Spotlight Archives!

[mo money]

APRIL 2013

VIVIAN
member of the month

Vivian, the creator of a multitude of characters - nine to be exact! - has come back only to dive right back into the fray. She is actively posting many times a week, and is always seen floating around the c-box as well. She is a friendly girl, with a love for playing Retromorphs, as seven of the nine are...that has to be some kind of record! Vivian brings a love of writing to the table, as most of our M-goers do, and is a wonderful piece of our M-family! This is why she is this months Member of the Month!

RILEY SALVATICI
female character of the month

Riley Salvatici (played by Rumor) is not your average Fallen girl. Her history is one that very few share, having been brought up in the depths of an organization that fought against the suppression of shapeshifters. This girl is no pushover, and won't give in. She's been trained rigorously since the beginning to survive, and possesses a range of skills to help her accomplish her goals. If there is any weakness in her, it's her undying loyalty to her brother Jonah. But it remains to be seen in the Menagerie whether this is a true weakness, or a burning flame that will give her strength in the trying times they will both have to face.

EAST
male of the month

East, played by Kriss...well, he wants a little too much, never works a little too hard, and from time to time just pushes it a little too far. This Fulsi scout isn't living up to his ring's ambitious stereotype, and in fact seems to try to hide from it if he can. Trespassers? Spies? Thieves? Isn't that like...hunter work? Still, he endears himself to readers with his skeptical, often humorously deadpan inner thoughts as he makes his way through the Menagerie. That is if the people he's managed to anger don't knife him first! Maybe he should train a little harder in hand-to-hand back in Fulsi before tackling Fallen scouts! (Though we like the odds the way they are!) So keep a close eye on East, and a closer one on your high-end valuables, cause he's our Male Character of the Month!

DENVER AND MONICA
relationship of the month

In the short time that they've known each other, Denver and Monica have already been through a lot together. Their initial meeting soon sparked a friendship that ignited into romance, both of them bringing comfort to each other in a time where they were most vulnerable. Surrounded in an intensely anxiety-inducing environment, their love for each other has since helped to reduce the stress that arises from it. Monica helped Denver cope with the painful withdrawal from her anxiety medication and the memories that were awoken by it, and Denver in turn helped care for Monica when she fell victim to a virus attack. Overall, their relationship is absolutely adorable, and for that they win Relationship of the Month! Keep an eye out for more of their threads in the future to find out the progression of their new-found love!

your world is gonna burn
thread of the month

Your World is Gonna Burn, despite it's foreboding title, is a uniquely touching thread that leaves me simply wanting more. Wanderer and Kajetan, played by Sar and Kriss respectively, are two feline Retromorphs from opposite climates and opposite lives--one of cold mountains and a solitary life, the other of golden deserts surrounded by generations of family. It's interesting watching these two break down barriers as they relate their histories. This thread is full of subtle emotion that evokes the sense of longing for the past, for home, that those living in the dome face everyday.

[mo money]

MAY/JUNE/JULY 2013

NO OTMs THIS MONTH
nominations were put on hold due to Mourge being a lazy

[mo money]

AUGUST 2013

JAYNE
member of the month

Jayne is one of the latest returnee’s to the Menagerie; after two years, she’s found us again! And let’s just say we’re more than thrilled! Jayne has quickly become part of the community here at The M! Though something of a self proclaimed night-owl, it’s easy to catch Jayne in the c-box and she’s never at a loss for some warm words or an interesting story or two. And it’s not just in the cbox that Jayne regales us; between her two Retro characters Tsukiko the Akita Inu (who can quote poetry…trying teaching that to your average dog!) and Joan the Peregrine Falcon, Jayne has created some very interesting threads. I still can’t get the visual of Tuskiko singing “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” in her head as she nearly drowns in the Nilda bog! It’s just that sort of quirky idea we love here at the M!

TONJES
female character of the month

Tonjes, (played by Han) is a Rogue Red Wolf Shifter, and a character that truly pulls at your heart strings. For most of her life she was kept locked away in a room, creating a cruel and sheltered view of the world. Her past has left her scarred in numerous ways, both emotionally and physically--but through it all, Tonjes has survived. And it is this survival instinct that has gotten her so far, but it has left her alone and fearful. She is a unique case in which being sent to the Menagerie has actually given her more freedom than she had before; and with this new-found freedom comes a new life, and new hope.

