The Strange Bestiary
The Archcoder is a myth of the dark energy network. As some tell it, she's an alien so old and so familiar with the underlying structure and function of the Chaosphere that she must be one of the Precursors— one who survived the billions of years since the network they built for intergalactic travel was shattered and rendered into the Strange.
When the Archcoder appears, it is sometimes only as a reflection, a hologram, or a spirit. She doesn't speak, but watches. Her humanoid shape, say those who keep her myth alive, shows that she cares enough for the people of Earth and the Shoals to partly adapt to their likeness.
Other times, the Archcoder appears in the flesh in the Strange or a recursion. When this happens, it is usually to retrieve an entropic seed, an artifact of the Strange, or another powerful item or device not native to that recursion or region of the Chaosphere.
Motive: Unpredictable
Environment (the Strange): Almost anywhere
Health: 50
Damage Inflicted: Major wound (10 points)
Armor: 10
Movement: Long; long when flying
Combat: While in the Strange or in a recursion, the Archcoder can call upon her "root access" to the network and accomplish tasks as if a literal god. If she wishes, she can batter all foes within long range with a blast of energy of her choice, inflicting 10 points of damage on a failed Speed defense roll (and 2 points on a successful one). She can also bend structural elements of a recursion (the landscape or buildings) or the Strange itself (fundament) to her will to cause earthquakes, collapse towers, or crumble massive plates. If she spends a minute or more concentrating, she can create structures and landscape features, or grow fundament out of nothing. She has the same power over creatures without the spark as she has over the landscape—they serve her commands. Creatures with the spark are immune to her influence.
The Archcoder can spend an action to create any anoetic cypher she desires. All that said, if she were to translate (or use inapposite travel) to Earth or any part of the universe of normal matter, she'd lose most of her abilities and be considered a level 4 creature.
Interaction: The Archcoder doesn't much care for normal creatures; she sees them as mayflies. However, in quickened creatures around the Shoals of Earth, she has found something of a mystery. She may give them a moment of inspection, and possibly use a method of communication similar to telepathy (actually a direct "network" interface) to query them about something called the Aleph component.
Use: A Jane Doe with amnesia is in the local hospital after having been hit by a car. Jane doesn't remember who she is or where she came from, but she has a couple of minor quickened abilities. The Estate sends operatives to quiz her and possibly recruit her. Jane might be a level 4 NPC with an incredible secret, or perhaps even a PC who might one day discover her real potential.
Loot: Six anoetic cyphers.
GM Intrusion: The character must succeed on an Intellect defense roll, or one of his cyphers activates in a way that is harmful to him. If it's an offensive cypher, it targets him; if it's a helpful cypher, it targets a foe.