Sly

"All's fair in a world made of Geo."

- Sly

Sly is a Merchant in Hollow Knight. He sells many wares at his shop in Dirtmouth for Geo but drives a hard bargain. Sly also appears as a boss as the Great Nailsage Sly.

Lore
Sly was the Great Nailsage during the golden times of Hallownest. He trained three disciples in the Nail Arts: Oro, Mato and Sheo, of each he cares deeply.

After the kingdom's fall and the separation of his pupils turned Nailmasters, Sly abandoned his occupation as Nailsage. He turned to a simple life of merchant, finding and selling wares from his shop in Dirtmouth. He did not, however, forget his mastery of the nail, and keeps his greatnail in the basement of his shop. While he doesn't hide his cupidity as a merchant, his faith as Nailsage keeps over when it comes to Nail Arts.

At some point, he closed his shop and wandered off in the caverns below Dirtmouth. He became possessed by the infection, even losing his Shopkeeper's Key, keeping him from returning safely to the surface.

Hollow Knight
Sly can be found in a hovel in the abandoned village at the bottom of the Forgotten Crossroads, past the Gruz Mother. The shopkeeper has been slowly succumbing to The Infection, but approaching him breaks him out of his daze, saving him. After which, Sly returns to Dirtmouth to open his shop, without any recollection of how he fell into that predicament.

Back in Dirtmouth, Sly sells various wares: from Charms to adventuring gears, even Mask Shard and Vessel Fragments. His backstock, however, remains locked until he is returned his Shopkeeper's Key, lost in the Crystal Peak.

Sly notes when the Knight has honed their Nail, but also when they started learning Nail Arts. After they learnt all three Nail Arts from the Nailmasters, Sly will be found in his storeroom, where he reveals them his former profession as Nailsage. Here he will acknowledge the Knight as Nailmaster, and reward them with the Nailmaster's Glory Charm. This is the only gift he gives to the Knight, despite telling them he will thank them properly after being saved.

As part of the Godseeker's ritual, Sly's mind is summoned to  Godhome, in a recreation of a learning hall. There he takes his original mantle of Great Nailsage and fights the Knight, his thoughts focused solely on his days past. Upon defeat, Sly bows respectfully to the Knight. He is mainly fought at the peak of the Pantheon of the Sage and later within the Pantheon of Hallownest.

Shop


{| class="article-table mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" data-expandtext="xxxxx" data-collapsetext="xxxxx" width="100%" ! colspan="3" style="font-size:130%; text-align:center;" font-family: TrajanPro; |

Goods
! width="15%" |Icon ! width="55%" |Name and Description ! width="30%" |Cost and Condition
 * rowspan="2" |Simple Key.png
 * rowspan="2" |Simple Key
 * rowspan="2" |Simple Key

Simply, a simple key. It will fit a variety of locks, which is useful if you like to poke around in places you don't belong.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Rancid Egg.png
 * rowspan="2" |Rancid Egg
 * rowspan="2" |Rancid Egg.png
 * rowspan="2" |Rancid Egg
 * rowspan="2" |Rancid Egg

I found this under the counter. Some creature must have laid it here while I was stuck down in the ruins.

I suppose you could buy it? I won't miss its sour odour.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Lumafly Lantern.png
 * rowspan="2" |Lumafly Lantern
 * rowspan="2" |Lumafly Lantern.png
 * rowspan="2" |Lumafly Lantern
 * rowspan="2" |Lumafly Lantern

What's more important? A light to guide your way, or a friend who'll stay by your side?

Why not both? Take this bright little fellow as your companion and he'll light your way through the thickest darkness.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Gathering Swarm.png
 * rowspan="2" |Gathering Swarm
 * rowspan="2" |Gathering Swarm.png
 * rowspan="2" |Gathering Swarm
 * rowspan="2" |Gathering Swarm

Do you find yourself leaving a lot of Geo behind as you hurry through the caverns?

This charm will make sure that any loose change finds its way back to you.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Stalwart Shell.png
 * rowspan="2" |Stalwart Shell
 * rowspan="2" |Stalwart Shell.png
 * rowspan="2" |Stalwart Shell
 * rowspan="2" |Stalwart Shell

Life in Hallownest can be tough, always taking hits and getting knocked around. This charm grants you more time to recover after taking damage. Useful if you need to escape from a tight spot.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Heavy Blow.png
 * rowspan="2" |Heavy Blow
 * rowspan="2" |Heavy Blow.png
 * rowspan="2" |Heavy Blow
 * rowspan="2" |Heavy Blow

You enjoy smacking about foes with that nail of yours, right? With this charm equipped, you'll be able to send them flying further with every hit!
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key
 * rowspan="2" |Elegant Key.png
 * rowspan="2" |Elegant Key
 * rowspan="2" |Elegant Key.png
 * rowspan="2" |Elegant Key
 * rowspan="2" |Elegant Key

An explorer found this fancy key floating in the waterways of the city far below us. I've not cleaned it.
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard

This old thing? Merely a fragment of something larger. Still, maybe you can make some use of it.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard

I found another of these. If you look closely, there's some nice engraving work on them.

I suspect I undercharged last time, and this is the only one left. It's gonna cost you!
 * Requires purchasing previous Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard

You're collecting these, aren't you? Well you're in luck, I found another in my storeroom.

This is the last one though, so it's priced accordingly.
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key and purchasing previous Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard.png
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Mask Shard

As it turns out, I do actually have one more of these shards left. Very last one!

I feel bad charging you so much for the previous shards, especially because it means I have to charge even more for this one.
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key and purchasing previous Mask Shard
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment.png
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment.png
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment

A piece of a Soul Vessel. You know, those ghastly looking orb things?

I don't really like the aura about it, but it's quite rare so I'll have to charge you a high price.
 * No conditions.
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment.png
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment.png
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment
 * rowspan="2" |Vessel Fragment

I dug out another of these. Turns out I had a complete set. If they didn't give me the creeps, I'd put the pieces together myself.
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key and purchasing previous Vessel Fragment
 * rowspan="2" |
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key and purchasing previous Vessel Fragment
 * rowspan="2" |
 * rowspan="2" |
 * rowspan="2" | Sprintmaster

You like it? It's a recent addition to my collection. Handsome thing, isn't it?

Holding it lets you run around quickly and tirelessly, as though you were young again! Or, erm, so I&#39;m told.
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key
 * }
 * Requires Shopkeeper's Key
 * }

Location
Sly first appears in an abandoned house in the southeast region of the Forgotten Crossroads. After talking to him, he can next be found in Dirtmouth.

Trivia

 * Sly being more than he seems is repeatedly foreshadowed. For instance, his very first line, "Oro, you oaf... you wield your nail... like a club..." refers to Nailmaster Oro, and he comments on the Knight’s Nail several times.
 * According to a livestream Q&A, the development team originally planned for Sly to be a difficult boss who wielded a nail approximately the size of the other Nailmasters'.
 * Sly mentions a character named "Esmy" in one of his lines of dialogue. This character is never seen in the game nor mentioned again.
 * As the Great Nailsage, Sly's cape is a pinkish colour as opposed to blue.
 * Sly mentions owning a full set of Vessel Fragments, although he only sells two out of three; this is possibly attributed to Soul Vessels being comprised of only two Vessel Fragments at one point before being changed by release. The A Weird and Wonderful World trailer also shows Sly selling half of a Soul Vessel.
 * Sly is one of the two only bugs in the game to stop the Infection from overcoming themselves, the other being Bretta.

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