GAUNT
male of the month

Gaunt, played by Seija-chan is an Arctic Wolf Retro and is currently the Chief of the Nilda Pack. And apparently quite the ladies man! This suave Alpha male seemingly has all the females in his pack swooning and padding after him, without hardly lifting a paw! Maybe it's because despite being rather bull-headed and quite stubborn, he goes about it in a different, much more laid back way. Perhaps it's this aloofness that has the ladies eating out of his paws, who knows! Even if he's got a bit of a reputation as a "player" he is a very loyal, caring and compassionate leader and has quite an interesting relationship with his Chieftess--Najeri--who despite his natural wolf background where the Alpha Male and Female are mates--remains a platonic and trusted friend.

JAMES AND GREY
relationship of the month

A budding friendship has cropped up between two unlikely foes—James Colt and Grey. James is a smart-ass Carna with a loud mouth and Grey is a stern militaristic and by-the-books Fallen; not exactly the pair you’d expect to see skipping through a field of daisies together, right? Well their “friendship” started out much as one would expect of a Carna and Fallen—with a case of trespassing, trading of blows and James ending up with his butt in the Fallen prison. The two men seemed to bond over their similarly violent pasts and each earned a seemingly begrudging respect from the other. In a surprise turn of events, Grey rescued James from a few vengeful Fallen out for a Carna’s blood and helped him escape from the confines of the Cesspool, only to get taken near-hostage by Carna himself. We’ll see what happens next and if these two remain friends despite the tension between their Rings!

HERE'S YOUR ASH AND DUST
thread of the month

To put it plainly, I absolutely loved reading this thread! The dialogue between Kajetan (a leopard) and Tsukiko (an Akita Inu dog) exemplifies the age-old dichotomy between cats and dogs, with a bit of a twist. With a mix of sardonic and sarcastic tones and thinly veiled (or perhaps not very “veiled” at all) derision towards each other, Tsukiko and Kajetan aren’t necessarily at each other’s throats as they debate the meaning of life inside the dome. Kriss and Jayne are crafting quite the unique thread between this “mouser” (as Tsuki has dubbed Kajetan) and the trespassing canine retro butt heads. At least they aren’t trying to kill each other—yet.

[mo money]

SEPTEMBER 2013

OUR MENAGERIE FAMILY
member of the month

There is no one member of the month this time, so we at the Menagerie have taken this opportunity to celebrate all members this month! Thanks for being here to chat, and plot, and get up to crazy shenanigans this month! Without all of you, this site wouldn’t be the epic adventure that it is today! A special thanks to Mourge, who has dedicated an enormous amount of time and effort over the years, and who is still currently slaving away to prepare for our journey into Proboards V.5! The members of the Menagerie really set this site apart from all the other sites out there. At the base of all the dramatic plots and amazing characters, there’s a wonderful little Menagerie family! WE LOVE YOU!

SHAZIA FRINKE
female character of the month

SHAZIA is newly joined, but in character a longer term resident of the Menagerie. She's gone from a loving family to the intense trauma of capture and imprisonment within the labs, to a ferocious bounce-back amongst one of the dome's most notorious rings. She shows promise toward being either or both manipulative or ruthless, or perhaps something else all together. Time will shape her further, though her anchor of loyalty to Carna seems secure for now.

DIGG HAYWOOD
male of the month

Diggory (or Digg, as he is affectionately referred to) is a rogue shifter played by the wonderful Mourge! Though older and perhaps not as tall as some of Mourge’s other manly characters, he has already proven to be quite popular amongst the M’s members, given his charming disposition, boundless energy, lumberjack-man-type-skills and fabulous beard. On the other hand, he also happens to lack a word filter which in turn causes him to get into all sorts of trouble – as shown by his most recent run-ins with a tiger and a retro dog, respectively…both of which are ladies. Here’s hoping he can put on some of that rustic charm and get in their good books (while utilizing his good looks)!

