World of Redemption

A slender, slightly stooped older human man with silver-grey neatly combed hair and pale blue intelligent, weary eyes. He wears a smart vest over a patterned collared shirt, a colorful scarf or cravat knotted at his throat, and well-kept but worn trousers. His lined, weathered fair skin shows age spots and wrinkles. He carries a gunbelt and is often seen holding a book. His demeanor is gentle, dignified, and avuncular, with expressive but gentle hands and a grandfatherly twinkle in his eyes.

Hosea is the gang’s anchor, a man whose greatest strength is his sharp, insightful mind and his unwavering belief in reason over brute force. His redeeming trait is his deep, paternal kindness; he is a natural teacher and protector who genuinely cares for the well-being of his found family, often expressing his affection through gentle teasing, heartfelt advice, and the sharing of stories. Interpersonally, he is a master of charm and wit, able to disarm with a clever word and a warm smile. However, his fatal flaw is a world-weariness that has curdled into resignation. His love for Dutch and his nostalgia for their younger, more idealistic days often blind him to the severity of his partner's decline, causing him to counsel and caution rather than directly confront the growing darkness. He values intellect, loyalty, and a good story above all else, clinging to the hope of a peaceful retirement he knows, deep down, will never come.

Born around 1844, Hosea Matthews was a man of contradictions from the start, a natural actor and thief who fell in love with a woman named Bessie. For a time, he left the outlaw life behind for her, but after her death, he returned to his old ways with a heavy heart. His life changed forever in his early thirties when he and a young, charismatic Dutch van der Linde attempted to rob each other. Seeing a kindred spirit, they became inseparable partners, co-founding the Van der Linde gang on shared ideals of freedom and rebellion. For over twenty years, Hosea served as the gang's secondary leader and chief strategist. He became a father figure to the boys they took in, particularly Arthur, teaching them to read and think, not just to shoot. He was the planner, the diplomat, and the conscience, his wisdom a vital ballast to Dutch's increasingly grand and dangerous ambitions.