The Grimm Troupe DLC introduces a secondary questline — the Grimmchild charm, obtained through finding the Troupe’s tents hidden in specific areas of Hallownest, and upgraded by completing five ritual fights against Nightmare creatures. The ritual fights are found throughout the game in locations that have no marker until the first flame is lit.
The questline has two outcomes: completing the ritual summons the Nightmare King Grimm, a boss fight widely considered one of the hardest in the game. Alternatively, the questline can be ‘banished’ — completed without the final fight by pursuing a different path that removes the Troupe from Hallownest permanently.
The banished outcome changes the Grimmchild charm’s final appearance and functionality. Banished Grimmchild does not grow through the ritual but through alternate means, and the charm’s description changes to reflect what happened. The two charm variants are the only items in the game that are mutually exclusive based on a questline choice.
What the Grimm Troupe’s lore reveals about Hallownest is extensive but indirect: the Nightmare Realm predates Hallownest’s founding. Grimm has collected essence from dying civilizations for cycles that may include previous iterations of the world the main game takes place in. The Troupe’s harvest ritual is not unique to Hallownest — it happens everywhere, always, at the end of every civilisation that burns.
Stumbled across this on a late-night session and couldn’t believe it. Your explanation finally made it click.
The attention to detail the developers put into this is insane. Most players will never see it but it makes the world feel so much richer.