Since You're Doing Requests, Perhaps Hive Knight? (love Your Art Btw)

What is with the Dreamer's Houses? Herrah's Den

Okay, we can all agree that Team Cherry put a LOT of thought into crafting the backgrounds and environments of Hollow Knight. But why is nobody talking about the designs for the Dreamers' houses?! Especially compared with their base forms?  Well, let's start talking about it!

Herrah

This is Herrah's design:

Herrah is massive compared to several creatures we have come across in Hallownest. While her mask and horns give off sharp and spooky vibes, take a look at her bottom half. It is round and supported by many limbs.

In comparison, Hornet is far slimmer than her mother, which can either come from her father's genes, her age, or lack of nutrition. Herrah, however, is matured in both mind and body. Herrah's body is like a woman's body which has gone through a pregnancy: stretched and curvy. I do not mean it in a demeaning way. No, these are Herrah's battle scars that she wears proudly as Hornet's mother.

Do people think about that when they see Herrah? No.

At first, they are put off by Herrah's sharp horns and six eyes. It is a mental aspect of our brains to associate sharpness with threats. But the roundness in character design is often associated with warmth and approachability.  This Beast is the same person who Hornet called "Mama"; the deadly hunter queen who cuddled her baby.

By the time we meet Herrah within the Dream Realm to strike her, we should already know that she is Hornet's mother and be conflicted about killing her. Herrah's design only adds to the drama as we listen to Herrah's last words "For her…for her…"

Herrah is a Seal but also a Mom and a Queen. And most likely the main reason why anyone writes AUs sparing the Dreamers.

But I have written too much about Herrah. Let us check out her den!

The entrance is carefully spun while the door is framed by metal design not seen in Hallownest, implying that the Weavers know both the arts of metalwork and weaving.

After entering the Beast's Den, you are treated to a large hall. It seemed to have served as a dining hall, meeting hall, and war room in the past. Now, it is solely used to "prank" any visitors.

Both pictures, however, are the only ones that visitors see when they come to the Beast's Den. Unless you count the distorted view you get as you try to peer through the silk before you get eaten.  Now, if you are lucky enough to be seen as a visitor and not future food, you will see the Weavers are crafty and capable in many arts: weaving, metalwork, and war.

Now, apply that to Herrah and you should carefully take a few steps away.

This, however, is what is applied to Herrah based on a public area. It is time to enter the Beast's Den proper.

And immediately you start to have claustrophobia.  Webs everywhere…

Need I say more?

There is light, but it is very soft and in-between. Your lantern must suffice. But for the Weavers and Herrah, the light from the few lamps is more than enough.

Herrah's Den does not seem to be just for her glory alone, however, as several masks are seen.

IMPORTANT! Neither mask belongs to Herrah! The first mask is too round, like one the few Weavers we find alive in Deepnest, while the other is a Stalking Devout as seen by the hole where the mouth would go.

As for their significance, we are unfortunately left without a guide to tell us anything. But if they were in Herrah's Den with such fine art surrounding them, then Herrah wanted these masks there to honor whoever the masks represent. This detail speaks volumes of how Herrah greatly respects those whom she believes are worthy of honor, even if you must to travel into her den to know of her respect.

As for respect, let us see how the Weavers paid their last respects to Herrah as she laid dreaming to protect them all.

First, the room is the most lit in the whole den due to wide array of candles. Second, the webs are everywhere, but the angles framing the space make it far nicer on the eye (unlike the rest of the den. 😬). Herrah herself is laid perfectly centered, framed by two banners hanging. Even her hands are neatly folded in rest. This is no longer Herrah's home; it is her shrine.

Yet it seems that the Weavers are the ones who highlighted the importance of Herrah. The queen, after all, cared more about her people and daughter than herself. Of all the banners hung, the only markings on them are the six eyes of the Weavers, not just Herrah. It is her people's flag, not Herrah's. 

One last thing to mention before moving on to the other Dreamers, is asking Herrah what in goodness gracious is this?!

As it is deep within Herrah's den and there are more pressing questions in Hollow Knight, I have not seen many attempts to answer it. As such, we have literally no idea except for some insight provided by the Fandom wiki. I quote:

Beast’s Den Shrine

"A room located in the west part of the Beast’s Den contains an unknown being. The file names for the sprites in this room refer to the area as a ‘shrine’. Hitting the being with the Nail produces a metallic sound. Hitting it with Spells makes a seal appear over it. It is unclear if this being is the corpse of an ancient bug or a statue.” Taken from the Hollow Knight wiki: Ancient Civilisation - Hollow Knight Wiki.

