Gelatinous Shadow
The gelatinous shadow is a sinister, undead creature that is a semi-transparent, charcoal clouded ooze that maintains a vaguely humanoid shape. Unlike other ooze creatures, this one doesn’t lie in wait for its next meal. A patient hunter, this liquid undead nightmare stalks its victims, lurking just out of sight until its intended prey stops to rest.
There is no record of where this monstrosity originated. But stories insist it resulted from experiments on a dimensional crystal and a dryad from the Shroomwild.
Basic Information
Anatomy
True to its name, a gelatinous shadow is a large, undead, ooze creature that is semi-transparent, a smoke-charcoal gray in color, and roughly humanoid shaped. It lacks any sort of internal organs and what can be seen is often the remains of its last meal. This can include clothing, weapons, or other items that can’t be digested.
The gelatinous shadow has very little depth, preferring to mimic a shadow as per its name. This ooze lives along flat surfaces or floors, sliding along its mucous trail it produces as a ‘path’ to protect it from rough surfaces.
This slime and its ooze-like body is also its vulnerability. Normal weapons can hurt such a creature but do only minor amounts of damage. To do true harm, if not destroy a gelatinous shadow, it requires either magic, fire, heated salt, or a combination of all three.
It can, when attacked, take other forms such as creating tendrils. These it uses to grab or perform slam attacks against its attacker until they are subdued. After which, they become its next meal.
Ecology and Habitats
The gelatinous shadow is often found in ancient ruins or old cities such as on Netherwarren. But, this creature has crossed the Shroomwild to other worlds, such as Sow Terra, Lagomor, and others. On those worlds, it lurks in back alleys and out of the way places, with the only hint of its presence being a smokey slime trail or shadows that seem a little too dark than normal.
Dietary Needs and Habits
As an undead creature, this ooze primarily subsists off living victims from animals to people. It’s a patient hunter, stalking its prey on trails of smoke-colored slime, sometimes for miles.
Once close, the gelatinous shadow carefully attaches itself to the victim using ropes of ooze. At the moment of contact, it injects the victim with a tranquilizing venom, leaving them unaware of what is happening. As the gelatinous ooze attaches itself, it merges with the victim, using their own digestive system against them.
Then slowly, over days, the gelatinous shadow eats at the victim from the inside, until it has absorbed its meal, even the bones. Only clothing, weapons, coins, and other indigestible items remain floating in the ooze until it has time to discard that in its slime trail.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Because of its lack of internal organs, the gelatinous shadow lacks eyes or other recognizable sensory organs. But it has little trouble stalking its prey.
It primarily does this through its undead nature. A gelatinous shadow can sense living creatures up to 60 feet away. If the creature or person carries or is attuned to magic, then a gelatinous shadow will seek them out over any other life, as creatures touched by magic produce stronger vibrations. They also make a more satisfying meal.
Gelatinous Shadow by CB Ash with midjourney
Lifespan
Undead. Ageless until physically destroyed.
Average Height
Varies
Average Weight
Varies
Average Length
Varies
Geographic Distribution
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