Cogwork Dancers

The Cogwork Dancers are a main boss in Hollow Knight: Silksong. They are twin automaton dancers of impeccable construction. They serve as the guardians of the final trial for those who wish to reach Pharloom's peak. Automatons of impeccable construction, welcoming entrants to their chamber with a display of deadly dance. The Cogwork Dancers were modelled after the partner of the Green Prince, the dual prince of Verdania. In a desperate attempt to keep Verdania safe the prince made a deal with The Citadel, offering himself up as trade. His body was used as the mould for the automatons and his soul was split in two, and placed within them. The dancers were created to defend the entrance to the Cogwork Core, and by extension the Cradle. Pronouns: They/Them

Cogwork dancers do not have a defined personality, Both are an imitation of what used to be a living being. Cogwork dancers lack the ability to speak or the apparent programming for daily interactions, yet their dancing reflects a devotion to one another, like an imitation of what the Green Prince used to have with his beloved. Both advocate for the Cogwork core with purpose and determination, They are aggressive, but that's what they were created for. They have no feelings to manipulate, nor minds to corrupt; they are simply two twin machines dancing in unison and determined to fulfill their purpose. Can they even be domesticated? Even so, the Cogwork Dancers seem to be more affectionate with each other than with anyone else, as if mimicking the tenderness of the Verdania leaders, acting like a couple. They, as a couple, will try to defend each other tooth and nail. If they weren't aggressive for some reason, they would be mostly indifferent to creatures that weren't their own or that didn't interest them. Although they may not have feelings, not in themselves, they could even show sadness if one of them dies.

The Cogwork dancers are tall metallic bugs, taller than others, probably a kind of Mantis. They are exactly the same, they have a slim and sculpted body, their anatomy is similar to that of a mantis, with a somewhat effeminate humanoid form; therefore, their abdomen resembles their lower body when it is standing on two legs. Their chest is shaped like an inverted triangle, so their waist is quite thin, while their hips and abdomen (butt) are larger, and his shoulders are broad. They have two thin arms; their forearms are shaped like blades, you couldn't say they have hands; their forearms simply end in points, so you could say that the thinner part at the end of their forearms is used as hands. They also have two legs, tall and elegant; their thighs are larger and plump, muscular. They have no feet either; his legs end in points, like needles. Their head is like that of a praying mantis, small, narrow and with large, completely white eyes (without pupils or irises). They have long, thin antennae that curve into a U shape. They have no other visible facial features besides his eyes. They are made entirely of metal, their tones are warm metallic colors, varying between coppers and browns.

Verdania was once a lush kingdom of green neighbouring Pharloom ruled by the Green Prince and his lover. The princes were chosen by tradition, and legitimized their rule by hunting the mythical Palestag. When Pharloom's ruler threatened Verdania, the Green Prince's lover offered his own body as the mould from which the Cogwork Dancers were made in exchange for Verdania's safety. However, this deal would not be upheld, as Verdania has since been reduced to a tiny desolate corridor; The Citadel broke their deal, destroyed Verdania, and imprisoned the Green Prince in Sinner's Road. The last remaining specimens of Verdania in the Memorium were left to rot and be forgotten when the environment was "exceeded". It was filled with greenery and beautiful flora of bulbous flowers and fauna of nimble bugs, but now it is a dilapidated cavern. Since then, two Cogwork dancers patrol the Cogwork Core with their lives.

Although the Cogwork Dancers don't seem very talkative, like any creature in Pharloom they can sing along to the Needolin' tune, singing the next lyrics: You and I...I and You... We shall never...Dance alone! Claws clash! Blades sing! The gilded threshold! Our honour! Our peace! To dance! Our duty!

Pharloom: The kingdom of Pharloom is located in a distant and strange land. It is a cursed realm ruled by Silk and Song, the two powerful forces of that world. Pharloom is dedicated to worship and pilgrimage, with a golden pin as its traditional weapon. At the kingdom's peak stands a large, glittering Citadel. Originally, the land was inhabited by various bug tribes. It was a region rich with resources. A powerful, god-like being (a "Pale Being") arrived and used her ability to spin silk to rule, uplifting local spiders into intelligent "Weavers" who built her a great Citadel. The Grandmother’s silk began infecting bugs, creating a "Haunting" that caused them to act with unnatural purpose, turning them into workers, singers, and puppets.The Weavers, realizing they were being controlled, plotted to restrain the Grandmother. They built a, specialized cage in the Citadel and put her to sleep. Despite being asleep, the Grandmother’s power still influences the kingdom, and her choir seeks to keep her sealed or release her, creating a, broken, dangerous world for Hornet’s arrival. The kingdom is centered around the veneration of Mother Silk and the songs that were originally used to keep her in slumber, which later turned into a controlling, haunting force.The society was historically organized by Weavers, who built weavenests and crafted with silk. The Citadel is managed by specialized, often corrupt, roles including Architects, Vaultkeepers, and Conductors.The "Choir" consists of inducted pilgrims, while many others are forced to work in the dangerous underworks, sustaining the machinery of the Citadel. Verdenia:The Verdania that is found in-game is the remains of the lost kingdom of Verdania. It is a dimly lit cave, housing ruined architectures of the lost kingdom and the lamenting Green Prince. This small corridor is devoid of collectibles, barring the Verdania Map and a bench at the end. In the eastern region of Verdenia, leaders were chosen based on lore, prophecy.

Verdania: It is a gloomy, perpetually dark and mysterious wooded area, full of ruins, platforming challenges, unique enemies, and hidden secrets. It has different plants and varied fauna, although some parts of the area have withered plants and infertile soils.

Greymoor: It is a vast and grim area of Pharloom, described as a damp and desolate barn controlled by the Reapers, full of feathered enemies, structures with secrets, and connected to other places like the Far Fields and the Citadel. Its subarea, Craw Lake, connects to the Verdania entrance.