Gwahled

Gwahleds, sometimes called chaos stars, are gigantic and malevolent alien fey that roam the depths of space. They travel from planet to planet, feeding on the fear of their inhabitants.

Anatomy & Physiology
Gwahleds resemble blazing asteroids at least a mile across. The asteroid-like body has a humanoid face, with three eyes, no nose, and a large mouth.

Diet
Despite having mouths, gwahleds cannot actually eat physical matter. They instead feed on the fear of sentient beings. They usually feed by bearing down on populated planets and feasting on the fear their approach and aura generate. They can also swallow starships and feed on the fear of the doomed creatures inside.

Powers and Abilities
Gwahleds wield a variety of natural weapons and supernatural powers. They project an aura that induces terror in any creature for miles around that can see them. They can fire blasts of photons or gravitons to damage enemies, and can use the graviton blasts to drag objects toward them. Gwahleds are also capable of faster-than-light travel through unknown supernatural means, distinct from the Drift travel used by most of the galaxy.

Behavior
Gwahleds are solitary monsters that spend most of their time roaming through interstellar space in a semi-conscious state. When a gwahled detects a planet with the technology to detect an incoming meteor but without the means to stop one, they set a course for that planet. The unlucky inhabitants, believing themselves doomed, generate the fear that the gwahled feeds on. When the gwahled comes close enough, its aura augments the effect, causing supernatural terror across the planet. Once the gwahled has had its fill, it breaks off its approach and leaves without actually hitting the planet.

Despite the lack of an actual impact, a gwahled feeding is very nearly as destructive. Fear, confusion, and despair become so pervasive that civilization on the targeted planet falls apart. Usually, the disaster sets back civilization by decades or more, and sometimes leads to total extinction.

Gwahleds usually roam randomly, never visiting a given planet more than once. However, a few gwahleds establish regular feeding routes. Societies on these feeding routes know that they do not need to fear an impact, but the gwahled's aura generates fear nonetheless.