Matilda Flatnose
CharactersMatilda “Matty” Flatnose-Wrinklebutt is a formidable Shar Pei Canid enforcer for the Felt Ear Crime Ring, and the **former matriarch of the Wrinklebutt family**. She is the biological mother of Cornelius Wrinklebutt and once the wife of Gordon "Screw Eyes" Wrinklebutt. Her dramatic defection from the Curl-Tail Crime Ring to the Felt Ears is widely regarded as the spark that ignited the enduring rivalry between the two syndicates.
Calm, unflinching, and deadly in close-quarters combat, Matilda has become a symbol of Felt Ear loyalty—and Curl-Tail betrayal.
Appearance
Matilda is a dense, muscular Shar Pei Canid with slate-gray fur and gold eyes. Her distinctive flattened muzzle—originally caused by stopping a runaway cargo-loader head-on—gives her an imposing and unmistakable silhouette. She usually wears Felt Ear combat leathers and reinforced gauntlets.
Personality
Matilda is known for:
- absolute emotional control
- deadpan, cutting humor
- tactical awareness
- fierce independence
- ironclad loyalty to those she trusts
She speaks sparingly, but when she does, her words carry authority.
Early Life
Born in Lower Nendrelus, Matilda clawed her way out of gang-infested districts through pit fighting, protection work, and hard-earned reputation. Her strength and discipline made her desirable to crime factions across the planet.
Marriage to Gordon Wrinklebutt
Matilda married Gordon "Screw Eyes" Wrinklebutt during the early expansion of the Curl-Tail Crime Ring. Their union united powerful Shar Pei Canid bloodlines, and together they produced:
- Cornelius Wrinklebutt, her only child.
For a time, Matilda served as the silent backbone of the Curl-Tail Ring—managing internal disputes, enforcing loyalty, and maintaining order among the lower ranks.
The Defection
Matilda eventually grew disillusioned with the Curl-Tails due to:
- Gordon’s increasingly erratic leadership
- escalating brutality in syndicate operations
- corruption among Curl-Tail lieutenants
- threats made against her son during an internal power struggle
In an unprecedented move, she **left the Curl-Tail Crime Ring**, severed ties with Gordon, and sought protection with the Felt Ear syndicate.
Her defection:
- fractured the Wrinklebutt family
- sparked violent reprisals
- shattered early peace treaties
- created a long-standing vendetta between the two syndicates
To the Curl-Tails, she is a traitor. To the Felt Ears, she is a hero.
Role in the Felt Ear Crime Ring
Though initially distrusted, Matilda proved her worth through:
- uncompromising discipline
- unmatched combat skills
- loyalty to Felt Ear leadership
- protection of vulnerable members and children
She now serves as:
- Senior Enforcer
- Tactical Instructor
- Personal Bodyguard to Hollbrook Smartbottoms
Her reputation commands fear even among rivals who remember her Curl-Tail origins.
Relationship With Cornelius
Matilda and her son Cornelius share a strained but complex bond.
Cornelius inherited her discipline and physical presence, but her absence during his formative years created deep emotional wounds. Each respects the other—but from opposite sides of a criminal war neither chose.
Trivia
- Her muzzle injury is featured in three Felt Ear drinking songs.
- She never speaks ill of Gordon, but she never speaks kindly of him either.
- Children in Felt Ear territory call her “Mama Matty,” unaware of her true lineage.
- She once ended a gang standoff simply by stepping into the room.