Ariel Rolls: 57
Game Move:
GM: So close, but it looks like bad news for concert goers hoping to see Ariel and Seraphiel live. Ariel is staying on Endla!
Her training begins immediately with Jophiel who teaches her about using divine essence.
After months on Endla with no contact with her family on Earth, Ariel feels comfortable on Endla among the angels that she interacts with. She definitely stands out among the Aerphim with their white wings in multiple pairs all over their bodies. Ariel is beautifully black and when she moves through vistas with Jophiel, aerphim point and stare at her. She has heard whispers and some refer to her as Jophiel’s shadow, which makes her mad and leads to an argument between the two when they relax in the prairie vista that they called home.
“You are being sensitive,” Jophiel explains. “The aerphim are not human, we don’t have human biases. Your skin is no darker than Seraphiel’s and there are dark skinned seraphim, cherubim, elohim and nephilim. We simply do not place a premium on skin color, we are all the children of the true God.”
“Maybe Earth made me sensitive to things,” Ariel admits, “and for the most part, I do feel welcomed here, but the history I’ve been learning explains why some of the aerphim would be apprehensive about my combination of dark skin and black wings. Are you telling me that the Aerphim we encounter aren’t aware of Pultine and the whole Pristine Black thing? I am an aboatia among angels who have only known my kind as a nuisance.”
Jophiel laughs, shaking her head. “Your kind? You are more Aerphim than mmoatia, you know nothing about them to be of a kind with them. And that is the last thing you should want, to be associated with them.”
Ariel laughs out loud. “You don’t hear yourself? ‘I shouldn’t want to be associated with them,’ what is that if not the same discrimination I faced as a black woman on Earth? You are judging all mmoatia based on a feud with Supremes that occured so long ago. You don’t even know that they are still considered leaders of the mmoatia in the Fonlands. I understand history shapes the present, but we can’t let history cloud our better nature, that can lead the very human inclination towards discrimination. Which is definitely what I get from some of the Aerphim. Definitely not all, not even most, but enough that it makes this beautiful place feel hostile towards me.”
“I hear your words,” Jophiel says sincerely. “History is what it is and can be hard to shake. You are an aboatia among the Aerphim and your feelings are valid.”
“I appreciate that you acknowledge my feelings,’ Ariel says. “I know we can’t flip a switch to change the minds of everybody on Endla.”
“Your presence here does a lot to repair relations between the aerphim and the mmoatia.”
“Is it common knowledge that the mmoatia are essentially the mothers of Endla? Or do most aerphim just think of the mmoatia as enemies of Lêgba?”
“The latter,” Jophiel admits. “Even my children are not aware that their mother is mmoatia.”
“Oh right,” Ariel says, “you are mmoatia. Welboas is the mother of the Archangels.”
“That’s not what I meant,” Jophiel says with a laugh. “Technically, yes, as a daughter of Lêgba and Welboas, I am descended from mmoatia, but Welboas is half mmoatia, her other half is yumbo. The Archangels are primarily the children of Lêgba and that is the common perception. The mother of my children is the aboatia Lorv, the Eminent.”
“Oh,” Ariel laughs, “my bad. You got a baby mama? Like the two of you made a baby?”
“Gender is different for the Aerphim. I fathered three children with her Eminence.”
“Why don’t they know their mother?” Ariel asks. “It’s that bad between mmoatia and aerphim?”
Jophiel nodded. “The mmoatia have been a thorn in the side of Lêgba for a very long time. But, you being here could turn things around. I am more hopeful of that since I have come to know you. You are truly special, Ariel, the Baxter.”
Ariel laughs out loud. She has tried to explain the way names work on Earth, but Jophiel doesn’t care enough about Earth customs to remember.
“What’s your epithet?” Ariel asks. “Pultine is the Pristine, your baby mama is the Eminent. You said Ahdis is the Immaculate.”
