The Kingdom of Hallownest

Hallowbugs: These are the various races making up the citizenry of Hallownest, the subjects of the Pale King. Since the bugs of Hallownest come in many different types. Different types of bugs making up the kingdom included Maggots, Sentries, Stags, Menderbugs, and many others.   Moth Tribe: The Moths claim to have been born from the light of a divine being, the Radiance.   Mantis Tribe: A group of powerful and proud warriors, who hold themselves aloof from the Pale King's authority, but accept a peace treaty with him and confine themselves. At some point in their history they were ruled by four lords, but one became a traitor to the tribe and left with many mantises to dwell in the Queen's Gardens.   Beast Tribe: Vicious, predatory arachnid bugs sometimes called 'beasts', they would not accept the ways of the Pale King's civilization and live a more primitive existence at the edge of the King's territory. The King's efforts to bring modernization in the form of trams and stations to the area were rebuffed by the beasts, who seem to weave their dwellings out of silk rather than constructing them. Like other factions there seems to be a variety of different castes to the beasts.   The Weavers: A specialized caste of the Beast Tribe, the Weavers dwelt in Deepnest. The Midwife speaks of them as being capable of amazing feats of magical weaving, crafting historical records, magical spells, even living creatures.   Mosskin Tribe: A race of bugs that seem to be part plant. Older members of the Mosskin appear to take root in place as they grow larger. They pay homage to a being call Unn, a colossal slug-creature they treat as a deity, who dwells in the acidic waters of Greenpath. A stone tablet possibly written by the Mosskin mentions that regions of their lands have been claimed by a 'pale being' that they warned others to beware of - possibly referring either to the Pale King building his kingdom of Hallownest, or the White Lady, who exiled herself to a forested area claimed as the 'Queen's Gardens'.   Snail Tribe: Snail-like bugs who wield strange, shamanistic powers. Their ancient mound-dwellings can be found in remote regions of Hallownest. The snail shaman hold powerful sorceries and mastery of energy, which can linger on even in their remains.   Fluke Tribe: A race of creatures that have come to dwell in the abandoned waterways and sewer tunnels beneath the City of Tears. They have incredible survival capability, as when cut in half both halves can survive as separate creatures. Though adult members of the race walk on two legs as many sentient bugs do, and they do not attempt to feed on one-another, it is unclear just how intelligent they truly are.   The Hive/Bee Tribe: A hive of bees dwells at the edge of Hallownest. The bulk of the race appears to have limited intellect, reacting with hostility to all intruders but accepting those who bear a sign of the Hive as one of their own. A large queen within their hive seems to be the source of the race, and the lingering phantom of a previous queen claims the Hive holds itself separate from Hallownest, indicating that they existed outside the Pale King's authority   Grubfly Tribe: Worm/caterpillar-like bugs who are highly capable burrowers, able to make their way from all over Hallownest safely to their home burrow near the surface. They have a curious life-cycle that is not fully understood.   Shrumal Tribe: Not truly bugs at all, the Shrumal race seems to consist of semi-intelligent fungus creatures. Certain Shrumal appear to possess or develop a higher intelligence than the bulk of the race.

The bugs of Hallownest believe that the Pale King created the entire world and everything in it. Although he is an elusive figure who is rarely seen, the citizens revere him as a god. They worship him through the King's Idols, icons which depict the King, with each of them being tailored to its owner. Various statues and shrines to the Pale King can be found throughout Hallownest, such as the fountain in Ancient Basin and a shrine in Crystal Peak.

Geo is the currency of Hallownest and it is used to buy goods from Merchants or to pay tolls for Stag Stations.

The land of Hallownest covers a vast network of caves and tunnels in the middle of the east. They are inhabited by both sentient and wild bugs, among other creatures.

On the surface, the lonely town of Dirtmouth is safely nestled in a valley between the Howling Cliffs and the Crystal Peak. Most travellers to the kingdom reach Dirtmouth via the King's Pass, before the bridge up to it crumbled away. The caverns below the town were heavily transformed into crossroads to allow transportation of bugs and goods across the land.    The caverns expanding below the cliffs are overgrown with luxuriant vegetation, and each with its own ecosystem. The leafy caverns of Greenpath and the groves of the Fungal Wastes were once tamed by the construction of roads, with the Pilgrim's Way as the main path leading from the Crossroads to the kingdom's capital.   The Queen's Gardens, originally part of Greenpath, were orderly built as a calm retreat for the White Lady.    The mountain's caves contain growing deposits of crystals, which are mined for the energy contained within them. Below lies the wide caves of Hallownest's Resting Grounds, filled with tombs and a subterranean lake. The kingdom's moths are responsible for managing these graves.    Below the lake is the largest cavern in the lands occupied by the City of Tears, the kingdom's capital. The lake's water pours down from cracks in the roof causing the city to be submerged in continuous rain. It rests upon the Royal Waterways, a network of pipes and cisterns to manage the city's waste.    Bordering the kingdom underground on one side is Deepnest, a dark network of cramped tunnels and chasms. On the other side, the city is sealed from the Kingdom's Edge and the Hive by a giant wall. Kingdom's Edge consists of a high chasm and wide caverns covered in perpetually falling white ash. The Hive is the artificial habitat built by a colony of bees.    At the deepest point of Hallownest is the Ancient Basin, forgotten caverns where the Kingdom's monarch built his White Palace. Further down is the Abyss at the heart of the lands' darkness, its entrance closed and sealed by the king himself.