Silksong's 'Garb of the Pilgrims': My Unofficial Guide to Not Losing Your Shirt (or Rosaries) Early On
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Dive into Silksong's 'Garb of the Pilgrims' quest, mate, because this isn't just about collecting fancy shawls; it's your ticket to an early stash of safe rosaries, saving you from losing your hard-earned cash to Pharloom's many hazards.
Right, so listen up, fellow adventurers, because after what feels like a millennium of waiting (and a few questionable attempts to hack into Team Cherry’s dev build – purely for research, you understand!), *Hollow Knight: Silksong* is finally out there, weaving its magic. And honestly, it’s a proper labyrinth, isn't it? Like trying to untangle a particularly stubborn ball of yarn after a spell gone wrong. But that’s half the fun, eh?
I've been tinkering with this new world of Pharloom, trying to figure out which bits are genuinely game-changing and which are just... well, just *there*. And something's caught my eye, a little quest called 'Garb of the Pilgrims.' Now, on the surface, it might sound like collecting fancy dress-up clothes for your Hornet, but fair dinkum, this one's a proper early-game game-changer if you play your cards right. It's all about snagging a hefty stack of rosaries before you even properly get your bearings. And who doesn't love early game riches, especially when the alternative is losing your hard-earned cash to some random spike pit? Sound familiar, mate? Thought so.
See, rosaries in *Silksong* are your currency, much like Geo in the original *Hollow Knight*. And just like Geo, if you go and get yourself smacked around by some oversized bug and then can't make it back to your shade... poof, gone. A proper gut punch, that is. But this 'Garb of the Pilgrims' quest? It's like finding a secret stash of treasure *and* a magical piggy bank to keep it safe. It lets you stack up 120 rosary beads, all tucked away in a neat little Rosary Necklace, safe from the clutches of those pesky death penalties. That’s why it’s not just a filler quest; it’s a strategic move, almost like unlocking a super-buff early on.
Now, where do you even pick up this sartorial scavenger hunt? You'll want to head to Bone Bottom – yeah, not the most glamorous name for a village, but what're you gonna do? There's a quest board there, freshly built by a helpful (and rather busy) bug named Flick the Fixer. I reckon Flick’s probably got a side gig in reality construction, given how often these things just *appear*.
My own experience saw the board unlock after I’d given the Bell Beast boss in The Marrow a good thrashing. Bloody big brute, that one. But apparently, some clever blighters have managed to get it even sooner, just by resting on a bench southwest of the Bell Beast, west of where you first bump into Shakra. It's a bit of a trick, this, finding the right sequence. Like trying to cast a spell with a dodgy incantation – sometimes it works, sometimes you just get smoke. To find that bench, zip west from the Bell Beast, drop down after you pass some Pilgrims, then hang a right. Presto! Bench unlocked.
And while unlocking it early is snazzy, I'm still firmly in the camp that says defeating the Bell Beast first is a solid plan. Why? Because that bad boy unlocks the fast travel system. And trust me, when you're on a mission to collect glowing bits from grumpy bugs, zipping around Pharloom like a digital wizard on a skateboard is a whole lot better than hoofing it. It’s all about efficiency, isn’t it? Work smarter, not harder, as my old digital mentor used to say.
Alright, quest picked up, ready to roll. Your mission, should you choose to accept it (and you should, mate), is to snag 12 Pilgrim Shawls. These aren't just lying around waiting for you, though. Oh no. You need to relieve certain... *Pilgrims* of them.
Now, who are these "Pilgrims"? They're not your average background critters, mind. These are the slightly larger, more sentient-looking enemies that already drop rosaries when you defeat them. Think of the poison-spewing snails – those little green menace factories. Or the jumping bugs that look like they’re trying to give you a hug, but it’s actually more of a deadly tackle. And then there's the jumping-and-rolling types, basically sentient bouncy balls of doom. The good news is, once you've officially got the 'Garb of the Pilgrims' quest active, these very same Pilgrims will *also* start dropping those much-coveted Pilgrim Shawls when you send them back to the ether.
You'll encounter Pilgrims all over Pharloom, no doubt. But if you’re anything like me, you don’t just want to *eventually* finish a quest; you want to *optimise* it. You want to find that sweet spot, that magical loop where the loot practically falls into your lap. And for Pilgrim Shawls, that sweet spot is back in The Marrow, close to where you (hopefully) walloped the Bell Beast.
Head west of the boss lair, and you'll find a good concentration of these Pilgrim chaps. The real wizardry here comes with that resting bench I mentioned earlier. Remember that spot? Use it. Go to the bench, rest, then go slay the Pilgrims in the adjacent room. Collect your Shawls. Then simply return to the bench, rest again, and *poof* – they've respawned! It's like finding a glitch in the Matrix, but a good one! This little loop means you can rack up those 12 Shawls in no time flat.
To get there efficiently from Bone Bottom (especially if you've got fast travel), just zip over. If you're hoofing it, walk east into The Marrow, jump up in that big room with the disappearing platforms, and exit top-left. Keep heading west, past where Shakra used to be (poor bloke, always moving), past that useful resting bench, and into the room on your left. There they are, your Pilgrim Shawl donors, waiting to be... persuaded. Once you’ve got your dozen, hot-foot it back to the quest board in Bone Bottom to claim your prize.
So, what’s your bounty for all this bug-bashing and shawl-snatching? A shiny new Rosary Necklace, packed with 120 rosary beads. Now, here’s where a bit of clever thinking comes in. You *can* select this item in your inventory and "break" it, instantly adding those 120 rosaries to your loose currency. But hold your horses, mate!
Remember what I said about losing loose rosaries when you croak? Well, this Rosary Necklace? It's like a magical safe deposit box. It stays with you, even if Hornet takes an unfortunate tumble into the abyss. So, the smart play, the truly wizardly move, is to keep that necklace intact until you are absolutely, positively ready to spend those beads on something specific. Whether it’s an upgrade, a charm, or just bragging rights, wait until you’re at a shop with a clear purchase in mind. That way, you’re not risking a potential fortune on your next heroic (or catastrophically clumsy) expedition. It’s all about risk management, isn’t it? Minimising losses, maximising gains. Just like investing in a genuinely innovative indie game before it blows up, rather than throwing cash at the latest "revolutionary" token that's probably just a re-skinned PNG.
And there you have it, a proper deep dive into the 'Garb of the Pilgrims' quest. It's these little strategic gems, tucked away in the sprawling beauty of *Silksong*, that really make the game sing. Not just another fetch quest, but a genuine leg-up for those of us who like to start strong and keep our precious loot safe. Now, if you'll excuse me, I hear whispers of a new type of mossy creature that might be hiding some even juicier secrets. Time to go poke around, eh? Keep those Shawls safe, adventurers!
Tags: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Quest Guide, Metroidvania, Early Game Strategy, Indie Games
Original article: Polygon