Baron Samedi's Top Hat

Baron Samedi's Top Hat
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Origins

There are several myths about the Baron in Haitian Loa lore. He is the patron of graves and cemetaries and the father of the the Guede family of Loa. He is often depicted with a top hat and cane with a friendly smile. Heis also responsible for the resurrection of the dead, leading to his association with voodoo.

The exact origins of the artifact are unknwn, but it was last seen with the haitian slave Dutty Boukman, who used it to re-animate his fellows to lead a rebellion agains their masters. The hat was not seen since and it is unknown if it was created by his desire for revenge or was in fact a relic of the Guede king.

Effects

The hat seems to require to points of contact to properly work. The wearer must approach the intended "zombie" before they die and make contact with them. Agents at the time noted this as being when Dutty would place his hand on the shoulder of his fellowslaves, as if for support. Following this, the wearer must then make contact after death. The exact reqirements aren't known, but on at least one occasion Boukman was heard to say 'Akeyi tounen", Haiian for "Welcome back". The corpse then rose from the shallow grave it was in. In the re-animated state, the victims are very suggestable and seem to obey almost any direct command.

It would appear that the initial contact makes some kind of ethereal link to thehat itself, and a second touch is almost like a jump start to the body. This is supported by the observation that the "zombies" are still technically alive and can be 're-killed'. Also corpses with significant damage cannot be re-animated.