Baptiste's Acolytes

"The false Mackandal gathers followers. They attempt to overtake smuggling operations on the bayou – to finance what, I cannot say."

―Agaté, on the followers of Baptiste, 1766.^[src]^-[m]

Baptiste's Acolytes were a cult of former African slaves operating under Baptiste, an escaped slave from Saint-Domingue. Baptiste's followers operated throughout the Louisiana Bayou, attempting to overthrow the regime of the local smuggler group, which was headed by Élise Lafleur and Roussillon.

History[edit | edit source]

After the death of Baptiste's Assassin Mentor François Mackandal in 1758, his brother Agaté left Saint-Domingue for Louisiana. Feeling betrayed, Baptiste gave up on the Assassin Brotherhood and formed his own Maroon society, pretending to be François Mackandal himself. By 1766, Baptiste had formed an alliance with the Templar Order in Louisiana in the hopes of joining them. As a result, Baptiste's followers were tricked into serving the Templars' goals.

In 1766, Baptiste and his followers were plotting to murder the nobles of New Orleans to avenge the local slaves, and were thwarting the local smuggling ring's efforts in the bayou area. Baptiste also secretly sought to track down Agaté, who he knew to be hiding in the bayou, for the Templars.

During a ceremony on the Eve of Saint John, the Assassin Aveline de Grandpré, Agaté's student, killed Baptiste and effectively forced the cult's disbandment. A few holdouts remained active throughout the bayou but were exterminated by Aveline on the advice of Roussillon.