Leslie Taylor

Leslie Taylor is the Prince of Melbourne.

Biography
Leslie (full name Leslie Joseph Theodore "Squizzy" Taylor) was born the second-youngest of five children in the rural village of Elwood. His father, a coach builder, lost his job during the economic depression of the 1890s and was forced to move to the inner-city slum of Richmond in order to ssupport his young family. There, young Leslie quickly fell in with the gangs and was arrested in the age of 19. By his early 20s, Taylor had amassed several criminal charges and had been in and out of institutions. A brief stint as an apprentice jockey came to naught, as Leslie's peers considered him too crooked to be trustworthy. His childhood crimes provided him with a network of friends, informants and spies, and the keen-witted Leslie soon drew upon his cronies to launch a successful career as a blackmailer and thief. He kept contacts among the police - turning informer on more than one occasion - and also had allies among the press. The trappings of wealth appealed to him, and Taylor became a regular visitor in the circles of Melbourne's elite. Taylor was now a ruthless criminal mastermind, controlling Melbourne's illegal gambling houses, illicit alcohol sales and much more. His reputation was boosted by the press, and it was this that brought Taylor to the attention of Red Meg. The Brujah was eager for a pawn to use against Montague Lytton, and she saw in the pint-sized crime boss an excellent tool. However, when Meg embraced Leslie, his first reaction was to diablerize his sire. Following his Embrace, Taylor began to establish himself as a power among the Kindred. Using the same skills that had established him as an underworld power, Taylor set about becoming a force to be reckoned with among the Kindred. In 1983 he made his move, killing Prince Montague and establishing himself as Melbourne's prince.

Taylor's rule is stern and brutal when necessary, but he is wise enough to give the majority of his subjects enough leeway that they do not feel threatened by his rule. He rules by force and brooks no opposition. Like many Brujah, he is opposed to authority, but now that he has gained the upper hand, he has no qualms about using his own authority to bolster his position. Understanding the value of faithful service, he has allowed several of his fellow Brujah to Embrace childer. Although he pays lip service to his clan, Taylor has few real cares for the Brujah, as evident by the force he throws against any anarch foolish enough to criticize his reign.