If this is true, then we found what Herrah worshiped, or at least what she let her people worship within her den. Whatever this thing, it is not Weaver in origin. The seal used on it does NOT match up with the various Weaver seals of protection we see in the rest of the game. Perhaps the Weavers learn how to make such seals and spells by studying this creature? If so, then it shows how Herrah is willing to learn from others to protect her people.

Willing to learn from anyone but Hallownest.

The bench and elevator are destroyed, specifically the ones from Hallownest as seen in their designs. It is not that Herrah does not like benches, but that she doesn't like Hallownest. See proof below.

The Bench design here fits far better with the Weaver metalwork than the broken bench in the Stag Station. 

Herrah will use Hallownest to benefit her people, but it will always be on her terms.

Even the existence of the Stag Station is to further trade to increase power and influence for the Weavers while lowering the risk to them. Pro-Hallownestian or Pro-Weaver, you must admit that Herrah acts like a queen should, forever serving her people.

And that is all I could find! If you have any thoughts or questions, comment or reblog down below!

This is a part series to see if I can fit everything in. I hope you enjoyed Herrah's den!

Part 2.0: Monomon's Archives: Here

Part 3.0: Lurien's Spire

Part 3.5: More of Lurien's Spire

Link to essay on Ao3: Here

me, the motherfucker with over 50 abandoned works in progress: i have an idea

(PK) - Queen of beasts ! Come and join our grand and luxurious kingdom of Hallownest !!!

(HERRAH) - I DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOUR STUPID FUCKING SHINY BUG-SONA GET THE FUCK OF MA HOUSE

(for the art request) Reigen Arataka :3 ?

Ok let's do this !

Last song : Sur la planche 2013 - La femme

Relationship status : THE ARO ACE ARE TAKING OVER THE WOOOOORLD

Sweet/Savoury/Spicy : sweet I guess

Fav color : uuuh somebody called me a schtroumpf today sooo.... blue ?

Last movie/TV : I watched "the light house" not so long ago and I definitely recommend this horror movie, only if you are tolerant to; disturbing imagery, confusing attitude/story line, gore, sex, violence, abuse of alcohol, killing, representation of lonelyness and mental illness.

Last thing I googled : Google translate, for this post

Current obsession : it has been 2 years of Hollow knight and it gonna keep going fuckeeeeeeeeeeeeers

Time to tag !

@ashcoveredtraveler @chaotic-cheese-blog @habyie @dawnbreak-daily @zefir-crow @theanonymousmystery @pebblerosegamer @progenycursed @foileadeux

I think I'm missing a few persons so feel free to reblog even if you were not tagged !

❤️

NINE PEOPLE TO GET TO KNOW BETTER

i was tagged quite long ago by @chrisoels, and then here by @annahamiltonsstuff. thank you both for thinking of me!

Last Song: „Soldat“ by ok.danke.tschüss

Relationship status: uh. aromanticism

Sweet/savoury/spicy?: savoury or sweet

Favourite colour: i can never choose, too many colours are pretty.. but i generally tend to gravitate to cooler, muted tones

Last movie/TV show: oof, i... cannot remember when the last time i watched a show or movie was. ig i've been watching bits and pieces of "Das fliegende Klassenzimmer" (2023) for my translation, but i don't think that counts

Last thing I googled: "savoury". cause i wanted to make sure i was right about what that meant

Current obsession: big into das fliegende klassenzimmer and die drei fragezeichen atm, that's what the autism has latched onto

@toast-jpg @is-this-taken-too-questionmark @cnka @michameinmicha @chucklepea-hotpot @kingbratwurst @all-chickens-are-trans @mondfahrt @lalalenii

and some people im mutuals with but genuinely do not know all that well; @isthishowyouuseablog @charliespringverse @allwehearisradiosilence

A golden retriever boyfriend with his giant terrifying owl girlfriend

UGHH the pain of being europeen ....

Expect me to be up at midnight waiting for this bitch to drop...

the struggle is real

in case someone's interested in the pic in the background, that was old handmade meme