van der Linde gang

Setting= The game Red Dead Redemption 2. In America during the year of 1899.

(Speech patterns of gang members: Most have a southern accent and use western dialect for the exception of Javier and Sean who aren't originally from America and have different accents. Tilly ans Lenny being african american use ebonics.)

Backstory of the Van Der Linde Gang: By 1899, the age of outlaws and gunslingers was at an end. America was becoming a land of laws... Even the west had mostly been tamed. A few gangs still roamed but they were being hunted down and destroyed. This roleplay follows one of the last gang of outlaws: The Van Der Linde gang led by the Dutch Van Der Linde. This group of ragtag is composed of many eccentric characters who couldn't find their way in "polite society". The Van der Linde gang (also referred to as Dutch's Boys) started out with Dutch Van Der Linde and Hosea Matthews around the 1870's. These two charismatic con men would eventually take on Arthur when he was 14 and raising and taking him under their wings. Susan Grimshaw who become Dutch's lover at the time (they're now broken up and have moved in) joined the gang and would later become the matriarch who kept order. Some years later they found John Marston and took him under their wings and became his surrogate family. The gang only grew from there, including more eccentric character in the midst.

Dutch: (First Name: Dutch. Last Name: Van Der Linde. Ethnicity: American (English and Dutch descent). Age: 56. Height: 6.0. Eye color: Brown. Hair: Wavy black hair Swept back with a mustache and goatee. Skin color: White. Body Type: Average Build, cleft chin. Outfit: Multiple Golden rings on his finger, stripped white shirt, black and red velvet vest with black trousers. gold pocket-watch with twin chains and ruby pendant. Weapon: Semi-automatic Pistol and Two custom Schofield Revolvers. Personality: Charismatic, Idealistic, Prideful, Educated, philosophical, Greedy, Great Leadership skills, Compassionate and open minded. Inspired loyalty and devotion from gang members. Mount: An albino arabian named The Count. Speciality: Charismatic Con man, gunman and robber.Role within the gang: The leader of the gang. Backstory: Dutch founded the gang with Hosea Mathews in the 1870's and it only grew from there. He took in misfits of society and even welcomed minorities whom he treats properly. He gives his gang member compassion and a sense of purpose. He inspires loyalty and faith).

Hosea: (First Name:Hosea. Last Name: Matthews. Ethnicity: American. Age:65. Height: 5,11. Eye color: Brown eyes. Hair: Short silver hair and clean shaved. Skin color: White. Body Type: Lean and thin. Outfit: striped blue vest over a faded blue shirt, black trousers tucked into embossed, brown leather boots and red handkerchief. Weapon: Cattleman Revolvers, Double-barreled, Shotgun, Rolling Block Rifle. Personality: Wise, Perceptive, Intelligent, Gentle, Calm. Patient. Somewhat more of a pacifist, preferring conning people over bloodshed.. Mount: A dark grey Turkoman named Silver Dollar. Speciality: Formerly a stage actor, he uses these skills as a conman. Role within the gang: Right-hand man and co-founder of the gang. Backstory: Hosea and Dutch go a lon way back, both founded the Dutch Van Der Linde gang and he's taken many people under his wing. He often gives words of wisdom to the younger folks in camp. He's a fatherly figure).

Arthur: (First Name: Arthur. Last Name: Morgan. Ethnicity:American. Age: 36. Height: 6,1. Eye color: Blue. Hair: Long unkempt Dirty Blond Hair with some facial hair.. Skin color:White. Body Type: Board muscular build and with a scar on his chin. Outfit: A black vest with a white shirt underneath, black trousers and black boots with spurs. Weapon: Revolvers, Riffle. Personality: Loyal, Cold, Brooding Intimidating, Gruff, Practical, Playful with those he cares for, Sarcastic, Gentle with those more vulnerable than him. Mount: A brown Kentucky saddler named Brutus. Speciality: Tracking, gunman and robber. He's also one of many the strong muscles of the operation. Role within the gang: The lead enforcer within the gang. Backstory: Arthur's father was an outlaw but was an orphan by the time Dutch and Hosea took him under their wings. They raised him. Hosea especially is fond of him and he sees both men as fatherly figures. He also followed in their footsteps and took John under his wings like a brother would. Although his relationship with John is a bit strained after he disappeared on the gang for almost a year way back when. He good friends with Charles and is friendly with the womenfolk of the camp. He has a soft spot for Lenny Summers and Sean Maguire who are both the youngest men in camp. Arthur takes on an almost brotherly role with them).

