World

Team Cherry’s Booby-Trapped Bench in Silksong Is Pure Peak Trolling

Hollow Knight: Silksong benches, once safe sanctuaries, now feature deadly traps, adding thrilling challenge and surprise for players.

I’m going to say something that sounds unhinged: I am not even mad about the bench that killed me. Well, maybe I’m a little mad, but honestly, it’s the kind of nasty trick I should have seen coming from Team Cherry. In Hollow Knight: Silksong, benches are supposed to be your sanctuary. They’re the little slice of heaven where you heal up, save your progress, swap your Crests, and finally let your shoulders drop from around your ears. So when I found one tucked into a corner in Hunter’s March after a long, miserable slog, I nearly wept with relief. I sat down, sighed, and then a pendulum swung straight down and clobbered Hornet for two masks of damage. I was already low. I died on the spot. You may be entitled to compensation? Nah, I’m entitled to a nap and a stiff drink.

That’s the thing about Silksong: the whole internet is currently up in arms because Team Cherry decided to pull a fast one. In both Hollow Knight and Silksong, benches function like bonfires in a Souls game. They are safe places, respites where you can catch your breath, heal to full health, and save before heading back into the meat grinder. You can swap Charms or Crests, update your map, and nothing can hurt you. Usually. That word is doing a lot of heavy lifting these days.

The Bench That Bites Back

The bench in Hunter’s March is not just dangerous—it’s personal. It sits in a corner where you would normally expect a bench to be, and if you’ve played the series, your brain sees those sun rays and thinks, “Oh sweet mercy, I am saved.” But this bench is booby-trapped. Sit on it, and a pendulum swings down to smack Hornet for two masks of damage. If Hunter’s March has already been kicking your butt, that’s a death sentence. And because Team Cherry clearly enjoys a bit of psychological warfare, it happens every single time you sit on it. It is not a one-time trap. To disarm it, you have to break a wall to the left and hit a lever on the ceiling. Only then can you finally sit safely. It’s like the bench itself is saying, “Not so fast, mate.”

I won’t lie, the first time I got killed I sat there staring at the screen like a total muppet. Then I laughed. Then I respawned and did it again because I needed to confirm it wasn’t a glitch. It was not a glitch. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, well, I’m the clown sitting on the same swinging bench.

Hollow Knight Already Taught Me Better

I’m definitely benefiting from actively playing Hollow Knight for the first time right now, but did I really think the developers wouldn’t troll us in Silksong? This is the studio that created the Deepnest.

The Deepnest is a particularly diabolical area. The rules of the game you’ve learned up to that point seemingly don’t apply. Enemies spawn out of the ground and swarm you with little warning. Levels are winding labyrinths you have to navigate in the dark. Floors give out beneath you without warning, often dumping you into a pit of spikes. And then there’s the Distant Village. This village is at the far end of Deepnest, and if you explore it, you’ll find a group of bugs standing around a beautiful bench. They encourage you to sit and rest. How nice of them! So you sit. And you don’t heal. You can’t move. Webs tie you to your seat as the villagers surround you. The screen goes black, and you wake up in the Beast’s Den, trapped in a web. It’s not as punishing as Hunter’s March, but it’s the same kind of betrayal.

That little moment in Distant Village is the key to understanding Team Cherry. They build up your expectations and then smash them, destabilising you and reminding you that the world is full of surprises, both good and bad. Sometimes a bench saves you, and sometimes a bench kills you. It’s a long con, and I respect the commitment.

Why I’m Not Even Mad

Here’s the thing: I did not go into Silksong expecting a cozy game. I went in expecting beautiful hand-drawn pain, and Team Cherry delivered in spades. The Hunter’s March bench is not unfair; it’s a lesson. It teaches you to read the room. A bench in a corner after a brutal stretch? Maybe too good to be true. A suspicious wall to the left? A lever on the ceiling? These are not decorations. The game gives you the tools to spot the trap before it springs. I just ignored them because I was desperate.

What I Expected
What I Got

Bench heals me
Pendulum smacks me for two masks

Safe corner in Hunter's March
Booby trap with a disarm lever

Team Cherry mercy
Peak trolling

The internet can scream, cry, throw up, and post angrily online, but I don’t blame Team Cherry one bit. If anything, the fake bench is one of the most memorable moments I’ve had in a game this year. It’s a nasty little prank that makes the actual safe benches feel even sweeter. So yes, I died. Yes, I stumbled back to the same bench half an hour later and sat on it again before remembering the lever. But that’s on me.

