The Cradle

Connection	Cogwork Core
Music
Ambience	Atmos Citadel Outside Cave Atmosphere Misc. 3 Silk Cradle Beat (Act 2) Silk Cradle Beat Distant Loop (Act 2) Atmos Crumbling World (Act 3)
Main	Ambient Silk (Act 2) Ambient Silk Escalates (Act 2) (Starts during the climb) Ambient Silk Tension SUB (Act 2) (Starts during the climb)

Head on. Climb up, up and away. You've earned your audience with the divine.

– Lace

The Cradle is an area in Hollow Knight: Silksong. It is the highest peak of Pharloom, the crown of the Citadel, and where Grand Mother Silk lies.

Description

Entrance to the Cradle

The Cradle is an area located above the Citadel in which Grand Mother Silk resides, asleep. Below her, there is an area which contains several cages that were used to capture descendants of the Weavers, similar to how Hornet was captured at the beginning of the game. The Cradle also features a small field of white flowers, where Lace guards the Citadel lift's rise to the top.

When Act 3 is initiated, Hornet awakens in the Cradle after it is destroyed by the Void, with only her Hunter Crest, Silkspear ability, and no Tools to aid her escape. Rubble blocks many paths that were once open to her, and she returns to Pharloom through a newly-opened side path that circumvents the destroyed upper Cogwork Core.

Returning to the ruined Cradle requires the Silk Soar ability, acquired from the Abyss. Ascending to its peak where Grand Mother Silk was once fought allows Hornet to obtain the Pale Nails skill by binding Grand Mother Silk's cut arm that is left in the area.

History

The Cradle was built by the Weavers as a place to keep Grand Mother Silk in slumber.

How to Access

^{[This section is missing one or more images]} The Cradle is accessed from the Cogwork Core after learning the Conductor's Melody, Architect's Melody, and Vaultkeeper's Melody. Playing the Threefold Melody in the area where the Cogwork Dancers were defeated summons the lift to the Cradle. The lift takes Hornet to an arena for a rematch with Lace, after which the rest of the Cradle is open to exploration.

The peak of the Cradle is where Hornet can challenge Grand Mother Silk and reach one of the endings to Act 2.

Area Features

Characters Caretaker

Enemies None Bosses Lace Grand Mother Silk

	Silkeater x 1
	Pale Nails
	Silk Heart dropped by Lace

Text	Tablet	Location
Due to unacceptably high injury and unsanctioned deaths, Ventrica travel shall henceforth be denied to all. For Pharloom eternal, a bug who serves must never die.?
Weaver, in eighth part, last of their line, frail with age. Tracked and taken in Sandsea Waste. Seven Choristors, nine Envoys lost to task.?
Weaver, in eighth part, last of their line, mortally wounded. Tracked and taken in the Blackbarrens. Four Choristors, one Reed lost to task.?
Weaver, in quarter part, last of their line, staked to service. Tracked and taken beneath the City of Steel. Eight Choristors, twelve Envoys lost to task.?

Sub-area: Nameless Town

Unofficial map by esau
Connection	Wasteland
Music
Ambience	Cave Atmosphere Misc. 3 Cave Atmosphere Misc. Atmos Crumbling World Atmos Lonely Planes Wind
Main	Weaver Experiment 2 (During the climb up)

In Act 3, a secret area above the Cradle is accessed by using Silk Soar near the point where Hornet can obtain Pale Nails. The area above, known as the Border Caves, contains a single Bench and no map, and is a challenging platforming gauntlet lined with spikes. Completing this ascent puts Hornet at the Nameless Town located on the Surface above Pharloom, which is also the final location to speak to Mister Mushroom for the Passing of the Age wish. The passage and the town also have a few enemies not found anywhere else in Pharloom, and there is a shortcut that links back to the Bench for a convenient return trip.

If Hornet attempts to leave Pharloom from this location, she has a unique monologue with herself:

Dialogue When attempting to leave Pharloom for the first time Out there lie the endless wastes... If I cross them now, Pharloom shall fall to a black fate of my making. My choice is made. I will not abandon its bugs to that grim end. I must descend again, and cut them free. Trying to leave Pharloom again My choice is made. I cannot leave. I must descend again, and see Pharloom freed.

Characters Mister Mushroom

Enemies Pharlid Pharlid Diver Garpid Imoba Skrill

Surface Memento

Special Rooms

Terminus

The Terminus is a Ventrica station that can be travelled to without needing to be unlocked first. Before Lace is defeated, it is locked from the outside and is effectively a dead end. Traversing the Cradle to its southeast corner allows Hornet to clear away the rubble that obstructs access to the Terminus, providing a convenient Bench and fast travel route to and from the Act 2 boss.

During Act 3, the Terminus is cut off from the rest of the Cradle by debris.

Gallery

• 

  Terminus Bench

• 

  Cages Room Bottom

• 

  Cages Room Top

• 

  Lace Arena (Act 2)

• 

  Lace Arena (Act 3)

• 

  Grand Mother Silk Arena

• 

  Border Caves Bench

• 

  Nameless Town

• 

  Surface Memento Location

• 

  Promotional art

• 

  Silksong reveal trailer

Names in Other Languages

Language	Name	Meaning/Explanation
Brazilian Portuguese	O Berço	The Cradle
French	Le Berceau	The Cradle
German	Die Wiege	The Cradle
Italian	La Culla	The Cradle
Japanese	揺り籠 Yurigo	Cradle
Korean	요람 Yolam	Cradle
Russian	Колыбель Kolybel'	Cradle
Simplified Chinese	摇篮圣所 Yáolán shèng suǒ?	Cradle Sanctuary
Traditional Chinese	搖籃聖所 Yáolán shèng suǒ?
Spanish	La Cuna	The Cradle
Internal name	CRADLE

Nameless Town

Language	Name	Meaning/Explanation
Brazilian Portuguese	Aldeia Sem Nome	Village without a Name
French	Village Sans Nom	Village without a Name
German	Namenlose Stadt	Nameless Town
Italian	Città Senza Nome	City without a Name
Japanese	名もなき町 Na mo naki machi	Town without name
Korean	이름 없는 마을 Ireum eomneun maeul	Village without Name
Russian	Безымянный город Bezymjannyj gorod	Nameless City
Simplified Chinese	无名镇 Wúmíng zhèn?	Nameless Town
Traditional Chinese	無名鎮 Wúmíng zhèn?
Spanish	Aldea sin Nombre	Village without a Name
Internal name	ABANDONED_TOWN

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