#ofnd: monarchmask

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Monarchmask - Inspired by the autism creature

@spottyissleepy @oldfacesnewdawnoffical

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Marigold / Monarch / Monarchmask

Temporary guardian (primarily a convoy) of the Woodruff Faction (as of: the start of A Dream of Destiny)

A massive, thick-furred, fluffy golden classic tortoiseshell tabby molly with distinctive, small black patches, drooping, tufted ears and yellow eyes. Has a torn left ear and a scarred right eye. Also has scars along her throat, legs, and belly.

Wears boar hide-and-sheep’s wool shoulder guards pierced with porcupine quills, otter teeth, and beaded with small, purplish river stones. Braids parts of her mane with porcupine quills. Pierces her ears: left with two otter teeth, and right with three porcupine quills.

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Daughter of Rhema Songfall†. Niece of Purrheale Featherwhisker. Littermate of Fritillaryheart. Mother of Pansy and Petunia. Courting Laurelstorm.

Trained by Elmheart. Trained Minktail.

57 moons old (equivalent to a 33 year old)

Reserved, Blunt, Dutiful | INTJ-A

Cis Female // Demiromantic // (She/Her/Hers)

Ursa - Avatar: The Last Airbender - Jen Cohn

Name implies a golden-furred cat who is stealthy and secretive, and with a distinctive mask-marking.

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How does Monarchmask and Sloefrost compare to their canon counterparts?

Physically, they’re both now tortoiseshells! ^^ That’s a major difference to be found between them lol

Monarchmask and Goldenflower are… super different. For one, Monarchmask has a vastly heavier presence within the plot; no more “simply a pretty, nice, generic nursery queen who shacks up with Tigerclaw just for the sake of having his babies, who are characters that receive far more screen time than she ever had”. NO!

Monarchmask is somewhat stoic, a little awkward when it comes to expressing her feelings or dealing with the feelings of others, but she is infinitely protective and caring, willing to smack down even at the slightest hint of a tear in the eyes of her loved ones. She’s buff and bold and a little brash, but at the end of the day, she’s a warm mama bear type who just wants the best for those around her, whether it be her family, her friends, or her overall community, and she’s willing to get her paws dirty to make it happen.

NO MORE ORNAMENTAL SIDEPIECE GOLDENFLOWER!!!

Sloefrost and Frostfur, on the other hand, are actually decently similar! They’re both sweet, sharp-tongued, mildly sassy ladies, though Sloefrost definitely kicks the “mildly sassy” into overdrive. I’ve always really, unreasonably liked Frostfur, and felt that she and her family deserved so much… which led to one of my favorite guilty pleasure rare-pairs, which will be incorporated into OFND!

Sloefrost gets to be happy in the end, even with so much loss piled into her life. Sue me.

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Does Monarchmask get to do anything to Laurelstorm?

Laurelstorm gets slashed across the face via Monarchmask.

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Did Yewstripe sire Pansy? My only other guess would be Laurelstorm but idk since their still just courting (makes the most sense that it’s her for the dark markings and white)

Ooh, the idea of Darkstripe siring Swiftpaw is also really good…. Couldn’t be Yewstripe specifically because that dude is more red than a ginger root, and it wouldn’t work out genetically, but that’s still a really interesting au idea to toy with…

And yeah!!! Laurelstorm ^^ She’s just the sire, though; she’s not their mom by any means. That’s left to Monarchmask and Monarchmask alone.

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Fun facts about Monarchmask?

Whenever I write her, I think “lioness”. Powerful and massive and sleek (she’s not sleek).

Very good at hiding her personal thoughts and feelings. She really only ever confides in Fritillaryheart, but even that’s an incredibly rare occurrence.

Found a porcupine archfiend once and slaughtered it all on her own. It landed her several days under Featherwhisker’s care, but when she came out of the allay’s quarters, her ears were pierced and her fur braided with porcupine quills to display her victory.

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watch pansy's sire be scourge, barley or bone. monarch got the wildcards lol

Bone and Monarchmask wouldn’t be able to make babies for… reasons. Neither would she and Barley for the same reasons.

Scourge is aro-ace, as well; dude is agender, aromantic, asexual. Power is far more easily wrought than the likes of romance… and if he did have a blood heir, there’s no way he’d allow Monarchmask to keep it, especially not within the fealty…

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I mean cmon it’s Monarchmask and Fritillaryheart. I can’t not love them both and how clearly different they are

!! I love making semi-twins be as different as possible, just because it’s realistic + and Gravity Falls is like. My favorite.

The Golden Twins are as different as day and night and I adore them for it <3

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Spoiler for Monarchmask my dear beloved tough tragic lady?

Gets WAAAYYYYY more recognition (and power) than in canon

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Spotty spotty… does anyone have a happy ending… do they at least have a good vibe in their life… (since I’m upset that fire won’t)

Who says that Fire doesn’t get a good ending?

Hm… Monarchmask will! Relatively speaking… Jackdawclaw as well; he gets a lil family and settles down. Speckledclaw too, and her bouncing baby boy.

I,, I think that’s it-

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Monarchmask and Laurelstorm for the bingo?

