My Geo-Smart Tour of Every Merchant in Hollow Knight

In 2026, I still find Hollow Knight’s Hallownest to be one of the richest underground worlds in gaming, and every corner seems to hide a secret, a boss, or a merchant who wants my Geo. I treat Geo like a lifeline, because every map, Charm, nail upgrade, and Relic sale shapes how smoothly I move through the kingdom. This is my personal field journal of every merchant I visit, where I find them, what they sell, and why I keep coming back. I wrote it from the perspective of a player who has learned the hard way that spending Geo wisely is just as important as saving it. 🗺️💎

Salubra, the Charm Lover

I always make an early trip to Salubra at the bottom of Forgotten Crossroads, near Blue Lake. She is my favorite source of Charms and Charm Notches, and I never underestimate how much a single notch can change a build. Salubra sells five Charms and four Charm Notches, and since there are 11 Charm Notches in total, her stock matters for almost every combat setup. She also has one special item that only becomes available after I obtain all 40 Charms. I usually buy her notches as soon as I can afford them, because extra Charm slots make boss fights and exploration far more flexible. 🧿

Confessor Jiji and Steel Soul Jinn

I find Confessor Jiji on the far right outskirts of Dirtmouth, at the base of the cliff, behind a locked door. To reach her, I need a Simple Key, and the closest one is sold by Sly in Dirtmouth for 950 Geo after he sets up shop there. Jiji offers a service I value when I die in an awkward, hard-to-reach area: she summons my Shade in exchange for a Rancid Egg. I still have to defeat the Shade to recover my lost Geo and restore my Soul Meter, but bringing the Shade to me is often safer than diving back into a dangerous zone. In Steel Soul Mode, Steel Soul Jinn replaces Jiji on the outskirts of Dirtmouth. Since Shade recovery would be useless in permadeath, Jinn instead buys Rancid Eggs for 290–449 Geo. 🥚

Cornifer and Iselda

Cornifer is the wandering mapmaker I always listen for. I can usually find him humming off the beaten path, with a trail of dropped papers leading to him. He sells maps for Hallownest’s various areas, and I buy them whenever I enter a new region because a good map keeps me from wandering in circles. If an area has been mostly explored or its boss has been defeated, Cornifer eventually leaves, and I have to visit his wife Iselda in Dirtmouth. Her shop sits next to the Stag Station, and she sells 13 maps, two mapping tools, and 13 map pins. I especially like buying pins because they help me mark important discoveries and plan my routes. 🗺️

Divine, Leg Eater, and Fragile Charms

Divine arrives in Dirtmouth as part of The Grimm Troupe DLC, and she offers some of the most expensive purchases in the game. She does not sell items outright. Instead, I feed her Fragile Charms, and she eventually requests a specific amount of Geo before producing the Unbreakable version of that Charm. I get those Fragile Charms from Leg Eater in Fungal Wastes, near the entrance to Forgotten Crossroads. Leg Eater sells Fragile Heart, Fragile Greed, and Fragile Strength, but these Charms break and become useless when the Knight dies. The good news is that Leg Eater can repair them for a price. I usually wait until I have enough Geo before asking Divine to make an Unbreakable Charm, because the cost is steep and I want the upgrade to last. 🎭

Little Fool and the Colosseum of Fools

Little Fool stretches the word merchant a little, but I include him because he controls access to one of my favorite Geo-farming spots. He is found at the top of the western chasm of Kingdom’s Edge, and he offers three trials for a set price of Geo. Each trial has a different difficulty level, and they are not a walk in the park. I only start a trial when I feel prepared, because the Colosseum of Fools can punish careless play. When I need Geo for nail upgrades or expensive Charms, though, the trials are worth the risk. ⚔️

Millibelle the Banker

Millibelle is another NPC who acts like a merchant in a loose sense, but I rely on her banking service. She is initially found in Fog Canyon and can store up to 4,500 Geo for me. That matters because Geo is the main currency in Hollow Knight, and dying usually means losing it unless I return to my Shade or pay Confessor Jiji a visit. If I deposit over 2,550 Geo, Millibelle disappears to the Pleasure House in City of Tears. I still use her before risky boss fights, because protecting a large Geo pile is often smarter than carrying it into danger. 🏦

The Nailsmith

The nail is my default weapon, and the Nailsmith is the person who makes it truly dangerous. I start with the Old Nail, which deals only five damage, but the Nailsmith can upgrade it all the way to Pure Nail status for 21 points of damage per strike. I find him in the far southwest corner of City of Tears in a tiny hut. Fully upgrading the nail is necessary for some of Hollow Knight’s most challenging boss fights, so I treat every nail upgrade as a major milestone. 🔨

Relic Seeker Lemm

While exploring Hallownest, I often find Relics such as the Wanderer’s Journal, Hallownest Seal, King’s Idol, and Arcane Egg. I sell them to Relic Seeker Lemm for a decent amount of Geo. His shop is near the big fountain in City of Tears, and after I sell him Relics, he shares brief information about the kingdom of Hallownest. I like visiting Lemm because he turns my curiosity into currency and adds a little lore to the journey. 💎

Sly, the General Store

Sly’s shop feels like a general store for my entire adventure. I first find him at the bottom of Forgotten Crossroads, but he later moves into a little shop in Dirtmouth. He sells Simple Keys, the Lumafly Lantern, Charms, and Vessels. I can unlock more items by presenting him with a Shopkeeper’s Key found at Crystal Peak. Once I learn all three Nail Arts from the Nailmasters, I return to Sly for a special surprise. I usually buy the Lumafly Lantern early because it makes dark areas much easier to explore. 🏪

Tuk and Her Rancid Eggs

Tuk lurks in a hidden room in the northeast corner of Royal Waterways. Her inventory is limited, but she sells Rancid Eggs for 80–100 Geo. Since Confessor Jiji accepts only Rancid Eggs as payment for summoning a lost Shade, having several eggs can be a lifesaver. Tuk will sell Rancid Eggs infinitely as long as I do not have 80 on me; if I have 80 or more, she refuses to sell more. I usually buy a few eggs before a dangerous expedition and keep them ready for emergencies. 🥚

My Practical Shopping Order

My early shopping order usually starts with Sly for a Simple Key or Lumafly Lantern, Cornifer and Iselda for maps, and Salubra for Charm Notches. In the midgame, I focus on Nailsmith upgrades, sell Relics to Lemm, bank Geo with Millibelle, and stock up on Rancid Eggs from Tuk. In the late game, I save for Divine’s Unbreakable Charms, Salubra’s special item after all 40 Charms, and Little Fool’s trials when I want a serious Geo farm. Every purchase feels like a trade-off, and that is exactly why Hallownest keeps pulling me back in 2026. 💎🗺️