A Shan.
The Shans, also known as the Insects from Shaggai or the Judas Breed, are an insectoid alien race that hail from the planet Shaggai and worship Ghattambah, a member of the Ogdru Hem.
Description[]
The Shans are depicted as having various physiological traits similar to other insects but more advanced compared to their terrestrial counterparts. They were ten legged creatures with powerful pincers that allowed them to rip a human being apart for feeding. They had semi-circular ridged wings covered with triangular scales that allowed them speedy movement across their territory, which made them particularly dangerous in the open. They were capable of wrapping their wings around their body and showing their 'human' disguise, which made them appear as humans wearing large jackets.
A majority of the species were female with a single male in the colony who would breed the species. Males were also notably paler in color and lacked wings. Larvae would then slowly grow and eat decomposing food to sustain themselves until they reached maturity. The creatures were capable of detecting traces of blood and such traces would send them into a feeding frenzy, however, they could not detect prey that were coated with their 'smell', seeing such food as their own kind.
Overview[]
The Shans originated from the planet Shaggai where they worshiped Ghattambah, the Cicada God. The Shans abandoned their home planet due to an orbital shift, possibly caused by the collision of an asteroid (apparently Ghroth), which brought Shaggai dangerously close to its stars. The planet began to be bombarded by massive doses of radiation.
After their arrival to Earth, they had developed the ability to mimic their prey to better kill them. The Shans began to hunt humans and evolved a complex yet cunning disguise that allowed them to walk on the surface without being detected by making partial human faces. They would perform such tasks underneath the noses of human society, feeding themselves to regain their strength and restore their glory in order to prepare for the arrival of their lord and master, Ghattambah.
Despite their attempts to keep their operations discreet one of them was discovered in 1942. A museum curator's assistant explains this fascinating aspect to biology very cogently and then leads into what he had encountered. One of the Shan was disguised as a heavily cloaked man in black and had been living in the heart of New York City. "He" has lived there for years upon end, never talks to anyone, keeps to "himself" and has an inordinate fear of women. As far as anyone can see, "he" bothers no one, and people have pretty much become accustomed to "his" strangeness. In the end of course the "man" was revealed to be a Shan.
