How I Finally Reached Act 3 in Hollow Knight: Silksong
Hollow Knight Silksong Act 3 guide: unlock the hidden Silk and Soul quest with every Pharloom task, flea, and Bellhome step.
I thought I was finished. I had beaten Grand Mother Silk, watched her power bind, and saw Pharloom wrapped in a nest of tangled threads. Beautiful, poetic, and apparently not the ending. In 2026, Hollow Knight: Silksong still hides a whole third act behind a quest that barely announces itself: Silk and Soul. I spent a week chasing rumors, backtracking, and killing bosses I thought I would never see again. Here is what actually worked for me.
Prerequisites for the Quest
The first thing I had to accept was that Silksong was not going to hand me Act 3. I needed to go to Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and the Songclave and complete every single quest available. Yes, every restoration quest too. Restoring each area unlocked new quests, and those had to be finished as well. The rewards were worth it, but the real prize was the trigger.
I also completed the world quests around Pharloom. That meant The Pollip Quest in Shellwood, Broodfeast in the Putrified Ducts, The Great Taste of Pharloom, and a few others. The Courier Rasher quest line was a particular test of patience. 😅
Relocating the Fleas
Next, I had to move the fleas to a more suitable location. For that, I needed the Putrified Ducts and the long stretch of flat land to the far east, where the lake sits. I strongly recommend arriving from Bilewater and killing Groal the Great. That route let me collect the Seeker's Soul in a little hut right after the boss, which saved me a later trip.
Finding fleas is the tedious part. There are 30 in total, but only 20 need to be discovered to move the caravan. Some fleas only appear in Act 3, so do not panic if you are short. If you are stuck, an NPC in the Putrified Ducts will sell you the missing flea locations.
Settle Down In Your Bellhome
Once Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and Songclave were clear of quests, I returned to Bellhart and spoke to Pavo. He gave me the Key to my own Home. Before decorating, I went up to the Memorium area in the Citadel, grabbed the Materium, and freed the giant flea there. Installing the Materium in the bellhome felt like a proper milestone. And no, you do not need to buy any refurbishment items from the Bellhart shop.
Cleaning Up
These were the tasks I completed before the Silk and Soul quest appeared. I recommend doing them whether they are strictly required or not:
Grab a Simple Key from Bone Bottom, Songclave, or the Sands of Karak. Use it on the Green Prince's cage in Sinner's Road.
Find all three cogheart pieces around the Citadel. Restore the sentinel, then take him down in the High Halls area.
Explore Weavenest Atla and speak to Eva.
Explore as much of the map as possible, buy all maps from Shakra, and finish the Trail's End quest.
After that, I spoke to the Caretaker in Songclave, and the Silk and Soul quest finally appeared.
Constructing the Trap
The quest asks for 4 important items. Order does not matter, and you may already have one. However, the Maiden and the Hermit will not give you their parts until the quest is active.
Item
Location
Notes
Seeker's Soul
Putrified Ducts, via Bilewater
Beat Groal the Great, then enter the hut
Maiden's Soul
Far right of Bone Bottom, above Moss Grotto
Speak with her
Hermit's Soul
Bellway Station in Bellhart
Hidden wall below platforms, right side
Snare Setter
Weavenest Atla
Through Needolin door, hidden ceiling room
The Seeker's Soul
If you came up through Bilewater, you already have it. If not, Bilewater is a tricky area that demands your upgrades. I headed up via the Sinner's Road entrance or through the Exhaust Organ. Tall chambers, nasty jumps, and large vomiting bugs later, I reached Groal the Great.
The fight is waves of enemies atop an infested lake. Groal spawns after the waves. I hit him from below and switched sides when he used his suction move. A fully upgraded needle plus Cogflies and Sharpdart made the difference. Afterward, the little house held the Seeker's Soul.
The Maiden's Soul
The maiden is the one you might remember from the beginning. She is far to the right of Bone Bottom, just above the Moss Grotto. I spoke with her, and she offered her soul to help trap Grand Mother Silk.
The Hermit's Soul
This one was simpler. I went to the Bellway Station in Bellhart. To the far right of the room, below the platforms, there is a hidden entrance through the wall. I delved down into the tunnels and found the Hermit in his pipe. He also offered his soul.
The Snare Setter
The final piece is in Weavenest Atla. I went back to the Moss Grotto, through the Needolin door, and down the light platform. In the middle chamber, I jumped up the right wall and continued left into the top passageway. In the small room just before the spool fragment, I jumped up through the ceiling and found the room with the Snare Setter.
Laying The Trap
With all four items, I returned to Songclave and spoke to the Quest Giver. He asked me to meet him in the Cradle, right before the Grand Mother Silk fight. Yes, that means fighting her again. Since I had already beaten her, it was not too bad, but if you struggle, take your time and use your best tools.
Finally, I defeated her. Instead of binding her power, I played my Needolin to trigger the trap. A brand-new cutscene played, and Act 3 opened up. I will not spoil the rest. In 2026, this remains one of the best hidden turns in Silksong. Enjoy, and good luck. You are going to need it.
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