Ephie

Ephie Stokes A name that's hard to forget... On the Record Ephimera Lavender Stokes was probably doomed as soon as she was conceived by the sort of woman who would name her child Ephimera Lavender Stokes. The same sort of woman who would raise her child in the infamous New Eden Commune in Santa Rosa Valley. The same sort of woman who would think it was perfectly fine to send her 12 year old daughter to go on the run with their Prophet George Davis when he got into all the sorts of legal trouble that men who run cults tend to get into. Six years and 8 countries later Ephie was recovered safely and perhaps surprisingly unharmed and the foul 'Prophet' wound up in prison where he belongs. The Ephie of today is remarkably sure of herself, steady and at peace. For those who give her a chance, she's a remarkably skilled nanny working, particularly adept with children with behavioral issues. Some of the Malibu moms she's worked with have nick named her Mary Poppins due to the fact that she never really stays any where particularly long, but always leaves their homes so well off for her visit. You Might Know Her From... Fame 1: For those who follow local occult, or are a fan of 3 part documentaries on odd crimes, they may have seen the Paradise Lost doc on the New Eden Commune (which the doc refers to as a cult) and it's leader. The documentary initially speculated that Ephie was a child bride but also indicates that when found at 18 Ephie appeared to be unharmed physically and has maintained that ever since. In the doc some of Davis' former followers were interviewed and commented on old footage and the events of their time on the run with the cult leader. One of which was one of Davis' too young wives who stated that Ephie was more of a little sister to the Prophet and largely sheltered from the worst of the goings on. Another referred to her as "The Innocent" more than once. Ephie herself never appears in the doc and in the end credits it's noted that she declined to participate as she did not wish to relive the experiences of her childhood further. Multi lingual: One odd benefit from being dragged around the world at a young age is Ephie is fluent in Spanish (Mexican), Hindi, Punjabi and Greek. Modern day Mary Poppins: For the last 3 years she's been working as a nanny in various affluent homes, while she rarely stays long every reference check comes with an emphatic 'Hiring her was the best thing I ever did'. Unfortunately for the mom's of Santa Monica, she's currently taking a step back from this work to help get the support group started. Beach go-er When she's not working Ephie loves the beach. She's not particularly athletic, but there's just something about the ocean. Loves to cook Ephie's a very good cook, and really seems to love preparing meals. Food is love. Moment of zen Ephie's particularly calm, patient and empathetic. She rarely loses her temper, and almost projects calm around her. Bookworm Ephie LOVES to read and almost always has a book with her where ever she goes. Isolated upbringing For obvious reasons, Ephie did NOT have a normal upbringing. In some ways this is great - she knows how to cook, how to sew, how to raise chickens, and actually likes cleaning. In others it's strange, she doesn't connect with people who don't know how to 'do', and lacks a lot of normal cultural references and/or nostalgia. Here to help Ephie and her brother have started a support group for people who are escaping high control religions or organizations called New Light, New Life. Rumor is they're looking for a permanent space but for the time being it's being run out of shared spaces and Seraph's apartment. Apparent Age: Early 20s Nationality: American Accent: Strange/Muddled Hair: Blonde (dyed) Eyes: Blue/Green Height: 5'5" Build: Slight Played by: Milly Alcock Notables Empathy 🔴🔴🔴🔴 Perception 🔴🔴🔴🔴 Library 🔴🔴 Despite being 5'5", there's something about Ephie that feels small, maybe it's the slightness of her build, or the way she doesn't tend to take up a lot of space but petite seems to describe her well. Her blond hair is cropped short, typically with some of her dark roots showing through, indicating that she's unable to keep up with her dye cycle always. Her skin is a warm golden hue, and she has those sorts of eyes that can be blue or green depending on what colors she's wearing. She tends to dress casually and comfortably, favoring natural fabrics in an autumn palette and vintage looks.

People

Averill Walls and whispers. Chase Miss you Kase Hard hands, soft heart Kashvi Spice and music made in flesh Seraph Brother, constant, salt water, changing tide

Musings...

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards - Søren Kierkegaard You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop. - Rumi There is little point in teaching anything backwards. The whole object of life, Headmistress, is to go forwards. Roald Dahl, Matilda His very existence was improbable, inexplicable, and altogether bewildering. He was an insoluble problem. It was inconceivable how he had existed, how he had succeeded in getting so far, how he had managed to remain -- why he did not instantly disappear. ― Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes. ― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles There is nothing heavier than compassion. Not even one's own pain weighs so heavy as the pain one feels with someone, for someone, a pain intensified by the imagination and prolonged by a hundred echoes. ― Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Soundtrack

"A Little Bit Happy, Talk" "Apple Pie, Lizzy McAlpine" "Keeping the Lights On, Joy Oladokun" "Sweet Tooth, Maya Hawke" "Safe Place to Land, Sara Bareilles, Ft. John Legend" "Swimming, Florence and the Machine" "Carry your Throne, Jon Bellion" "Growing Sideways, Noah Kahan" "What was I Made For?, Billie Eilish"