If there is a moral to this story, it is simple: never trust a beautiful bench in Hallownest or Pharloom, especially if it is glowing a little too nicely. Team Cherry is trolling us, and honestly? I hope they never stop.

Moments like these are exactly what make Team Cherry's games so unforgettable. The sting of that fake bench isn't just a cheap trick—it's a story you retell, a joke you share with friends, and a badge of honor once you finally outsmart it. If this little tale has made you want to experience Pharloom for yourself, or revisit the beautifully punishing halls of Hallownest, you're likely wondering where to grab a copy without getting scammed by price tags that vary wildly between storefronts and platforms.

The smart move is to do what the Knight should have done before sitting down: look before you leap. Game prices bounce around constantly depending on sales, regions, and upcoming releases, so a five-minute check can save you a solid chunk of change. Whether you're hunting for a digital key, a physical edition, or a gift for a fellow adventurer who deserves a little bench-related trauma of their own, you can [compare prices here]( on DealNest and keep your wallet as safe as you thought that bench was. And trust me—in a world full of hidden traps, getting the best deal feels like the one victory that was never booby-trapped.

https://dealnesthq.com

I Waited Until 2026 to Play Hades 2, and It Was Worth It

Hades 2 1.0's launch collision with Silent Hill f forced a tough backlog priority call—playing it later proved right.

I still remember the exact moment I decided to stop playing Hades 2. It wasn't because I wasn't enjoying it—far from it. Supergiant's first sequel tore through my expectations like a fully upgraded Aspect of Pan. But after roughly 12 hours in early access, I hit a wall: not a difficulty wall, but the inevitable cliff where content would soon end. I've only ever played two games in early access—No Rest for the Wicked and Hades 2—and while I respect developers who use that model, I prefer to invest in a complete product. So I uninstalled, waited, and eventually got a release date that put me in a bind: September 25, 2025, the very same day as Silent Hill f.

Now in 2026, looking back, that release date collision taught me a lot about how I prioritize games. I didn't play Hades 2 on day one. I chose Silent Hill f first, then spent weeks lingering in Hollow Knight: Silksong, which had launched earlier that September. Hades 2 sat in my backlog until I finally carved out time in early 2026. And here's the surprising part: it was absolutely the right call.

Hades 2 originally entered early access on May 5, 2024. When its 1.0 version arrived on September 25, 2025, that was less than two years later. For anyone familiar with the first Hades, that timeline felt almost brisk. The original Hades entered early access on December 6, 2018, and didn't hit 1.0 until September 17, 2020. By comparison, Hades 2's early access period was shorter, yet its content volume had already eclipsed the entirety of Hades 1. That's a testament to Supergiant's process, but it also meant the 1.0 launch wasn't a gentle nudge—it was a massive content drop arriving on the most crowded day of my 2025 calendar.

September 2025 was absurd. In addition to Hollow Knight: Silksong finally emerging from the shadows, Silent Hill f launched on the same day as Hades 2. I was also juggling whether to pick up Ghost of Yotei in early October, while Little Nightmares 3 and Metroid 4: Beyond loomed later in the month. Cronos: The New Dawn was still sitting unplayed. The backlog wasn't just full; it was overflowing.

Silent Hill f was the dealbreaker. I've been waiting for a genuinely bold new entry in that franchise for years. The small slice I played of Hades 2 in early access was spectacular, but it wasn't shattering the earth around its IP in the same way Silent Hill f seemed to be doing for Silent Hill. The novelty, the atmosphere, the risk-taking—it all felt like the series had a pulse again after Bloober's Silent Hill 2 remake proved there was still life in it. So when the two games dropped on the same day, my priority was clear.

Here's how my September–October 2025 schedule ultimately shook out:

Priority
Game
Why

1
Silent Hill f
Same-day launch, franchise-defining risk I couldn't ignore

2
Hollow Knight: Silksong
Released weeks earlier; I was still exploring at a snail's pace

3
Hades 2 1.0
Shelved until I could give it full attention

4
Ghost of Yotei
Tempting, but optional depending on time

5
Everything else
Little Nightmares 3, Metroid 4, Cronos, etc.

By November 2025, I had finished Silent Hill f and Silksong. I could have jumped into Hades 2 then, but I didn't. I waited until January 2026, when the holiday noise cleared and I could treat Melinoë's full journey the way it deserved. And wow, did it deliver.

Playing Hades 2 in 2026, long after the launch-week discourse, felt like opening a sealed wine bottle. The new weapons, the expanded character tree, the endgame loops that weren't in early access—everything clicked. Supergiant's formula is iterative, and Hades 2 1.0 is the clearest example yet. The early access period wasn't just about bug fixes; it was about building a foundation that could support dozens of hours without losing that magical 'one more run' pull.

