Online:Nocturnal

Nocturnal is a Daedric Prince whose sphere is night and darkness. She is part of The Triad, alongside Clavicus Vile and Mephala, a group of Princes who did not sign the Coldharbour Compact and seek to start a Daedric War. Her realm of   is the Evergloam. For more information, see the lore page.

Nocturnal is encountered as the hidden main antagonist of the Clockwork City main quest, where she seeks to control the power of the city and acquire her  . Her minions include the Whispering Shadows cult and many shadow creatures, most notably the Shadow of Sotha Sil, who has secretly usurped the real Sotha Sil. In the Cogitum Centralis, she appears after the shadow's defeat as a large purple aura of darkness before being banished by Sotha Sil.

Nocturnal later returns as the primary antagonist in Summerset.
 

Related Quests

 




Quest-Related Events
Where Shadows Lie
When the Shadow of Sotha Sil is defeated:
:Proctor Luciana Pullo: "Fyr? Where did you―? What are you doing?"
:Divayth Fyr: "Never mind where I came from! I'm keeping Sil alive, you ungrateful shrew! We can't let the shadow escape!"
:Luciana Pullo: ''"Just hurry! I can't hold the light for long!"
:Nocturnal: "Even now, at the end, you bicker. How predictably mortal..."
:Divayth Fyr: "She's here! Nocturnal!"
:Nocturnal: ''"Why do you struggle so? Do you not see that it's hopeless? Sleep now... give in to the dark."
:Divayth Fyr: ''"I can't hold it much longer! Get up, comrade! You have to turn the Skeleton Key! Now!"
:Luciana Pullo: "I... will not yield! Go, friend― do as Fyr says! Unlock the throne! Free Sotha Sil!"

When the   has been deactivated:
:Sotha Sil: "You trespass, Ur-dra. The Clockwork City shall bear your weight no longer."
:Nocturnal: "You achieve nothing, little godling. The Triad looms upon Summerset's shores. All that is shall be ours!"
:Divayth Fyr: "Well done, my friend. Enough theatrics, Luciana. On your feet. Luciana...?"
:Sotha Sil: "We should return to the surface. This is no place for mortals."

Lost in Translation
thumb|right|Nocturnal with ON:Ritemaster Iachesis|Ritemaster Iachesis
After Ritemaster Iachesis reveals the location of the Heart Of Transparent Law, Clavicus and Mephala appear in Evergloam:
:Clavicus Vile: "Look, Mephala! The mortal hid the heart inside his own body! How clever!"
:Darien Gautier: "Uh-oh. Mephala and Clavicus Vile. This could be bad."
:Mephala: "But why did Nocturnal keep this from us?! No matter, I'll take the heart now, Ritemaster."''
: 
:Clavicus Vile: ''"Impressive for a mortal, but the wards won't hold for long against our power."
: 
:Ritemaster Iachesis: "They're … tearing me … apart!"
:Clavicus Vile: "Stop that, Mephala! I've got him! Wait … what's—?"
:  
:Mephala: "Nocturnal?! How dare you interfere!"
:Nocturnal: "Get out of my realm, Princes!"
: 
:Nocturnal: "You are no longer welcome. The Heart belongs to me. We made a deal, didn't we, mortal?"
:  
:Valsirenn: "Iachesis?"
:Ritemaster Iachesis: "I did what I had to. I hid the Heart, even from you. The only way to retrieve it is to kill me."
:Nocturnal: "Very well. I accept those terms."''
: 

The Crystal Tower
When you reach the Tower's pinnacle, you'll find Nocturnal remaking the Heart of Transparent Law in her own image.
:Nocturnal: "The tower crystal is almost whole. You are too late, mortal!"
:Nocturnal: "You are too late. Once the crystal is made whole, I shall become infinite!"

When you use Dawnbreaker's power and dispel the shadows:
:Nocturnal: ''"Meridia's power won't help you against me!"

Nocturnal summons Shadow Veya to oppose you.
:Nocturnal: "Rise, my champion! And this time, succeed where you last failed!"
:Shadow Veya: "Finally! My true purpose! I will not fail you, Mother!"

When Shadow Veya is defeated, Nocturnal summons her again, larger, stronger and with more arms.
:Nocturnal: "You strength is impressive, but Transparent Law is almost whole. Now rise again, my champion!"
:Shadow Veya: "You can't stop me. I only grow stronger as we bathe this world in darkness!"
:Nocturnal: "Witness my unbridled power!"''

Defeat Shadow Veya with the help of Dawnbreaker's divine energy and Reforge Transparent Law to end the fight.
:Nocturnal: "No … the tower crystal … was supposed to be … mine …."
:Nocturnal: "No!"

