#hunter's mark

“Still only responds to what she wants to,” Tamsin uselessly informs them, flat-toned with a barely hidden smile that also says, but i’m what she wants.

And what does her owner want? The Prince, Ezra doesn’t say aloud.

“Why is she in your lap?” they manage to ask.

“I don’t know,” Tamsin says. “We were chattin’ and I felt bad about leaving her chained to the post.” She rolls her shoulders back, stretching, and pulls a massive, thrice-bitten arm up to ruffle at the vampire’s ruby-red hair. “She’s so warm after feeding.”

“You did what!?” Ezra shouts, their hands convulsing in an electric gesture of sheer-fucking-disbelief before managing to clamp them into fists on their temples. “Tam! If Lucerne comes back from the Eldermoot and sees this-leashed-bitch and that-shit-on-your-arm she’ll fucking kill us both!”

“I don’t know,” Tamsin offers in a smug-salted, doubtful smile, “seemed a whole lot less messy than feeding out of the bowl — and she’s been so good. Two taps when she needs me to pull her off, ‘cos she struggles to herself. Very polite.”

Just to annoy Ezra even worse, she gestures it out — Tap! Tap! — on her arm.

“You think she's imprinted on me?”

“So she’s a stray cat now?” Ezra says, knowing in an instant that Tam is going to—

“Ohh, she’s such a good kitten. Ain’t that right, Red?”

Not much more escapes the pile of leather and frizzy, red hair than low, pleased grumble and the soft scrape of blood-full cheeks rubbing into Tamsin’s half-dressed chest.

Ezra’s hands run from temple-sides down their cheeks, like a squished bagpipe dragging out the last few thimblefuls of air, “I guess. If it helps.”

They’re not able to think of what else could even keep ‘Red’ on her leash, nothing short of the brute-strength that seems futile on a now barely-restrained, blood-full vampire. Marde. She’s one of the Prince’s fledglings too.

But if it is, at this point, all about what ‘Red’ is choosing to do, maybe Ezra can—

“Can I— pet her?”

Tamsin’s eyes lock to her, face still for a few contemplate moments, and then— well, she kind of nod-shrugs.

It’s when Ezra has reached a wrench’s length away that ‘Red’ finally does ‘notice’ them, stirring from her wretched repose to swipe at them; Ezra has to stumble back, falling ass-backward onto the stacked-tire coffee table.

Nothing got scratched, but Ezra can definitely feel their ego bleeding; looking at Tamsin who should be pinning the bitch to the floor, snarling, fur sprouting from claw-to-delt, and is instead pissing herself laughing.

“Don’t think she’s imprinted on you,” she adds, and Ezra is sure the vicious fang-bitch is smiling herself. Probably didn’t scratch me ‘cos she didn’t need to — with Tam playing pet-mom to her. “Gotta let her feed on you first.”

“Oh-ho-ho! Ha! Ha-ha! No chance,” Ezra mutters, twisting their swiped-at wrist in the other hand to soothe the emotional agony of it. “Tam — what if she tries draining you and uses that strength to escape?” 

It’s a perfectly sensible question; one that should point out what a bad idea this is; one that not even Himbo Tamsin should be able to—

“Don’t want to,” interrupts ‘Red,’ boredom effusing into Tamsin’s tits.

“What?” Ezra asks.

…

“Ugh!” they squeal, throwing their arms up in the air. “Tamsin, can you ask her—”

Tamsin merely coos at the fucking beast, rubs one of its dumb cheeks and, “you like it when I keep you, don’t you kitty?”

“Mhmm,” she replies, like once-again Tamsin is the only other person in the room. Ridicule! 

But it crawls into them then, why doesn’t she want to.

“Also,” the vampire adds, as if listening to Ezra’s thoughts more than their words, “the Prince’s current truce is a lie. Doubtless I’m no longer his favourite too, if he’s not bothered to take me back from you guys.”

There’s a roll of Ezra’s eyes that hurts more than an unplanned, full-moon turning, “Oh my god! Then we’ve been hiding a worthless hostage this entire time.”

“I don’t know,” ‘Red’ tells them. “Seemed obvious to me.”

“And you never told us!” Ezra moans, glancing up to Tamsin who’s pathetically infatuated with the attention-whore clamped around her like a bench vice. “So what, nowhere to run now? We would’ve let you off leash at least. The silver one, not this shit.”

