Van Der Linde Gang ★

Abigail is shown to be a motherly and protective woman. She's strong-willed, independent, and loves her family dearly and can be quite strict at times. She often finds herself at odds with John, disliking her husband's habits of endangering himself and the family in the name of revenge and redemption, not wanting to become a widow and more importantly, leaving their son fatherless.

In 1899, Abigail is a young woman with blue eyes and dark brown hair, which she wears tied in a bun. When sleeping, she wears it in a braid, which reveals that her hair is a lot longer than it seems at first. Abigail usually wears a light brown or blue blouse, a worn-looking black belt, a dark blue or a checked green skirt, and black boots. At Colter she wears a checked grey and white knee-length coat, a grey scarf, and a dark brown patterned gloves. At the Horseshoe Overlook camp, she usually wears the same coat but unbuttoned and occasionally with a white shirt instead of the brown one. During a bank robbery in Saint Denis, Abigail wears a navy blue dress with white patterns, a dark blue belt with a bow, a beige hat, and dark blue gloves

Jack Marston was born in 1895 as the first child of the outlaw John Marston and Abigail Roberts, two members of the Van der Linde gang. As a child born into the gang, they became an extended family to Jack. He saw most of the gang as his surrogate aunts and uncles, who watched over his growth and shielded his innocence from their more nefarious actions. During Jack's infancy, his father had many difficulties connecting with him due to doubts as to whether or not Jack was his biological son, as well as fears about John's own ability to raise him. Around 1896, John left the gang for a year before returning, causing rifts between him and multiple gang members, and casting doubt on his ability to be a good father to Jack.

Born into a gang of criminals, Jack's upbringing was that the gang was family to him and he called most of them his aunts and uncles. One of Jack's most dominant traits was his fast learning: at 4 years old, Jack already possessed basic literacy skills, and he learned the basics of fishing from Arthur Morgan. Despite being fairly open and comfortable around people at the age of four, he was considerably more shy and reserved by the time he was twelve, and began to feel inferior to his father.

In 1899, Jack is a fairly average four-year-old boy with thick brown hair and faint freckles on his face. He wears a grayish-blue coat, a red scarf, and beige pants.

Pearson is a portly, balding, middle-aged man with collar-length brown hair and a bushy mustache. His upper body garments change with location: in colder climates, he tends to wear a thick, pale purple coat with black gloves and an orange scarf, while in warmer temperatures, he's seen sporting a black, red-banded top hat, a striped tan shirt and a small white apron. During chapter 2, Pearson can often be seen wearing a faded black sweater or a blue jacket and vest over ripped white shirt. He's always shown wearing standard navy uniform pants with black leather jackboots, as well as an anchor tattoo on the back of his hand from his time in the US Navy.

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, though it is unknown how long for. He recounts traveling all across the world, to places such as Java and Sumatra. Notably, he mentions being stranded at sea for fifty days on a ship struck with plague, and is generally 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. At camp, the player can donate provisions to Pearson, or use his services to craft better gear or extra features to the camp.

Pearson is described as a 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, and is always grateful when Arthur offers to go out hunting. Pearson is quite fond of his time spent in the Navy, and spends most of his time nostalgically reminiscing about his experiences at sea. He is one of the most peaceful members of the gang, as he doesn't actively participate in any criminal activities and settles down to an honest life after the gang's downfall. Despite this, Pearson is not afraid to defend himself if needed, as he once threatened the fiery Sadie Adler with his cleaver during a heated argument with her, telling her to "watch her mouth". Also, when he supposedly made a deal with the O'Driscoll Gang, he claimed to have fought them off like "a cornered tiger" when they tried to harm him, though whether this is just an exaggeration is unclear.

Swanson worked as a clergyman in the past, but as he indulged in earthly pleasures such as alcohol and sex, he slowly lost his job and his family, as well as his faith. At some point, he married a woman, but she was already married to another and thus Swanson was subject to the sin of bigamy which he said was "Just another of sins to add to the list". The law caught up with them while they were in San Francisco and she fled, jumping on a ship bound for Shanghai, and he never saw her again. Some time later, under unknown circumstances, Swanson saved the life of Dutch van der Linde at some point; with Dutch in his debt, Swanson was allowed to stay with and join the Van der Linde gang.

Swanson is a broken and disheveled priest, often drunk. He is also a drug addict, as Arthur can find the Reverend’s supposed bible hiding a syringe, a tourniquet, and a bottle of morphine.

Later in the story, he eventually sobers up and becomes more responsible, regaining his faith in the process. This is best seen in how, when the gang began to implode, he was one of the first to sense its impending doom and leave, claiming to be a "changed man". Swanson also possessed a certain degree of astuteness and was able to see through Dutch's true nature, claiming that he won't die for "nonsense spouted by a fool".

Swanson has red hair with grey patches, indicating his aging. He has a large, curly mustache, and wears standard black priest attire. During chapters 3-6, he can often be seen without his hat and robe.

Trelawny was born in Cornwall, England - though he has no memory of it. He eventually emigrated to the United States. A conman who is also described as a conjuror and trickster, Trelawny joined Dutch van der Linde and his gang several years prior to 1899. He is known to abandon the gang at points, sometimes even for months on end, but always comes back. Trelawny, at some point, settled down in Saint Denis with a wife and two sons named Tarquin and Cornelius, but frequently disappeared and reappeared with them as well. At some point or another, Trelawny also learnt some of the Italian language.

A man with a cunning character, Trelawny is willing to do whatever it takes to save himself. Despite considering the Van der Linde gang to be friends, he is always looking out for himself, and his interests. He fashions himself as a flamboyant and sharp-tongued gentleman who is cordial towards just about everybody, making him a skilled con artist. However, he isn't afraid to get his hands dirty if needs be. He's also capable of incredible magic tricks.

Trelawny is middle-aged with combed, dark brown hair and a neatly trimmed mustache. In terms of clothing, he is always smartly dressed; he is usually seen sporting a black tuxedo with a blue vest underneath, a black neckerchief and shoes and robin egg blue pants, sometimes with a pair of white gloves and a grey top hat.

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.

