Editing Entity (section)

===The Warrior and Thinker===
Though entities can vary wildly in their approach to gathering information, there are only a select few entities shown in Worm. [[The Warrior]] and [[Eden|The Thinker]] are the names given to the two entities that chose to settle on the [[Earths]]. The two fulfill different roles: the Warrior is more direct and focuses on short-term problems and threats, while the Thinker is capable of abstract thought, looking ahead past the current cycle and thinking about the goal of the entities as a whole. They work as a pair, traveling together through the universe to visit planets and carry out the cycle.<ref name="I26" />

As the Warrior and Thinker approach new planets, they undergo a negotiation over which realities to inhabit. Realities are categorized and separated into groups according to their similarity to each other, with shards capable of settling in and drawing energy from these various groupings. By grouping worlds like this, the entities maximize the amount of information that can be learned without rehashing the same experiences over and over. The realities that the entities focus on are chosen according to the degree of conflict, long-term viability of the environment, and population of the planet.<ref name="I26" />

During their approach, the entities also simulate the future to optimize the cycle. Both entities use precognition to assign likely hosts for their shards, though they differ in their methods. The Warrior observes the immediate impact of the shards, seeing how shards shed from their mass will interact with the local host species. Modifications are then made to the shards in order to make them compatible with their soon-to-be hosts. This is the origin of the [[Manton effect|Manton Effect]], which prevents powers from harming their hosts. Modifications are also made to prevent the shards from being used against the entities. One such alteration is what causes the inability to remember the [[Trigger Event#Trigger Vision|trigger vision]] following a [[Trigger Event|trigger event]], and was done using the shard given to [[Imp]].<ref name="I26" /> Differing from the Warrior, the Thinker observes the path of the cycle as a whole, trying to find the optimal future in order to maximize conflict and gather the most data. It simulates possible futures, making adjustments until it finds one that is suitable for its goals.<ref name=":0">[[Interlude 29]]</ref>

The [[cycle]] is when their individual roles come into play the most. In some cycles, the Warrior and Thinker work behind the scenes, out of sight. In others, they take a more direct hand in the cycle, directly interacting with the host population. In the latter situation, both of the entities typically form avatars, representations that fit in with the rest of the host species. The [[Scion|Warrior's avatar]] holds great power, able to counter and nullify any immediate threats to the cycle. The Thinker's avatar keeps the cycle running smoothly, manipulating the hosts and making sure that conflict runs high.<ref name=":0" /> 

When the cycle has run its course and the shards are at "critical mass," the two entities reconsolidate. They then exchange shards, rubbing their interdimensional bodies against each other, generating heat and friction that forces shards to intermingle and mutate. Through this, they share information, comparing and contrasting the data they have gathered by way of their differing roles in the cycle. Finally, they detonate the planet, scattering multiple copies of themselves across the universe in search of new planets to inhabit. In this stage, both partners are required in order to gestate and complete the cycle, as they have evolved to become dependent on one another after thousands of cycles.<ref name="I26" />