Would I recommend waiting as long as I did? Not necessarily. If you aren't nursing a Silent Hill f obsession or a Silksong hangover, Hades 2 1.0 is worth playing immediately. But if your September 2025 was as chaotic as mine, delaying it wasn't a sacrifice—it was an act of self-care. I got to play three of my most anticipated games back-to-back-to-back, and each one benefited from the breathing room.

Supergiant will likely stick with early access for future projects, whether that's another sequel or a new IP. After seeing how Hades 2 evolved from 2024 to 2026, I won't hesitate to dip into that process again. I'll just be more strategic about what I install and when. Some games are meant to be savored, not sprinted through on launch day.

That strategic approach isn't just good for your mental bandwidth—it's easier on your wallet too. Waiting out the launch-week frenzy means you can often find physical copies, discounted keys, or seasonal sale prices that make a sprawling 60-hour roguelike even more tempting. When I finally cleared my backlog this past January, I didn't pay full price for Hades 2 or a couple of the other titles I'd set aside; I took a beat to compare offers and landed somewhere that respected both my time and my budget.

If you're planning your own carefully paced gaming calendar this year, keeping an eye on price trends is just as important as tracking release dates. For anyone looking to stretch their playlist beyond the AAA heavy hitters, it's worth checking [where to buy cheap games]( before committing to a full-price pre-order. A little patience can mean the difference between playing five games and playing eight—and that feels like the true "more runs" approach.

https://dealnesthq.com

How to Unlock Silksong's Hidden Act 3 Without Missing 25% of the Game

Hollow Knight: Silksong Act 3 guide reveals hidden quests and Silk and Soul wish requirements for unlocking Pharloom's secrets.

Most players who roll credits in Hollow Knight: Silksong probably pat themselves on the back, believing they’ve seen everything Pharloom has to offer. Then the save file sits there, quietly judging them. The truth? They may have only finished about 75% of the game. Team Cherry tucked an entire Act 3 behind a chain of obscure chores, a few soul-collection errands, and one delightfully sneaky final choice. This guide breaks down the whole process, so nobody has to wander around Weavenest Atla wondering why the walls look so suspicious.

Act 3 Requirements

First things first: unlocking Act 3 is less about raw skill and more about not sprinting to the finish line like a startled Grub. A player needs to tick off a few boxes before the Caretaker even thinks about handing over the good stuff.

• Wish upon a star (or several): Complete most, if not all, of the wishes available in Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and the Choral Chambers in the Citadel. Some of these only wake up after certain side quests progress, so a little backtracking is basically a personality trait here.

• Flea market: No, not actual shopping. Hornet needs to round up enough fleas across the world for the caravan to haul itself over to the Putrified Ducts. She doesn’t need every single one, but a bit more than half keeps the wheels greased.

• Lace, but make it dramatic: Defeat Lace in The Cradle. Fighting her won’t slam the door on Act 3—it actually swings it wide open.

Once those requirements are handled, the Caretaker at the first shrine stops being cryptic and finally offers the last wish: Silk and Soul.

Silk and Soul Wish

This wish is basically an interdimensional grocery run. Hornet zips through the world to collect souls and items from specific, slightly odd characters. Two of them might already be sitting in her inventory by the time the quest starts, which is a nice little head start.

Item / Soul
Location
Combat Required?

Snare Setter
Weavenest Atla secret nook
No

Maiden’s Soul
Moss Grotto, starting area west
No

Hermit’s Soul
Bellhart, east secret passage
No

Seeker’s Soul
Bilehaven, after Groal the Great
Yes

Snare Setter

The Snare Setter is a bashful little gadget hiding in Weavenest Atla, which sits below Bone Bottom and east of Moss Grotto. Any player who enjoys poking into corners has probably been here before—Eva hangs out nearby, offering persistent upgrades that make Hornet feel like a fully kitted-out needle warrior.

To reach the item, Hornet needs the double jump from Mount Fay. No double jump, no secret room. She should travel down, use the Needolin to play a song at the door, take the elevator to the bottom level, and head right. Instead of blundering into the next room, she can hop up the wall to the second level and slip through the left door. Right before the pond, a double jump reveals a secret area, and there the Snare Setter waits on a small podium like a shy trophy.

Maiden’s Soul

While she’s in the neighborhood, Hornet can head back to the top of Moss Grotto and then west to the very spot where the adventure began. The Chapel Maid is hanging around, probably wondering why nobody visits. One chat later, she happily hands over her soul. Easy peasy.

