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The Nocturnus Clan, also known as the Marauders, were an ancient group of armored echidnas who were banished to the Twilight Cage.
History[]
Ancient Times[]
Hundreds of years after the Forgotten War, a group of Echidnas left Albion to create a colony and spread Echidna culture. Settling in Soumerca, they encountered the hostile native Felidae warriors, and most of the colonists chose to leave and settle elsewhere. Two castes remained behind to fight over the land, the warrior caste would come to be known as the Knuckles Clan, while the other group who were more advanced in science, became the Nocturnus Clan. Their leaders, Pachacamac of the Knuckles and Imperator Ix of the Nocturnus, initially cooperated, but Pachacamac eventually chose to wage war against the Nocturnus as well as with the Felidae. A three-way war then erupted between the three groups, with the Knuckles Clan focused on warfare while Ix and his clan continued to make great strides in their technological prowess. Their power grew to such a point where they could've easily crushed the Knuckles Clan with little effort, but the Nocturnus were mysteriously transported to the Twilight Cage during the Argus Event by unknown means before they could do so. (SSSM: #2; CSE)
Building an Empire[]
The Nocturnus Clan (bottom right) and their alien servants.
Once sealed in the Cage, the Nocturnus ran afoul of four powerful alien races who were also imprisoned, namely the Zoah, Kron, Voxai, and N'rrgal. Using their technology and skilled tactics to survive, the Nocturnus launched brutal raids against the other creatures, earning them the nickname "The Marauders". In time the clan had conquered the entire Cage and all the planetoids within. Some time later the Dark Legion, another group of echidnas from the Second Downunda Colony, also arrived in the Cage. They were spared solely because of their origin and inferior technology and were allowed to live free of Nocturnus attacks, but the clan did attack whenever the Legion raided the Nocturnus Clan's teleportation technology. After the Legion escaped the Cage, Imperator Ix continued to research the power of the Twilight Cage in preparation for the clan's eventual escape and conquest of Mobius and the rest of their native univese. (CSE)
Technology[]
Being a scientist caste, the Nocturnus are equipped with very advanced technology, including short-ranged teleporters, energy-draining weapons, advanced armor, as well as a line of highly adaptive and versatile robots known as the Gizoids. Their technology was powerful enough to the point where it allowed the clan to conquer the entire Twilight Cage. (SSSM: #2, CSE)
Background Information[]
- Sonic Super Special Magazine #2 explains how the Nocturnus Clan were banished to the same zone that the Dark Legion was eventually banished to. The Nocturnus Clan are thought by many to have been inspired by the Dark Legion.
- Originally, the Nocturnus Clan was supposed to make its canon debut in the comics in issue #191's backup story.[1] The story was to take place in Archie canon (featuring Julie-Su, Mighty and Vector along with Knuckles, Shade and two Nocturnus soldiers), but Sega changed plans after it was penciled and inked, requiring the story in its entirety to be re-done in the non-canon adaption that would later be printed in #191 taking place in an alternate reality. Writer Ian Flynn has stated that there's a small possibility the original story will be completed and officially printed, but due to the Ken Penders lawsuit and settlement prohibiting the use of Julie-Su and possibly even the Nocturnus themselves (as Penders currently intends to sue Sega and EA over Sonic Chronicles), it is extremely unlikely that it will ever see print.[2]
- It was later confirmed by Ian Flynn that the Nocturnus Clan are officially off-limits for future use for the aforementioned reason.
- Despite what was said above, the Nocturnus Clan's first appearance is still stated as being in StH#191 in The Complete Sonic Comic Encyclopedia, even though the versions seen in that issue where not the Prime Zone versions.
- While the Nocturnus are not useable in the comics, the Gizoid-based robot Gemerl and a new Gizoid-like robot named Fixit have been featured. Of course, this is undoubtedly possible mainly due to the fact that Emerl was introduced in Sonic Battle, and its ties to the Nocturnus were only established in Chronicles.