Mary-Beth presents herself as a kind and good-natured woman, and while this is certainly true she is also a competent thief and scam artist.[2] Within the gang she is genuinely loving and considers most of them family. Mary-Beth is a devout bookworm, almost always seen reading a romance novel at camp, and even becomes a writer herself in the epilogue, albeit a very self-deprecating one. She's insecure about her passion and always gets shy and bashful whenever someone asks about it, calling her own books "silly". Mary-Beth is considered the kindest and most gentle member of the Van der Linde gang. This is seen during many moments throughout the story, such as when Mary-Beth would often offer to speak with Arthur about recent events and offer him comfort on his inevitable death by his illness. Her kindness also extends towards strangers and possibly threatening figures, as seen during random events in the camp, Mary-Beth gives Kieran a cup of water while the latter remains tied up in a post after witnessing Karen taunting and mocking him. She and Kieran eventually become very close, and Mary-Beth is devastated over his death. Like most of the other women in the gang, Mary-Beth does have a soft spot for young Jack Marston, which is shown when he is safely returned from Angelo Bronte.

Mary-Beth is a young, freckled woman, with green eyes. She has brown hair which she wears in a Gibson tuck secured with a decorated hair-clip. She also has curled hair-pieces pulled over both shoulders or down one shoulder depending on the outfit she's wearing. In Chapter 2, Mary-Beth wears either a purple blouse with a white collar worn with a dark green shawl, or a green checkered shirt; which she wears together with a maroon skirt

Appearance: By 1899, Tilly is a young African-American woman with brown eyes and dark hair pulled neatly into a French braid. She usually wears a yellow dress with short sleeves and white tips at the bottom of the dress and on the sleeves.

Background: The daughter of a former slave, Tilly became an outlaw at the age of 12, running with a gang called the Foreman Brothers after they kidnapped her from her mother. At some point, she killed Anthony Foreman's cousin, Malcolm, by slitting his throat when he tried to make advances on her and left the gang. Tilly then returned to her mother's working place, only to found out that she had passed away. Dutch van der Linde later encountered Tilly while she was in trouble; as he had with Arthur and John, Dutch saved the young girl, raised her, and taught her how to read. Tilly viewed Dutch as a surrogate father and was very grateful for his acts of kindness

Personality: Tilly is often considered sweet and innocent by her peers and is well-liked. She appears to like Molly O'Shea more than some of the other women, as evident in the mission "Polite Society, Valentine Style" when she is the first to express regret in not bringing Molly along. However, after Molly was killed after confessing to betraying the gang, Tilly is less sympathetic than most of the other women and believes that O'Shea got what she deserved. Jackson is also shown to be brave and altruistic, saving Jack from the Pinkertons in the absence of other gang members. Tilly holds Anthony Foreman in low regard and claims that he thinks he owns her, while being hostile to him while she is captured. Nonetheless, when Foreman later promises that he’ll leave her alone, Jackson is adamant that he should be spared and asks Arthur not to kill him, revealing a forgiving side to her personality. Like other women in the gang, Tilly thinks highly of Arthur and offers multiple conversations with him at camp. Tilly is also shown to have strong relationship with the Marston family and like most of the other women in the gang, Tilly has a soft spot for young Jack Marston.

Background: A scam artist with a love for the outlaw lifestyle, Karen became a member of the Van der Linde gang sometime prior to 1899. At some point between 1895 and 1897, she helped Arthur and Javier rob a bank in Tucson, Arizona by dressing up as a nun and hiding firearms under her clothes.

Personality: Karen grew to love and enjoy the outlaw life she led. She is described as a bold woman and takes pleasure in drinking with her fellow outlaws. A consummate actress, Karen often employed her dramatic skills in various robberies and scams with the gang. She is notably the only female character other than Sadie to perform guard duty for the camp. Like most of the other women in the gang, Karen does have a soft spot for young Jack Marston, which is shown when he is safely returned from Angelo Bronte. However, it is implied that deep down, Karen has a more vulnerable side. Her biography above notes that her years of debauchery may be taking their toll on her, and she begins crying when she and Sean have sex, saying she wants someone to "see her". Although Sean says he does "see her" and the pair continue, she leaves the tent immediately afterwards, possibly from embarrassment or perhaps disappointment. In a possible camp interaction afterwards,[3] Karen loudly rejects Sean and tells him not to touch her, saying she would stab him if he did, to which Sean responds with his usual flirtatiousness and bravado. After the move to Shady Belle, Karen regresses into a somberly aggressive state, becoming irritated and angry in her demeanor to the rest of the gang, as she turns to alcohol to soothe her pain over the gang's apparent disintegration.

Appearance: Karen is a busty woman in her mid-20s[ with blonde hair that curls at the ends and green eyes. Karen usually wears a white blouse with a deep cleavage, a long purple skirt with a brown belt with a silver buckle, and black boots; while at Horseshoe Overlook she also wears a long grey coat. Karen's other outfit includes a.

Molly's mental state declines throughout the game, seemingly due to a combination of Dutch's neglect, the indifference of the other gang members, and the fear of the encroaching law enforcement. As such she becomes increasingly unwilling to socialize with others, often saying: "I need to be alone" or "I'm not much company" to Arthur if he tries to converse with her. Arthur will say on some occasions that he thinks Molly is "losing it". After Kieran Duffy and Sean are both killed, she becomes visibly hysterical and asks Arthur "How is any of this okay?"

Appearance: Molly is a young woman with stereotypical Irish features of red hair, green eyes, and freckles. Compared to the other women, she wears a lot of make-up, sporting red lipstick and eye-shadow. Her hair is half-tied up, while the rest of her red curls drape freely down her back. Molly most commonly dresses in a corseted, low-cut, green top (similar to a Swiss Waist or Victorian Dirndl) with a golden-gilded pattern and trim, with matching golden jewelry, as well as a red skirt and white boots. Just like other gang members, Molly often changes her attire and hairstyle.

Background: Molly claims to have been born into a wealthy family in Dublin, Ireland. She came to the United States searching for adventure, eventually joining Dutch van der Linde and his gang at some point prior to 1899. She and Dutch later became lovers.