Shrine of Nocturnal
thumb|right|Nocturnal's statue in Blackwood
Approaching the Shrine of Nocturnal, you can overhear a worshipper plead with Nocturnal, and the Daedric Prince answers:
:Millona Brolus: "My lady Nocturnal, I beg you!"
:Nocturnal: "Ungrateful child, bear the consequence of your failure with grace."
:Nocturnal: "You, mortal, I command you to speak with me!"

She will remember you if you completed the Summerset questline:

:Your acolyte?
:"Yes. A faithless weakling named Millona Brolus. When thieves came to my property, she spoke to them as friends and asked them to stop. As if that would stay their hands."
:What did these thieves steal, exactly?
:"The Shade Sickle—a powerful instrument of my will. For her inability to protect it, Millona will never sleep again. I wonder how long she can last. Perhaps you have the mettle to return my sickle? With it, you would reap great reward."
:Yes, I will find this Shade Sickle for you.

Once you agree to help, you can ask Nocturnal some questions:
:"I will bear witness. Do not fail me. Now, speak to my acolyte and find the cowardly fools who dared to steal from me."
:'''How can I even be sure that you're really Nocturnal?
::"Your doubts do you credit, mortal. But in your heart, you know the truth. Your shadow grows long and dark. The shades of Evergloam dance at the edge of your sight. I am Ur-dra. I am Nocturnal."
:I faced you before. How do I know this isn't another plot? 
::"A petty quarrel. I am eternal, mortal. Do you think I see your impertinence as more than a flicker in the candle of time? My sickle was stolen. I want it returned. That is all."
::How can I trust you?
::"Trust or doubt. It makes little difference to me. I am overlooking your past transgressions, mortal. If petty grudges would prevent you from reaping my blessings, so be it."

Once you have retrieved the Shade Sickle from the necromancer Tumma-Maxath you can bring it back the shrine:
:Nocturnal: "You return to me at last."
When you place the sickle at the base of the shrine, Nocturnal will have some words to say before her prescence leaves:
:Nocturnal: "The faithless wanderer succeeds where my servants fail. Once again, the fruits of devotion prove inferior to the benefits of skill. Claim your reward from Millona, mortal. You find favor in the shadows."''

Abyssal Geyser Dialogue
After the death of K'Tora, the voice of Nocturnal will be heard at Abyssal Geysers before and after the final wave.

;Generic Pre-Boss Dialogue:
:"Can you feel my cold touch, mortals?"
:"Do you truly think you can stand against my shadows?"
:"These mortals. They are so predictable."
:"What fools these mortals be!"
:"You have meddled in our affairs for the last time!"
:"Feel the power of eternal darkness!"
:"You took something from me, so I take something from you."
:"Feel the anger of the darkness enraged!"

;Destroying the Abyssal Pearl:
:"Victory? For a time, perhaps. But time belongs to the Daedric Princes."
:"You accomplished nothing, mortal worm."
:"Nocturnal is the dark, and the dark is endless."
:''"A single battle isn't a war, mortal."
:"Nocturnal has survived worse than this."
:"Whenever darkness falls, I'll be there."
:"I am the night, and the night cannot die!"
:"In the dark, you will never see the end when it comes."
:"Nocturnal shall have her revenge!"
:"I am the darkness lurking around you always. Beware."
:"Those who've seen the face of darkness do not survive long."
:"When next we meet, things will be different."
:"As the darkness swallows light, so shall Nocturnal consume you."
:"Before Oblivion, there was Nocturnal."
:"Nocturnal is the night, and the night goes on forever."
:"Defeated? Oh how little you understand, mortal flea!"
:"When the day ends, Nocturnal lives."
:"The night is eternal. How can you possibly win?"
:"Savor this moment. It shall not last."
:"You believe you have won? How amusing."
:"You have no idea what comes next, do you, foolish mortal?"
:"I dwell in the darkness and one day I shall return."''

Named Bosses
A named character will often replace the generic final wave boss at an Abyssal Geyser, and Nocturnal will comment on it.


Notes
According to datamining, Nocturnal was initially involved in the original Thieves Guild questline with relation to something called the "Twilight Lodge", but was cut from its story prior to release. In concept art and an early preview video of Abah's Landing, a statue of Nocturnal with two crows and the Skeleton Key beneath it was seen.
The full statue is seen in the Evergloam, without the altar. The altar of the model appears in-game separately in the Shadow Cleft, where Night Sister Kamira is found. 
Nocturnal is shown as a Redguard in Summerset, matching her appearance in Skyrim, and wearing Shrike's Nocturnal Frock from the Crown Store.