Royal Retainer

The most loyal and devout servants of the King. 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.

Royal Retainers are enemies in Hollow Knight. These bugs were the most loyal servants of the Pale King, but most of them died when the King disappeared.^[1][2] They can still be found in White Palace in the Dream Realm where they wait for the King.^[3]

Behaviour and Tactics

They stand in small groups and bow when the Knight approaches. They deal no damage on contact.

They can be used as a convenient source of SOUL by using the Dream Nail on them.

Dream Nail Dialogue

In White Palace: ...My King... All for us... ... We will wait... King... ...King... Your troubles... Let us... Corpse in The Abyss (Lighthouse): ...Turn it off?...Cannot... My King. I'm sorry...the sea calls... Corpses in Ancient Basin (Pale Fountain): ...Return to us... ...Missing monarch, we need you now... (White Palace Ruins): ...Where have you gone?...Dear King... (In Mawlurk corpse): ...Mine... (Room left of destroyed lift): ...the madness spreads...

Location

Royal Retainers are found only within the White Palace.

Gallery

Trivia

• When hit they will simply dissipate into white Essence instead of leaving a corpse.
• The Royal Retainer is one of the few enemies that have various different looks, but no change to behaviour, the others being the Siblings, the Fungified Husks and the Corpse Creepers and Mistakes.
• Royal Retainers are one of the few enemies that respawn upon leaving and re-entering the room.
• Various other dead Royal Retainers can be found around Ancient Basin and other areas bearing some varying headdresses and clothes, the unique ones are as follows:

References

1. ↑ Royal Retainers Hunter's Journal entry: "The most loyal and devout servants of the King."
2. ↑ Royal Retainer corpse Dream Nail dialogue: "...Where have you gone?...Dear King..." "...Missing monarch, we need you now..."
3. ↑ Royal Retainer Dream Nail dialogue: "... We will wait... King..."

Compendium
Main Game	Crawlid • Vengefly • Vengefly King • Gruzzer • Gruz Mother • Tiktik • Aspid Hunter • Aspid Mother • Aspid Hatchling • Goam • Wandering Husk • Husk Hornhead • Leaping Husk • Husk Bully • Husk Warrior • Husk Guard • Entombed Husk • False Knight • Maggot • Menderbug • Lifeseed • Baldur • Elder Baldur Mosscreep • Mossfly • Mosskin • Volatile Mosskin • Fool Eater • Squit • Obble • Gulka • Maskfly • Moss Charger • Massive Moss Charger • Moss Knight • Mossy Vagabond • Durandoo • Duranda • Aluba Charged Lumafly • Uoma • Ooma • Uumuu Ambloom • Fungling • Fungoon • Sporg • Fungified Husk • Shrumeling • Shrumal Warrior • Shrumal Ogre • Mantis Youth • Mantis Warrior • Mantis Lords Husk Sentry • Heavy Sentry • Winged Sentry • Lance Sentry • Mistake • Folly • Soul Twister • Soul Warrior • Soul Master • Husk Dandy • Cowardly Husk • Gluttonous Husk • Gorgeous Husk • Great Husk Sentry • Watcher Knight • The Collector Belfly • Pilflip • Hwurmp • Bluggsac • Dung Defender • Flukefey • Flukemon • Flukemarm Shardmite • Glimback • Crystal Hunter • Crystal Crawler • Husk Miner • Crystallised Husk • Crystal Guardian Furious Vengefly • Volatile Gruzzer • Violent Husk • Slobbering Husk Dirtcarver • Carver Hatcher • Garpede • Corpse Creeper • Deepling • Deephunter • Little Weaver • Stalking Devout • Nosk Shadow Creeper • Lesser Mawlek • Mawlurk • Brooding Mawlek • Lightseed • Infected Balloon • Broken Vessel Boofly • Primal Aspid • Hopper • Great Hopper • Grub Mimic • Hiveling • Hive Soldier • Hive Guardian • Husk Hive Spiny Husk • Loodle • Mantis Petra • Mantis Traitor • Traitor Lord Sharp Baldur • Armoured Squit • Battle Obble • Oblobbles • Shielded Fool • Sturdy Fool • Winged Fool • Heavy Fool • Death Loodle • Volt Twister • Zote the Mighty • God Tamer Xero • Gorb • Elder Hu • Marmu • No Eyes • Galien • Markoth Wingmould • Royal Retainer • Kingsmould • Sibling • Void Tendrils Hornet • The Hollow Knight • The Radiance • Shade • Hunter's Mark	a
		a
Hidden Dreams		a
	Grey Prince Zote • Winged Zoteling • Hopping Zoteling • Volatile Zoteling • White Defender	a
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The Grimm Troupe		a
	Grimmkin Novice • Grimmkin Master • Grimmkin Nightmare • Grimm • Nightmare King Grimm • Seal of Binding	a
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Lifeblood		a
	Hive Knight	a
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Godmaster		a
	Flukemunga • Pale Lurker • Brothers Oro & Mato • Paintmaster Sheo • Great Nailsage Sly • Pure Vessel • Void Idol • Weathered Mask	a