Bayou Family

The Bayou Family can trace their history back to Senegal in West Africa. This emergence in New Orleans is due to a kidnapped Slave called Doctor John or Bayou John. He was brought to Cuba to work cotton farms and eventually was set free and came to New Orleans. Once in the Big Easy he made a reputation for himself as a fortune teller, and healer.

Dr. John was the teacher of Marie Leveau and probably the most powerful Voodoo Practitioner to ever live in the States. In addition to Healing and Telling Fortunes, Dr John was a skilled spirit caller. He could speak to long dead spirits and could call upon the Loa for favors. It is believed that his death was the direct result of a failed bargain with one of the Loa.

It is said he had 15 wives, and possibly over 35 children. Many of those children inherited his gift and passed the gift and the learning down the line to his descendants. Today they make up the Bayou Family. The Family is led by Victor Baron, a powerful Voodooist. The Family is mostly interested in increasing its personal power and wealth.

There has always been contention between the Bayou Family and the Laveaus stemming back to a long-time feud between the two founders. Even though they once worked together, as Marie became more popular, Dr John got more jealous and, in the end, they were adversaries rather than friends.

Playing a Bayou family member

Characters that want to play a member of the Bayou family should play a New Orleans Native, as many of the family that left the city did so to get away from the family. Bayou Practitioners are skilled in Spirit Magic, Divination, and Astral Projection. Over the years the family has gotten away for its healing roots.

 

Type

Family