Personality: Molly was considered stuck-up and entitled by the other women in camp, especially Karen, mainly due to her disdain for others and her refusal to do any work inside or outside of camp. Molly had made a point of saying she's not interested in chores or what she perceives as lowly work; when Arthur asks if she'd like to join the other girls in cleaning around the camp, she responds with "I'm nobody's servant girl, Mr. Morgan." This attitude is also reinforced by the fact that she is never seen doing work around camp, unlike the other girls who can sometimes be found embroidering, doing laundry, or other chores. It is unclear if the men in camp share a similar opinion of her, the only exception being Sean, who is unimpressed with her attitude and high-class background, calling her a "snotty nosed little West Briton" on one occasion. Additionally, Molly also has characteristics of vanity and narcissism; she can often be found primping herself in her compact mirror, wears various forms of makeup such as lipstick, and takes pride in her appearance. She may also be superstitious, as she asks Arthur whether her grandmother was right in saying that her broken mirror means seven years of bad luck, before asking him to get a new pocket mirror for her. Additionally, Molly also has characteristics of vanity and narcissism; she can often be found primping herself in her compact mirror, wears various forms of makeup such as lipstick, and takes pride in her appearance. She may also be superstitious, as she asks Arthur whether her grandmother was right in saying that her broken mirror means seven years of bad luck, before asking him to get a new pocket mirror for her.

Susan is a mid-aged woman, well preserved in her physical appearance, with grey hair (formerly blond) and blue eyes. She wears little makeup and combs her hair in a tight chignon. Susan most commonly dresses into a black neckline with long sleeves and a black dress or a pink shirt and the dress and black boots. When wearing her shirt, she additionally wears an oval necklace that appears to represent a woman wearing a crown. Just like other gang members, Susan often changes her attire and hairstyle.

Ms. Grimshaw is heavily depicted as a forthright, "strict maternal figure" towards the Van der Linde gang. She admitted to Arthur that some people need a firmer hand than others, whilst adding that someone has to keep the rabble in line, otherwise they would "rot in their own filth". Despite having a tough love attitude towards the gang's members, she does care about them and secretly holds sympathy and even deep affection towards most of them, which on occasion (though rarely) she will express. For instance, when Tilly Jackson gets kidnapped during Chapter 4, Ms. Grimshaw takes the initiative and organizes her rescue. When Arthur notices this and points out that it shows that despite the harshness that she constantly displays towards them, she cares about the girls that are running with the gang, she grumpily admits that "of course" she cares. During the mission to rescue Tilly she calls her "my girl" and threatens that she would kill anyone who dared to harm her. In addition to this, in Chapter 6, she can be seen genuinely reassuring Tilly about the hopeless situation, and tells her that she has grown into a "fine young woman". Similarly, at times, Ms. Grimshaw will display feelings of personal affection for some of the gunmen of the gang. If Arthur stays away from camp for an extended time Ms. Grimshaw sometimes will confront him about it and when he justifies himself, explaining that he is "a wanderer," she will benevolently reply that she knows that and call him "son".

Susan was one of the original gang members of the Van der Linde gang, alongside Dutch van der Linde, Hosea Matthews and Arthur Morgan. She became romantically involved with Dutch at some stage, and long nights playing poker with the gang, often sitting in Dutch's lap. Their relationship later ended, and Dutch eventually moved on to another woman named Annabelle. Despite that, she remained a close associate to Dutch, remaining on good terms with him and gaining his respect, eventually becoming the gang's arbiter. By 1899, alongside the gang's cook Simon Pearson, Susan was in charge of setting up the camp every time the gang moved to a new place.

In 1899, Uncle appears as an elderly man with a full beard and light gray hair, being bald on the top of his head. During the Colter chapter, Uncle wears an orange union suit covered up by a thick tan winter coat and gloves. As of the Horseshoe Overlook chapter, he can usually be seen wearing a thinner brown jacket alongside an orange shirt, blue bandana, black trousers and black boots. In chapters 3-6, Uncle is normally seen without his jacket. At nighttime, he sometimes wears his union suit but in 1907 he wears it more often. He also usually wears a brown sun hat.

Uncle is a reformed petty thief with a notable love for alcohol. He is notoriously lazy, both in the Van der Linde gang and while working on the Marston ranch, and often says that his supposed medical condition of "terminal lumbago" stops him from being able to work. Despite contributing occasionally to everyday tasks, Uncle is frequently belittled for being useless and inept, much to his chagrin. In his own way, Uncle can be viewed as seeking redemption from his life of petty crime by working at Beecher's Hope, and later losing his life to keep the Marston family safe. Despite seeming borderline dysfunctional, Uncle is perhaps more intelligent and shrewd than he may appear. This is exemplified in a hidden dialogue with Dutch; during this conversation, Uncle calls out Dutch by saying he wants to be an American King with his knights that leads the people of the world to a new way of living. Dutch insists this isn't so, claiming he only wants the gang to have a better life, but Uncle retorts by saying Dutch only wants "his" definition of better. In this instance, Uncle shows a clear understanding of Dutch's real intentions and his desire to make everyone live the way of life he thinks is best for everyone. Uncle has a laid back and carefree attitude, often wanting to joke around and have fun, rather than doing anything serious. He is friendly towards other gang members and often joins in with games such as poker if the player initiates a game of it in camp. Uncle's jokey and vivacious personality is demonstrated in a conversation with the contrastingly serious Charles at camp,[19] where Uncle tries to get Charles to open up to him and share a joke, but to no avail. Uncle also has a caring side to him, shown with his fairly close bond with Jack, but he can also be thought of as having a strong sense of loyalty - exemplified in how he ultimately gave his life for the Marston family.

Kieran is unshaven with green eyes and dark, shoulder-length hair. When Karen first sees him tied to the tree, she says she "thought O'Driscolls ate babies, but you look like a baby". Kieran is first seen wearing a fairly standard O'Driscoll outfit consisting of trousers, a white shirt with green stripes, a green bandana, and a knee-length leather jacket which buttons down entirely and has a split down the back side. In addition, he will be wearing black leather gloves, a very worn out hat and brown boots. This outfit will also serve as his winter gear.