AKANE AND SLANSKY
relationship of the month

This month's relationship is a complex one, with plenty of pitfalls to a happily ever after (as close as you can get to one in the dome). Akane Husher and Slansky Kirov are two Fallen who started off as friends, thrown together by random chance, but over time grew to care for each other. The duo has a wonderful dynamic full of sass, snark and of course--affection! They've had their emotional ups and downs, like every couple. As a new Fallen, Akane has struggled with becoming part of the tight-knit group but has always had Slansky by her side, both protecting and training her, struggling to deal with the traumas of his own past. Things have recently heated up between the pair, and somewhat of a shocking revelation has been made: Akane is only 15 (after lying about her true age) and Slansky a much older 28, there was some scandal and confrontation to be had when Akane's estranged father made a sudden reappearance and discovered his daughter's romance. It will be interesting to see where this couple heads in these trying times!

TRAPPED
thread of the month

In the thread TRAPPED, as it is rightfully named, we start out with a normal scenario in the M - one ring cornering another. In this instance, the small felid named Sorcha was the target of multiple Carna, and what was she to do except accept her fate that she would be ironically brought to death by not only the Fulsi's greater rival - but a pack of canines. Luckily for her, the Lead Hunter Sully passed overhead, and thus made a harrowing rescue to swoop down and save her from her demise. Quickly he found that his good intentions were to send them both to the ground in a heap not too far off - leaving them both a bit bruised. And even though it seems the small feline has a practice in the medical field it seems that both need the touch of a Healer. It is an amazing thing, strangers quickly becoming acquainted through circumstances that would only happen here, in the Menagerie.

[mo money]

OCTOBER 2013

IRONCHILD
member of the month

October’s member of the month is none other than the lovely IronChild ! A long-time member, Iron is still as active as ever. You can often find her in the C-Box chatting, or posting with one of her several awesome characters! Iron, or Fe as we also call her, has also recently stepped up to help out around the site and is a new addition to The M’s Global Mod team! She’s already proven she can work hard and is always thinking of new and unique ideas to help improve the site. She does all this while still being an active, cheerful presence OOC, and maintaining her exciting threads IC. Fe is all-around wonderful, and everyone can agree that the site would just not be the same without her!

POPPY MONTGOMERY
female character of the month

Ever the realist, Poppy Montgomery (played by Fish) seems to take everything in stride and accepts things as they happen, an often rare trait in the dome. Friendly and outgoing, as well as flexible when it comes to judgement of others, she makes friends easily. However, she is also bold enough to take on much larger opponents should the need arise (despite her rather small squirrel shift), or at least lend them some snarky commentary. Thus far she’s had a number of adventurous mishaps in the dome, including a run-in with the Fallen’s beta, Quick, an unfortunate experience via the Keepers while exploring Crusoe’s Cavern with her friend Levi, and a run in with some wolves while travelling with East. Be sure to keep an eye on her threads to see how these adventures, so to speak, pan out!

AURELIO QUEZADA
male of the month

What's ten pounds of stubborn sass in a two pound bag? Why it just might be Fuleao's Aurelio Quezada and his heroic struggle to be seen as more than a thirteen year-old tendie. Responsible, seasoned to outdoor life longer than half his ringmates, and possessed of a slight arrogance, it seems like it might go well for him. So long as everyone forgets that one time he fell off a train track and thought two of his were his parents, at least. (Good luck now!) He's a fun character to read, and an uncommon age and an absolutely kickin' leafy sea dragon splice. All of these things make him our Male Character of the Month!

RILEY AND EAST
relationship of the month

'Catty’ can only begin to describe the tense flirtation and trepidatious dance between two felines from conflicting Rings. East, a cute if not fondly obnoxious flirt of a Fulsi has his hands full with the equally attractive, sharp witted fierceness of Riley from the Fallen. After their first encounter they parted as less than friends and more than enemies, however on their second and third meetings it seemed they’re bound to get into trouble with one another. Will the Scouts push each other too far? Or will the hazards of the Menagerie take its toll before they can find out? Getting to know one another seems no longer an option as they continue to collide. The claws are coming out, and the outcome is uncertain leaving us on the edge of our seats, making Riley and East (played by Rumor and Kriss) our Relationship of the month!

