Bonnie Campbell
Bonnie Campbell
"The whiskey talks loud, the men talk louder, and I listen to what both of them are saying."
The Diamond of Dodge City
Physical Appearance
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 110 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Bonnie is a lithe, slender woman with fair skin, expressive dark-brown eyes, and thick, naturally dark hair that often frames her face in soft waves. Her features are refined yet striking, marked by a wide, warm smile, high cheekbones, and a graceful neck. She carries herself with an elegant posture that blends classic beauty with an approachable presence.
Personality & Traits
General Overview
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Strengths & Weaknesses
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Weaknesses:
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Ambition
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Hobbies & Interests
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Personal History
Bonnie was one of seven children born to a Scottish immigrant family in Charleston, South Carolina. Poverty shadowed her childhood, and at times the family hovered on the edgebrink of destitution. By the age of ten, Bonnie was working as a hotel maid to help keep food on the ever-growing table. It was there that she caught the attention of Victor Lafayette, a French-born aristocrat turned ambitious entrepreneur,entrepreneur who had come to America determined to build aboth fortune.fortune and reputation. Lafayette possessed a keen eye for talent, especiallyparticularly in young people whose beauty, intelligenceintelligence, and adaptability could be shaped into opportunity.
Recognizing Bonnie’s quick mind and natural composure, Lafayette arranged for her to be taken under his patronage by purchasing“persuading” her fromparents herwith parents.a year’s worth of wages. He sent herBonnie to France, where she spent several years receiving a refined education:education in languages, music, etiquette, finance, and most importantly, the art of navigating powerful men without being consumed by them. Those years transformed her from a desperate child into a poised and perceptive young woman, fully aware of the value ofthat her wit was as muchvaluable as her beauty.
At seventeen, Bonnie returned to Charleston and formally entered intoher therole positionas ofa courtesan under Lafayette’s careful guidance. Her debut caused a sensation, earning her a reputation unmatched in South Carolina and establishing her as one of the most sought-after companions of her era. She remained in Charleston for several years, honing her skills and cultivating influence, before Lafayette sent her to Memphis to assist with expanding his latest business venture. It was there that she met Colonel Agustus “Gus” Brennan.
Gus was a devoted poker player, and despite his stoic demeanor, Bonnie could read his tells as easily as the cards in her hand. When she beat him five times in succession, his interestirritation shiftedgave from irritationway to fascination, and soon she became his exclusive companion. Bonnie remained at Gus’s side before and during the war, even staying with him through his long recovery after the loss of his arm. Loyal and deeply devoted, she wasbecame one of his greatest sources of comfort, comfort—yet she always maintained the discretion and distance when his public image required it.demanded.
When Bonnie became pregnant with Gus’s child, she refused to exploit the situation or risk his reputation. Instead, she returned to France under the pretense of an extended business trip for Lafayette. There, she gave birth to a son,son whom she named James Agustus Campbell. The birth of her child was the happiest moment of Bonnie’s life, and she discovered that motherhood was a role she cherished above all others.
When James was two years old, Bonnie returned to America and settled once more in Charleston, purchasing a small townhouse where she intended to raise himher son while continuingworking heras professionala tiesmadame tofor Lafayette. Not long after their return, James fell gravely ill with a strange, dark fever that no physician could cure. Desperate to save her child, Bonnie turned to the Gullah communities of the Lowcountry, whose spiritual traditions blended African belief, Christianity, herbalism, and folk magic. Through them, she summoned Baron Samedi. A bargain was struck: Bonnie would surrender her soul to the leader of the Guede spirits in exchange for her son’s life. She agreed without hesitation.
James survived.recovered Thoughalmost immediately, though he remained thin and pale,pale ever after.