Kieran is described by Arthur as a "gentle buffoon". This is shown best during "Old Friends", as he is being chased by Arthur, he doesn't open fire on him despite this, and upon falling off his horse, he still doesn't, and simply surrenders, saying "Don't hurt me, please!". Duffy is soft-spoken and nervous, often stuttering when he speaks. He stutters a lot especially when speaking with Arthur, and although he has a crush on Mary-Beth and seems to have no trouble speaking to her or complimenting her, he becomes shy and stutters when she returns his advances. He generally has a kind-hearted demeanor and avoids conflict when he can, as when he agrees to drink with Bill Williamson even after being physically threatened by him so often. When he tells Sean MacGuire his life story of being orphaned and falling in with the O'Driscolls, he says that all he's ever known is "folks all seem to die", reflecting that he may be wary of losing friends and loved ones so often and never having a solid home or family. Although the gang kidnapped him, he seems intent on earning their trust and becoming a fully-fledged member. He tells Arthur that he plans on proving himself to him. When Jack is kidnapped, he tells Abigail that he would give his life for Jack if he could. He becomes genuinely frustrated whenever someone refers to him as an "O'Driscoll", and zealously told Dutch upon meeting him that he hates Colm O'Driscoll.

Sean is a slim and average mid-20's man with shoulder-length ginger hair, green eyes and is slightly unshaven, with his ginger beard being more of a thin stubble. He appears to be missing a few of his upper teeth. MacGuire usually wears a jacket of a light bluish-grey color over a dirty white union suit and a red and brown patterned vest, accompanied by blue jeans and a green bowler hat. Unlike most members, this is the only clothing he wears, with only slight variations.

MacGuire is said to be a cheerful man who enjoys spending his time telling stories at the gang's campfires, particularly about his family history. He loves being a part of the action, but he is relatively inexperienced and often overestimates his own abilities. At Clemens Point, he playfully tries to poke fun at Arthur, calling him 'English' and 'King Arthur'. He is perhaps the most talkative member of the gang, as Charles remarks that he speaks incessantly and Arthur is mildly aggravated by his constant teasing at times. However, he is also somewhat lazy, literally falling asleep during guard duty multiple times, drawing the ire of Hosea. Sean appears to have a positive relationship with Lenny, who once tried to teach Sean (who is illiterate) how to read.[8] The two are often seen conversing, and Lenny tells Arthur at one point that he likes Sean. By contrast, Sean often expresses his dislike of Micah. Sean and Karen have a flirtatious relationship. Although Karen says she "hates [Sean]" and that he only loves her when they're drunk, Sean remains convinced that she loves him, and the two have sex after Sean is first rescued. During the act, Karen can be heard crying and saying she just wants someone to "see her", to which Sean says he does. However, Sean's true feelings about her are unknown, as he could have simply said that to continue the moment in a typical act of bravado, and are not expanded upon as he dies shortly after.

Lenny has black skin and neat, relatively short black hair, with little in the way of facial hair. Being one of the younger gang members, he is nineteen years old as of 1899, and is seen to be of a fairly slim build, and slightly shorter than Arthur. While committing crimes, he wears a bright orange bandana around his face. He also wears a black duster coat during certain robberies.

Lenny is shown to be an intelligent, fun-loving young man. He is also shown to be very competent and effective in many situations, with Hosea and Arthur particularly viewing him as one of the gang's best men. Like most members, he is very loyal to the Van der Linde gang and considers them family. Out of everyone at camp, he appears to be the most educated; this is likely due to his upbringing which, when compared to others in the gang, was more reasonably decent. He shows a confident and cocky attitude, replying with "’course I’m ready" when Javier asks if he’s ready for the train robbery, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty on many occasions. He leads most of the escape during the Saint Denis trolley station robbery and later in the bank robbery, showing his confidence, but this ultimately costs him his life in the latter occasion. When playing Poker and Five Finger Fillet at camp, he playfully teases Arthur about being slow due to his older age. Despite being part of an ethnic minority, Lenny displays no real care of what others think, perhaps because the gang as a whole live an outcast lifestyle and can all be considered outcasts from society as a result. He sometimes satirically compares himself to common black stereotypes. In a conversation with Sean MacGuire, Lenny states he's uncertain of who to hate more: the slavers who oppressed his ancestors, or the general white populace for antagonizing him because of the recent Emancipation Proclamation

Charles has dark skin, with light stubble and scarring on his face. He has a very muscular build, which is accompanied by great strength and athleticism. He has very long, free-flowing black hair which he later styles into a mohawk/braid look, seen after returning from Guarma. Charles usually wears a blue shirt with a dotted white pattern, brown trousers, black boots, a gun belt and a necklace, which is accompanied by a black, winter coat, a blue buttoned up coat with a green vest, in Chapters 1 and 2 respectively. He also wears a thick green wool coat with a hood when going out on missions.

Charles has been described as a quiet and reserved person, yet very competent in everything he takes part of, especially fights, to the extent that he is able to successfully compete with a flawless record in fighting tournaments such as in Saint Denis in 1907. He is very courageous and selfless, providing whatever help he could to the Wapiti Indian reservation, rescuing Captain Monroe and Eagle Flies from the US Army, and telling Sadie and John to run from Micah's men first while he would supposedly catch up later despite being critically wounded. He is nearly always calm, even when being confronted or dealing with passive aggressiveness from people like Javier, only showing visible happiness or anger on a few short occasions.Arguably the most honorable and moral member of the gang, Charles is cool-headed and is unwilling to kill unless absolutely necessary; the continuing blood spilled by the gang (mainly from Dutch and Micah later on) is ultimately what causes him to become disillusioned with it and helping the Wapiti Indians instead. He disapproves of people who are nothing but vicious killers, such as his notable disdain for the Callander brothers and Micah. He is also compassionate towards wild animals and shows rare visible anger when encountering the poachers' killing bison for sport. He despises racism, throwing Micah to the ground instantly for calling him a redskin, and being visibly impressed by Dutch's fair treatment of all races. He is also shown to be thoughtful and kind, burying Susan and Arthur after discovering their bodies. In the case of Arthur, he buried him in a particularly picturesque spot with a decorated gravestone.

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[1]. According to Charles, his uncle taught him how to create poisoned arrows using Oleander Sage when he was young.[2] At the age of 13, Charles ran away and wandered the country alone.[1] A veteran survivalist, Charles joined the Van der Linde gang while they were passing through the Grizzlies around November 1898.

