History Main / MeatMoss

This tends to overlap with WetwareCPU, particularly in the case of the LivingShip variant, in this case the tissue itself being the wetware in question. In more benign settings, may involve a somewhat squicky BrainComputerInterface. Frequently used for evil settings thanks to one of its parent tropes, EvilIsVisceral. When it's divine punishment, you have the BloodyBowelsOfHell. Sufficient amounts of meat moss can also result in a WombLevel. In the most unsettling and disorienting forms of OrganicTechnology or [[WorldOfChaos Worlds of Chaos]], Meat Moss may be intertwined with AlienGeometries.

!!Example

* ''WebVideo/VitaCarnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of reddish biomatter referred to as "Crawl", discovered in the 1930s all over the world, and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth (but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics. The crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters" and semi-sessile giants called "Hosts" (named after their mind-control powers, as in "Host of a party" rather than "MealTicket for parasites"). Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawl, guarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy. The hostile variants of VC's (mimmics, hosts, and harvesters) are only found in North America, and are implied to be an immune response to [[spoiler:the Canadian government]] exploiting crawl as a foodstuff.

* In ''Manga/TokyoGhoul'', the secret entrance to a laboratory is an organic "wall" that had been painted to match the surrounding structure. Kaneki discovers it entirely by accident, when he strikes part of the wall with his kagune....and it reacts by revealing a fleshy tunnel. The others in his group mention that such "technology" is a trick ghouls have used to make the underground 24th Ward a labyrinth difficult for humans to navigate. Near the end of the series, a scouting party sent to the investigate the deepest parts of the 24th Ward discovers [[spoiler: the ruins of the ''original'' Tokyo]], covered in the petrified remains of an ancient biomass.

* The penultimate missions of the games' namesake in ''VideoGame/DarkestDungeon'' echo this. While the first mission features relatively-unspoiled yet foreboding obsidian architecture, by the time of your second excursion these structures are saturated with bulbous, toothy, eye-covered growths; [[spoiler: products of the [[EldritchAbomination Heart's]] exponential, otherworldly growth.]] It gets worse; by the third mission, there is nothing left around you but throbbing flesh, [[spoiler: as you fight your way through the creatures' cosmic bowels]]. In these same missions, the Meat Moss can take shape as enemies in combat; writhing, patchwork amalgamations of flesh and architecture that can move and react to your attacks just as easily as any ambulatory foe. Enjoy!

* [[TheVirus Beast]]-Subverted ships in ''VideoGame/HomeworldCataclysm'' are covered in these. [[spoiler: They're organic computers made from the unlucky ship's unluckier crew.]]

* Depending on [[GameFace how amiable they're feeling]], the interior of more evil {{Living Ship}}s in ''Anime/LostUniverse'' can suddenly shift from their normal StandardHumanSpaceship to sprouting squelching masses of tentacles.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Signalis}}'', the appearance of Meat Moss becomes more and more symbolic. At first it only appears in a kitchen in the early game, but it is nearly everywhere in the DarkWorld that has replaced the bottom of the mining colony being explored. The symbolism comes from the fact that [[spoiler:the person that protagonist Elster-512 is looking for was dying of cancer, and the game is implied to take place in her DyingDream]]. It gets dialed up to eleven with a "NewGamePlus" taking place in the apartment complex [[spoiler:this young woman grew up in]], and as each section is explored it becomes overrun with more meat moss that makes returning there impossible.

* In ''VideoGame/{{Signalis}}'', the appearance of Meat Moss becomes more and more symbolic. At first it only appears in a kitchen in the early game, but it is nearly everywhere in the DarkWorld that has replaced the bottom of the mining colony being explored. The symbolism comes from the fact that the person that the protagonist Elster-512 is looking for was dying of cancer, and the game is implied to take place in her DyingDream. It gets dialed up to eleven with a "NewGamePlus" taking place in the apartment complex this young woman grew up in, and as each section is explored it becomes overrun with more meat moss that makes returning there impossible.

* ''WebVideo/VitaCarnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of reddish biomatter referred to as "Crawl", discovered in the 1930s all over the world, and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics. The crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters" and semi-sessile giants called "Hosts" (named after their mind-control powers, as in "Host of a party" rather than "MealTicket for parasites"). Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawl, guarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy. The hostile variants of VC's (mimmics, hosts, and harvesters) are only found in North America, and are implied to be an immune response to [[spoiler:the Canadian government]] exploiting crawl as a foodstuff.