Hermit’s Soul

The Bell Hermit in Bellhart is about as cheerful as a wet charm notch, but he’s surprisingly generous when Hornet asks for his soul. She just needs to find the secret passage east of the fast travel station. A quick conversation, and the grumpy old man parts with it like a man donating a coat he never liked anyway.

Seeker’s Soul

Now the errand list gets spicy. The Seeker’s Soul demands actual combat. Hornet has to take down Groal the Great, the final boss of the Bilewater region, at the top of Bilehaven. Yeah, that means trudging through a whole network of nasty, maggot-infested waters first. No pressure.

After slaying Groal, she hops up to the left and enters the little house just outside the arena. Inside, the Seeker’s Soul lies on the ground beneath the strung-up Seeker, which is grim but also conveniently placed.

Setting the Trap

With all the ingredients stuffed into Hornet’s inventory, the next stop is the First Shrine. Talking to the Caretaker completes the wish, and the path forward becomes clear: climb The Cradle, speak to the Caretaker at the top, and march into the final boss fight.

The clever part comes after defeating Grand Mother Silk. The game offers two choices: Bind or Needolin.

• Bind: End the game right there, roll credits, and accidentally lock out Act 3 for that playthrough. Oops.

• Needolin: Spring the trap. Grand Mother Silk and Lace get unceremoniously dragged into the Abyss. It’s dramatic, a little mean, and exactly what the story ordered.

After the credits, the save file doesn’t look quite right. Black threads coil around it like an overprotective spider. Cutting away at it with the confirm button unlocks Act 3, and suddenly the game isn’t over at all.

So the takeaway is simple: don’t rush the finale. Do the wishes, find the fleas, be nice to the Chapel Maid, and keep that Needolin handy. Act 3 has been hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone patient enough to poke it with a needle.

For players who enjoy uncovering every hidden nook and secret timeline, being patient doesn’t just apply to in-game mechanics—it also pays off when planning the next purchase. A game as rich as Hollow Knight: Silksong rewards careful observation, but staying updated on launch discounts, special editions, or rare merchandise can take the same kind of vigilance. After all, none of those DLC reveals or collector’s editions will find their way into your cart by themselves.

Rather than refreshing store pages every single day, let [this price tracking tool]( keep an eye on price drops and restocks for you. That way, you can spend more time studying the secrets of Pharloom and less time bargain hunting—and when the next surprise update arrives, you’ll already be ready to dive back in.

https://dealnesthq.com

Hollow Knight: Silksong — Surviving The Mist, Beating Phantom, and Unlocking Parry

Silksong guide details The Mist and Exhaust Organ, offering tips for Wraiths, Needolin puzzles, and unlocking Cross Stitch.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Bilewater is one of the most unpleasant stretches of Pharloom I’ve dragged myself through, and the first time I stepped into The Mist, I immediately regretted my curiosity. But after enough deaths, enough Wraith screeches, and enough Needolin notes echoing through fog, I started to understand the method behind the madness. If you’re trying to reach the Exhaust Organ, rescue a very distressed Flea, and unlock Cross Stitch so you can parry for the rest of your run, here’s exactly how I did it.

Entering The Mist

You won’t find a fixed route here, and that’s by design. The layout of The Mist is randomized every time you enter. The one mercy is that your Cocoon always spawns near the entrance, so if you fall, you won’t lose too much progress. From there, I learned to stop hugging walls and start looking for small, glowing butterflies. When you play your Needolin near them, they float upward. Once you stop playing, they fly toward the correct exit.

The problem? The Wraiths won’t give you a quiet moment to perform. This is why I always come into The Mist with Straight Knives or Cogflies in my loadout. Ranged options let me swat away the screeching ghastly women without closing distance and risking a fall. My usual loop looked like this:

• Clear Wraiths with a ranged tool.

• Find a glowing butterfly.

• Play the Needolin long enough to make it rise.

• Stop playing and follow it.

• Repeat until the fog opens up.

After a couple of correct exits, you’ll notice a straightaway. That’s the game’s way of telling you that you’re on the right path. A few more correct butterfly choices after that, and you’ll step into the Exhaust Organ.

Pushing Through the Exhaust Organ

The Exhaust Organ wastes no time reminding you where you are. The first room is full of those maggot-infested waters that Bilewater seems to love, and there’s no way around them. I took a deep breath, dove in, and headed left. Once inside the central building, I jumped up the platforms, moved left, climbed the wall, and slashed the bench free from its webbing. That bench is important if you want a checkpoint in this stretch.