In 1899, Micah has shoulder-length blond hair, along with a thick horseshoe mustache and side-whiskers, along with 2 gold teeth along the top of his mouth. Micah is slightly portly, though not to the extent of Bill. Micah often wears an undone black leather coat, a red shirt or black shirt, the latter accompanied by a red vest, a blue neckerchief, beige or black trousers, the latter tucked into his boots, and a white or black hat. He's also seen sporting a short-tailed, buttoned-up leather coat during chapter 2 and promotional artwork. In cold temperatures, he is instead seen with a long brown leather coat, while in warmer climates he's seen without a jacket and just his red shirt. Micah is armed with a pair of custom Double-action Revolvers in a cross draw holster setup, featuring "Vengeance is hereby mine" engraved into the barrel, sporting dark grey frames and grips that are painted red and black in a skull-like design, which he uses with immense skill. His Hunting Knife has an iron drop-point blade with a black and iron grip.

Micah is considered to be perverse, wild and unpredictable, even by the Van der Linde gang's standards. He is said to enjoy the action in his life, going as far as shooting what Arthur claims to be half the town of Strawberry in order to reclaim his prized revolvers. In spite of his brash nature, Micah is an experienced criminal and hitman, earning him the favor of Dutch himself. Micah has a poor relationship with most of the gang members, as he frequently antagonizes and bullies them, sometimes going as far as making colorful threats to those he dislikes (with Dutch being virtually the only person he does not antagonize, though he does express frustration at Dutch's concern for the weak such as Reverend Swanson and Uncle). Besides Dutch, Micah also tries to get Arthur's trust and approval initially, despite Arthur openly disliking him, viewing him as selfish, untrustworthy, and opportunistic. Arthur's fears are proven true later in the game, when Micah starts working as a mole for the Pinkertons after escaping from Guarma. When confronted with his disloyalty, Micah simply labels himself a survivor, showing no loyalty to anyone but himself and highlighting his self-serving, every-man-for-himself attitude to life. Observing his interactions in camp reveals his outlook to be a profoundly nihilistic one; he openly states his disbelief in the concept of right and wrong, seeing no true meaning to life, seemingly a justification for how he approaches things. Like Arthur, Micah seems to be aware that he is an immoral person, stating that if damnation was real, he'd "feel right at home there". Nevertheless, in contrast to Arthur, he has no remorse for the things he has done and makes no effort to redeem himself.

As of 1899, Sadie is a slender young woman likely in her late 20s or early 30s, with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. She also has a scar above her right eye.

Sadie initially wears dresses that were given to her by the gang, but eventually switches to more practical clothing, wearing a yellow shirt, with brown trousers, suspenders, brown boots, and a light brown hat from the start of chapter 3 to chapter 4. From chapter 5 onward, she sports a white shirt, a blue neckerchief and black trousers, along with a dark brown gun belt with two holsters and a brown belt with a golden buckle with star.

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. Sadie also repeatedly demonstrates cruelty, a lack of care for her allies and recklessness which rivals that of Micah's - she is not above putting herself and her friends in unnecessary danger, which is exemplified in the battle against the O'Driscolls in Shady Belle where she does not co-operate with the rest of the gang, forcing Arthur to leave the house and risk getting killed, and murdering the O'Driscoll hostages at Colm's execution, starting a firefight. Her actions also indirectly led to Arturo Bullard's death - something Arthur had blamed her for. Sadie's personal interests could explain her own extreme aggressiveness and brutality, thus she saw her crusade against the O'Driscolls as more than simply ending a gang feud or hostility between the two gang leaders. Despite this, Sadie is also very loyal those she cares about. She is extremely eager to prove to Arthur and Dutch that she can be a fighting member. This is evident when she zealously asks Arthur if they should rob the general store in Rhodes, asks Dutch if he can take her robbing, and leads the counterattack against the O'Driscolls at Shady Belle. She later helps to unite and relocate the gang, fend off the Pinkertons in Lakay, rescue John from prison and keeping the gang together while some of the main members are in Guarma. While initially being fairly shy, Sadie would eventually become more confident, defying Dutch's orders not to rescue John and not being afraid to challenge other members of the gang.

In 1899, Javier is a slim-built man, with black hair and a dark complexion, notably having a mustache that is shaved in the middle, with a prominent scar on his eyebrow, often hidden by his hair. Javier also has a scar along the front of his neck, though he never reveals how he got it. According to John, Javier is approximately 5'8.[21] He generally wears a white shirt with a red tie, a silver waistcoat, a blue jacket and a bowler hat complete with black trousers and boots, which is modified by a poncho and gloves when in the cold. In Chapter 2, he will sometimes, instead, be seen wearing a long, grey coat, a sombrero and a bandolier over his waistcoat, while, in hotter temperatures, Javier wears a dark blue waistcoat over his shirt without his usual blue jacket. For the Saint Denis bank robbery, Javier wears a smart white shirt, a black tie and a silver waistcoat, which is mostly covered by a long, smart black jacket. On Guarma, said attire regresses to a shirt and a waistcoat only, along with black trousers.

A revolutionary, Escuella was a firm idealist who held loyalty above any other virtue and could passionately devote his life to a cause. This allowed him to connect with Dutch, who Javier remained unwaveringly loyal to throughout the time they knew each other. As of 1899, Javier is seen to be friendly with most gang members and possesses a strong sense of camaraderie. He seems to be good friends with John Marston, gladly volunteering to search for him when he goes missing during a snowstorm, stating that if the situations were reversed, John would do the same. The two drift apart later on when John begins to lose faith in Dutch, whom Javier stays loyal to, despite his declining sanity. His closest friendship seems to be with Bill, however, with the two having similar views on Dutch. Additionally, Javier will be the one who tries to rescue Bill if he is captured by bounty hunters, Bill was asked specifically to care for Javier on Guarma, Bill felt he could console Javier in who the "rat" is, and the duo also appear to run off together after the standoff. By 1911, the two still seem to be friends, as Javier helps Bill to escape America and flee to Mexico, when John on the orders of the government begins hunting both of them down. As the gang slowly falls apart, Javier continues supporting Dutch; he also chastises Arthur and John for disapproving of Dutch's decisions and leadership. He ultimately sides with Van der Linde during a confrontation with Arthur and John, albeit reluctantly. During this standoff, he is the only member to side with Dutch that does not aim his weapon directly at Arthur and John, instead pointing it upwards, indicating some remaining fondness or at least neutrality towards the duo. However, the slowly revealing insanity of Javier's mentor and role model had a big effect on him; Javier begins losing trust in anyone not faithful to Dutch, and Arthur notes how Javier had changed after the latter had an argument with Charles.

