Dr. Mel LeStrahd



Dr. Melisandre Sabine LeStrahd, known to her friends as Mel, is a visiting professor of philosophy and botany at the University of Miami. Nobody seems to think it strange that her TA's handle all her calls during the daytime, or that she refuses to teach anything other than night classes. There's also the weird way she talks about people like Voltaire and the Marquis de Sade; it's like she knew them personally.

Personal Information
Appearance French in origin, Mel is about five foot three in height (160 cm) and has dark hair and eyes. She wears golden wire-rimmed glasses. She dresses professionally when lecturing; otherwise she usually favors dark jeans, boots, and sarcastic T-shirts involving plants.

Personality Acerbic and blunt with people she doesn't know, Mel is better consulting books than other people. She seems to have an obsession about obscure occult lore; a madness enters her eyes when she knows there's something to learn and it's out of her reach. Nevertheless, she is caring and loyal, and would do almost anything to protect her friends and her students.

Timeline
Born June 10 1762 as Melisandre Sabine de Taillefer, third daughter of the Comte d’Angoulême. She was very involved in the Enlightenment and the Salons- intellectual parties that discussed the political and philosophical trends of the day.

Embraced July 1st, 1793, during the peak massacres of La Terreur. She was thirty one years old. While hiding out from the rioting peasantry, there was a party at the manor where she was staying. She met a young Turkish woman with whom she talked the night away about philosophy and botany. When word came of a large mob heading for the manor, the woman pulled Melisandre into a private room. “I will only ask this once, Mademoiselle de Taillefer. Do you want to survive this night?” Melisandre heard the screams and smelled the burning...and she agreed.

Left accounting in December of 1798 and joined the Tower.

Participated in the Stonewall Riots of NY in 1969 while moonlighting as a professor at NYU. She allowed the use of her home as a temporary hideout for any LGBTQ+ rioters from the police. She was extremely careful to not break the Masquerade at this time. Those she helped recall her as “a good hostess, if a little eccentric.”

Moved to Miami in July 2021.

Connections

 * Prince Sebastian Grant: Mentor and friend
 * Roshan Farzaneh: Coterie-mate and friend
 * Julius Smithson: Coterie-mate and friend
 * Dr. Simon Auta: Coterie-mate and friend
 * Genesis: Coterie-mate and friend
 * Renata: Friend...hopefully

Rumours

 * "Assamite? Please. She knows so many Thaumaturgies she has to be a Tremere."
 * "Looks like that and has no interest in sex? What a waste." 

Quotes
 "Every day I don't learn something new is a day I am closer to final death."