Navigating the Far Fields in Hollow Knight: Silksong can be a super confusing experience at first. It often feels like you’re stuck in this endless loop, and you’re not wrong for thinking that.
The area, which is east of Deep Docks and connects to Greymoor up north, has a specific challenge that you can’t get past without a certain ability. It’s easy to feel softlocked, unable to move forward or back without a way to ride wind currents or use a grappling hook-like move. This isn’t a bug, though; it’s a deliberate hurdle that requires you to get a crucial movement upgrade, which is one of the ways Silksong is harder than the original.
How to Get Past the Far Fields in Hollow Knight Silksong
The way to escape the Far Fields and move on in Silksong is to complete the “Flexile Spines” quest (similarly to unlocking the Needle). This mission is an essential one and you’ll find it in the big area south of the Far Fields. You start the quest by talking to the Seamstress in her tent.
To find her, you’ll need to navigate a bunch of big wooden ledges supported by giant chains in the middle of the main giant room in the southeast part of the map. Once you’re in the tent, just chat with the Seamstress to activate the quest and get on the right path to unlocking the ability you need.
The goal of the “Flexile Spines” quest is to track down specific enemies that shoot spines. After you’ve collected all 25 spines and brought them back to the Seamstress, she gives you the Drifter’s Cloak. This is the item you’ve been waiting for.
The Drifter’s Cloak lets you ride the momentum of vent gusts and float upwards by jumping and hitting the jump button again right after. With this new ability, that frustrating loop in the Far Fields is finally broken. You’ll now have three main ways to get out: you can go back to Deep Docks, use a Bell Beast Bellway, or keep climbing up into Greymoor.
Where to Get the Flexile Spines
So, if you want to get past the challenging Far Fields region in Hollow Knight: Silksong, you absolutely have to get the Flexile Spines. This grants a crucial ability that lets Hornet ride wind currents, which opens up new areas and stops you from being stuck at the bottom of the zone. Without it, you’ll just keep going in circles, unable to move forward.
The hunt for the Flexile Spines starts with finding the Seamstress. You can find her in a tent inside a rest area in the southeast part of the giant main room in Far Fields. To get to her, you’ll need to climb a bunch of big wooden ledges that hang from giant chains across the center of the chamber. Once you climb up and find her tent, go in and talk to her to start the “Flexile Spines Hunt”. It’s a mandatory quest if you want to progress, so don’t skip it.
The hunt itself is all about finding a certain enemy type that shoots spines. You’ll know them by their look and their projectile attack. When you see one, you have to hit it once to make it fire the spines. Then, you need to quickly hit those airborne spines again to grab the valuable collectible they drop. Each enemy can give you anywhere from three to five spines, depending on how fast you are at hitting them. Your goal is to collect a total of 25 spines.
Once you have all 25 spines, head back to the Seamstress in her tent to complete the quest. As a reward, she’ll give you the Drifter’s Cloak, which is what gives Hornet the Flexile Spines ability.
Where to Get the Drifter’s Cloak in Silksong
In Hollow Knight: Silksong, the Drifter’s Cloak is a must-have item to make any real progress. You’ll especially need it if you get stuck in the frustrating, looping paths of the Far Fields region. If you find yourself in this situation, grabbing the cloak is your main goal.
To even start the quest for the cloak, you’ll need to head to the large area just south of Far Fields. Once you’re there, look for a floating balloon; that’s where the Seamstress lives, and she’s the one who will start you on your way to getting the Drifter’s Cloak.
Once you find the floating balloon, you have to go inside and chat with the Seamstress. She’ll give you the “Flexile Spines Hunt”, a mandatory quest that’ll get you the Drifter’s Cloak once you complete it. To use it, simply jump and then quickly press the jump button again right after in Hollow Knight: Silksong.
