City of Tears | Hollow Knight Wiki

City of Tears Walkthrough

Entering the City of Tears

The intended entrance to the City of Tears can be found in Fungal Wastes, above the Mantis Village where you would've last seen Hornet. Once obtaining both Mantis Claw and Mothwing Cloak, the player can traverse the parkour section over the bridge in the room Hornet ran in to. There will be two levers along the way that extend the bridge, allowing you to simply walk on it rather than needing to do parkour. Once at the end there will be a statue you can insert the City Crest in to, which will open the giant door ahead. Be warned though, the door will close upon you entering, making escape impossibly until you reach a stag station, or find another adjacent area such as the Royal Waterways. 

Finding a Bench

Now that you're locked in, you'll have no other choice but to continue forward and into the City of Tears. First, we'll look for the first bench. Upon entering the next section, you'll immediately encounter new enemies. First is a Belfly which you'll see clinging on the ceiling, once you're within its range it will open its wings to reveal its infected body and will dash into your direction and onto the surface causing them to explode. 

As you continue moving forward, you'll find a Wandering Husk and Leaping Husk below a section that you can enter at the top. Continue pushing forward since the door is locked at the top section. The next enemy you'll encounter is a Husk Sentry, they can be tricky since they'll charge in towards The Knight and swing their weapon three times while pushing forward. It's best to deal with them by jumping on top and attack by using a downward slash. Once you've killed it, continue going to your right and drop down into the opening where you'll find 1x Husk Hornhead - kill the enemy, proceed to your left and then drop down into the next section.

Upon entering the next section, there will be another Husk Sentry patrolling, drop down, kill it and continue going right and drop down into the opening to find another Husk Sentry. After killing it, walk to your left where you'll find a switch and a lift. Ride the lift then hit the switch that is above you to go all the way down, if you want to check the middle floor, hit the switch on the lift for it to go back up then dash towards the middle floor to find a tablet for you to read.

After reading the tablet, head back down then proceed to your right to find Quirrel sitting on the bench. You can also sit on it to rest, update your map, and to save the game. When you're done resting speak to Quirrel to learn more about a brief background of the City of Tears.

Meet the Nailsmith

From the bench, go to your left and drop down into the next section where you'll encounter a Husk Sentry just below you. Kill it then continue going left, don't ride the lift but instead jump onto the wall and slide down onto the middle level. From here, jump across to the right where you'll find a Husk Hornhead guarding a cache of Geo, kill it and obtain the geo. Once you're done, jump down to the bottom left part of the section where you'll see a sign pointing to your left which indicates the path leading to the Nailsmith. Follow the sign and head into the next section.

From here you'll have to go left until you reach the end. Along the way, you'll encounter enemies such as a Husk Sentry, Vengefly, and Wandering Husk. Once you've reached the end, you'll hear the sound of a hammer pounding on metal which indicates that you're close. Upon reaching the end, wall jump to reach the higher ground and then dash to your right where you'll find the Nailsmith's hut. Enter the hut and speak to him. He will briefly introduce himself and he will offer to upgrade your current weapon, the Old Nail into the Sharpened Nail for 250 Geo. You can upgrade The Nail up to three more levels to increase its damage but the Nailsmith will be requiring a specific number of Pale Ore and amount of Geo - once you're done, retrace your steps and head back to the entrance leading to the Nailsmith.

Memorial to the Hollow Knight

Upon returning back to the entrance that leads to the Nailsmith, head east until you reach the end that leads into the next section. You'll 2x Vengefly, 2x Husk Sentry, and 1x Husk Hornhead along the way. Once you're through, walk a little further and hit the switch to call down the lift. Ride it and go up to find a chest filled with Geo to your left.

After you've acquired the Geo, head back down and continue going east. Before you enter the next section, you'll notice a key slot that requires a Simple Key which unlocks the gate leading down into the Royal Waterways, ignore that for now and head east towards the next section - upon reaching the memorial of the Hollow Knight, a short cutscene will follow where Hornet will appear.

Finding Relic Seeker Lemm

After the cutscene and Hornet's dialogue, retrace your course and head back to the entrance leading to the Nailsmith. Upon arriving, hit the switch to call down the elevator, ride it to go up, then about halfway-up, jump onto the middle platform to your right where you'll encounter another new enemy, a Winged Sentry. Continue going eas then jump onto the elevated platforms and head northwest to find a Hallownest Seal next to a corpse and another Winged Sentry flying above.

Once you've obtained the item, drop back down midway and continue going east towards a Leaping Husk, you'll also encounter another Winged Sentry that is blocking your path leading into the next section, clear the path and continue forward.

Upon entering the section, you'll encounter yet a new enemy called a Heavy Sentry be careful if you try to jump on it since it swings its weapon overhead which deals damage upon contact. After defeating it, continue heading east and then drop down into the bottom exit where you'll see a sign pointing to a shop.

