You’ve just taken the plunge. Dropping down that well from Dirtmouth feels like a leap of faith, mostly because it is. You land in a dark, blue-tinted cavern where everything wants to kill you, and honestly, the Forgotten Crossroads map is the only thing standing between you and a very frustrating afternoon of running in circles.
Most people think they can wing it. They can't. Hallownest is a labyrinth, and the Crossroads is its winding, deceptive lobby.
It’s the first real area you’ll explore, acting as the central hub for the entire kingdom. But here’s the kicker: the game doesn't just hand you a map. You have to earn it, find the guy who makes it, and then—crucially—figure out how to actually read the damn thing. If you've been wandering around the same three rooms with the clicking beetles and the platforming spikes, you’re not alone.
Finding Cornifer (And Why He’s Humming)
Seriously, listen for the humming. That’s your North Star.
To get the actual Forgotten Crossroads map, you need to find Cornifer. He’s the tall, spectacled bug who spends his life charting these dangerous pits. From the well entrance, you’ll basically want to head left, then work your way down. You'll see little scraps of paper on the floor. Those are his "trail of breadcrumbs."
He sells the map for 30 Geo. It’s a steal. Buy it immediately.
But buying the map is only half the battle. When you open it, you’ll notice it’s... empty? Sort of. It only shows the rooms Cornifer has personally visited. As you walk into new areas, your character doesn't automatically draw them. You have to go back to a bench and sit down for the Knight to actually whip out a quill and update the lines.
Expert Tip: If you're feeling blind, head back up to Dirtmouth and visit Iselda’s shop (Cornifer’s wife). Buy the Wayward Compass charm. It costs 220 Geo and takes up one notch, but it puts a little "You Are Here" icon on your map. Without it, you're just staring at a drawing of a maze without knowing which hallway you're currently standing in.
Major Landmarks You’ll Keep Coming Back To
The Crossroads isn't just a hallway to other levels; it’s packed with stuff that remains relevant for the next thirty hours of your playthrough.
- The Temple of the Black Egg: Right near the entrance. Big, ominous, and currently useless to you. Just know it’s the focal point of the whole story.
- The Stag Station: Located in the upper left. You have to pay a toll to open it, but once you do, it’s your fast-travel hub.
- The Ancestral Mound: This is where the Snail Shaman lives. You’ll go here after beating the False Knight. It’s where you get your first spell, Vengeful Spirit.
- Salubra’s Shop: Tucked away in the bottom right, past the Gruz Mother boss. She sells charms and charm notches. You’ll be visiting her a lot if you like being powerful.
The Bosses Hiding in the Ink
You can’t fully clear the Forgotten Crossroads map without dealing with the local "management."
The False Knight is the big one. He’s right in the center. He looks intimidating, but his movements are pretty telegraphed. Hit him, jump over the shockwaves, and wait for him to throw a tantrum in the middle of the room. Once he’s down, you get the City Crest, which is your "ticket" to the City of Tears later on.
Then there’s the Gruz Mother. She’s sleeping in a room toward the bottom right. Honestly, she’s more of a warm-up than a real boss. Just don't let her bounce on you. Beating her opens up the path to the abandoned village where Sly is hiding.
Wait, who is Sly? He’s the tiny bug in the basement of a house who eventually moves to Dirtmouth to sell you upgrades. If you don't find him, you're missing out on the Lantern, which you need for later dark areas.
The "Infection" Twist No One Warns You About
Here is where the map gets tricky. After you make some significant progress—usually after you get the Monarch Wings or kill one of the Dreamers—the Crossroads changes. It becomes the Infected Crossroads.
This isn't just a visual change. It’s a mechanical nightmare.
Suddenly, those orange blobs of infection are everywhere. Some pathways you used to rely on are now physically blocked off by pulsating orange growth. The enemies get meaner, too. Those basic husks you used to one-shot? Now they explode when they die.
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If you haven't finished exploring the Crossroads before this happens, navigation becomes a massive chore. You’ll find yourself taking the long way around just to get to the Stag Station because the main artery is clogged with plague.
Real Talk: What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest mistake I see players make is trying to 100% the Forgotten Crossroads map the first time they enter it.
You can't.
There are areas you literally cannot reach yet. You see those high ledges? You need the Mantis Claw (wall jump) for those. See those green acid pools? You need Isma's Tear to swim in those. See the dark rooms with the spiders? You need the Lumafly Lantern.
Basically, the game wants you to feel like you’re missing something so that you’re excited to come back later with new powers. Don't stress if there are gaps in your map for the first five hours.
Practical Next Steps
If you're currently staring at a half-finished map and feeling stuck, do these three things in order:
- Find the Stag Station: It’s in the top-left area. Unlock it. It makes the trek back from other zones way less painful.
- Rescue the Grubs: There are several hidden behind breakable walls in the Crossroads. Finding them and visiting the Grubfather (far left) gets you Geo and Charms.
- Check for the humming: If you still don't have the map, go back to the central hub and look for the path leading down and to the left. Follow the paper.
Once you have the map and the compass, the world starts to make sense. You stop being a victim of the environment and start being an explorer. Go get that map updated at a bench and keep moving. Hallownest doesn't get any friendlier, but at least you'll know where you're dying.