“Seems kinda hot to be honest,” ‘Red’ says, and Tamsin hums in satisfied, deferential agreement.

When Ezra stares her down she shrugs, “What? I was comfortable,” and seems to want to send a message back, “Scared a little, okay. And I’m patient. Wanted to see what happened, because again, if he wanted me, a truce — fake-or-not — wouldn’t stop him; and he knows I’m here, for sure.”

There’s a wince now, but she doesn’t stop, “I don’t feel him but— ugh, I’m sure he feels me. Even this far from his ivory tower. Wasn’t really my choice to be there y’know, or any of his ‘princesses.’”

Ezra wishes they were the one borrowing Tam’s jacket, just to hide in it.

Silver chains and a bowl. Next to a mattress you needed Tamsin to find a blanket for. What an asshole, a wonder she doesn’t listen.

Practical feels the best way forward, “So what now? You gonna tell us about some secret attack or plan or whatever it is?”

After a moment they realise, and look to— “Tamsin?”

Tamsin’s got a hand under the girl’s borrowed shirt; fingers nipping at the trim fat, forehead rocking into the top of her head. “You know this sounds awfully dangerous, kitten,” she chimes. “You don’t want the Prince to hurt me, do you? There’d be way less cuddles then.”

‘Red’ takes a moment to weigh the bargain.“Mmm, sure. But I want dinner first.”

---

The Hunter says, in the Journal entry for the Hunter’s Mark:

I have no offspring, nor subjects, nor worshippers. The sum of my being, my learning, my instincts... I leave it all to you. Good luck, Hunter.

He passes on everything he finds to be important about himself. What he finds important, and defines him as a Hunter.

The first part of what he says, though. No offspring, subjects, worshippers. This puts him in direct contrast with the Pale King, who had each of those, and his own mark to pass on. I had to wonder. What manner of being is the Hunter? What status does he have to be able to pass on such a mark? Could he have had such things as subjects and worshippers?

I had to wonder if there was any chance the Hunter was a higher being or god. But it seems pretty clear he has limitations. He calls himself a “mere mortal” in the entry on the Radiance, and thinks those at the Soul Sanctum fools for attempting to attain immortality. It does not seem he qualifies for “god”.

However, when giving Ghost the mark, he says:

You have my mark, and you shall be recognised as one of my rare caste. Fellow Hunter, I have nothing else to give you.

His caste.

That’s a word I’ve seen before in Hollow Knight. I wrote about it in the past. This subject, of rank, of markings, of caste, is something found in Hollow Knight in several places. And, what I found about caste…it’s a word used by biologists:

a subset of individuals within a colony (society) of social animals that is specialized in the function it performs and distinguished by anatomical or morphological differences from other subsets.

In the case of the Hunter’s Mark and King’s Brand, it seems less about form than function. Ghost certainly doesn’t look like the Hunter, and the Pale King has two wildly different forms, presumably carrying the brand in both. Though, the Hunter’s words do highlight that what he gives would make Ghost recognized as a Hunter, something the mark shares with King’s Brand (more on King’s Brand in a bit).

The mark is, as the Hunter says, the sum of his being, learning, and instincts. He recognizes the qualities of a Hunter in Ghost, considering them worthy. In one sense they already have the qualities of a Hunter, the qualities the Hunter prizes, and the mark is giving in recognition of what they already are. But at the same time, he did indicate that the mark would become even more a part of them over time, and they would permanently yearn to hunt. They are gaining something extra. A role passed on.

Even if the Hunter does not have status like a monarch or power like a god, he is able to give something that seems supernatural. Makes me wonder if it originated from him, or if he himself knew a past Hunter that he learned from. Such a thing is unknowable.

(Though my mind still wants to say “or is it!?” XD Like looking at the actual form of the mark, where does it come from? The shape of it doesn’t look like the Hunter, though the tooth(?) that it’s on does look like it could come from what surrounds the Hunter’s face. I have to wonder if there was some being out there once that did look like the form of the mark.)

I examined the Hunter’s Journal, wondering just what from the Hunter would be passed on. There is much in there containing his opinions and musings, on his personality, what makes a Hunter, how the world works, and civilization. How much is part of what would engrave itself into Ghost?

Some entries are just on him enjoying silly things, like playing with his prey. Enjoying how big and round fungoons are, or just finding hwurmps funny. In one case, he seems to recommend gulka venom for getting high.

