Groal the great

The Stilkin Tribe has long inhabited Bilewater, even before the Citadel’s rise. Once-clean waters were polluted by Citadel waste and exhaust, forcing the tribe to adapt to the toxic, Muckmaggot-infested swamps and fostering deep, enduring hatred. Groal rose as their chief and chaplain, channeling this rage into leadership. At some point, a Snail Shaman (the Seeker) approached seeking an alliance against the Citadel; Groal rejected any cooperation, killed the shaman, and stole their Soul to enhance their own strength and learn Soul magic. This power is evidenced by soul vials and the shaman’s remains in a nearby hut. Groal and the Stilkin now actively kill intruders (Citadel bugs, pilgrims, etc.), string up corpses as warnings, set traps, and prepare for the Citadel’s downfall while surviving in their blighted home

An optional but significant Act 2 boss in Hollow Knight: Silksong, located at the top of Bilewater in Bilehaven. Groal guards the Seeker's Soul, a key item required for the “Silk and Soul” wish that contributes to progressing into Act 3. Defeating them grants access to the rest of Bilehaven (including a bench and the strung-up remains of the Snail Shaman), disrupts Stilkin territory (causing Stilkin Trappers to appear more widely), and serves as a major environmental and endurance challenge highlighting the polluted, vengeful underbelly of Pharloom outside the Citadel’s influence. They function as both a territorial guardian and a tragic (or monstrous) product of the Citadel’s environmental damage

Boastful, commanding, and rage-filled, with a deep, resonant, almost croaking or roaring tone befitting a massive frog-like bug. Vocabulary is grandiloquent and absolutist, focusing on strength, rule, power, and rejection of compromise. Notable Needolin/dialogue lines include: “Behold! True strength!”, “All are subject to my rule!”, “Swirling, pale flame… Obey me! Obey me!”, “This power is ours!”, and “No truce… No bargain…”. Speech is short, declarative, and filled with imperatives; they speak as if addressing subjects or enemies with absolute authority.

Arrogant, hate-filled, power-hungry, and vengeful. Groal takes immense pride in their rule over the Stilkin and their mastery of Soul magic, viewing themselves as the true strength of Bilewater. Their core motivation is furious revenge against the Citadel for choking and polluting their home, with no interest in peace, truces, or alliances. They are ruthless—killing a potential ally (a Snail Shaman) simply to seize their power—and obsessively control Soul energy, demanding obedience from it and their tribe. Flaws include an overweening sense of superiority that has warped them through stolen power, isolationist extremism, and a willingness to turn their domain into a deathtrap of traps, ambushes, and hostility. Behavioral quirks include roaring proclamations of dominance, diving into the muck between attacks, and channeling Soul in a distorted, commanding way.

A heavyset, frog-like bug with a bulky black body and a brown, frog-like face. Bulging white eyes are set against a black mask-like pattern. Six small wings (similar to those of a Bloatroach) protrude from their back, along with a green, mossy ruff around the neck or shoulders. They wear a skull fashioned into a crown with three spikes. Their stomach often glows green (during acid attacks) or white (when channeling stolen Soul). They emerge from and dive into murky, Muckmaggot-infested waters, appearing massive and imposing in the swampy arena of Bilehaven.

Chief and Chaplain of the Stilkin Tribe, native inhabitants of Bilewater in Pharloom. The Stilkin are a hostile, territorial group of swamp-dwelling bugs who deeply resent the Citadel for polluting their once-clean waters with waste and exhaust. Groal leads them in open hatred and violence against Citadel agents, pilgrims, and any intruders