Eclipse (Horizon Zero Dawn)

The Eclipse, also known as Eclipse Cultists or simply Cultists, are an evil organization in Horizon Zero Dawn''. ''The group is a militaristic religious cult led by hardline members of the Shadow Carja under the command of HADES.

History
The Eclipse was founded by Banuk named Sylens in order to use its Shadow Carja followers to serve HADES's own ends. A splinter tribe know as the Shadow Carja were chosen to form the Eclipse due to them being easily manipulated through religion and nationalism following their defeat in the Carja Civil War, and were made into believing HADES was the "Buried Shadow" god from Carja mythology. The Eclipse follow HADES in the belief that it will help them to control the Machines, and plan to use them to retake the Carja Capital Meridian and conquer the world. But, the Eclipse remained unaware of HADES' true intentions: to reawaken the Faro Swarm and destroy the world. Sylens was forced to flee from the Eclipse after learning HADES had no use for him and had marked him for death. The Shadow Carja champion Helis replaced Sylens as HADES's trusted follower.

The Eclipse kept their existence unknown to the world, killing any witnesses. The cultists explored the Old Ones ruins and dug up and reactivated Faro machines, which they used to corrupt and control other machines.

Present Edit
Some years later, HADES ordered Eclipse to kill a Nora Tribe warrior Aloy, whom HADES had deemed a threat to Eclipse's so-called god. The cultists led by Helis attacked the Nora during a rite of passage ritual known as The Proving. Despite killing many Nora in their carnage, they failed to kill Aloy. This event, however, forced Aloy into a personal war against the Eclipse. After Aloy foiled Eclipse operations throughout her journey, the Eclipse eventually captured her at their capital city of Sunfall and threw her into the Sun-Ring, where she was only saved by the arrival of Sylens, who has been aiding her to foil the Eclipse and HADES' goals.

The Eclipse ultimately launched a full-scale assault on Meridian with their armies of corrupted machines, and HADES was directly taken to the Spire, a broadcasting tower that HADES required in order to send a signal to reawaken the Faro Swarm. The defenders of Meridian - Carja, Oseram, Nora, and Banuk alike - fiercely defended the city. The battle resolutely ended in the Eclipse's defeat: Helis lost his life at the hands of Aloy, who then managed to stop HADES's signal from destroying the world.

Known members

 * High Priest Bahavas
 * HADES
 * Helis
 * Supply-master Thiran [1]

Former Members Edit

 * Sylens (Founder and Ex-Leader)
 * Olin (forced, scout and spy)

Melee

 * Cultist Dredger
 * Cultist Priest
 * Elite Cultist Dredger

Ranged

 * Cultist Punisher
 * Cultist Thug
 * Elite Cultist Archer
 * Elite Cultist Punisher
 * Elite Cultist Sniper

Heavy

 * Cultist Heavy
 * Elite Cultist Heavy