Many entries are enumerating his values and what makes one a Hunter. He recognizes Ghost on first meeting as a possible Hunter due to their fearlessness, and considers that belfies aren’t much of “prey” with their own fearlessness. He prizes strength. He doesn’t care for things like loyalty (Dung Defender entry). He admires resourcefulness. He seems to have a wonder for the world, and which drives his want to hunt (Fungoon entry). He accepts that he will die one day (Folly entry), wonders what his own insides taste like (Lifeseed entry), and, from his dreamnail dialog when giving Ghost the Mark, hopes that Ghost will try to hunt him one day. He does seem to value self-preservation, but I suppose the hunt is greater than even that to him. He considers everything in the world as potential prey to hunt down, even if it was to be found in the Abyss (Sibling entry).

Many entries have his musings on how the world works. He wonders about things like psychology and biology.

Shrumal Warrior entry: Something queer in the air has caused these mushrooms to grow hearts, minds, and even faces! This means they now fear for their lives, like all other living creatures.

…I just particularly enjoy this entry. I wonder if he thinks he understands more about creatures, their biology, their psychology, he can be a better Hunter. It’s quite possibly true. After all, he will hunt just about anything, including intelligent beings, and their complexity would make it more of a challenge.

Mossfly entry: They spend their whole lives hiding or fleeing. How sad. Or, perhaps that is the life they choose for themselves and they enjoy it? It's a strange thought, but not impossible.

Gorgeous Husk entry: There is beauty in many things. Reflections of light in water, the taste of freshly killed meat, the cry of a hatchling for its mother... I have never understood the lust for metals and stones though.

Shielded Fool entry: That 'Colosseum' is a strange place where some bugs fight each other to the death and others watch. I don't understand such obscure rituals. If you venture in, stay on guard at all times.

There are quite a few who he does not understand the mindsets of, but he seems to try and understand other perspectives even so.

Many of his thoughts stray into the territory of philosophy and metaphysics:

Watcher Knight: When these silent warriors fall in battle, their bodies split open and strange bugs come flying out. I wonder, what will come flying out of me when I die? Will my hopes and fears drift away into the darkness?

Furious Vengefly: The infection that passes from creature to creature grants strength and courage, but it also seems to enslave the will. Would you make such a bargain?

Infected Balloon: The infection creeping through the Kingdom's dead veins... does it have a mind? Does it produce soul? Is it truly alive?

Soul Twister: I have heard others talk about 'soul' but I do not understand what it actually is. I do know that freshly killed meat tastes best - is that because the 'soul' still clings to it?

He doesn’t know the answer to many questions. In fact, I get the impression that he’s had very little in the way of education. I assume, if you’re hunting everything and everyone down, there’s not so much chance of that (though to hear bugs speak of things like soul, sure, I guess he’s had some conversation) (and it’s possible he did learn from a predecessor, if he did get the Hunter’s Mark from someone else). But it’s clear even so that he’s quite observant and thinks frequently about complex subjects.

He has knowledge to give. He has, as he says, his instincts to give.

But, he’s also been quite isolated. Hasn’t had anyone to give his mark to.

Mantis Traitor entry: Belonging to a tribe, or not belonging. I don't really understand what the difference is, or how it works. I have no tribe of my own.

Fungling entry: When I was young, my brothers and sisters and I would hunt each other in the nest. Now I hunt alone.

Maskfly entry: I wonder how it feels to have the protection of a pack?

God Tamer: Some hunters train beasts to join them in chasing down prey. I tried it once, but couldn't resist the urge to test my companion's strength against mine.

He seems to have such a strong desire to hunt that he has not formed much connection with others, or has seemingly just killed those he might have connected with. Some entries talk of the possibilities of having a mate and children:

Flukemarm entry: The desire to breed, to leave behind a memory of ourselves in the shape of a child... it seems to be etched deep into the heart of every living creature. I too have felt the pull of that base instinct.

Primal Aspid entry: How strange that their descendants are so weak. If I have children, I hope they will be stronger than me...

Oblobbles entry: Having a mate by your side... one that will never leave you until death. Strange. No mate has ever come forth to stay by my side...

Whether he’s instead hunted any prospective mates I don’t know, but for whatever reason, this hasn’t happened, and he has no children, even as he seems like he is more on the positive side about the prospect.

In lieu of such, he passes on his Mark to Ghost, recognizing them as Hunter.