After that came the steam gauntlet. The pipes on the right follow a fairly linear route, but the timing is everything. I went up to the right, then up and left, then slid down left before moving forward again. When I reached the middle pipe, I broke it open and played my Needolin for the unsettling tube just to hear the bonus lore. From there, I climbed the middle tube, slid down right, wall-jumped up the next section, and made the final climb. There was silk waiting to the right, and Phantom waiting to the left.

Beating Phantom

Phantom is a showstopping longnail fighter. She takes big stabs at your position and frequently raises her guard to parry you. My first instinct was to wait out her guard, but I actually had better results doing the opposite.

I started hitting her guard on purpose. Whenever she parries, you can almost always jump, move toward her current position, and dodge the parry entirely. That leaves her open for a couple of cheap shots before she recovers. It sounds reckless, but it made the first phase much faster.

Phase
Attack
How I Handled It

Phase 1
Guard / parry stance
Hit her guard intentionally, jump toward her, dodge the parry, punish

Phase 2
Giant laser pillars
Dash out of the glowing columns, wait for the hitbox to clear, then attack

Phase 2
Needle toss
Dodge it, then close distance in the middle of the arena

Phase 2
Floor shuffle
Stay mobile and avoid touching her while she shifts across the boards

The second phase starts with Phantom firing massive laser blasts that cover half the arena. As intimidating as it looks, I found this to be her easiest attack. I just dashed away, avoided the big glowing pillars, and waited for the hitbox to disappear before punishing her. The needle toss is also a great opening if you dodge it and hit her in the center of the arena. At the end, make sure you hit the QTE prompt. It’s about as forgiving as they come, and completing the fight unlocks your Parry.

Don’t Miss the Flea

Before you leave the Exhaust Organ, there’s one easily missed detour. From the boss arena, I went right, fell down, went left, then climbed up and to the left before jumping the gap. In the room with silk-strewn tubes, I ran right past the thread-wrapped cylinders and into a hidden area. From there, I dropped down, exited through the left door, and crossed the floating platforms carefully.

All the way to the left, there’s more of that lovely infested liquid to hop across. If you make it, you’ll find a Flea making very concerned noises. Save it. It’s a short detour that I nearly skipped on my first run, and it absolutely matters.

How to Parry with Cross Stitch

Parrying in this game is not what you might expect from other action titles. You can’t simply press a button whenever you want. Cross Stitch is a Silk Skill, and it costs four bars of Silk to use. When I activate it, Hornet enters a parry stance for a little over half a second. If she’s hit during that stance, she responds with an animation of constantly slashing at the spot where she took damage.

That distinction matters. If you parry a projectile, you won’t take damage, but you may completely miss the enemy if the projectile was far away from them. On the bright side, Cross Stitch has a very generous hitbox, so if you’re within a few feet of the enemy, it will probably land. After the parry finishes, you also get a few frames of complete invulnerability.

Because the attack tends to place you directly on top of the enemy, I make a habit of dashing away after every successful parry. That way I don’t eat a random hit during the recovery window. It’s one of those skills that feels awkward at first, but once you get used to the rhythm, it turns Phantom’s own aggression against her and becomes essential for later fights in the Underworks.

That’s how I finally pushed through The Mist, cleared the Exhaust Organ, and unlocked Cross Stitch. If you’re still getting lost in the fog, lean on the butterflies, keep a ranged option equipped, and don’t be afraid to provoke Phantom’s guard. The parry is worth the struggle.

Fighting through the Exhaust Organ and earning Cross Stitch is just one milestone in a game packed with challenges like it. There are more bosses waiting deeper in the Underworks, each with their own rhythms to learn, and mastering the parry now will pay off again and again as you push forward.

If you haven't started your run yet, it might be worth waiting for a discount before diving into Pharloom. Silksong frequently appears in promotions, and a reliable [steam sale tracker]( can help you spot the best price without refreshing the store page every day. DealNest makes it easy to monitor price drops across Steam and other platforms, so you can grab the game at the right moment and spend your saved coins on more important things — like practicing that parry window.

https://dealnesthq.com

How to Complete the Lost Merchant Quest in Hollow Knight: Silksong

Struggling with Hollow Knight: Silksong's Lost Merchant quest? Track Jubilana through Memorium using Faydown Cloak and scent trail to bring her home.

Any Hollow Knight: Silksong fan worth their salt knows that exploration is the bread and butter of the game. But every so often, a side quest crops up that makes even the most seasoned players scratch their heads. Enter the Lost Merchant quest, where Jubilana decides to go walkabout for the second time. If you've already wrapped up the Balm for the Wounded quest, you might have noticed that her little shop in Songclave is looking, well, a bit lonely. Don't sweat it though — tracking her down is easier than you'd think, especially once you know where to look.

