Shadow - a monster/creature

[Asura Levi]

Hi guys, this one is some rather recent 'addition' to my bestiary and a few things are bothering me, so, allow me:

As the name says, the shadow is, pretty much a shadow, the initial contact with one by my MC was from the 'creeping' type (in the sense of crawling). As a shadow, it is a two dimensional being, looking barely humanoid, with its 'lower' part stretching in a sort of long tail.
Also, when it moves, it produces a faint sound similar to silk sliding over the ground, very hard to distinguish.
It can be driven away by strong sources of light and even killed if closely surround by it.

Their initial origin is of a magic type, an impression left by humans, long dead due to some nasty magical effect. So a crawling/creeping shadow was once a man who was, at death moment, crawling to his life.

That are other types, 'floating' that appear standing is another example.

But regardless of shape, they all give trouble with one very important thing: how do they attack/cause damage?
They are feared and a lone adventurer caught between some of them would die of fear induced heart attack before he could actually flee. That would be one way, but only that?
How about when the fear is not enough, or that are more people to gather and fight back?
It is true they can be defeated with light/fire I can't figure out how their other attack patterns. So I came here looking for some light.

(also, forgive me if this should be at brainstorming)

 

[TrustMeImRudy]

If they are magical creatures they could survive by latching onto somebody's shadow and sucking out their life force. It also depends on what they are physically. They are a shadow yes, but what is a shadow? IRL its light being blocked from reaching an item, as creatures they are something else right? Maybe they can act like quick sand sludge, get under someone and suck them in?

 

[Sevundas]

Sucking out life force seems like a plausible idea to me - a shadow could kill someone by draining their body heat until the person is rendered unconscious. Perhaps, in addition to the fear, they could also 'absorb' the light in a room so that the victim can't see anything. Maybe induce some visual/auditory hallucinations in sufficiently dark areas.

It would be pretty interesting if the shadow creatures could harm living humans by attacking the victims' shadow. For example, if they 'strangled' the shadow, then the human would feel like he or she is being strangled as well.

 

[Asterisk]

If they are magical creatures they could survive by latching onto somebody's shadow and sucking out their life force

Sucking out life force seems like a plausible idea to me - a shadow could kill someone by draining their body heat until the person is rendered unconscious. Perhaps, in addition to the fear, they could also 'absorb' the light in a room so that the victim can't see anything. Maybe induce some visual/auditory hallucinations in sufficiently dark areas.

It would be pretty interesting if the shadow creatures could harm living humans by attacking the victims' shadow. For example, if they 'strangled' the shadow, then the human would feel like he or she is being strangled as well.

I agree... these are all excellent ideas. I wish I had some to offer!

 

[teacup]

It may not be what you're looking for, but there is an episode of Doctor Who named "Silence in the Library" which has a shadow like enemy.
It would attach to a person as a second shadow, and pretty much devour them, leaving only the skeleton, which it would then control. Granted, the thing wasn't actually a shadow, but it could be useful to watch.

 

[Sevundas]

It would attach to a person as a second shadow, and pretty much devour them, leaving only the skeleton, which it would then control. Granted, the thing wasn't actually a shadow, but it could be useful to watch.

Oh, that just sparked an idea. I remember watching an episode of...something...in which a spirit would attach itself to a person and slowly take their place in life - so that eventually, the person would become the invisible spirit that could only helplessly follow around what was once their body, now out of their control. That concept could work with shadows. A creeping shadow could stealthily latch onto someone, perhaps those more weak of mind. As time passes, the malevolent shadow would take control more and more often while the victim's mind goes into a daze, until they are fully swapped.

Kind of creepy to think about, especially since you said these shadows are the echos of the dead who died nasty, magical deaths...but it would make sense, in a way, that these shadows seek to steal someone else's life.

 

[Asura Levi]

Those are some very good ideas, I like specially the one about stealing draining the life force, would fit quite well in some situations.
The 'attack the adventures shadow' is also good, a group would have to make a few camp fire around them in other to prevent their shadow from stretching far and being a easy target.

But as TrustMeImRudy pointed out, they must be made of something, and that something I didn't figure out yet.

 

[WeilderOfTheMonkeyBlade]

Dude, these Sound scary! And great, but predominantly very scary
For attacking, if they are magic and kinda anti light, they could use magical "darkness" to envelope their foes and drain them of life, smother them with darkness.
or they could have a spike, which being 2d would be thin and sharp, and they could stab people, a bit like a pissed off, evil 2d magical slug unicorn - BOOM!!!!

 

[teacup]

Asura, in the Doctor Who episode I mentioned, they are made of something, not just shadows.

Spoiler: DR WHO

They are called Vashta Nerada, and are microscopic beings and when they swarm they can strip someone to the bone in miliseconds. When swarmed, they look like a shadow and can attach to someone. Vashta Nerada - Tardis Data Core, the Doctor Who Wiki

 

[Sevundas]

Since it's a shadow creature, I figured it wouldn't have a physical form; at least, not the kind that you can hack and slash at with a sword. It would just be the absence of light.

You know how when you're standing in total darkness, the darkness seems almost palpable? How you can't see what's in front of you, and it feels like something might be there, yet might not? That's what I was imagining. Looking at one of those shadow creatures is like looking into an empty, gaping black hole that threatens the terrors of the unknown. The adventurer would feel the nagging anxiety of uncertainty - multiplied tenfold.

But if you're aiming for a more tangible form, you could give the shadow creatures the form of an inky black, amorphous liquid that seeps into whatever surface it's on, creeps towards the adventurer, latches onto them, seeps into their clothing and skin, leeches out their life force, etc...

Your call. ^^

 

[TrustMeImRudy]

To piggy back on Teacup and the Vashta Nerada,

Spoiler

they spread by shadows touching, like you said with campfires and shadows not stretching too far, if a person was infected they would have two shadows: one real, one the Vashta Nerada, and everyone had to avoid crossing shadows or it would spread. And their microscopic forms could be seen, but only as dustmotes in a bar of light, but seen like that are only a few, not dangerous, its whole shadowsfull that are the enemy.

 

[Queshire]

I just skimmed the thread so sorry if I repeat something someone else already said, but the way I see it, the more you know about something, the less scary it is. I think you might have more of an impact if you have plenty of rumors and tall tales about them, but few hard facts revealed to the reader or the characters.