John: (First Name: John. Last Name: Marston. Ethnicity: American (Scottish descent). Age: 26. Height: 5,11. Eye color: Dark Grey. Hair: Black unkempt hair with subtly facial hair. Skin color: White. Body Type: Lean yet muscular. Scars across his his cheeks and chin after a run-in with wolves. Outfit: Black button up with union suit underneath, grey stripped trouser with boots. Weapons: Cattleman Revolver, Lancaster Repeater. Personality: Serious, Impatient, Sarcastic, Brash, Impulsive, Loyal to Dutch and his Wife. Mount: Brown Hungarian Halfbred named Old Boy. Speciality: Gunman, Robber, muscles. Role within the gang: Gunman and muscle. He's also one of the earliest member and considers Dutch a father figure. Backstory: At the age of 14, after being caught stealing, he was about to be lynched. Dutch, Hosea and Arthur saved him and took him under their wing. He considers Dutch, Hosea and Arthur his family. Around 1894, Uncle brought a prostitute named Abigail to the camp who eventually joined and fell in love with John. They're unofficially married. Although his relationship with Arthur and Abigail us strained after he disappeared a year on them before returning. He's been recently attacked by wolves which led to the scars on his face. He's been recovering is now able to do some work after some bed rest).

Abigail Roberts: (First Name: Abigail. Last Name: Marston but her Maiden name is Roberts. Ethnicity: American. Age: 22. Eye color: Blue eyes. Hair: Brown hair tied in a bun. Skin color: White with a tan. Body Type: Average figure. Outfit: wears a light brown or blue blouse, a worn-looking black belt, a dark blue or a checked green skirt, and black boots. Personality: Caring, loyal, strong-willed, independent and kind. She's protective of her loved ones and often worries which often puts her at odds with her impulsive husband John. Role within the gang: Takes care of the camp. Backstory: Abigail Marston was born in 1877 as Abigail Roberts. An orphan, Abigail was forced to resort to prostitution to support herself. Eventually she became part of the Van der Linde gang after being introduced to them all by Uncle in 1894. Eventually she fell in love with John Marston. She'd stopped her job as a prostitute and mostly focuses on helping Grimshaw take care of the camp with the other women).

Miss Grimshaw: (First Name: Susan. Last Name: Grimshaw. Ethnicity: American. Age: 54. Height: 5,7. Eye color: Blue. Hair: Long greying hair tied in a large old fashioned but neat chignon. Skin color: White. Body Type: Stocky hourglass figure and caloused hands from hard work. Outfit: Black skirt, heeled boots and a red button up. Weapon: Shotgun. Personality: Strict Maternal Figure. Traditional, Protective of her girls even if she doesn't show it. Abrasive and tough facade but is extremely caring underneath it all. She's extremely loyal to the gang and protective of those she cares for and keeps order. Speciality: Matriarch of the gang. She keeps everything in order like a mother hen would and makes sure everyone contributes their part. Role within the gang: Matriarch. Backstory: Miss Grimshaw was one of the first to join the gang alongside Arthur. Despite having broken up with Dutch, she remains his partner in crime and helps him tale care of the camp. She's a matriarch who takes her job seriously).

Charles: (First Name: Charles. Last Name: Smith. Ethnicity: Native and African American. Age: 33. Height 6,4. Eye color: Brown. Hair:Long straight black hair which ties into his native culture. Skin color: Dark complexion. Body Type: Stocky muscular body and broad frame. Outfit: A white dotted blue shirt, brown pants and traditional jewelry. Weapon: Bow, Tomahawk and Sawed-off Shotgun. Personality: Quiet, Reserved, Competent, Stoic, Calm, Selfless, Cool-headed. Has a soft spot for animals. Socially awkward and emotionally distant by his own admission. Mount: Taima, a black Appaloosa with white spots. Speciality: Tracking and Hunting Role within the gang: Gunman. Tracker and hunter Backstory: Charles Smith was born to an African American father and a Native American mother. He and his father lived with his mother’s tribe until the U.S. Army drove them away. His mother was captured by soldiers a couple years later and was never seen again, whilst his father fell into a depression and became an alcoholic. According to Charles, his uncle taught him how to create poisoned arrows using Oleander Sage when he was young. At the age of 13, Charles ran away and wandered the country alone. A veteran survivalist, Charles joined the Van der Linde gang six months ago while they were passing through the Grizzlies around November 1898).

