History Main / NocturnalMooks

[[folder:Film]]

[[folder: Literature]]

* In ''Literature/TheFaerieQueene'', the castle of the EvilSorcerer Busirane is flooded with all sorts of masked evil-doers during the night. Allegorically, each one represents the types of evil Spenser saw as a result of the illicit actions people perform under the cover of darkness.
* In Creator/JRRTolkien's [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Middle-earth novels]], the orcs, trolls and other assorted evil creatures operate mostly at night, partly because they can see in the dark while their victims can't, but largely because most of them are weakened by direct sunlight. Sauron spread a sorcerous cloud to allow his armies to fight at Gondor, and its early dispersal played a large part in the rout. Although the weakness to sunlight was mentioned in the film version, the battle happened in full daylight from beginning to end.

[[folder: Live-Action TV]]

[[folder: Tabletop Games]]

[[folder: Video Games]]

* In ''VideoGame/DeadRising'', the zombies get glowing eyes and a large number increase at night. Good times.

* In ''Red Faction: Guerrilla'', if you happen to be in the Badlands at night, the Marauders will spawn in much larger numbers, even appearing in vehicles.

* ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' loves this trope. The vast majority of monsters will refuse to show themselves in daylight, to the point that most areas in the day are classified as "safe" zones, with visitable vendors, shops, inns and townspeople. At night all citizens but Geralt and the guards (if any) are locked up inside their homes and inns as beasts roam the countryside/city, attacking all those who are in their way.
** For example, the first chapter in the game has Geralt visiting the outskirts of Vizima, arriving during the night only to be attacked by a pack of barghests. Continuing, Geralt can be attacked by Ghouls, Drowners and The Beast, none of which appear during the daytime.
*** In later acts, he makes many trips through the Swamp Cemetery, where this trope is somewhat averted; the place is dangerous even during daytime, but at night you can't walk two feet without tripping over a monster.

* In Creator/JRRTolkien's [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Middle-earth novels]], the orcs, trolls and other assorted evil creatures operate mostly at night, partly because they can see in the dark while their victims can't, but largely because most of them are weakened by direct sunlight.
** Sauron spread a sorcerous cloud to allow his armies to fight at Gondor, and its early dispersal played a large part in the rout. Although the weakness to sunlight was mentioned in the film version, the battle happened in full daylight from beginning to end.
*** The sunlight is supposed to be blocked in those scenes, but you can only tell by looking at the smoke-covered sky. Otherwise it's just as light as during the day.

* Fungi Forest from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' has certain enemies, like skeletal Kremlings, that only appear at night, to replace daytime-exclusive enemies.

** The Stalchildren of Hyrule Field from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' are your first introduction to just how NightmareFuel-packed the game is going to be. Especially after how cheerful the game has mostly been so far. After an adventure in a village of magic children and their living tree, you go outside the village to quest. Pretty field! Dainty music! [[DemonicSpiders Killer pineapples of doom]]! ...okay, maybe not safe, but even the monsters look festive! And then it gets dusk. And then the music stops. And then...'''they come.''' Skeletons from the ground, able to appear no matter where you run. Kill them, more pop up. Kill more...[[spoiler:a GIANT one pops up.]]
** Certain beasts only show up at night in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'' as well. And who could forget the effects of [[TheCorruption Twilight]] itself?

* The first ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'' game has enemies become ''much'' more dangerous at night.

* ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'': [[PlayingWithATrope Played with]]. One of the common enemies is only active at night (unless provoked), but you only have a chance to fight it in the daytime when it's asleep, as you leave the planet every night.

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played With]] in ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}''. One of the common enemies is only active at night (unless provoked), but you only have a chance to fight it in the daytime when it's asleep, as you leave the planet every night.

* In ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventure'', zombies, vampires, and Pillar Men all have a weakness to sunlight, necessitating that they act at night.

[[folder:Film]]
* ''{{Film/Nosferatu}}'':
** Early on in the film, the protagonist is staying the night in an isolated village and is told not to go out, as there's a werewolf on the prowl. He disbelieves them at first, but the film then shows it. Unfortunately, the effect is spoiled for modern viewers who will instantly recognize the "werewolf" as a hyena.
** And then of course there's the Count himself who never goes out by daylight...

