DECEASED
a.k.a. Miss Melisenn
A person referenced by Gulliver Vatticus in the wedding ring psychometry vision as liking to drink “fun juice.” Ray and Gull briefly mentioned her in Chapter 33 when discussing details of that vision.
In Chapter 39, the party learned from Cesadia Wrentz that she was the head housekeeper/butler for the Lowls family and the Iris Hill estate, and that shortly prior to the beginning of the campaign she’d fired most of the staff of the mansion. Since the earthquake and following confusion, she had reportedly sealed the estate and let nobody in.
In Chapter 43, the party found a written request from Melisenn for increased drug output in Jane‘s cave, with a promise that “Soon, all we seek to know will be revealed.”
In Chapter 48, Stazi shared that Melisenn claimed the authority of Maiden's Choir was no longer recognized at Iris Hill when Omari, Winter, and Stazi came to investigate.
In Chapter 51, Dora learned through psychometry visions that Melisenn had a weird, contentious relationship with Thema, and would put on a child-like tone with her. In one vision, Melisenn found Thema’s request to have Risi kill Gulliver and Brayden “interesting.” Conversely, in another vision, she took a matronly tone with Ray, who told her the Count “had no clue what he was into” before he urged her—in the event he didn’t come back or came back “changed or wrong or dead”—to ask Risi to kill all of them for him. Melisenn agreed to do so.
In Chapter 52, the party began to process her as not simply a housekeeper, but someone with equal authority to the others (Vatticus, Thema, Grip, Rony & Ray) at Iris Hill. She knew what the others were up to, but did not seem to be a part of their adventures with Lowls.
In Chapter 60, Melisenn sent an invitation for high tea at Iris Hill to the party, delivered by a pair of well-dressed foreign dandies. In a psychometry vision in Chapter 62, Dora saw that Melisenn authored the invitation as a ruse to distract the party and attack them when they slept.
In Chapter 64, they observed Melisenn flying as she departed Iris Hill to ambush the Sellen Starling. In Chapter 70, they saw her returning.
In Chapter 73, Ray’s ghost experienced a partial memory of walking down Market Street to the Wailing House with Daria. In the vision he thought of Melisenn as having once been an alcoholic, but that she had given up drinking around 4705 (13 years before the start of the campaign). Vatticus categorized her as “Trying to get her act together. Trying to take control of the endless string of disappointments that made up her wasted life.”
In Chapter 81, the party finally encountered her in person, in a secret temple to Hastur located far below Iris Hill. She seemed to be at the end of her rope and was being tormented by some hideous alien creature.
Melisenn was killed by Viktor (from a point-blank shot with his alchemical torch) in Chapter 82.
In Chapter 86, Vik read through her journals. They detailed her purchase of the Kuru from Weiralai, roughly eight months earlier. She had been corresponding with Risi, Daelene, Rumatri, and other associates from Absalom since about five months earlier. There were notes that she “heard the song of Hastur’s foot soldiers below the carriage house,” which seemed to refer to the Elder Things.
Vik also found a piece of erratic personal writing included in her journals.
Through her research of Lowls’ journals, Dora learned some of Melisenn’s past history. She came into Lowls’ life around the same time as Thema, and had pre-existing knowledge of Hastur. Originally from Qadira. Her father may have been one of the cultists that kidnapped Ulver Zandalus, and she may have come to the Sincomakti School in search of some of the items that Meirtmane had stolen from them. Once she seemed to became a willing servant to Lowls, he lost focus on her. Dedicated to Hastur since childhood. Was an alcoholic until a dozen or so years ago when she quit drinking and became more focused.
First Reference: Chapter 28
Other Notable References: Chapter 33, Chapter 39, Chapter 43, Chapter 48, Chapter 51, Chapter 52, Chapter 60, Chapter 62, Chapter 64, Chapter 70, Chapter 73, Chapter 81, Chapter 82, Chapter 86, Chapter 150 (Part 3)