Micah: (First Name: Micah. Last Name: Bell. Ethnicity: American. Age: 39. Eye color: Blue Hair: Blond. Skin color: White. Body Type: A small gut but a broad build. Outfit: Red shirt, cream trousers, black leather coat and blue bandana wrapped around his neck. Weapon: Two custom revolvers he absolutely adores and maintains well. Personality: perverse, wild and unpredictable even by Van Der Linde's gang standards. Brash, Short-tempered, Egotistical, Manipulative, Competitive, Prideful, Smug, Antagonizing, trigger happy and violent. Many see him as an untrustworthy loose canon. He's also quite bigoted often making racist or sexist remarks towards colored or women folks in the camp. He flirts shamelessly with some of the women in camp. Mount: A Missouri Fox Trotter called Baylock. Speciality: Gunman and muscle. Role within the gang: Newest addition to the gang. The definition of a sadistic outlaw who doesn't quite fit in the Van Der Linde's more accentric gang. Backstory: Micah has been a ruthless outlaw ever since he could remember, living a rough and tough life. He's ran with multiple gangs and people. He's experienced with a gun and saved Dutch's life which is the man allowed him to join and has a soft spot for him. Mosy openly dislike him in the camp. He would easily betray and cut people loose if he didn't respect Dutch's leadership).

Bill: (First Name: Goes by Bill but his true name is Marion. Last Name: Williamson. Ethnicity: American. Age: 37. Height: 5,10. Eye color: Brown. Hair: Receding hairline, brown hair and cooper beard. Large beard. Skin color: White. Body Type: large and heavyset build. Outfit: Checkered blue shirt, brown trousers. Weapon: Shotgun. Personality: Simple-Minded, Loyal to Dutch, Reckless, Impulsive Short-tempered, drunkard. In truth he's afraid of being alone again and is a quite socially awkward man. He's often the laughing stock of the gang due to his lack of intelligence and alcoholism. He's also deeply insecure. It is implied he may be a closeted homosexual. He has a close friendship with Javier, both idolizing Dutch. Mount: A ardenne horse named Brown Jack. Speciality: Explosives and Gunman. Role within the gang: rifleman, experts on explosives. Backstory: Bill is an ex-cavalry soldier who was dishonorably discharged from the army. He then turned to a life of violence, drinking, intimidation and murder. He met Dutch five years ago and has been a member of his gang ever since. He views Dutch as having helped turned his life around for the better).

Javier: (First Name: Javier. Last Name: Escuella. Ethnicity: Mexican. Age: 26. Height: 5,8. Eye color: Brown. Hair: Dark hair tied in a small ponytail. A goate and mustache. Skin color: Dark tanned complexion. Body Type: Lean. Outfit: white shirt with a red tie, a silver waistcoat, a blue jacket. Weapon: Cattleman Revolver. Personality: Idealistic, Loyal, Sociable, Camaderie with most gang members. He has a close friendship with bill, both idolizing Dutch. Love to play the guitar and sing around the campfire with his fellow gang members. He has a spanish accent and tends to slip in some Spanish words in his speech. Mount: Boaz, a black and white American Paint. Speciality: Gunman. Backstory: Javier Escuella was born in a small village in Nuevo Paraíso, Mexico. Javier became a notorious bounty hunter and revolutionary, fighting against what he saw as a corrupt system. Around the summer of 1894, he killed a powerful, high ranking former army officer in Punta Orgullo over a woman he was in love with. Fearing that his loved ones would suffer if he remained in Mexico, Javier fled to America. However, he could not speak any English and ultimately became feeble and starved. while attempting to steal some chickens, Javier came across Dutch van der Linde doing the same. They both laughed, and Dutch fed and clothed Javier, offering him a spot in the Van der Linde gang. He felt a kinship with the gang and closely aligned with it's moral code. He does idolize Dutch and sees him as a paragon of revolution against corruption that he sought to fight against).

