François Mackandal

"My knowledge of the Brotherhood comes from its source. "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine." I understand these words in a way you never will. My Creed is pure, undiluted by centuries of weakness and compromise."

- François Mackandal in a letter to his fellow Assassin and Maroon Antó, 1738.

François Mackandal (unknown – 20 January 1758) was a voodoo leader and the Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood on Saint-Domingue.

At some point he became aquainted with Anto, a maroon Assassin operating in Kingston.

In 1732, François Mackandal became acquainted with Agaté, Baptiste and Jeanne, three slaves that labored at a plantation at Saint-Domingue. Mackandal took all three under his wing and taught them to read and write, also instructing Agaté and Baptiste on how to craft poison and use weapons, in preparation of their induction into the Brotherhood. When Jeanne discovered Mackandal's violent ways, she grew frightened of him and what he would ask in return for his teachings.

In 1738, he officially inducted Agaté and Baptiste into the Brotherhood, following which he and his pupils escaped the plantation. Jeanne was left behind, as she refused to ally herself with the Assassins. Mackandal fought alongside Agaté and Baptiste for many years.

By 1751 Mackandal came into possession of the Precursor box after relieving its ownership from Bastienne Josèphe. Additionally he also acquired the Voynich manuscript with both Precursor artefacts in hand Mackandal was able to learn the location of several First Civilisation temples around the world with one located in Port-au-Prince. François sent Vendredi, one of his students to investigate the site upon this order he indirectly caused a massive earthquake to occur.

Eventually a failed attempt to poison the colonists of Saint-Domingue resulted in his capture. Madeleine de L'Isle had her Templars make an example out of him by having him publicly executed in 1758.

Legacy
"François Mackandal, my own mentor – the leader, the priest, the Brother, to whose cause I devoted my life. He was put to death by fire. I failed to prevent it."

- Agaté about Mackandal, 1766.

In 1766, Mackandal's student Baptiste impersonated him, aiming to take the Louisiana Bayou by force and continue Mackandal's mass poisoning. His main goal however, was to locate the hideout of his former Brother Agaté and hand him over to the Templars.

By 1776, Mackandal's role as Mentor in Saint-Domingue was considered a disgrace by Eseosa, and the young man strove to recreate the Order a thousand times better than the one headed by Mackandal. This led Eseosa to set up a voodoo ceremony at Bois Caïman to start a rebellion.