyond the Grand Gate.
- ↑ Last Judge Hunter's Journal Entry: "The huge Judge likely stood through countless generations, never defeated, never wavering in their charge."