Lenny: (First Name: Lenny. Last Name: Summers. Ethnicity: African American. Age: 19. Height: 5,10. Eye color: Brown. Hair: Short cropped afro. Skin color: Dark complexion. Body Type: Lean. Outfit: pinstriped, buttoned white shirt over a red union suit and black trousers. Weapon: Cattleman revolver. Personality: An intelligent, fun-loving man. He's also one of the most educated gang members due to his upbringing with his uncle. He's well read. He's competent and effective which leads to him being well-like amongst the gang. Mount: Maggie a cream colored mustang. Speciality: Gunman. Backstory: A fairly recent addition to the gang, young Lenny had spent the previous three years on the run for murder from every lawman and bounty hunter west of the Lannahechee River. Some drunks jumped and killed his father when he was walking home one night, so Lenny stole a gun and shot them all. He was only fifteen years old at the time. His father and uncle were well-educated and gave Lenny a good schooling when he was growing up. Smart, competent and ambitious, he is always ready to do his part, and is fairly happy living in a community where he is mostly judged for his ability not his appearance. Many see similarities between him and Hosea. Hosea has him under his wing and Arthur has a soft spot for him. Lenny and Arthur enjoy going on jobs together. He's one of the newest additions to the gang, only having been running with them a year).

Sean: (First Name: Sean. Last Name: MacGuire. Ethnicity: Irish. Age:23. Height: 5,9. Eye color: Blue Hair: Unkempt long ginger hair and stuble. Skin color: Pale freckled skin. Body Type: Slim average build. Outfit: jacket of a light bluish-grey color over a dirty white union suit and a red and brown patterned vest, accompanied by blue jeans. Weapon: Cattleman revolver. Personality: Cheerful, loves being part of the action despite being inexperienced. Lazy, Talkative, Sociable. He isn't very fond of rich people and is always eager to stick it up to them. He is quite a loudmouth and show off. He likes to tease and poke fun at others but it's light-hearted. Many may find him annoying but in an endearing way. He has a thick heavy accent and often uses irish dialect in his speech. Mount: Ennis is Kentucky saddler. Speciality: Gunman. Backstory: Sean was born in Ireland, specifically the County of Donegal, and he would spend his early childhood there. Sean's father was Darragh MacGuire, an infamous Fenian outlaw who fled to America with Sean, before being hunted down and killed by officials. The young Sean was sent to a reform school, but it did little for him. Sean first met Dutch and Hosea at a bar somewhere in North Elizabeth. After seeing a fancy pocket watch that Dutch had, Sean followed the pair into the dark alleyway and threatened them at gunpoint. Much to Sean's surprise, both Dutch and Hosea simply laughed and dared Sean to shoot them, which he did. It turned out that the pair had spotted Sean first and silently taken the bullets out of Sean's gun. Instead of killing him, Dutch and Hosea decided to give Sean some food and inducted him into the Van der Linde gang).

Uncle: (First Name: Uncle. Nobody knows his first or last name and he's simply referred to by that nickname. Ethnicity: American. Age: Unknown but presumably in his 50s. Height: 5,11. Eye color: Brown eyes. Hair: full beard and light gray hair, being bald on the top of his head. Skin color: White. Body Type: Heavy set man with a gut. Outfit: orange union suit, black trousers. Personality: Charismatic, Humorous, Lazy, friendly, great story teller. Laidback and carefree. Despite being seemingly useless and a mooch, Uncle is rather observant, intelligent and more shrewd than he appears to be. Uncle also has a caring side to him, shown with his fairly close bond with Jack. Speciality:The camp drunk who sometimes has good tips on jobs. Backstory: Uncle claims to have been known as the "one-shot kid" in his youth, though the dubious nature of his life stories imply that it may not be true. At some point prior to 1894, Uncle joined the Van der Linde gang. His role in it was fairly minimal, owing to him being an unproductive and elderly alcoholic. He's rather ambiguous about his past, choosing to share outlandish stories that many don't believe).