When James grew old enough to attend school, Bonnie began to see how the shadows of her past threatened his future. If he grewremained intoin South Carolina, James would forever be labeled the bastard son of a thoughtfulwhore. No amount of wit, money, or careful planning could fully shield him from that stigma, and capablehis youngprospects man.would Movingalways forward,be limited. Knowing she wanted more for him, Bonnie devotedmade herselfthe entirelymost painful choice of her life. She sent James to hisan future,elite boarding school in Savannah, Georgia far from Charleston, and far from the whispers her lifestyle invited. In Georgia, James could be presented as the son of a decorated, deceased Confederate colonel, raised by a wealthy mother determined to sparegive him the hungerfinest andeducation fearmoney ofcould buy.
As Bonnie grew older, she began to think seriously about her own childhood.future Yetand aseventual retirement. Despite Gus covering a respectable portion of James’s education, the financial strain of raising a southern gentleman while maintaining the luxury and comfort she plannedhad ahead,grown sheaccustomed realizedto—was her earnings and the discreet stipend Gus provided, would not be enough to secure lasting comfort.significant. If she wantedwas trueto independenceprovide James with a secure future and aage stabilitywith fordignity, her son, Bonnieshe would have to leavego Lafayetteinto business for herself. Yet acquiring an established enterprise in either the North or the South was nearly impossible for a woman. Out West, however, rules and social norms blurred or vanished entirely. With the Disputed Territories in mind, Gus encouraged her to turn her attention to the booming frontier town of Dodge City, Kansas.
Thanks to Colonel Brennan’s influence, Bonnie secured a partial claim in the Long Branch Saloon in exchange for managing the women who worked there. Her French training and cultivated charm proved invaluable, adding a layer of European elegance and refinement unmatched by any other establishment in Dodge City. Opportunity waited in the West, and without a second glance back at the Spanish moss and ocean air of Charleston, Bonnie set her sights on the dusty plains, buffalo herds, and hard promise of Dodge City.
Bonnie soon became the Long Branch Saloon’s most desired attraction, earning her the nickname “The Diamond of Dodge City.” Her affection came at a price few could afford, yet she possessed a warmth and magnetism that charmed even those who could not pay. Her proximity to Gus’s financial dealings brought additional protection, and the pair reunited whenever circumstances allowed. Thanks to her connection to Colonel Brennan, most of Dodge City thought twice before attempting to double-cross Bonnie Campbell.
But men were not Bonnie’s greatest concern. It was the strange and dangerous forces creeping in from the frontier—the weird—that threatened Dodge City and everyone’s livelihood. Bonnie understood that her success was tied to the town’s survival. And so, when necessary, she is willing to step out from behind the velvet and build somethinggaslight of herthe own.saloon to aid the Troubleshooters and Fixers if it meant Dodge City prospered and gold continued to flow into all their pockets.
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Worst Nightmare
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Connections
Family
Spouse: None
Children: James Augusts Campbell (age 12)
Mother: Maisie Campbell (deceased)
Father: Callum Campbell (deceased)
Siblings: Euan Campbell (Age 43), Rory Campbell (deceased), Olivia Campbell (age 30), Arran Campbell (age 25), Sorcha Campbell (deceased), Harris Campbell (Age 19)
Allies & Contacts
Colonel Agustus "Gus" Brennan: Bonnie served as Gus’s companion and mistress for nearly twenty years. She first met him in a card hall in 1860, where she caught his attention not through striking beauty, but through sharp conversation and a quick mind, beating him hand after hand at the table. Though Gus was known publicly as a stern, militant man, Bonnie was among the few allowed close enough to witness his private, more vulnerable side. Even so, their relationship was always governed by boundaries and a shared sense of discretion that kept either of them from doing anything truly reckless.
When Bonnie became pregnant by Gus, she handled the matter with the same careful restraint. Determined to protect his reputation from scandal, she remained discreet and secretive, ultimately giving birth overseas. She has never publicly acknowledged Gus as the child’s father, nor has she brought the child to Memphis to meet him. Because of her loyalty and the quiet sacrifice of keeping their child a secret, Gus owes Bonnie a favor should she ever choose to call upon it.
Enemies
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Deadlands Character Statistics
Traits
Derived Statistics
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Edges
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Hindrances
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Aptitudes
Hexes / Miracles / Powers
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Mad Science Devices
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Equipment & Possessions
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Additional Notes
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