How to Start the Lost Merchant Quest

First things first — you can't just waltz into this quest cold. The Lost Merchant side quest only becomes available after completing the Balm for the Wounded quest. Once that's done and dusted, a new request will appear on the Wish Board in Songclave. Take a gander around town, and you'll quickly realize that Jubilana has pulled a disappearing act again. She's gone missing not once, but twice now, with her first vanishing act tied to the Wandering Merchant quest. This time around, it's up to you to play detective and bring her back home.

Here's the good news: you won't need to traverse half of Pharloom to find her. She's holed up in a sub-area of the Citadel called Memorium. That said, if you don't know the route, you could easily spend hours wandering around like a headless chicken.

How to Find Jubilana in Memorium

The route to Memorium starts by heading west from Songclave. Keep pushing through until you reach an area covered in grass with an opening in the ceiling. Here's the catch: you'll need the double jump ability — better known as the Faydown Cloak — to reach that opening. If you haven't snagged it yet, don't panic, but it's a non-negotiable for this quest. Once you've got it, jump up through the ceiling and into Memorium.

Now comes the fun part: tracking. Make your way through the rooms that lead east and keep your eyes peeled for Jubilana's items scattered on the ground. Interacting with them will create a scent trail that points you in her direction. It's a nifty little mechanic that makes the search feel a lot less like a wild goose chase.

Keep pressing east, and you'll eventually stumble upon a room with a contraption displaying a map of the Citadel. You can spend 70 Rosaries to grab that map if you're feeling flush. But to find Jubilana, you'll want to jump into the opening in the ceiling to access a secret area. It's one of those classic Silksong moments where the path forward is hidden in plain sight.

From there, head east once more to reach the outside and drop down to the platform below. Before you can have a proper chinwag with Jubilana, though, a wave of bird enemies will swoop in to ruin the reunion. It's not the toughest scrap in the game, but keep your wits about you. Once you've cleared the feathered fiends, approach Jubilana and exhaust her dialogue to wrap up the Lost Merchant quest.

The Lost Merchant Quest Rewards

Now for the good stuff. Completing the Lost Merchant quest expands Jubilana's inventory back in Songclave, and she'll have some seriously tempting new wares up for grabs. Here's what's on offer:

Item
Type
Price
Description

Spider Strings
Support Tool
350 Rosaries
Resonates with music to amplify a performance. Expands and strengthens the effects of the Needolin.

Craftmetal
Trade Item
180 Rosaries
Can be traded to various merchants in exchange for goods.

Spool Fragment
Upgrade Material
500 Rosaries
Increases the size of the Silk Meter.

Choral Commandment
Relic
210 Rosaries
A relic of Pharloom's past, interesting to collectors.

If you're wondering where to splash your hard-earned Rosaries first, the Spool Fragment is the smart money. It boosts your Silk Meter — one of the most impactful quality-of-life upgrades in the game. Just keep in mind that you'll need two Spool Fragments to actually see an increase in your Silk Meter capacity, so don't celebrate too early. The Spider Strings are also a solid pick if you lean on the Needolin, but the Spool Fragment takes the cake for overall utility.

All in all, the Lost Merchant quest is a classic Silksong side adventure — a bit of tracking, a bit of fighting, and a whole lot of reward. It's the kind of quest that flies under the radar but delivers some genuinely valuable loot for those willing to go the extra mile. So grab your Faydown Cloak, follow the scent, and get Jubilana back where she belongs. ️

Much like venturing off the beaten path in Silksong rewarded you with Jubilana's hidden wares, a little extra effort when shopping for your gaming setup can pay off handsomely too. Between new releases, hardware upgrades, and the countless accessories that make those long sessions more comfortable, the costs can add up quickly — which is why savvy players know that finding the latest sales and discounts is its own kind of quest. When you want to stretch your budget without compromising on quality, [DealNest]( takes the guesswork out of the hunt, rounding up the best offers across a wide range of products in one easy-to-browse spot.

Whether you're on the lookout for the next great indie gem to follow up your Silksong adventure or simply looking to snag a quality upgrade for your battlestation, pairing your passion for gaming with a little smart shopping is a strategy that never misses. A deal well found can be just as satisfying as a treasure well earned.

https://dealnesthq.com

Hi,

Since getting the classic miniatures today is both quite expensive and very difficult, I'm thinking about to custom Imperial units for a proper Dogs of War. And also I got a threat reasonable concern from my wife regarding the huge amount of grey miniatures, so reusing models seems smart, at least until I paint the rest!