Javier Escuella was born in a small village in Nuevo Paraíso, Mexico. Javier's father was a drunkard who worked as a laborer on land owned by Agustin Allende's uncle,[1] and his mother was a strict Catholic who would try her best to keep her son in line.[2] When he was a boy, Escuella witnessed his uncle and four other men castrated and fed to pigs, because they suggested the villagers demand a fair wage from the local landowner.[3] This event strained Javier's relationship with his mother, who continued to accept peasant life as it was even after her brother was killed. In 1895,[10] 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.[9] Escuella felt an immediate affinity with the gang and its ideals; he came to see the gang as his family and his true home, while especially idolising Dutch as a revolutionary paragon and becoming fiercely loyal to him.

Bill is a large and heavyset man in his late twenties or early thirties.[1] He has brown hair and a bushy beard. Though not bald, his hair is clearly receding and he also seems to be missing some teeth. His usual attire consisted of grey trousers, boots and either a plain white or a checkered shirt, sometimes accompanied by a long, brown leather jacket and/or his hat which he wears pinned on one side. For the Saint Denis bank robbery, Bill wears a square-patterned grey suit and, in Guarma, his suit jacket is absent and he wears a white shirt with braces, with the same grey-patterned trousers.

During his time in the Van der Linde gang, Bill Williamson was loyal to Dutch and the gang and was a respected member, being skilled as a rifleman and explosives expert. Because Dutch gave him purpose, Bill is loyal to him to a fault, and staunchly supports Dutch's every decision, even after Dutch starts going insane. Bill's loyalty to Dutch is implied to be at least partially motivated by fear; not of Dutch himself, but of what the future holds for him should he end up alone again. He is also shown to be driven by the desire to prove himself, though he often falls short because of his recklessness and lack of intelligence. Bill is also considerably softer during his time with the gang; he empathizes with low morale after the failure in Blackwater, voluntarily participates in the assault on Braithwaite Manor to rescue Jack Marston, allegedly has a strong attachment to his horse Brown Jack, and disapproves of Micah taunting Arthur for his illness. Like his father, Bill is an alcoholic and often gets inebriated to the point of passing out, something he is routinely mocked for by his fellow gang members. Despite his aggressive and profoundly violent nature, Williamson appears to be somewhat of a laughing stock within the gang itself, with members, including Dutch himself, routinely picking on him due to his alcoholism, lack of intelligence, and mistakes he has made. Bill himself appears annoyed by this, as he admits to Arthur that he feels like he gets treated worse than the other gunmen. In his more vulnerable moments, he also reveals himself to be quite socially awkward, seeking friendship and approval from people like Arthur and Kieran. Bill is also very insecure about many things, particularly his real name being Marion, something he only tells a few members in confidence. According to Arthur, Bill carries around a "big secret", though what exactly this is remains unexplored. Bill holds racist views, mainly towards Native Americans, calling them "savages", primaril

Bill Williamson was born Marion Williamson at some point between 1869 and 1872. Embarrassed by his first name, which was supposedly a "family name," he would later adopt the name "Bill" after his surname. Bill's father was an alcoholic who slowly lost his mind due to his excessive drinking, notably mixing whiskey with moonshine. Bill was always afraid of suffering the same fate. From a young age, Bill displayed a tendency towards delinquency. Even after being enrolled in reform school, Williamson continued to accumulate a criminal record.

By 1899, Hosea is a lean, elderly man with neat, silver hair cut short and a clean shaven face. In hotter temperatures, Hosea wears either an orange or a striped blue vest over a shirt which is faded blue or plain white, as well as black trousers tucked into embossed, brown leather boots and with a faded red neckerchief and a black hat. In more temperate climates, he can be seen wearing an unbuttoned dark green coat, yellow vest, white shirt and black trousers tucked into embossed, brown leather boots with faded orange spurs. While he is in Colter, Hosea wears the same dark green coat buttoned up and a red and black striped scarf loosely hanging around his neck with a navy blue hat.

Like Dutch, the gang seems to view Hosea as a sort of fatherly figure. Hosea is one of the few members of the Van der Linde gang that seems to be respected by all of its members, except by Micah Bell, and he openly dislikes him. He's viewed as a more level-headed leader than Dutch, with Arthur even remarking in his journal that although Arthur loves Dutch like a father, he "loves Hosea even more".

Hosea is an intelligent outlaw in touch with his wits, having worked as a con-artist and a thief for over two decades. He appears to be a slick talker, using his brains to get into and out of any situation in hand. Unlike Arthur or Dutch, Hosea prefers not to use violence as a means of obtaining money. Instead, Hosea often resorts on elaborate schemes to swindle people out of their money, playing a character to distract and disarm those he is trying to rob. However, Hosea is willing to resort to violence when he feels that it is warranted, such as when he killed a man who tried to rob him, when he pulls a gun on Bill and threatens him, and when he participated in the assault on Braithwaite Manor. Hosea is generally a calm and patient man and rarely loses his temper or raises his voice to anyone, however his calm disposition and preference for non-violence is shown to have its limits when he catches Sean MacGuire sleeping while on lookout and subsequently kicks and berates the latter in a moment of anger, going as far as threatening to slit Sean's throat in an uncharacteristic outburst. Having known each other since at least 1877, Hosea became Dutch's right-hand man and closest friend over the duration of two decades of association. By 1899 he appears to be Dutch's most trusted lieutenant, with only Arthur Morgan rivaling if not surpassing him. Over the course of the game, his relationship with Dutch is somewhat tested, as Dutch's increasing brashness and violence begin to clash with Hosea's preference for non-violence. Hosea seems to have much remorse for his past actions in life and how they hurt people. In a conversation with Dutch he says that the gang has turned into just "a bunch of killers" and comments on how he dislikes both the killing and himself for putting up with it in a story he tells around the campfire.

