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Description
Decided to take a break from Scooby-Doo to do some more scary/supernatural characters, starting with the Vashta Nerada, another Doctor Who monster. They are microscopic organisms that live in swarms which usually number in the billions, which resemble shadows cast by nothing. Individually or in small groups, they pose no major threat and are visible as specks of dust in bright sunlight. However, they are carnivorous, and, in large numbers, they can strip an organic lifeform to its bones in mere milliseconds, hence why their name translates to "the Shadows that Melt the Flesh". They can tear apart silicon-based lifeforms as well, but it's not exactly edible to them. The Vashta Nerada live in darkness and are weak to light on their own, but they are able to overcome the effects of light quickly when in large groups. Due to their presence in the darkness, they're implied to be why many species have a natural fear of the dark. They can be found on many words, including Earth, though they usually feed on roadkill and leave humanity alone. However, there are some who go into the dark and never return. When they home in on a target, they mimic their shadow, resulting in the victim having two shadows. By then, it's too late to save them from being devoured. In an enclosed suit, such as a spacesuit, they are able to coordinate themselves to pilot it to capture other prey, though they haven't perfected it and walk in a slow, stiff manner. A suited swarm is able to project more shadows around them, increasing their hunting abilities and killing anyone who's caught in them. Vashta Nerada possess enough sentience to develop the ability to talk through a suit's neural relays, manipulating the voice of the former occupant. There's no easy way to kill the creatures, with the Doctor believing the only thing to do is to run. However, the swarm in the Library was able to be intimidated into withdrawing after the Tenth Doctor had them look him up (the Library had every book ever printed, so...). They can also be poisoned in their prey is poisoned. The Time Lords engineered other strains of Vashta Nerada, including a variant that could consume Dalekanium, which Dalek casings and ships are made of, as well as the Nerada Vashta, a negative strain that thrived in light.

While they've only appeared once in the show, the Vashta Nerada have made plenty of appearances in other Doctor Who media, including video games, comics, and audiobooks. They've also been memetic for resembling the Space Kook from Scooby-Doo, ironically enough.

Description
Decided to take a break from Scooby-Doo to do some more scary/supernatural characters, starting with the Vashta Nerada, another Doctor Who monster. They are microscopic organisms that live in swarms which usually number in the billions, which resemble shadows cast by nothing. Individually or in small groups, they pose no major threat and are visible as specks of dust in bright sunlight. However, they are carnivorous, and, in large numbers, they can strip an organic lifeform to its bones in mere milliseconds, hence why their name translates to "the Shadows that Melt the Flesh". They can tear apart silicon-based lifeforms as well, but it's not exactly edible to them. The Vashta Nerada live in darkness and are weak to light on their own, but they are able to overcome the effects of light quickly when in large groups. Due to their presence in the darkness, they're implied to be why many species have a natural fear of the dark. They can be found on many words, including Earth, though they usually feed on roadkill and leave humanity alone. However, there are some who go into the dark and never return. When they home in on a target, they mimic their shadow, resulting in the victim having two shadows. By then, it's too late to save them from being devoured. In an enclosed suit, such as a spacesuit, they are able to coordinate themselves to pilot it to capture other prey, though they haven't perfected it and walk in a slow, stiff manner. A suited swarm is able to project more shadows around them, increasing their hunting abilities and killing anyone who's caught in them. Vashta Nerada possess enough sentience to develop the ability to talk through a suit's neural relays, manipulating the voice of the former occupant. There's no easy way to kill the creatures, with the Doctor believing the only thing to do is to run. However, the swarm in the Library was able to be intimidated into withdrawing after the Tenth Doctor had them look him up (the Library had every book ever printed, so...). They can also be poisoned in their prey is poisoned. The Time Lords engineered other strains of Vashta Nerada, including a variant that could consume Dalekanium, which Dalek casings and ships are made of, as well as the Nerada Vashta, a negative strain that thrived in light.

While they've only appeared once in the show, the Vashta Nerada have made plenty of appearances in other Doctor Who media, including video games, comics, and audiobooks. They've also been memetic for resembling the Space Kook from Scooby-Doo, ironically enough.