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Hollow Knight: Silksong's journey through Pharloom is packed with grim dangers, but few hit harder than the thought of sweet Sherma wandering into the shadows. The little bean is pure as snow, and when he goes missing, it is time to ride at dawn. The quest Balms for the Wounded turns his noble errand for bandages into a full-blown rescue operation. Hornet will need to cross Bone Bottom, ring the Songclave bell, snag a White Key, and dive deep into the steam-choked corridors of Whiteward to pull him out of trouble. Here is the full route, laid out step by step.

Prerequisites: Setting the Stage

Before Sherma will even think about showing up at Songclave, two big doors need to be kicked open. Missing either one is a classic run-killer, so it is worth double-checking the map before tearing hair out.

Along the way, Hornet can bump into Sherma in a handful of spots. These meetings are not strictly required, but they add some sweet context and keep an eye on the precious bean. The known locations are in front of the Bell Beast while it is trapped, Pilgrim's Rest, Bellhart, the Blasted Steps bench, and the Citadel Spa.

Unlocking the Quest at Songclave

Once Hornet reaches Songclave and rings the bell to bring forth travelers, Sherma will eventually wander in—provided those earlier prerequisites are done and dusted. The first chat is pretty quiet, but the trick is to keep coming back and talking to him over time. Eventually Sherma starts voicing doubts about the travel, and not long after, he leaves Songclave altogether. His Wish will pop up on the Wishboard, and accepting it is the official start of the rescue.

Before charging off into Whiteward, there is one small but critical item: the White Key. On the right side of Songclave, it sits against the metal fence on the ground. Picking it up is non-negotiable, since without it the entrance to Whiteward might as well be a brick wall.

Finding Sherma in Whiteward

Whiteward is not the kind of place for a casual stroll. The path is long, dark, and full of things that want Hornet dead. The first entry starts at the Grand Bellway station. From there, Hornet should enter the chamber to the left, take the second exit from the bottom left, and push through the long chamber all the way into the far room. On the bottom right, the entrance to Whiteward is marked with an upside-down spear sign. The White Key unlocks the elevator that leads down into the area.

After taking the elevator all the way down, Hornet should travel hard left, passing the key slot. On the far side, a set of platforms leads up into a narrow upper tunnelway. Keep climbing into the next room and up until the path turns into a corridor full of steam vents. Dashing through those vents takes care, but the real headache is the vertical path ahead. Hornet can jump up and to the right, but two circling fans are waiting to turn a clean jump into a pancake.

Eventually the route dead-ends at a lever. Striking it opens a path down, so Hornet should fall into the new room and start heading right, breaking any false walls along the way. Past the elevator shaft, a grate on the far side must be destroyed to continue left, then it is time to drop down. At the bottom sits the Whiteward Map, available for 70 Rosary. The map is a handy pickup for anyone who does not enjoy wandering blind, but the goal is still further right.

To the right of the Whiteward Map dispenser begins Sherma's trail. Hornet should follow it right, past the mortician enemies, until reaching the end of the room. From there, a platform leads up into the room above. Following Sherma's scent left over the spikes reveals a building with bells on either side of the entrance. That is the hideaway.

Saving Sherma: The Ambush

Inside the building, Sherma is tucked away at the back. He is hiding behind a false wall, so Hornet must destroy it to reveal his hidden room. A quick chat with the little bean kicks off the real fight—morticians and surgeons pour in, and Hornet is not out of the woods until every single one is cleared out.

This ambush can get ugly fast, but a few tricks make it far more manageable:

• Throw down traps like Tacks and Sting Shards; the Pollip Pouch tool makes these even more effective.

• Use Cross Stitch against morticians to punish their aggressive rush and hit multiple enemies at once.

• Turn the sound up. Movement in the dark or offscreen is easier to track by sound than by squinting at shadows.

• Do not let the surgeons surround Hornet. Jumping over or around them keeps the fight from turning into a corner trap.

• Always target morticians before surgeons. Clearing the fast ones first opens up more ground to maneuver.

Once the last wave drops, Hornet should talk to Sherma again. He hands over a Spool Fragment and the quest completes. Best of all, Sherma will return to Songclave on his own after Hornet leaves the building and rests—no escort mission required. He will be safe and sound, with some new dialogue about the used bandages. For now, that is all any player can do to keep the sweetest bean in Pharloom out of harm's way.

Seeing Sherma safe and sound back in Songclave is one of those quiet payoffs that makes exploring every corner of Whiteward worthwhile. It is a small, self-contained story that rewards careful play, and it is exactly the kind of content that keeps players coming back for more. Those moments of closure are what make the journey through Pharloom feel so memorable.

For anyone still working through the area or planning another run, keeping the game itself in mind is just as important. Prices for popular titles like this one can swing wildly between stores and seasons, so it pays to check game prices at DealNest before making a purchase. A little comparison shopping can go a long way, leaving more room in the budget for the next big adventure.