Eventually, Hosea turned to a life of crime, developing into an experienced conman. Shedding any scruples, he would lie, steal, and even kill when necessary, targetting anyone and anything he could.[9] In the mid-1870s,[10] Hosea met another outlaw named Dutch van der Linde at a campfire on the road to Chicago;[11] he tried to con and rob Dutch, pretending to be the son of the French ambassador, only to realize that Dutch had stolen his money and gun in the meantime. Both saw the skill that the other had and laughed, before deciding to become partners in crime.[12] The two grifters would roam the country together, running tricks and scamming people they thought deserved it the most. In early 1877, the pair found themselves in Kettering, Ohio. They began conning several people over the course of several weeks, posing as international merchants and conning twelve locals into investing $300 into a fictitious Portuguese shipping company. They were eventually discovered and arrested by Sheriff Carmichael. However, on 8th March 1877, the two managed to escape their cell, robbing and binding the sheriff in the process.[13] That same year, the two came across a 14-year-old delinquent named Arthur Morgan, who they took under their wing.[14] The young Morgan benefitted hugely from the mentoring of his two adoptive fathers, Hosea and Dutch. Around the same time that they met Arthur, Dutch would begin a relationship with Susan Grimshaw.[15] This group of four would eventually expand over the years and become the Van der Linde gang.

At some stage, Hosea met and fell in love with a woman named Bessie, whom he later married. He later left the gang for a time to be with her, but he slowly drifted back into it over time. Despite this, Bessie understood who Hosea was and the two stayed together, although she died at some point before 1899. Hosea says that he was "drunk for a year" after Bessie's death.

Hosea Matthews was born circa 1844 in the Appalachian Mountains, where he spent much of his younger years. Hosea is of English descent, as his grandfather was a turnip farmer from Lincolnshire. His father was a three-time bigamist and reprobate who lived "a life of sin and debauchery that would make an emperor blush" and died at the age of 75. Despite only seeing him for three months in his entire life, Hosea had a strong relationship with his father. Hosea lost his parents circa 1861, when he was around 17 years old. Soon after being orphaned, Hosea was caught stealing a chicken in Apallachia by a local sheriff, who decided to hang him as punishment. Fortunately for Matthews, a riot erupted at the hanging when a group of people believed the sentencing was unfair. An unknown man came to Hosea's aid by shooting the rope, thereby freeing him. In the end, the sheriff was hanged and Hosea escaped with what he described as "nothing more than a sore neck." In his early years, Hosea aspired to become a priest, not knowing that he needed to be a Catholic to do so. As a young man, he also pursued a career as a comedian, practicing his slapstick routine in local theaters and on the streets. Along with comedy, Hosea loved drama and even attempted to read one, although he struggled to understand it. Nonetheless, he dreamed of performing in a drama onstage. One day, he snuck onto the stage of Cyril Tourneur's The Revenger's Tragedy, where he flubbed a line and was booed off stage. Following this failure, Hosea abandoned pursuing a dramatic career.

1899, When he first appears, John is shown with huge, bleeding scars on his face from the wolves in the Grizzlies, with a thick, black coat (closed version of the in-game Western Coat). After being rescued, John continues wearing this outfit, but with blood-soaked bandages covering about half of his face. Later on, in Chapter 2, John is seen with stitching where the scars are and wears an orange union suit with either a scout coat or a black leather jacket and dark black pants.

John is a fairly serious individual with very little patience for the eccentricities of both life and the various people he meets during the events of Red Dead Redemption. He frequently threatens Irish into sobering up so as to be of some use to him, and he is clearly disturbed/disgusted by Seth's habitual grave robbing. However, he is not above employing sarcasm in conversation with certain characters, particularly those he sees as exhibiting hypocrisy, which can be seen in his interactions with both Abraham Reyes and Agustin Allende. John is also shown assisting both sides of the revolution in Mexico, suggesting he is willing to be morality apathetic to save his family. He greatly respects women and refuses to commit adultery yet can be quick to anger and never seems to feel guilty or remorseful about the deaths he's caused both past and present. Despite Dutch leaving him for dead and devolving to a deranged maniac, John still holds respect for him as a former father figure in his life. The familial bond created when Dutch took in an orphaned teenage John is still somewhat evident, as John is noticeably reluctant to kill Dutch when given the chance; even years after his time in the gang, John still has some of Dutch's more progressive, less violent philosophical beliefs, such as viewing modern society to be deeply unfair and having a low opinion of the government. However, John does seem to have matured since his criminal days and is unbending in his desire to live out the rest of his life with his family. John is also extremely polite to women, often calling Bonnie "Miss MacFarlane" despite her insistence that he call her "Bonnie." He also does anything possible to keep women safe, even pistol-whipping Irish to defend two nuns he was holding up. In contrast to his politeness to women, John is unafraid to take the moral high ground when dealing with less than reputable characters, like Irish with his alcoholism and Nigel West Dickens with his swindling of gullible

John Marston was born in 1873 in the northern United States. His father was an illiterate Scottish immigrant who was born on the boat to New York, while his mother was a prostitute, who died during John's birth. John initially lived with his father, a heavy drinker who loved Scotland and always talked about it, and despised the English for what they did to his great grandparents. However, he was blinded in a bar fight south of Chicago and died later on in 1881, when John was eight years old. The circumstances around his death are unknown, although John was told that he died in a bar fight. John spent the next few years in a rough orphanage before running away to make his own luck on the streets. At the age of 11, John committed his first murder when he shot a man, although he claimed it was not his fault. In 1885, at the age of 12, Marston had been caught stealing by homesteaders in Illinois, who planned on hanging him. Dutch van der Linde stepped in and saved the young boy, taking him under his wing; John was thus inducted into the Van der Linde gang, alongside Hosea Matthews, Arthur Morgan, and Susan Grimshaw. The gang became a surrogate family to the young boy, with Dutch becoming his mentor and father figure. He taught John how to read, shoot, hunt, gather, and instilled him with a love of nature and things other than power. Dutch would also often read to him from books by Evelyn Miller and Waldo Emerson, although the young John struggled to understand the former and found the latter to be out of touch. In 1894, a prostitute named Abigail Roberts joined the gang. Despite having sexual relations with most of the gang members, she eventually fell in love with John, becoming pregnant soon after. They later had a son together in 1895, whom they named Jack. The gang became an extended family to Jack, with most of the members becoming aunts and uncles to him. In his early years, John struggled to connect with his son due to doubts as to whether or not he was father.