My current project for the Empire includes assigning the coat of arms and colours of the swiss cantons, one to each, so each unit represents one of them.

For the Elite infantry (we are still talking about the Empire here) I thought about the Reiksguard on foot, painted with the colours of the Swiss Guard of the Pope. This also fits as bodyguard of the Archi-lector...

Well, now DoW. I've been playing the whole summer (since I came back to the game) and some of the battles I played them with DoW. But as I do not have the proper models I either borrowed the models or proxied with Empire units. And it worked quite well, if you allow me.

So now I need to think how to convert units from Empire to DoW. We'll need:

• Pikes! so far I can still using lances... I have some old imperial lancers that ahve broken lances, so I can repair them longer than they were. Easy to fix.
• Crossbows!: I got enough bits from the State Troops of the Empire to build models with crossbows. The basic tilean crossbowmen do not need shields nor anything fancy.
• Duellists! the Free Companies are quite the men for the job! I know they will look as "germanic" as the rest of the army, missing the "tilean" touch... which is part of the beauty!
• Heavy cavalry: The Knightly Orders of the Empire going rogue and serving the best paymaster sounds relatable to me. The miniatures are perfect.
• Light Cavalry: Now this is where the problems begin. I would rather using Kislevite ungors, as they are archers on horse. Another option may be bretonnian mounted yeomen?
• Cannons: The empire have them covered!
• Ogres and Dwarfs and Haflings: these can be reused from OgreBulls/Ironguts, basic Dwarfs with CC weapons or crossbows (of course, crossbows!)
• Paymaster's bodyguard: Now this is a pain in the ass! Because the common sense tells me to use either Greatswords or Reiksguard... but both are using Longswords! And the Bodyguards use Halberds... I have a little obsession with WYSIWYG. And the imperial Halberds feel not Elite enough for the job.

For the mounts of the Characters: horses o pegasi, not a problem! I plan to magnetize some bretonnian pegasi for this matter.

And for the Paymaster... I though about making a chess to put UNDER him (in 20mm square or 25x50mm for the horse-mounted version), so it is clear for everyone WHO is the paymaster... and if he gets captured the victor can attach the paychest to their unit.

What do you guys think??

The rain over the Tilean camp is warm, heavy and wrong.

Inside the paymaster’s tent, the guards fall silent as a hooded figure enters. It is wrapped in a sodden cloak, but no man moves like that. Its gloved fingers are too long. Its eyes, glimpsed beneath the hood, blink sideways.

Without a word, it places a chest upon the table.

Lustrian gold spills into the lamplight.

The paymaster stops smiling.

"My master requires professionals," the stranger clicks. "An ancient artefact was stolen long ago. A staff of jade, taken by men who called themselves knights. Bretonnians, perhaps. Thieves, certainly. Its trail has gone cold."

The captain frowns.

"You do not know where it is?"

The reptilian envoy remains perfectly still.

"That is why we are paying you."

The paymaster lifts a coin, weighs it, then closes his fist around it.

"No one pays this much for a missing stick."

The envoy bows, low and stiff.

"Then perhaps you understand that it is not a stick."

Outside, drums begin to sound. Men leave dice, wine and sleep behind. Contracts are signed. Banners are raised.

The Dogs of War have been paid. And now they march.

Captains and soldiers of fortune: the cold-blooded ones have opened their coffers, but they know less than they pretend. Somewhere in the Old World lies a stolen Jade Staff, last linked to Bretonnian “knights” and old treachery. Find it, seize it, sell it, return it - that can be decided later. For now, the contract is signed.

Raise the pikes. Count the coin. We march for war!

Hi all!

This thread is a campaign report of the global event (summer campaign) organized by Karak Norn Wargaming, from Switzerland, that has tracked more than 1000+ battles!!

During the whole summer, the armies of the whole world have fought and bleed. And the Dogs of War have been there, of course! Both as stand-alone army (with a surprising number of appareances) and as hired units and champions.

During 13 weeks have been searching for the Jade Staff, and it has finally appeared!
Now, while we prepare for the final battle that will decide the outcome of this saga... let me tell you about the tales of victories and defeats that, week after week, have been carried by Mercenary Generals.

This project is a tribute to the original 1997 campaign written by Jervis Johnson. We have restored and polished the semi-official 6th Edition rules for Amazons, alongside a system for Stolen Relics that lets any army use Lizardmen artifacts.

• Amazon Mercenaries: Rules for fielding the contingent as Dogs of War or a standalone force .
• Stolen Relics: A system where any faction can field ancient Lizardmen magic items.
• Lustrian Scenarios: Two prologue scenarios for replaying the historical looting of Huatl.
• Playtested: We ran a 12-player tournament in Zürich to ensure the rules are balanced and ready for the tabletop.