%%* ''VideoGame/{{Egoboo}}'''s [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Abyss II]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Signalis}}'', the appearance of Meat Moss becomes more and more symbolic. At first it only appears in a kitchen in the early game, but it is nearly everywhere in the DarkWorld that has replaced the bottom of the mining colony being explored. The symbolism comes from the fact that the person that the protagonist Elster-512 is looking for was dying of cancer, and the game is implied to take place in her DyingDream. It gets dialed up to eleven with a "NewGamePlus" taking place in the apartment complex this young woman grew up in, and as each section is explored it becomes overrun with more meat moss that makes returning there impossible.%%Needs more context

* Depending on [[GameFace how amiable they're feeling]], the interior of more evil LivingShip[=s=] in ''Anime/LostUniverse'' can suddenly shift from their normal ISOStandardHumanSpaceship to sprouting squelching masses of tentacles.

* ''All over the place'' in ''[[Anime/AICOIncarnation A.I.C.O. -Incarnation-]]'', and integral to the premise. A large section of Tokyo has been evacuated and cordoned off due to an outbreak of "Malignant Matter", which is basically hostile, ''semi-intelligent'' Meat Moss that spreads like wildfire and can only be harmed with special weaponry.
* Depending on [[GameFace how amiable they're feeling]], the interior of more evil LivingShip[=s=] in ''Anime/LostUniverse'' can suddenly shift from their normal ISOStandardHumanSpaceship to sprouting squelching masses of tentacles.

[[folder:Fanfic]]

* Carrying on the BodyHorror-laden traditions of the original, ''{{Film/Aliens}}'' features a particularly gruesome and memorable version when the marines are searching the infested colony on LV-426. Subverted in that it's not flesh, but some sort of hard resin.

* ''Film/LivingHell'' can be considered the ultimate example. The plot of the movie is about a [[TheVirus viral]] [[TheCorruption corruption]] that [[EnergyAbsorption feeds on energy]] to grow exponentially. It threatens to engulf the Earth if it is not stopped before the sun rises.
* In the ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean'' series, many of Davy Jones' crew end up becoming literal parts of the ship, able to talk (sometimes) but not move.

* Red Weed in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds1898'' and one or two film adaptations thereof.

* The interior of the Streib ship that abducts Captain Sheridan in ''Series/BabylonFive'' is this.

* In ''Series/StrangerThings'', the Upsidedown is a [[DarkWorld dark version of our world]] filled with this. It's also prevalent around its portals.

* In the Tharkold realm of the ''{{TabletopGame/TORG}}'' RPG, Technodemons use alteration magic coupled with their reality's perverse World Laws to produce what they call pain sculptures and pain gardens: living beings melded together, with their responses to pain and pleasure magically reversed. The end result is a writhing mass of gibbering, screaming flesh which gains pleasure from receiving pain and inflicting it on others (including other bits of itself), but agony from doing biologically necessary things such as eating.
* In ''TabletopGame/VampireTheMasquerade'', many vampires of Clan Tzimisce use their magic fleshforming abilities (flesh and bones, actually) to sculpt humans or other vampires into screaming furniture and living decoration for their lairs, which results in this trope.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast the Screaming Gallery]], a carpet of living, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin screaming]] faces in the throne room of [[ThenLetMeBeEvil rebel primarch]] [[Literature/NightLords Konrad Curze]].

[[folder:Video Games ]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Aquaria}}'' has this in the Mithalas Cathedral-level.

* ''VideoGame/DeadSpace1'': It's growing all over the ship, referred to as "The Corruption". According to the ApocalypticLog, the scientists figured it was a 'habitat modifier' -- in other words, terraforming. This is only partially true, the bad news is that moss is actually [[spoiler:the dust -- that is, ''shed human skin cells'' -- on the ship being converted by the Necromorph virus]]. It also shows up in sporadic locations of the much-less confined Space Station setting of ''VideoGame/DeadSpace2'', but strangely is entirely absent from ''VideoGame/DeadSpace3''.

* ''Videogame/{{Egoboo}}'''s [[VeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Abyss II]].