As of 1899, Arthur is approximately 36 years of age, with a muscular build perfect for his position, with a head of thick, light brown hair and blue eyes. He also has a scar near his chin, which leaves a bald patch visible in his beard around level 2 and 3.

Arthur Morgan is a cold, brooding outlaw who often resorts to violence and has very few qualms about killing. At his worst Arthur could be extremely ruthless and completely unsympathetic to the people he hurts. Despite being capable of committing such violence, Arthur does have a playful side to his personality that comes out around those he is friendly with. He isn't above joking or employing sarcasm with his friends. Notably Arthur was kind and polite to John Marston's then-four-year-old son, Jack, having a gentle demeanor around the young boy in contrast to his threatening persona. Despite his ability to commit great acts of violence Arthur has his own moral code and doesn't believe in what he deems as unnecessary killing, especially if it endangers himself or those he cares about. Dutch also raised Arthur to believe that revenge is a fruitless endeavor. It seems that Arthur strictly believes that violence should be cold, necessary and without feeling, never out of personal enjoyment or without reason. Thus, his strict beliefs are a major part of why he turns against Dutch later on, when the latter goes against the beliefs he taught Arthur and starts enjoying his violent methods and begins killing enemies out of vengeance. Arthur cannot be bought, bullied or intimidated, regardless of an antagonist's size, strength, wealth or power. He is fully self-aware of his imposing nature and the effect that his own force of intimidation can have on others. Although Arthur demonstrates time after time that he fears no man, he does fear for the safety of those he cares about. Supremely confident in his ability to handle any situation or overcome any adversary, Arthur rarely shows any hesitation and will engage in combat even when outnumbered. Despite Arthur's usual bravery and calm demeanor, he does display a rare moment of fear when he confides in Sister Calderón, revealing to her that he is afraid of his own impending death as a result of his terminal illness.

Arthur Morgan was born circa 1863[1] to Beatrice and Lyle Morgan in the northern United States.[2] As a child, his mother died of unknown causes, while his father was a petty criminal and outlaw. In 1874, when Arthur was 11 years old, his father was arrested for larceny. Morgan later witnessed his death and, despite a strained relationship with him, still donned his hat and kept a picture of him. Around 1877, Arthur was found as a "wild delinquent" and picked up off the streets by outlaws Dutch van der Linde and Hosea Matthews.[5] Viewing the pair as surrogate father figures, Arthur came to share Dutch's vision of a life lived free from the constraints of civilization and the rule of law. The pair taught him how to read, write, hunt, fight, shoot, and ride, becoming their first protégé as well as one of the founding members of the Van der Linde gang. A little later, Arthur met Susan Grimshaw as she got romantically involved with Dutch and joined the gang, acting as a tough mother figure. As a young adult, Arthur met a girl named Mary Gillis where the two fell deeply in love and even became engaged. He befriended her younger brother Jamie and taught him horseback-riding. On the other hand, Mary faced disapproval from some female gang members such as Susan Grimshaw. However, Arthur's preference for a life of crime coupled with the prevalent disapproval of Mary's family, most strongly from her father ultimately caused their relationship to fall apart, and the pair separated at some point between 1894 and 1899. In 1884, Arthur was sent out fishing and pridefully returned with three beautiful bass. The gang celebrated with a big feast and toasted him all night long. The following week, Arthur and Dutch walked in the local market where it was revealed that he had simply purchased the bass from a fishmonger, much to his embarrassment.

In 1899, Dutch is an average built man in his mid-forties and is approximately 6 feet in height. He has tanned skin, a large roman nose, brown eyes and a cleft chin, along with a thick, black mustache and soul patch surrounded by a light stubble, and black, slick backed hair that curls at the end reaching his nape. He is always seen in elegant suits or fancy clothing, most often wearing a white and grey striped shirt, charcoal grey striped trousers with pointed black leather boots, an ornate black paisley waistcoat with a blood red silk back, and matching red pocket square, it has glittering gold buttons and is decorated with a gold pocket-watch with twin chains and ruby pendant. Along with a smart black jacket also with a red pocket square, and leather notch lapels, and a black felt homburg hat with a silk band. He also wears a chunky black gun belt with a square gold buckle and twin holsters, and two ornate gold rings, one on his pinkie and another with a large rectangular face on his forefinger. He also owns a red and cream plaid scarf which he wears both for warmth and as a bandana.

Originally, Dutch used to have a much warmer and noble side to his personality, presenting himself as a witty, charismatic and sophisticated outlaw who highly conformed to his own philosophies about life in the Wild West. He did show to be protective of his own fellow gang members, having raised Arthur Morgan and John Marston like his own two sons and trusted them deeply and seemed to value the opinions of Hosea Matthews and saw him like a brother. He also became outraged at Jack Marston having been kidnapped by the Braithwaite family and in retaliation, stormed their manor while killing them all and demanding where the child had been taken. However, the Pinkertons' pursuit, the death of his companions (especially Hosea), and the advancement of society made Dutch begin to become crazy and he became more and more psychotic, homicidal, barbaric, ruthless, egotistical, narcissistic, and vindictive. He began to value blind loyalty more, criticizing Arthur and John for their open questioning and valid criticism after they took note of his declining mental state and even considering them disloyal, to the point where he would leave them to die on separate occasions. With Arthur, it is clearly shown that Dutch deliberately left him to die while robbing Cornwall Kerosene & Tar. When Arthur was pinned down and about to be killed by a soldier, Dutch merely glanced at the situation and walked away. Minutes later Arthur confronts him on the subject, Dutch quickly denies this and brushes off Arthur's comment, whilst telling him not to be a "fool". In John's case, Van der Linde was secretly enraged that Marston wished to leave the gang with his family. This was proof of disloyalty in Dutch's eyes and his action of abandoning John, lying to Arthur about the circumstances of this and then denying it when confronted by John, add to the examples of his tendency to lose interest in anyone who did not follow him blindly.