️ The Two Sides​

For this campaign, every army is categorized into one of two fronts for the purpose of the global scoreboard:

• Agents of the Slann (Reclaimers) : Your goal is the absolute recovery of every sacred plaque. This front includes: Lizardmen, Chaos Dwarfs, Vampire Counts, Dark Elves, Dogs of War, Forces of Chaos, Ogre Kingdoms, and Orcs & Goblins .
• Defenders of the Relics: You currently hold the artifacts of Huatl and refuse to surrender them. This front includes: Bretonnia, High Elves, Dwarfs, The Empire, Kislev, Wood Elves, Skaven, and Tomb Kings.
  In our case, we have been hired for recovering these artifacts... which means nothing, of course! We are expected to fight in both sides, and we will, if they pay enough!!

Note: Internal conflicts (Attacker vs. Attacker or Defender vs. Defender) are valid and critical for the scoreboard.

The Stakes: The Siege of the Jade Staff​

Winning the summer phase is only the beginning of the nightmare.

• The Prize: The side (Agents or Defenders) with the most points on July 31st successfully secures the Jade Staff of the Old Ones.
• The Consequence: Possession is a death sentence. In August 2026, the winners must hold a final, desperate Siege Scenario.
• The Wrath of the Slann: Lord Mazdamundi has felt the staff’s resonance. He and his agents are coming to reclaim it by any means necessary. The winner of the summer campaign must survive the "Great Reclaiming" to claim the ultimate victory.

️ How to Participate​

Play Your Games: The campaign runs from May 1st to July 31st, 2026.

Use the Supplement: You can use the restored Amazon Mercenary list or give your heroes Stolen Relics (Lizardman magic items). PDF: HERE!

Build Your List: Use our NewRecruit configuration (guide on p.10) to build campaign-legal lists on your phone. For Dogs of War, the NewRecruit includes these Regiments of Renown:

• Magic Items from GW Italy (2005 and 2006)
• Al Muktar's Desert Dogs
• Asarnil the Dragonlord
• Bearman of Urslo
• Birdman of Catrazza
• Braganza's Besiegers
• Bronzino's Galloper Gun
• Golgfag's Ogres
• Leopold's Leopard Company
• Long Drong's Slayer Pirate
• Lumpin Croop's Fighting Cock
• Marksmen of Miragliano
• Ogla Khan's Wolfboy
• Pirazzo's Lost Legion
• Ricco's Republican Guard
• The Alcantani Fellowship
• Tichi Huichi's Raiders
• Vespero's Vendetta
• Voland's Venators
• Ruglud's Armoured Orc
• Mengil's Manflayers
• The Cursed Company
• Amazon Serpent Priestess (WD#307-UK)
• Anakonda's Amazons (WD#308-UK)
• Amazon Totem Warriors (by Andy Hoare)
• Amazon Cold One Riders (by Andy Hoare)
• Torston Treehaka's Sea Axes (WD#307, p.48)
• Giant (WD#316-UK, p.20-43)
• Mydas the Mean (CR-03, p.110)
• Lucrezzia Belladonna (CR-03, p.111)
• Borgio the Besieger, Merchant Prince of Miragliano (CR-03, p.112)
• Ghazak Khan, Terror of the East (CR-03, p.112)
• Lorenzo Lupo, Merchant Prince of Luccini (CR-03, p.113)
• Marco Colombo (WD#103-ES, p.7)
• Gotrek Gurnisson & Felix Jaeger (AN-02, p.64)
• Dark Emissary (CR-03, p.14)
• Truthsayer (CR-03, p.15)
• Fenbeasts (CR-03, p.16)
• Johann van Hal & Wilhelm Hasburg (AN-02, p.119)
• Emperor Fire Dragon (FW)
• 'Kathleen' Halftank (WD#314-UK, p.93)
• Toxote's Hellmounts (CJ#41, p.24-27)
• Manbiters (WD#310-UK, p.95 & )
• Giants of Albion (CR-04, p.67)
• Josef Bugman (CJ#44)
• Ice Trolls (WD#287-US)

Report Results: Submit your battle outcomes (any edition/house rules) via our online form or email to influence the global scoreboard.

PD: I will update this thread with the weekly reports, and then the latest news about the Final Battle

Willmark's Dogs of War Army
From small beginnings i hope to see my band of mercenary scum grow. Of course coming into this late means, $$$. Dogs of War ain't for the faith of heart when it comes to cost.

Gold and Glory!