Getting the map in Hollow Knight: Silksong should be one of your first tasks. You don’t start the game with one, and in fact, have to play a little bit before you can even get it. And of course, reaching the place where you get the map is itself an exercise in not getting lost.
Here’s how to get the map in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Where to get the first map in Silksong
You can get a map in Silksong by purchasing it from Shakra, a merchant located in The Marrow, but will need to play the game for a bit until you can do so. Once you reach the small village of Bone Bottom, you’ll know you’re getting close to Shakra.
From Bone Bottom, go right until you see this:
Jump to the upper ledge and continue making your way up. (There are some enemies along the way. Defeat them for extra shell shards or dodge them. Up to you.) When you hit the platform shown below, take the upper route:
Continue to the right and drop down into the next big opening. Make your way over to the left wall and stand on the loose rubble, which is shown below:
After you fall through the floor, you’ll need to battle through a rush of enemies. Once you’ve defeated them, drop down and continue to the right, but don’t forget to open the door for Sherma on your left! On your way, you’ll inspect an object for 30 rosaries that will turn into a bench that you can rest on. Continue heading to the right until you reach this area:
From here, you’ll want to platform your way up and to the left until you reach the next area. This area has destructible platforms that will break shortly after you touch them. Make your way to the very top and enter the doorway on your left. From here, continue left until you hear singing — like, really loud singing. Keep going left to spot gold rings scattered across the ground and Shakra on the upper platform. For future areas, keep an eye out for the gold rings, as they’ll indicate that you’re getting closer to Shakra’s position. Then, once you hear her singing, you’ll know you’ve gone the right direction and you’re in the right place.
How to get the first map in Silksong
Once you reach Shakra, we recommend emptying out her shop, if you have the funds. If not, we recommend first buying the maps. The Mosslands Map costs 40 rosaries, while The Marrow Map costs 50. The Mosslands Map will initially reveal Moss Grotto and Bone Bottom, while The Marrows Map will reveal the area you’re currently in. Buying either one of those unlocks the map, which you can pull up by holding the left bumper on your controller or the “M” key on your keyboard. (A “map” tab will also be added to your journal after you do so.)
Both map fragments only offer a rough outline of each respective area. To make the maps actually useful, you’ll want to buy the Quill for an additional 50 rosaries. That item is a permanent upgrade, and it will fill in areas you’ve already traversed after you rest on a bench like so:
This upgrade is critical. It doesn’t just give you a sense of where you’ve already gone — but where you need to go, as well.
We also recommend buying the Compass and the Bench Markers for 70 and 60 rosaries respectively. The Compass does unfortunately take up a valuable slot on your crest, but it tells you exactly where you are on the map. Rather than trying to locate your exact position on the map, let the compass do it for you. The Bench Markers also release some of the tension on your brain as you won’t need to memorize where all of the benches are anymore. Again, let’s have your brain focus on other goals like figuring out where to go next.
So, to get a functional map for the early game, you’ll have to spend 280 rosaries in total. Need to stock up? Check out our guide on how to get rosaries in Silksong, which includes the best early game rosary farming spot.