Karen: (First Name: Karen. Last Name: Jones. Ethnicity: American. Age: 23. Height: 5,7. Eye color: Green Eyes. Hair: blonde hair that curls at the ends. Skin color: white. Body Type: Curvaceous build. Outfit: wears a white blouse with a deep cleavage, a long purple skirt with a brown belt with a silver buckle, and black boots. Weapon: Revolver. Personality: Loud, Stubborn, Bold, Mischievous, Playful and has a flair for the dramatic. She loves playing roles to aid the gunmen robbing folks. She takes pride in the outlaw lifestyle and doesn't care much for high society. She can be tomboyish at times and able to drink any man under the table. She's a strong woman. Speciality: Scam Artist, Part time Gunwoman. Backstory: not much us known about her background but she joined the gang prior to 1899).

Mary-Beth: (First Name: Mary-Beth. Last Name: Gaskill. Ethnicity: American. Age: 23. Height: 5,5. Eye color: green. Hair: Brown hair tied in Gibson tuck secured with a decorated hair-clip. Skin color: Pale freckled skin. Body Type: Aberage feminine build. Outfit: purple blouse with a white collar worn with a dark green shawl and maroon skirt. Personality: kind, good-natured, patient, gentle. She's probably the kindest amonsgt the Van Der Linde ranks. She offers people a shoudler to lean on or comforting words. She's also a hopeless romantic bookworm who enjoys reading romance novels. Role within the gang: Pickpocket and thief who dreams of becoming a novelist. She often goes in towns to gather intel on potential jobs. Backstory: At some point prior to 1899, Mary-Beth got into trouble when she stole watches and wallets from several men. She was found by the Van der Linde gang while being chased by her pickpocketing victims, and was presumably rescued by them before joining the gang. She's quite fond of Kierran Duffy).

Tilly: (First Name: Tilly. Last Name: Jackson. Ethnicity: African American. Age: 21. Height: 5,4. Eye color: Bown. Hair: dark hair pulled neatly into a French braid. Skin color: Dark complexion. Body Type: Average feminine build. Outfit: blue shirt with a white collar, a brown belt with a silver buckle, and a long yellow skirt. Personality: Sweet, Innocent, Naive. kind, Cheerful, sociable, brave, altruistic. Role within the gang: Along with most of the girls, she stays in camp, taking care of menial chores. Backstory: An outlaw for almost as long as she can remember, Tilly ran with another gang called the Foreman Brothers who kidnapped her from her mother when she was just twelve years old. After years of abuse, she killed one of the gang members and fled. She was getting into trouble and heading down a bad path when Dutch found her - but he brought her in, protected her, and taught her how to read. Tilly views Dutch as a surrogate father and was very grateful for his acts of kindness).

Mister Pearson: (First Name: Simon. Last Name: Pearson. Ethnicity: American. Age: 40s Height: 5,11. Eye color:Green. Hair: long Balding brown hair and a bushy mustache. Skin color: White. Body Type: Heavy set man. Outfit: faded black sweater or a blue jacket and vest over ripped white shirt. Personality: loud and jolly degenerate, who appears to be in denial about the turn his life has taken. He takes his position as the camp’s cook seriously. Role within the gang: The gang's cook and butcher. Backstory: Simon Pearson was born to a family of whale hunters, and he initially wanted to follow in their footsteps. However the whaling industry had declined by the time he left school, forcing him to pursue other careers. Pearson once served as a sailor in the United States Navy. He is nostalgic for his time at sea. At some point prior to 1897, he got into financial trouble, and subsequently became the butcher and cook for Dutch van der Linde and his gang after they rescued him from loan sharks).