One last thing about the Hunter. He rather despises the civilization of Hallownest. He says that “a true Hunter has no home, no kingdom and I'm eager for new prey”, indicating that he will move on elsewhere after Hallownest. But more than that, he thinks civilization has made bugs weak.

Wandering Husk entry: These “civilised” bugs of Hallownest were weak in life and now they are equally weak in death.

Leaping Husk: The bugs of old Hallownest did not hunt their own food, they had it brought to them. That's why they were so weak. That's why their kingdom crumbled into dust and faded away!

Husk Warrior entry: Softened by generations of luxury, these bugs lack claws or armour or venom. Those who wish to protect themselves are forced to fashion weapons from stone, ore or shell.

Gluttonous Husk: As these bugs became wealthier they hunted less and consumed more, eventually taking on a grotesque shape not unlike over-ripe fruit.

Royal Retainer entry: Simple, weak creatures find strength by forming a hive and obeying a ruler. Such creatures become the arms and teeth and claws of their monarch.

Menderbug entry: The bugs of Hallownest were obsessed with building things. What strange little minds they had.

In this way, in my mind, he’s sort of a third option to the main struggle of the game.

The Radiance, infecting bugs, reduces them to “instinct” ….possibly where bugs have their own kind and stick to them, leaving the land full of many smaller peoples. The Pale King attempted “order”, and brought together many peoples, even if it wasn’t fully successful and not without class stratification (whether or not such a thing he wanted I’m not sure. Would he like a single society, but different species holding different roles, like maggots being at the bottom? Hard to say).

The Hunter is utterly isolationist. Hunted his siblings. Will eat intelligent bugs. Hates how civilization makes bugs soft and weak.

He does seem to hold special disdain for the kind of civilization that the Pale King brought. But he didn’t like the sound of the infection either.

Traitor Lord: I have felt that desire. The desire to take the infection into myself. To become stronger, more powerful... these thoughts haunt my dreams during the darkest times. A false hope, but it can burn so brilliantly in one's mind.

How he would have felt about the Radiance before the infection is hard to say. One could say that for anyone considering the Radiance. We don’t know exactly what she was like before, how she ran things with the moths. At the very least, I think the Hunter would like to be strong under his own power. And the kinds of things he says about civilization, as well as everything in him that keeps him isolated, to me does put him at odds with the Radiance’s way of doing things as well.

One grand, organized society…. Several different peoples, separate, according to “nature”… Or, nothing, your own strength, carrying you through to be able to hunt and kill.

There’s not much in the way of civilization left in Hallownest, with the exception of the mantises. With how things are, the Hunter’s ways are unopposed.

…anyway, back to the concept of Marks.

We only know of two such things in the game. Whether or not any other characters have them, such as the Radiance, we never get to see. We have all this information to see what the Hunter’s Mark could potentially bestow to a bearer. How about the King’s Brand?

Despite its importance to the story, there is less information surrounding it. Hornet guards it. She says:

In the City: If, knowing that truth, you'd still attempt a role in Hallownest's perpetuation, seek the Grave in Ash and the mark it would grant to one like you.

Before second fight: Show me you can accept this Kingdom's past and claim responsibility for its future.

After the fight: You could do it, if you had the will. But could you raise your nail once knowing its tragic conception? And knowing yourself?... Then do it, Ghost of Hallownest! Head onward. Burn that mark upon your shell and claim yourself as King.

Hornet emphasizes will, responsibility, acceptance, and the role of perpetuating Hallownest. In a way, this is just as she does do throughout the game. Testing Ghost’s strength. Their will. Revealing to them the past, and the weight of the future. Slowly shifting how she speaks, as Ghost gains the requirements for the Dream No More ending, from perpetuation, to Ghost having the choice to choose the future of the kingdom. The King’s Brand is one step along the way. It’s something she’s been guarding for a long time, presumably. So much so that when the brand is seen by Midwife and the White Lady, they don’t remark on what it means—they instead remark on Hornet.

The King’s Brand is on the “egg” in the cast-off shell. It’s surrounded by a fading seal. Whether the seal was supposed to prevent one from getting the brand is unclear, as it does nothing in its current state. Ghost then is said to be marked by the brand, perhaps on their hand as they hold it out during this.