From here, you'll notice that you are back into the section where it has a locked gate that leads into the Royal Waterways. Hit the switch to your left to unlock a shortcut and then go right towards the sign to find Relic Seeker Lemm's shop. Relic Seeker Lemm is a merchant who is searching for rare items, players can sell these rare items to him such as the Wanderer's Journal, Hallownest Seal, and many more in exchange for Geo.

Rescue a Grub

Once you're done with Relic Seeker Lemm, head back up to the entrance and ride the lift all the way to the top. And just about halfway to the top, dash onto the platform to your left where you'll encounter 2x Belfly, bait it out for it to die upon exploding on the surface then jump onto the platform that has yellow substances to obtain 1x Rancid Egg. From here, hang onto the wall to your left and slide down into another platform just below you where you'll encounter another Belfly above you and a Wandering Husk below. Clear out the enemies and collect the Geo inside the chest next to where the Wandering Husk was.

Once that's done, head back down to the 2nd level where you'll encounter 1x Husk Sentry and 1x Heavy Sentry. Clear the path, proceed west, and head to the top which will lead you into another section. Just be careful since you'll encounter another Husk Sentry and a new enemy, a Lance Sentry. The Lance Sentry flies similar to a Winged Sentry but wields a spear where it throws it towards The Knight.

Upon reaching the next section, there will be a Winged Sentry above you and Husk Hornhead below. After killing them, cling onto the wall and head to the top towards where a Lance Sentry is. Kill it then jump onto the platform that has a switch, hit it to unlock the door just below you which will lead you to the other side of the previous room that has locked doors.

Jump down into the next section and hit the switches to unlock the door, you should find yourself back to where you can operate the lift. Continue going right then drop down to the very bottom to find another switch to unlock a door, there will be 2x Vengefly along the path as you drop down. When you're done, head back up the path you just came through and go into the next section.

From here, wall climb and continue going up until you reach a sign of a bench and a lift. Ride the lift up to the 2nd level where you'll find another Grub that is being guarded by a Winged Sentry. Kill the enemy and free the trapped grub.

Finding Cornifer

Once you're done freeing the Grub, head back to the lift and go up. You'll notice paper on the ground which indicates that Cornifer is nearby, proceed to your left and the doors will immediately close where you'll need to kill a few enemies to unlock the doors. The first enemy you'll encounter is a Heavy Sentry followed by a Husk Sentry and Winged Sentry, upon killing them the doors will unlock. From here, go left where you'll see more paper and a bench sign pointing above - climb up the walls and head into the next section.

Now, jump up onto the elevated platforms and go right to find Cornifer. Approach the toll machine first and pay 150 Geo to unlock the bench then speak to Cornifer and pay him 90 Geo for a copy of the map for the City of Tears.

Stag Station: City of Tears

Upon acquiring the map and using the bench, go left into the section where you'll find Zote the Mighty. Speak to him and he'll just complain about the city and about getting wet. Continue going west into the section where you'll find multiple elevated platforms.

From here, jump up onto the platforms and head to the top right-hand side of the section where you can find 1x Simple Key. Just be careful since you'll have to fight a few enemies such as a Winged Sentry, a Lance Sentry, and a Husk Sentry before reaching the top right surface that has the key item - afterward, jump back onto the platforms and head to the top left side of the section where you'll find an exit towards another section.

You should now arrive in a section that has a gazebo-like structure. Before heading to the Stag Station, look to your left where you'll find an item next to a corpse of a bug. Head towards it, kill 3x Wandering Husk and acquire 1x Wanderer's Journal.

Next, head back up and go northeast onto the elevated platforms (there will be 1x Winged Sentry blocking your path) and then east towards the Stag Station sign and into the next section. You should find another Bench that you can use and a toll machine to open the City Storerooms Stag Station for 200 Geo.

A Lift to the Forgotten Crossroads

After unlocking the Stag Station, head back outside and proceed west until you reach the next section. You'll come across another Toll Machine that unlocks a lift for 150 Geo. Pay the amount and you'll be able to use the lift that will take you back to the Forgotten Crossroads.

Acquire a Vessel Fragment

Ride the lift that will take you back to the Forgotten Crossroads. From here, go left into another section and towards a narrow path that has a Leaping Husk, Wandering Husk, and Husk Hornhead. Clear the path then drop down through the path where it has spikes on the wall, you'll encounter more husks below. Once you've killed all of the enemies, go left where you'll find 1x Vessel Fragment sitting on top of an altar. From here, go right until the end, break the wooden support to destroy the ceiling, and head back to where the lift is.

Revisit Charm Lover Salubra

At this point, it is recommended that you visit Charm Lover Salubra's shop before proceeding further into the City of Tears. You can reach her shop by heading all the way to the far east side of the section from the lift. Considering that you have an extensive amount of Geo, use this opportunity to purchase more Charm Notches (prioritize on purchasing Charm Notches) or Charms. Once you're done, head back outside and use the bench next to her shop to save your game before proceeding to the next sub-location, the Soul Sanctum.

 

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Map

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Trivia & Notes:

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