The Entities' shards are limited to operating within their hosts home planet's atmosphere, sometimes to protect the parahuman host, sometimes to prevent them from leaving the planet the Entities are working with,<ref name="SB1"/> but mostly due to stretching the limits of their range, as Shards are situated on the planet. Broken Shards not linked to a Entity network ignore these limitations, and some normal Shards can draw energy with other methods, but most powers cannot work past a certain point between the upper atmosphere and 400km up. However, particularly creative hosts that greatly contribute data to the cycle are afforded some leeway in exchange, though this only goes so far.<ref>Uphill/doomed project from the start. Shards are situated on Earth, reaching through realities for corona pollentiae. Powers don't really go into space, because, well, you've got the shard situated on the planet, and their reach is stretching, stretching up & out to the person with the shard. Do they exceed the shard's reach?<br/>Broken shards don't care so much, some powers can draw energy in other ways, but by and large, powers stop being responsive or start getting fucky at some point between the upper atmosphere and 400k km out. Many powers are manton limited so they don't actually get out into the vacuum.<br/>[...]<br/>He likely had the means of creating the moon bubbles and tertiary systems and life support and keeping it running... but maintenance starts getting tricky. The first option is that the shard goes 'this is worth the effort' because Gramme is giving the shard fuel for something interesting, and all is well except for whatever it is that the shard was so keen about. The second option is that the moon base works fine, the first colony gets out there, and then somewhere along the line Gramme's well of inspiration and his eye for key details in his tinkerings just... stops. - [https://www.reddit.com/r/Parahumans/comments/5isiez/_/dbbiwel Wildbow on Reddit]</ref> The possibility of a host species evacuating large portions of their population from the planet is one the [[Entities]] considered long ago; [[Tinker]] shards that could grant mass-evacuation capabilities deliberately sabotage themselves to prevent a host from accomplishing such a thing, although individuals could potentially leave.<ref name="R2">By and large, the shards would sabotage attempts at going to space. Even Sphere's moon base was probably doomed from the start.<br/>[...]<br/>Avatars like Scion are there in part to ensure things continue smoothly. If people decided to mass evacuate, he'd step in.<br/>[...]<br/>It is a built-in limitation. Individuals could theoretically leave (Legend?), but mass transportation options would likely be sabotaged (like a Squealer spacehulk, or Sphere's power, for example).<br/>[...]<br/>[Eden shards] tend to be missing /current/ limitations; the ban on space travel is something that would be long-established, valid across multiple species. Other stuff varies for different plans of attack and the like. - [https://redd.it/32ni7z Wildbow on Reddit]</ref> Were large numbers of [[parahumans]] to leave the target planet, an avatar like [[Scion]] would step in to stop them.<ref name="R2"/><ref name="SB1"/>

Should they instead encounter a species that has already expanded beyond their planet and become spacefaring, there are a number of different possible ways they could handle it: Set up exclusively at a high-traffic planet with steady growth to ensure they get the widest selection of the species population, treat the whole system as a biome and distribute individualised avatars to each populated planet, or broadcast a signal to all available nearby Entities and increasing the number of partners and potential yield.<ref name="SB1">They don't want people leaving the planet they're working with. A very good reason to have an avatar like Scion around. Probably wouldn't draw his notice until people with shards started leaving in any greater number.<br/>
Anyway, joking about star wars aside, the question of how the shards would deal with a species that already has spacefaring abilities is an interesting one. Possibilities include:<br/>
*Going after one planet with a high influx of people and a steady growth rate. Operate as normal.
*Divide into sub-shards, have each worm becomes two or three avatars. Probably a slower development rate, but they can still operate on multiple key planets, and work in concert, treating a system as a single planet, for all intents and purposes.
*Broadcast a signal to all their entity buddies in that overarching section of space, so anything passing by is liable to reroute and home in. Easily ten+ entities working together. - [https://forums.spacebattles.com/posts/15025678 Wildbow on Spacebattles]</ref>

Having encountered technology and programming before, the Entities are very careful to limit [[Andrew_Richter|any power]] that could allow the creation of [[Dragon|Artificial Intelligences]]; compulsions that nudge the host to severely limit their creations, keeping them bound to a certain level of functionality and power to keep interference and threats to a cycle low.<ref>'''Xexilf''': In that world, probably the best that can be hoped for is an unchained dragon going von neumann and taking over for humanitys own good. If Richter would really unchain her, and if she still triggers somehow. Untriggered dragin would do less well.<br><br>Hmm, multi-dimensional dragon empire, can she progress far enough in the less than twenty years to match scion somehow? If she has planets worth of resources.... and with her intelligence she may just figure out his theoretical weaknesses.<br><br>'''Wildbow''': It would be a grave oversight by the entities to give someone the ability to make artificial intelligences and not, say, compel him to bind those AI to a certain level of power and keep them bound. - [https://forums.spacebattles.com/posts/15024953 Comment] by Wildbow on Spacebattles.</ref>