The Brand allows Ghost to open the door to the Abyss. Beyond that, the game gives you no practical use for it. As noted above, a couple characters remark on Hornet when they see it. There are two other examples of note:

Mask Maker: I see another takes mantle of king? Then grim responsibility that shall bestow.

Emilitia: For just a moment, I mistook a certain quality about you. You seemed almost... regal.

The King’s Brand makes Ghost the new king. This is a status bestowed upon them. With the kingdom as it is during the game? Perhaps it just doesn’t mean much. They’re taking responsibility to choose the fate of the kingdom. That’s the most they can do, and it’s no small task. But beyond that, there aren’t many people left.

The Pale King is already dead by the time of the game. He cannot tell us the meaning of the brand directly, not like the great number of thoughts we can get from the Hunter. But perhaps I overthink it. Something like a monarch is already a fairly well defined role, which would be understood by bugs and us humans who would play the game. It means power and responsibility. And as I said, with so few people, what’s left for Ghost to do? Just to do what they can…to tackle the infection, and choose the fate of the kingdom, as the best they can do for what is essentially already dead.

I still had to wonder if it had the potential to mean something more though. Something like for the Hunter….the sum of the Pale King’s being. What would that mean? Emilitia finds Ghost to have gained a regal quality. Something has changed about them beyond just a door-opening mark. I find myself doubting it’s quite to the same extent as the Hunter though, imparting whatever it might of the Pale King's being. The White Lady says, if Ghost has the completed Kingsoul:

Ahh! So it bears our once-fractured soul, now complete. Such strength, such resolve, such dedication! Is it more than simply a Vessel? I almost feel like I'm once again in the presence of my beloved Wyrm.

Here she remarks upon the Pale King’s qualities. Something about his personality. Qualities that you’d think would serve a ruler well, yes. But, it’s not something they gain with King’s Brand—it’s her reaction to Kingsoul. I would then infer she did not think such things upon noticing them with King’s Brand, which they would have to have acquired before Ghost ever reaches her location the first time, before completing Kingsoul.

The Brand is no doubt of origin from the Pale King, both from its location and its form, with those horns on it. Does it truly share many similarities with the Hunter’s Mark?

I think it does. I think the roles of Hunter and King are of different natures, and that’s what makes what is imparted by the marks different. I do think that the marks may “work”, in whatever magical sense, in a similar way.

The Hunter’s Mark is greatly about a mindset, and the ability to pursue it. Such qualities are attained by Ghost by the time they’ve gotten the mark, and the Hunter certainly had it, in all his notes, and ability to take down such prey in order to get those notes.

A king may have different attitudes. But no matter what, kingship does make one responsible for a kingdom. They have the weight of all the kingdom’s past, whether they want it or not, were a participant in big historical events or not. Kingship puts one in a position to make decisions. And such position, when recognized, may give the bearer authority in the eyes of others. What a king does with all that will vary based on individual. They may be good or bad at it, lazy or determined, corrupt or just, but it will not change the rest of it.

Ghost acquires the King’s Brand under somewhat similar circumstances to the Hunter’s Mark. Their sister guards it, another child of the Pale King (whether or not she had any official authority to do so). They prove to her their will and strength. And with that, she allows them to take the Brand and assume all that it means.

Hallownest comes with many forms of magic. Masks. Charms. Spells. Essence. I find it all interesting, this method of passing on a role, and meanings, knowledge, aura along with it, in the form of a mark. I cannot think that it is anything other than its own unique form of magic. Perhaps something very ancient. Something that doesn’t take extensive study like you might expect for some other types of magic like soul manipulation, or that would necessitate the power of a god.

I don’t know whether the Hunter’s Mark originated with the Hunter we know or not, but the Mark is clearly something he understands well. He knows what it would mean, and what it would do to Ghost over time. Even as he doesn’t know other things like soul.

The Pale King was in easy position to know about all sorts of magic. He had clear mastery of soul, put his palace in the dream realm, created seals, and studied to manipulate void. But the earliest evidence we can see of his use of magic would be the King’s Brand, something that would have been there, a part of him, at the time he exchanged his large form for a smaller one. I would assume he had the mark before then as well. He may very well have been able to use other forms of magic too in wyrm form, sure; we just don’t know what it might have been like.

I don’t really have much more to say. Anything else is veering widely into speculative territory. But it does make me wonder how ancient and powerful such marks could be, if passed down for centuries of millennia, accumulating more knowledge and power over time, according to what role they’re for.

That’s all really.