* In ''VideoGame/{{Fallout|1}}'', you find loads of this stuff at the bottom level of [[spoiler:the Cathedral's vault. It's part of the [[BigBad Master]], who's been mutated by FEV into a MuckMonster.]]

* The Flood from ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' do this to heavily-infested areas. In the ''VideoGame/{{Halo 3}}'' manual it's implied that they do this to collect enough organic matter for the shapeshifting "pure" Flood forms that aren't based on an infected body. In the early stage of contained infestations, the effect is usually just a few cocoon-like clumps in the corners, but in ''Halo 3'', we get to see an entire city-ship that the Flood has had full control over for quite some time, even [[WombLevel converting the doors into sphincters]].

* In ''VideoGame/HorizonForbiddenWest'', it's eventually revealed that [[spoiler:Ted Faro, the CorruptCorporateExecutive of [[MegaCorp Faro Automated Solutions]] and the man responsible for the [[ApocalypseHow/Class6 total extinction of life on Earth]] in the backstory, has become [[BodyHorror a mass of this wrapped around his personal bunker's geothermal reactor]], [[AndIMustScream unable to move and constantly moaning in pain]]. While the game never shows just how he looks, the characters' horrified reactions at seeing him are more than enough to conclude [[{{Understatement}} it's not a pretty sight]].]]

* Phazon from the ''VideoGame/MetroidPrimeTrilogy''. Phazon is an unusual blue substance with biological properties. It grows like a fungus or plant and the space pirates process it into other solid and liquid forms we see for use in weapons and biological experimentation. It is also hinted to have some form of lower intelligence akin to hive minded single-cells, which in large enough groupings (such as the freaking PLANET made of the stuff) can become sentient.
* Until it was {{Jossed}} by [[WordOfGod Notch]], Netherrack in ''{{VideoGame/Minecraft}}'' was thought by some to be this, or blood covered stone. It's actually just Red Stone with moss on it.
** Many custom texture packs still take that interpretation and run with it.
** As of Update 1.19, Minecraft now features a rather unassuming form of meat moss, the Sculk, an eerie pitch black block with faint spots of bioluminescence that coats the aptly named Deep Dark. Oh and it ''screams'' when you break it.

* ''VideoGame/ParasiteEve'' uses this trope every now and again. It's especially noticeable in post-game content.

* ''VideoGame/Rage2011'' has sections of the hospital level covered in a growing...something. Its implied it has a connection to the mutants but not explained.

* Possibly subverted in ''VideoGame/{{Resistance}}'', in which you encounter growths that appear to be this. [[spoiler:Only for them to explode, revealing themselves as egg sacs full of the game's GoddamnBats.]]
* Certain Bydo-infected ships from ''VideoGame/RType''. In ''Command'', it grants them a HealingFactor.
* ''VideoGame/{{Scorn}}'' can pretty much be called "Meat Moss: The Game".

* The eponymous Scurge from the game ''VideoGame/ScurgeHive'' has infested the base with red biomatter covering patches on the floor, often filling pits or forcing jumping puzzles over what would be an easy walk across a room. Standing on the biomatter rapidly speeds up your infection rate, and greatly slows down your movement.
* In ''Videogame/{{Signalis}}'', the appearance of Meat Moss becomes more and more symbolic. At first it only appears in a kitchen in the early game, but it is nearly everywhere in the DarkWorld that has replaced the bottom of the mining colony being explored. The symbolism comes from the fact that the person that the protagonist Elster-512 is looking for was dying of cancer, and the game is implied to take place in her DyingDream. It gets dialed up to eleven with a "NewGamePlus" taking place in the apartment complex this young woman grew up in, and as each section is explored it becomes overrun with more meat moss that makes returning there impossible.
* The Prethoryn's infested worlds from ''Videogame/{{Stellaris}}'' are stated to be this.
* Seen in the {{Dark World}}s of the later ''Franchise/SilentHill'' games.
* ''Videogame/{{SOMA}}'' has this as Structure Gel.

* [[AlienKudzu Meat Kudzu]] in ''VideoGame/SpaceStation14'' is a rapidly-spreading substance created alongside some flesh monsters when a Meat Anomaly is left unchecked.

