Item from Hollow Knight by Team Cherry
An ancient weapon of the Moth Tribe — it cuts through the boundary between waking and dreaming, reads minds, and opens doors that don't exist in the physical world.
The Dream Nail is the Moth Tribe's most sacred artifact, given to the Knight by the Seer. It bridges the gap between the physical world and the Dream Realm — the dimension where the Radiance exists, where the White Palace persists, and where the thoughts and memories of all living things reside. Its gameplay functions are revelation and access. It reads surface thoughts (often the most characterizing single line an NPC offers). It opens dream boss fights. It enters the White Palace. It is the key to the Radiance fight — without it, you can replace the Hollow Knight but never truly confront the source. The Dream Nail is powered by Essence — the currency of dreams, collected from dream warriors and dream trees. As the Knight gathers Essence, the Seer shares more of the Moth Tribe's history. The nail is simultaneously a weapon, a key, and a confessional.
A translucent, glowing blade that materializes when swung — more light than metal. It phases through physical matter and interacts with the dream layer of reality. When used on an NPC, their surface thought appears as floating text. When used on sleeping or dead beings, it creates a portal into their dream space. The visual is ethereal — a weapon made of starlight.
Also known as: Dream Nail, The Moth Weapon