Grimm Lore?

[Exray]

Somebody has any theories of the lore of Grimm?
I think that I know the basic things, for example I guess that maybe Grimm of some kind of... "god" or a extremly powerful creature that is worshiped by other spiders and it also get his power from... The flames...?
I am not sure and thats why Im asking.

[jyakimow]

You're probably asking because this game has wonderful lore and every bit more makes it even better.

As far as Grimm and his troupe, I think the journal entries hint a bit at his nature, without ever spelling it out. I have a few theories. This has spoilers for the journal entries, so be warned.

Grimm's own entry mentions that he travels through dreams, following the summons of the Nightmare Lantern, and his goal is to consume 'the flames of a kingdom's fall'. Upon his arrival, he dispatches his grimmkin troupe throughout the kingdom to gather a mysterious scarlet flame. In addition to gathering these red flames, the grimmkin radiate dream catcher circles, theirs being scarlet red also. Grimmkin journal entries mention 'darkest dreams' being lit by red light, and 'scarlet nightmares'.

The journal entries for Grimm in his Nightmare King incarnation, written by the Seer, mention that the realm of dreams was split in two, one part forever divided from the other. There are references to dark dreams and nightmares burning with a scarlet light, no doubt the very light that Grimm is drawn to and powered by. This implies that in addition to the realm of dreams, there is also another realm - a realm of dark dreams and fears. A nightmare realm, where dreams are represented in red light.

My theory is this - the scarlet red light is a power akin to dream essence, but born of fear. When Hallownest fell, the fear of its citizens seeped into the world. While some ghosts and memories lingered on as dream essence, the fear of its citizens instead became this scarlet nightmare flame. Grimm feeds on the essence of fear, this nightmare flame, and when the Nightmare Lantern is lit it is a signal to draw him and his troupe to feed on the fear of a fallen kingdom.

Grimm's entry says "Through dream I travel at lantern's call to consume the flames of a kingdom's fall.' Those flames are the fear essence of its citizens. Grimm is a scavenger predator, feeding on the terror of those who perished when their kingdom's fell. Somehow, when a kingdom perishes, the Nightmare Lantern will appear and be lit to draw Grimm's Troupe in - in this case, the Knight found a large dead bug by the lantern. Grimmkin entries mention that 'one will light the Nightmare Lantern, call and serve in Grimm's dread troupe' - it seems that when a kingdom perishes, one bug will somehow be drawn to summon Grimm, and eventually become a grimmkin in his service. Perhaps the Grimm Troupe visits kingdoms normally to place lanterns, only to return once the fear of a kingdom is ready to harvest, or perhaps the lanterns appear magically somehow in fallen kingdoms. That bit's a mystery!

As to Grimm's origins, that's a good question. He may have once been an ordinary bug, perhaps from a tribe that watched over the dream realm similar to the moth tribe. Or perhaps he is another Wyrm-born bug like the Pale King - it's been implied that other Wyrms have been born that forge kingdoms of bugs in the past, Grimm may be one such being, the Grimm Troupe his kingdom. Grimm's scarlet flame may act to grant his grimmkin minds just like the Pale King's pale light did.

That's my thoughts, anyway. Another great character in Hollow Knight!

[Exray]

Wow, thanks you, that a really great theory.
It would explain why after the Nightmare King battle he just leaves.