* Zerg Creep from ''Franchise/StarCraft'': Zerg buildings can only be built on the slowly spreading creep and they have an entire building tree of turret-analogues dedicated to spreading it (because both Zerg and Protoss have similar building mechanics, Terrans end up being the oddball race which can put buildings ''anywhere''). It is stated that Creep is used as food for Zerg larva.
** The infested Command Centers do play this one straight though.
** In-game fluff describes Zerg buildings to be literal organs and Zerg "bases" as whole a literal organism. So creep is somewhat closer to a fluid circulation system - it's required to keep the organs saturated. Infested Terran buildings are somewhat justified in that Zerg cannot manipulate tools, so they need the entire thing hardwired into their command network of telepathic overlords to make any use of it.
** Zerg creep is vital to Zerg biology. Minerals and gas are "digested" at the central Zerg organ (Hatchery/Lair/Hive) and then fed to the other organ-buildings in your base through the creep. Without the creep's nourishment, these organs slowly starve and fail. Zerg units can also be fed in this manner - being on creep boosts their metabolism, making them move and regenerate faster. Certain units (like the Queen and the Hydralisk) have their "feet" specially adapted to moving on this creep as well.
** In game, when playing as a non-Zerg race, it is usually safe to assume that creep = Zerg territory, and that they can see everything you're doing on while you're on it.
* In ''VideoGame/{{Stray}}'', places with particularly high zurk populations begin to become coated in flesh-like material and organic webbing, with pustule-like growths that are actually zurk egg pods [[NauseaFuel (which may burst to release more zurks)]]. [[spoiler:Deep in the Sewers, the most infested area of the whole game, the meat moss has red eyes that will track you as you move.]]
* In the original ''VideoGame/SystemShock'', it's justified by it appearing in Beta Grove (simulation of a park, so it has the necessary equipment for plant life). No such justification for the biomass covering much of the interior surface of the bridge module (SHODAN's final stronghold), which is an unhealthy-looking white, like mold or fungus.
* Appears in ''VideoGame/SystemShock2'' and gets worse and worse as you near the body of the Many. It starts with some veining on the walls of the vessel, then goes on to blobs of biomass, and continues like this until whole levels are made of biomass and there are just a few objects and rooms that have survived the assimilation. Computerised doors also begin to disappear around this stage of the game, as they are replaced by biological, DilatingDoor-esque flesh gates, which are referred to in several audiologs as [[NauseaFuel "sphincters"]].

* ''VideoGame/UFOAftermath'' has the Biomass, an organic growth set in place by Planter ships that will take over your bases if it reaches them. It spreads astronomically fast, and [[GameOver you lose the game if it spreads across the whole planet]], but you find a way to counteract its growth not too long after it's first spotted.

* ''VideoGame/WildcatGunMachine'' have plenty of organic growth from the alien infestation everywhere, some which actually seals exits shut. You're required to hunt down every alien core and destroy them, which leads to a cutscene of the meaty moss dissolving allowing you to exit an area.

* In ''VisualNovel/SayaNoUta'', the protagonist sees the entire world covered with this, except [[spoiler:if it actually ''is'']]. In one of the endings, [[spoiler:this is how the world ends up, though for the protagonist...well...]]

* In ''Webcomic/AwfulHospital'', most Parliamentary beings percieve the entire world around them to be coated in bright pink, putty-like flesh, [[spoiler:and at the Burgrr counter, Miss tells Fern how she saw it on Earth during its last days, describing it as "ground beef kudzu."]]
* ''Webcomic/DeepRise'' takes it to the logical extreme in the form of [[BodyHorror Flesh Fields]].

* [[http://www.sssscomic.com/comic.php?page=256 Troll nests]] from ''Webcomic/StandStillStaySilent'' are like this.

* Alien Species Wiki's Habitat Modifier entry.

* This is quite common in the ''Website/SCPFoundation'', with the most well-known instance being [[http://www.scp-wiki.net/scp-610 SCP-610: "The Flesh That Hates"]].