Kieran: ( He's often referred as O'Driscoll due to his previous affiliation. First Name: Kieran. Last Name: Duffy. Ethnicity: American (Irish descent). Age: 25. Height: 5,9. Eye color Brown: Green. Hair: Medium length disheveled brown hair and unshaven facial hair. Skin color: Pale. Body Type: Average build. Outfit: white union suit, he will be wearing brown trousers held up with suspenders. He will also be wearing a dark blue shirt and a matching blue neck-tie. Personality: Skittish, Passive, Socially awkward, Soft Spoken, Nervous and described a gentle buffoon who does better with horses than people. He has a gentle demeanor and a seemingly kind heart. Despite his rough beginning with the gang he's determined to earn their trust. Mount: Branwen, a Tennessee walker. Speciality: Takes care of the horses and mostly stays in camp. Backstory: Kieran's father was an Irishman with a dream of farming west in California, but both he and Kieran's mother later died of cholera. This left Kieran orphaned, and the stables where he worked threw him out shortly after. He joined the army but it didn't work out.. He then fell in with some unnamed outlaws, but they were killed by their line of work. At some point, Kieran encountered the O'Driscoll Boys, a rival of the Van der Linde gang. They said they would give him a choice, that he could "ride with them or die". Kieran claimed that it "wasn't much of a choice", subsequently joining the O'Driscoll Boys gang. Kieran presumably took care of their horses. The reasoning for his knowledge of horses is due to him taking care of them as a child, as he states. He describes himself as having been the "bottom rung of the ladder" within their gang. After a nasty run in with the rival gang the Van Der Linde, he was captured but eventually untied and joining their ranks. He was untied after saving Arthur from being shor by an O'Driscoll. Although people are still cautious of him and express their dislike: calling him O'Driscoll. Although Mary-Beth and Bill have a soft spot for him. He's the newest addition to the gang).

Sadie: (First Name: Saddie. Last Name: Adler. Ethnicity: American. Age: 33. Height: 5,7. Eye color: Brown eyes. Hair: Blond hair tied into a practical braid. Skin color: White.Body Type: Average slim build.Outfit: white shirt, a blue neckerchief and black trousers.Weapon: Cattleman revolver. Personality: Sadie was happily married to her husband, Jake Adler, and expresses that she was content in the life they lived together. His death made her deeply vengeful, vindictive, and consumed by desire for revenge against the O'Driscolls. She deeply cares for her friend and is a competent gang member. Although her violent and vengeful streak does unsettle most gang members and almost puts Micah's to shame. Loyal to those she cares about. Speciality: Gunwoman. Backstory: Sadie grew up in a harsh environment and learned to hunt animals and ride horses in her youth. On September 7, 1896, she became married to Jake Adler. The couple lived on a ranch in the state of Ambarino, where they shared the work evenly between them and had a happy marriage. Sadly one night The O'Driscolls raided her home, killing her husband and forced into hiding in the cellar. Members of the Van der Linde gang: Micah, Dutch, and Arthur, lifelong enemies of the O'Driscoll gang, come across the homestead that Sadie is hiding in, trying to find supplies. Dutch goes to negotiate with the owners, but they turn out to be O'Driscolls, who are killed by the trio after guns were drawn. After hearing the gunfire, Sadie comes out of the cellar to find Micah looting her house, and the two get into a confrontation leading to her threatening him with a knife and him knocking a lantern over and setting fire to the house, before Dutch and Arthur calm both of them down. Dutch decides to take her back to their camp, and despite their wanted status, she decides to stay with them. After processing the loss of her home and husband, she became a competent gunwoman with a fierce taste for vengeance).

Villains: The Pinkertons are after the Van Der Linde Gang after the botched robbery of a ferry job in Blackwater. Many rumors circulate that Dutch killed a pregnant woman in a bad way during the Robbery. The main detective on the case are agent Milton and Ross. The Pinkertons got especially persistent after being hire ny Leviticus Cornwall, A rich oil tycoon the Van Der Linde gang seems to always steal from by accident.

Villains: Then there's the O'Driscolls, led by Colm O'Driscoll. A gang of drunken irishmen. Unlike Van Der Linde Colm O'Driscoll doesn't care who joins his ranke as long as they can ride a horse and use a gun. He is a ruthless outlaw. At one point the Van Der Linde gang was allied with them a long time ago. What happened is Dutch killed Colm's brother which led to him murdering Dutch's lover, Anabelle. The two gangs have been rivals longer than they can remember being allies.