[[folder: Live Action TV]]
* Many of the monsters in ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' appear at night, such as werewolves which only appear when the moon is out and vampires who avoid the sunlight.
[[/folder]]

%%* VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest: "What a horrible night to have a curse."
* ''VideoGame/TheWitcher'' loves this trope. The vast majority of monsters will refuse to show themselves in daylight, to the point that most areas in the day are classified as "safe" zones, with visitable vendors, shops, inns and townspeople. At night all citizens but Geralt and the guards (if any) are locked up inside their homes and inns as beasts roam the countryside/city, attacking all those who are in their way.
** For example, the first chapter in the game has Geralt visiting the outskirts of Vizima, arriving during the night only to be attacked by a pack of barghests. Continuing, Geralt can be attacked by Ghouls, Drowners and The Beast, none of which appear during the daytime.
*** In later acts, he makes many trips through the Swamp Cemetery, where this trope is somewhat averted; the place is dangerous even during daytime, but at night you can't walk two feet without tripping over a monster.

* In ''VideoGame/DeadRising'', the zombies get glowing eyes and a large number increase at night. Good times.

* [[PlayingWithATrope Played With]] in ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}''. One of the common enemies is only active at night (unless provoked), but you only have a chance to fight it in the daytime when it's asleep, as you leave the planet every night.
* ''VideoGame/DragonQuest'' uses this in a lot of games from 3 on. The roster of enemies tends to vary wildly between day and night, and night-dwelling monsters are often tougher to fight.
* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'':
** The games use the idea of certain species being found depending on the time of day in generations [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver II]], [[VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl IV]] and [[VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon VII]]. The most obvious representative of Pokemon that show up at night is the Hoothoot line, based on owls, but there's also the Spinarak line (spiders), the Rattata line (rats), a good number of Dark-type and Ghost-type Pokemon, and others.
** In generations II and IV, the trainer class called Policeman can only be fought at night. Dialogue suggests they think that if you're up at night, you're up to no good.
* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII'' uses something mechanically similar, but using the flavor of weather conditions. Many mooks will only attack you if the weather's right.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', most Mooks only come out at night or in dark caves, and burn or turn passive in sunlight. It's made [[FromBadToWorse Worse]] by the fact that the game completely averts {{Hollywood Darkness}}. Notably though, [[ActionBomb Creepers]] are completely unaffected by sunlight and will attack you during the day.
* Fungi Forest from ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' has certain enemies, like skeletal Kremlings, that only appear at night, to replace daytime-exclusive enemies.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Mother 3}}'', the enemies in the graveyard only appear at night. Since the time of day is driven by the plot in this game, you only get these enemies at pre-determined points in the game, most notably the beginning of Chapter 2. Likewise, Mr. Batty will only appear in the Sunshine Forest at night.

* The first ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'' game has enemies become ''much'' more dangerous at night.
* In ''VideoGame/YuGiOhNightmareTroubadour'', evil duelists ambush you at night and challenge you to soul-stealing Shadow Games. Losing means Game Over.

* In ''VideoGame/FarCryPrimal'', hardier and more dangerous animals come out at night, including pack-hunting wolves.
* In [[VideoGame/{{Touhou}} Gensokyo]], while they can be seen during the day, youkai are most often seen at night because they tend to be nocturnal.
* The nighttime in ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaII'' is [[MemeticMutation horrible]] due to the massive power-up all enemy creatures receive. Zombies also only emerge in town after dark and vanish at dawn.
* A core gameplay mechanic of ''VideoGame/DyingLight'' are the volatile zombies that only appear at night. Unlike the normal daytime zombies, the volatiles are fast, tough, can track you like a bloodhound, and can kill you in two to three strikes. They turn the game from a first-person melee game into a first person stealth game.

* ''VideoGame/{{Psychonauts}}'' has certain beasts appear in the real world when it is nighttime - particularly noticeable are the giant red-eyed bears which hunt Raz and populate the forest areas.
** The [[BearsAreBadNews Telekinetic Bears]] are actually there day-round, although they stay off the beaten track. However nighttime adds Pyrokinetic Cougars to the mix, who like to stake out previously safe zones.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'', Most Mooks only come out at night or in dark caves, and burn or turn passive in sunlight. It's made [[FromBadToWorse Worse]] by the fact that the game completely averts {{Hollywood Darkness}}. Notably though, [[ActionBomb Creepers]] are completely unaffected by sunlight and will attack you during the day.

* A core gameplay mechanic of ''VideoGame/DyingLight'' are the volatile zombies that only appear at night. Unlike the normal daytime zombies, the volatiles are fast, tough, can track you like a bloodhound, and can kill you in two to three strikes. They tun the game from a first-person melee game into a first person stealth game.