* The AnalogHorror series ''WebVideo/VitaCarnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of redish biomatter referred to as "Crawl," discovered in the 1930's all over the world (which rules out [[ThoseWackyNazis nazi experimentation]], and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics. The crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters" and semi-sessile giants called "Hosts" (named after their mind-control powers, as in "Host of a party" rather than "MealTicket for parasites"). Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawl, guarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy. The hostile variants of VC's (mimmics, hosts, and harvesters) are only found in North America, and are implied to be an immune response to [[spoiler: the Canadian government]] exploiting crawl as a foodstuff.
* The ''WebVideo/GeminiHomeEntertainment'' analog horror series makes frequent use of some kind of organic growth, shown to take various forms ranging from bizarre to downright horrifying:

* A heartwarming example in ''ComicBook/{{Stormwatch}}'': a village is accidentally hit with a biochemical that can activate superpowers (or it's ''intended'' to, and at least radically alters the human body). When a team is sent to investigate, they find the church overgrown with this, with a fleshy beacon outlined with fingers. One of the team figures out that those affected by the biochemical evacuated the other villagers there and then covered them over as they mutated into MeatMoss, and pulls it away to reveal the survivors.

** ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' features this trope in the Circle of Magi tower as a symptom of the [[DemonicPossession abominations']] presence. Red and pink-colored chunks of meat, complete with short spikes, are beginning to cover the pillars and walls of the tower. The corruption gets worse as one goes higher into the tower, and if the music isn't playing, you can hear the squelching noises of the MeatMoss as it grows.

* In ''VideoGame/StarControl'', the Umgah ships appear to be fully organic, but they aren't. They're plain old mechanical starships whose interiors are completely covered in living, fleshy organic material. This is one case where the MeatMoss is not a sign of malevolence: it's a little creepy, but the Umgah only do this because they enjoy tinkering at all times with bioengineering, and this gives them plenty of material to work with.

* The AnalogHorror series ''WebVideo/VitaCarnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of redish biomatter referred to as "Crawl," discovered in the 1930's all over the world (which rules out [[ThoseWackyNazis nazi experimentation]], and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics. The crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters." Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawl, guarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy. The hostile variants of VC's (mimmics and harvesters) are only found in North America, and are implied to be an immune response to exploiting crawl as a foodstuff.

* The AnalogHorror series ''Vita Carnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of redish biomatter referred to as "Crawl," discovered in the 1930's all over the world (which rules out [[ThoseWackyNazis nazi experimentation]], and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics. The crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters." Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawl, guarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy. The hostile variants of VC's (mimmics and harvesters) are only found in North America, and are implied to be an immune response to exploiting crawl as a foodstuff.

* The AnalogHorror series ''Vita Carnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of redish biomatter referred to as "Crawl," discovered in the 1930's all over the world (which rules out [[ThoseWackyNazis nazi experimentation]], and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics. The crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters." Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawl, guarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy.

* The AnalogHorror series ''Vita Carnis'' ([[CanisLatinicus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of redish biomatter referred to as "Crawl," discovered in the 1930's all over the world (which rules out [[ThoseWackyNazis nazi experimentation]] and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HehHehYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics.the crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters." Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawlguarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy.

* The AnalogHorror series ''Vita Carnis'' ([[CanisLatinus dog-latin]] for "living flesh") involves a growth of redish biomatter referred to as "Crawl," discovered in the 1930's all over the world (which rules out [[ThoseWackyNazis nazi experimentation]] and it's determined to be naturally evolved on Earth but implied to come from [[AnotherDimension elsewhere]]). The crawl (which resembles lengths of intestines) is actually quite beneficial, drawing up nutrients from deep within the soil and decaying quickly into rich compost when it dies. It's also [[IfItTastesBadItMustBeGoodForYou quite healthy, if gross-tasting]]. However, sometimes it utilizes those nutrients to fuel the growth of various creatures, such as the dog-like Trimmings, the scavenging Meatsnakes ([[HaHaYouSaidX grow up]]), and the predatory and [[ImAHumanitarian exclusively anthropophageous]] Mimmics.the crawl can also grow gigantic tumors with snaring CombatTentacles, which are referred to as "Harvesters." Monoliths are a group of [[ArcNumber seven]] titanic, sessile humanoids made out of strands of crawlguarding the Singularity, which is implied to be in control of all the creatures under the ''Vita Carnis'' taxonomy.

* Zombie ships in ''VideoGame/SpacePiratesAndZombies'' are a mass of human ships glued together with the stuff.