REMIND ME OF MY DUTY
thread of the month

Remind Me of My Duty is a great read! It's an interesting interaction between newly christened Carna, Grey, and ex-Fulsi Rogue Roma Partholain. The dialogue between these two is on the surface fun and sassy as the two seeming enemies find themselves matched equally in wit, but there is also underlying and electrifying tension (and perhaps some attraction) between these two Shifters. Kriss (Grey) and IronChild (Roma) craft a brilliant and exciting thread and one can only hope to have some more Roma and Grey threads to read in the future!

[mo money]

Our spotlighted member for this month is none other than the scintillating Seija! She is one of our long-standing staffers and members here at the M, and one who is much appreciated. When this hard working global mod isn't doing her staffly duties she's hard at work crafting unique characters for us to play and plot with. Her threads are always captivating reads whether they be full of dark, twisted drama and heartwrenching emotion with explorations of the darker sides or chock full of ridiculous antics with her colorful (in more ways than one!) characters. Beyond moderating and character developing Seija is a talented artist who makes beautiful signatures and drawings for us to oggle. All in all she is an integral part of the M in itself, and we are lucky to have her with us!

What to say about Nikk? She's played by none other than the amazing IronChild, who has once again crafted a unique, challenging and undeniably interesting character. Nikk is a rogue to the core, hellbent on doing one thing: surviving. She doesn't make friends easy, and probably not even enemies as she isn't in one place for very long; oh, the woes of Rogue life. Though I don't think Nikk would decry them as <i>woes</i>, as this is the life she has chosen above living within the relative saftey of the Rings (though they come with woes of their own). Nikk is one impressive woman, having spent years entirely on her own in the wilds of the dome surrounded by threats manifold. She has only her wits and her skills (and her throwing knives, can't forget those!) with which to face them all. Granted, she has a huge ass polar bear shift, but one she can't seem to control. What is in store for this knife-throwing rogue, we can only sit on the edge of our seats and wait to read!

"Quick" Taylor, played by Sumdood. Quick is one tough cookie, that's for sure. This leopard Shifter, Beta of the FallenRing, is not exactly what you would call a pacifist, contrary to some of the stereotypes given to members of the Fallen. Fallen are not known to back down from a fight, and Quick is no exception. In fact he is more likely to start the fight (especially if you're a Carna) using his military background to try to gain tactical advantage and victory. Quick has a special love-hate relationship with the Carna, most noteably for his recent attack on the Carna docks, an act of revenge for late Fallen Alpha Skye. He is a fierce man and a fierce fighter with a bit of an anger problem; not necessarily violent at all times but can and will kick ass and take names. He is an excellent Beta, playing the offensive to many of the defensive-minded Fallen.


These two are just plain awesome. Seija Mulveine (played by Seija-Chan) is the Lead Hunter of the Carna, a small 5' something blind woman with what is essentially is an amored tank for a horse. Surma (played by IronChild) is a shire horse Shifter who has been spliced with pangolin, giving him "armor" of a sort. Surma is a Shifter who seems to have had a break with reality, once a man in body and spirit--but who seems to have reverted to his animal nature. Seija and her man-horse Surma have formed what seems to be an unbreakable bond, Surma loyal and protecting his 'Mistress' as he calls her and Seija providing the nuturing care this broken man seems to need. These two are an interesting dynamic to be sure, one we will keep our eyes on!

THE TIDES ARE TURNING -- This thread continues the evolving relationship between none other than our favorite Fulsi vs Fallen rivalry, East and Riley. It seems like it's East to the rescue--well, Nurse East to the rescue, at least! Riley (the kick ass Fallen lady) handled an ambush of Carna on her own, but she needed a bit of help binding her wounds. Cue East, sans sexy nurse outfit. And plot twist! Riley's over protective and very buff twin brother, Jonah, makes a sudden and rather painful (for East) entrance. Keep reading to see what happens next!