Laurel’s already been done, so here’s Monarchmask’s!!

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this might be spoilers but how receptive is Monarchmask to Laurelstorm's courting?

Pretty receptive! Their courting is a mutual affair, and although it was pretty awkward at first, they’ve settled into something a bit more comfortable.

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Laurelstorm? Maybe… or maybe this version of blackfoot?

DING DING DING! It’s Laurelstorm :D

The litter was an accident, the result of a fling between the two. There’s no real romance between them at the moment, just platonic, mutual admiration and respect, but. Babies happened, so, they’ve got a family to tend to now!

Laurelstorm isn’t involved publicly, but she’s been noted to specifically be hunting for Monarchmask, and snapped at Minktail when he started talking about catching her kit’s first taste of prey.

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Why did Monarchmask rip the quills out of her left ear? Seems too significant of a detail from her card (love her design btw it’s mega amazing obsessed with her more than I already was)

To give to Minktail!!

He graduated early, so she was a little strapped for the traditional gifts. So she just. Stepped up to him, expressed her pride, reached up and ripped the quills out of her ear to offer to him.

Mink went:

(Featherwhisker was… less than impressed lmao, considering the wound later got infected due to Monarchmask’s impulse ^^’)

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Cinderpelt is now monarchmask’s daughter? Does that mean she is also laurelstorm’s as well?

Monarchmask had a fling with an unaligned cat, which produced Pansy and Petunia! Their sire is wholly unknown, and inconsequential to the story.

Laurelstorm… comes in later.

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From Bones post, what cats in OFND do you view as neurodivergent?

Please keep in mind throughout this list: When aiming to write about a community in which no listed name is a blank slate, in which everyone is a person with their own drives, passions, and history, it isn’t uncommon to find that some of said characters are neurodivergent. After all, if you look into a crowd of randomly selected peoples, you are more than likely to find someone who is as such, diagnosed or otherwise.

I fully understand and respect the controversy that comes with writing such characters, especially neurodivergent characters, and even more especially neurodivergent characters who have disabilities or other influences that have been demonized to the general public via one way or another.

I, myself, am neurodivergent in many different flavors. However, many of the characters that I will include within OFND do not fall under the same umbrellas in which I shelter under. For these characters, I still wish to portray them not solely as their neurodivergency, but as people, as the broad range of traits and experiences that they are and should be. For that, I turn to friends, helpful internet strangers, and detailed archived sources to best and fully portray their disabilities as accurately as possible in a way that affects their lives, but not their character.

I’m not sure that fully makes sense, but let me also note that I am fully accepting of criticism, advice, and any other helpful tips or sources to be turned towards when it comes to best representing these characters.

That being said, OFND is not a story about neurodivergency or mental illness; it heavily involves it, yes, but it is not a story specifically about such topics. It is a story about community, and within any and every community, things such as this are bound to crop up and make themselves known.

Also note that the below is a list exclusively of neurodivergence. I’m happy to make a list later on of physically disabled characters as well!!

NOTABLE NON-FEALTY CHARACTERS (aDoD, Ignite)

Rust: Chronic Anxiety Disorder, Autism

Scourge: Chronic Insomnia, Hyperacusis

Pine: PTSD, Social Anxiety Disorder, Prolonged Grief Disorder

FENLANDERS (aDoD, Ignite)

Aroges Foxheart: Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Sors Dreamtongue: Cynophobia, OCD

Slugpelt: Autistic, Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Chanterellefang: OCD, Chronic Insomnia

Otterbelly: Narcolepsy, Psychosis, and Auditory Processing Disorder

Fernshade: Depression

Moccasinheart: OCD, Narcolepsy

Lichen: Epileptic

Hornwort: Alogia

MOORSWEEPERS (aDoD, Ignite)

Rhema Magpietail: Autism, PTSD, Hyperactive ADHD

Aroges Hopfoot: Tourette’s Syndrome

Purrheale Voleface: Agoraphobic, Aphantasia

Darkfoot: Prosopagnosia

Onewhisker: Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder

Scorchstep: Kleptomania, Dysgraphia

Morningwhistle: Psychosis

Cotton: OCD, Hyperacusis

RIVERWARDENS (aDoD, Ignite)

Rhema Crookedstorm: PTSD, Depression

Purrheale Cressfur: Bipolar Disorder

Cypresspool: Dementia

Mistfoot: Autism

Breambelly: Social Anxiety, Hyperactive ADHD

Avocet: Depression, Social-Emotional Agnosia

Warble: Prosopagnosia

Drizzle: Epilepsy

WOODRUFFIANS (aDoD, Ignite)

Rhema Rainfall: Bipolar Disorder, PTSD

Sors Spottedleaf: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Minktail: Synesthesia

Patchedpelt: Amnesia

Yewstripe: Emotional Dysregulation Disorder

Laurelstorm: Chronic Anxiety Disorder

Brindleface: Apperceptive Agnosia

Monarchmask: Autism, Dysthymia

Sand: Sensory Processing Disorder

Raven: Panic Disorder, Dissociative Amnesia

Bear: Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD, Histrionic Personality Disorder