* In the tie-in novel ''Literature/BioShockRapture'', this was the unfortunate result of one of Tennenbaum and Suchong's wilder genetic experiments. They had tried to give a man the powers of a sea creature; instead they gave him the power of being wallpaper. The description puts the BodyHorror in the game proper to shame.
* Greg Bear's 1985 novel ''Literature/BloodMusic''.
* The Vord in ''Literature/CodexAlera'', being {{Expies}} of the Zerg, live on a substance called croach, which has a waxy consistency. Its main purposes seem to be storage of nutrients (like beeswax) and to sustain within itself an atmosphere that the Vord find ideal.

* A rare benevolent example occurs in ''Literature/AFireUponTheDeep''; the Old One filled one of the rooms of the Skroderider's ship with this. [[spoiler:It turns out to be a complex biotech weapon used to combat the Blight.]]
* After the Polypond War in ''The Well Of Stars'' (a ''Literature/GreatShip'' novel), the outer hull of the [[PlanetSpaceship Greatship]] was covered in the living ocean that made up [[GeniusLoci the Polypond]]. In the short story ''Hatch'', scavengers prowl above the now mindless ocean of the Polypond, hunting down the fantastic creatures that periodically spew out of it to extract the rare elements necessary to keep their [[LostColony isolated civilization]] afloat.

* Red Weed in ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' and one or two film adaptations thereof.

* The interior of the Streib ship that abducted Captain Sheridan in "Series/BabylonFive'' is this.
* In the ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' reboot, the Cylon Basestar's landing bay Boomer delivers the nuke to ([[spoiler:shortly before she shoots Adama]]) has this look. Justified in that Cylon Basestars of this type are implied to have major biological components, and their fighters are biologically controlled. The inside of their fighters looks like this as well, as seen when Starbuck ''crawls inside one'' she shot down in order to pilot it back to the fleet.

* In the ''Series/{{Helix}}'' episode "274," adding growth factor to a petri dish of monkey blood infected with TheVirus results in an explosive growth of black biomass that coats and fills a small observation chamber and threatens to shatter it until veterinary pathologist Doreen releases DeadlyGas therein.

* In the finale of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', "[[Recap/TheOwlHouseS3E3WatchingAndDreaming Watching and Dreaming]]", [[spoiler:Belos fuses his body with the Titan's heart, and subsequently starts growing across the entire [[GiantCorpseWorld Titan]]. The resulting [[TheCorruption corruption]] spreads slowly at first, but then picks up the pace and starts spreading at a speed nobody would be able to outrun on foot. The corruption itself is part of Belos's decayed form, and looks kind of like a green fungus or lichen -- if fungi or lichens were sentient and covered in ''eyes'']].

[[folder:WebVideo]]

* In the finale of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse'', [[spoiler:Belos fuses his body with the Titan's heart, and subsequently starts growing across the entire [[GiantCorpseWorld Titan]]. The resulting [[TheCorruption corruption]] spreads slowly at first, but then picks up the pace and starts spreading at a speed nobody would be able to outrun on foot. The corruption itself is part of Belos's decayed form, and looks kind of like a green fungus or lichen -- if fungi or lichens were sentient and covered in ''eyes''.]]

[[folder:Other]]
* Alien Species Wiki's Habitat Modifier entry.
[[/folder]]

* ''WebOriginal/HamstersParadise'' has the shroomors, a form of free-living cancer that functions similarly to a fungus and grows on decaying carrion. It descended from a virulent, ZombieApocalypse-causing plague that drove a race of AlwaysChaoticEvil sapient hamsters (the Harmsters) to extinction, but with the extinction of its original host, it has now become far more benign and even serves to help decompose dead organic matter. Later on, some shroomor spores managed to find their way into the sub-Arcuterran cavern system where one strain develops a symbiotic relationship with chemosynthetic bacteria that allows it to become completely independent of animal carcasses and start growing on the walls of the cave like actual moss and being fed on by some of the native [[StarfishAliens troglofauna]]. This new strain actually ends up being named [[ShoutOut meatmoss]] due to this lifestyle.

* In ''WebOriginal/{{Mortasheen}}'', this can be any of the following: fungi, bacterial mats, bloodsponge, snotmoss, barnacle maggots, ''cancer'', eyes and possibly crabgrass, which may be just normal crabgrass but given the setting probably consists of real crabs. The inhabitants often cultivate these substances outside their houses as lawns (and have biomechanical lawnmower-beasties to keep them at the right length).