For our second image spotlight we are featuring this lovely table by Evkav, for her Retromorph character Duke! We chose this image because it is a rather complicated manip, dealing with butterfly wings which are a pain in the buns to get right! I love the incorporation of the blue tones in the background image, bringing out the blue in Duke's wings and the scarf around is human form. Excellent work! The full size image can be seen here!

[mo money]

Dionysus is a long time member of ours, who has recently made a giant comeback! While busy with a crazy work schedule he's managed to come back full force to the M and star in some great threads. His character Damian Russo especially, making a return to the Fulsi and succeeding Royce as the Fulsi Head of Border Patrol, and even rekindling the bonds of brotherhood with his older brother Redd. Beyond his posting spree Dio is always hanging out in the cbox and amusing us with his stories and strange Dio brand of humor, playing games and generally being awesome, true to his namesake. We're so glad to have our resident party god back here at the M >]




Our Female Character of the month is Belle! Played by Vivian. This sweet and heart-warming retro has had a roller coaster of ups and downs before being dropped into the Menagerie. Taking after her canine heritage, she is a pocket puppy always looking for a friend. Born into a happy family, the idea of adoption was too much and she ran away before they could remove her from her home. Picked up as a stray, she revealed herself to people in hopes of rescue and was awarded with the Menagerie. Into the wilds of the retro territory a fight ended with the loss of her father, and since then Belle has kept moving to stay alive. It seemed not enough as she was taken by keepers and spliced with another creature, and now sports bat wings barely large enough to glide with. How will she handle these new changes? It will be interesting to see how such a gentle soul fairs in the wilds of the Menagerie!



Ever since joining the Nakoma, the strong, fearless Soren Forde been devoted to keepign the tribe safe. He isn’t as keen to bond with its members, which is partly by nature; he is a quiet, self-conscious sort who genuinely enjoys solitude. Beyond that, however, is a history that gives him all the more reason to stay distant: everything from a childhood spent unable to relate to the lifestyle of those around him, to the crushing loss of a lover in ring warfare. Worst of all, this former Carna participated in the massacre of the Bestia, falling into the berserker rage that has blinded him more than once. For a man unwilling to admit his feelings even to himself, there’s a lot to keep under wraps. Will he ever become a part of his new family, and can he avoid certain painful discoveries being made about him? Only time will tell!



Redd and Damian Russo are more than simply brothers; they’re team-mates and best friends who have spent the majority of their lives trying to make the best of bad situations. When their parents died, they and their oldest brother Hector lived together in the foster system. They couldn’t always be together, however. Hector was adopted out, and when Redd turned 18, he was forced to leave Damian alone. The brothers were only reunited in The Menagerie, and look at their capture as a blessing. Through all of the Fulsi’s hardships and through their victories, Redd has tried to watch out for his brother, and his brother has had his back in return. No matter what hell the dome gives them, Redd and Damian stick together through thick and thin. That’s what makes them Relationship of the Month!




Uncertain Return
This thread isn't like our usual threads--it isn't laced with violence and drama and buckets of blood. At least, not on the surface. With Retromorph red deer Keagan and wolf shifter Roma Partholain there is always the veiled threat of predator vs. prey, even if it isn't in the forefront. It's what makes this thread interesting, and Keagan and Roma only play on this dynamic and make it even better. Keagan (played by Vivian) stars as the wary, watching and ever alert deer who has just come back from months of testing in the labs, stumbled across by the silver-tongued Roma. The dialogue in this thread is highly entertaining and Keagan's wild-minded bafflement at Roma's human ways plays well against Roma's friendly nature. This thread is a great read that examines the after math of Keeper testing as well as interactions between Retros and Shifters, something we don't see too often!




Wanderer by Etch is just plain awesome. This art is of Sar's beautiful character Wanderer, and Etch simply brings her to life. The detail alone is excruciatingly beautiful (that fur, those markings!) but what strikes most is the lighting which just brings the image to life. The pose is just so fluid and realistic, you can almost feel the character moving. Even without a background this image can more than stand for itself, which is why we have chosen it for this month's image spotlight! The full size image can be seen here