“That is a mmoatia custom,” Jophiel explained. “I am an archangel, daughter of Lêgba. There is no epithet greater than that.”
Ariel feels herself becoming closer to Jophiel the more time they spend together. She teaches Ariel how to fly in the most efficient way possible, and teaches her how to wield her powers. Ariel demonstrates the ability to move at the speed of thought, and her voice is powerful enough to shatter mountains when concentrated correctly. The two spend time all over Endla, and they live in Jophiel’s cottage on the prairie vista.
Currently, Jophiel and Ariel race to the cottage in the prairie vista from the Defense Arch. Jophiel lands first, but Ariel is fast on her feet and she waits at the door as Jophiel climbs the steps.
“I said not to use your powers,” Jophiel says.
“I didn’t, I’m just much faster than you.”
The two laugh as they go inside the cottage and they stop stone still at the sight inside the door.
“Jophiel,” a beautiful womam says, standing in the middle of the room.”
“Your Eminence,” Jophiel says and drops to one knee like it is instinct. “Why are you here? You risk too much to be here. The twins have still not been recovered…”
“I am aware,” Lorv says. “I came to see this daughter of Pultine. You are a wonder,” Lorv says to Ariel. Lorv is taller than Ariel, and she looks down at her as she approaches. Lorv is a curvy woman and the wrappings on her body make her hips look soft and beautiful. Her skin is dark brown with violet undertones, and her hair and the feathers of her wings are black but shine purple.
“How did you get here undetected?” Jophiel asks, still down on one knee. “Do the mmoatia have Agiel and Zazel?”
“That is not why I am here,” Lorv says. “She must come with me.”
“That will not happen,” Jophiel says and she stands. “I will allow you to leave without alerting security, but Ariel will not leave Endla with you.”
“Is that what she wants?” Lorv asks.
“It is the will of Lêgba…” Jophiel starts before Lorv throws sharp daggers of violet flame at her. Jophiel pulls her flaming sword to block most of the daggers, but at least one stabs into her shoulder, scorching the fair skin there before burning out.
“You do not belong here,” Lorv says to Ariel.
“Ariel,” Jophiel says to her, “fly back to the Defense Arch and alert them about our visitor. Hurry, her Eminence is very dangerous.”
“Are you sure you’ll be ok?” Ariel asks.
“Yes, go now!” Jophiel insists.
“You know that you do not belong here,” Ariel hears Lorv calling as she flies out of the cottage and toward the Defense Arch.
As she flies and leaves the prairie vista, Ariel is filled with confusion.
Game Move:
GM: Wow, Ariel, your first aboatia encounter!
Ariel: That bitch was stun gun – I can’t believe how beautiful she was. And where did she get those purple flame daggers?
GM: That’s her power, creation of weapons from her being. They burst into flame when she produces them because they’re so hot.
Ariel: Wow. And I’m running to the angel popos to what? Get her arrested, or killed?
GM: I’m not sure what happens if or when you alert authorities, but it’s safe to assume it won’t end well for Lorv.
Ariel stops midflight. She flaps her wings to hover over the light blue clouds billowing below.
Ariel: I can’t do this. I want to talk to Lorv. I mean, I should right? I’ve been here learning from Jophiel and the aerphim, and it’s been so much better than I imagined it could be. Jophiel can be hard, but she likes me and I think she’s open and honest. But they don’t like mmoatia. I want to go back and stop their fight. I want to talk to another aboatia.
GM: Awesome, I like it when you’re so decisive! Roll 2d10 for a combined score of at least 76 to go back to Jophiel’s cottage without alerting authorities.
Ariel: If I don’t get it, then I’m gone just rat on Lorv?
GM: Not exactly. If this fails, I’ll give you another move, so you can try something else, but you’ll have to roll for it.
Ariel: Fuck man! Fine, I’ll roll it.
Tune in next week to see if Ariel rats out a fellow aboatia who has infiltrated Endla, or if she is able to stop the fight between Jophiel and Lorv!
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