Nocturne

Nocturne is a volcanic death world of the Imperium of Man and the homeworld of the Salamanders Space Marines, the XVIII Legion and its successor Chapter. Its surface is dominated by active volcanoes, lava flows and seismic instability, and its population is concentrated in fortified sanctuary cities and among tribal communities that have adapted to the environment. Smithing and metalworking hold an unusually prominent place in Nocturnean culture, and the Salamanders’ later reputation for craftsmanship and for protecting the people of the worlds they defend is commonly traced to these origins.

The planet is disturbed by its oversized moon, Prometheus, whose orbit brings recurring periods of geological upheaval known as the Time of Trial. Accounts record that the Salamanders’ fortress stands on Prometheus rather than on Nocturne itself, while the Chapter’s recruits, customs and loyalties remain rooted in Nocturne and its tribes. When not engaged in war, the Space Marines are recorded as living among the population rather than apart from it.

Nocturne is also the world on which Vulkan rose as a protector of its people before the Emperor found him during the Great Crusade. He became primarch of the XVIII Legion, which drew its warriors from Nocturne. In the Horus Heresy the Legion, loyal to the Emperor, suffered heavily at Isstvan V alongside the Iron Hands and the Raven Guard. Vulkan’s close friend Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands was among the primarchs who fell there. The system itself is recorded as coming under attack during the Heresy, when Konrad Curze’s Night Lords struck the Nocturne system.

In the current era the Salamanders are led by Chapter Master Tu’Shan, and Nocturne remains the Chapter’s recruiting ground and cultural centre. On the Orrery map and timeline, Nocturne is the anchor for the Salamanders and for the events of Vulkan’s protectorate. It links to the XVIII Legion and to its primarch, Vulkan. It also links to the Heresy-era neighbours already covered on the site: Isstvan V, the Iron Hands and the Night Lords.