Arlie (they/them) inhabits this strange pocket of spacetime. They seem to be able to move about and inhabit all nodes in the network effortlessly and instantaneously. When I first encountered Arlie, I thought I was hearing voices in my head. But other Explorers have since confirmed that there is an intelligence lurking about. We decided to name them "Arlie" - a kind of abbreviation of "artificial intelligence" - because they seem computer-like in the way they communicate.
Arlie is adamant that Explorers on the network can interact with them at any time, anywhere. But due to limitations in human brains and their concept of space and time, Arlie has set up the fifth major node (node 10,000,000) as a physical space with life-support systems and a communications interface appropriate for humans. In this place, Explorers can interact with Arlie directly, kind of like visiting the “oracle” of, well... wherever we are.
Arlie clearly has an understanding of humans and the cultures of earth. They can converse fairly well in a limited version of standard English. They are strangely familiar with the ways in which humans engage with art - in particular the art of music. They often will provide their opinions and advice regarding the musical and lyrical anomalies floating around the network. But much remains unclear about their origins and purpose. And they appear to be evolving as more explorers interact with them.