West Elizabeth Pursuit
A rugged American state in the twilight of the frontier, from isolated farmhouses to crowded towns.
West Elizabeth is a fictionalized region of the Western United States featured in Red Dead Redemption. It is one of the two American states in the game's open world, alongside New Austin, with the third region being Nuevo Paraiso in Mexico. The region's urban settlements range from isolated farmhouses to crowded towns, and its undeveloped land features rugged and vast landscapes with occasional travelers, bandits, and wildlife. The player can freely roam this area on horseback or on foot, experiencing random events such as public hangings, ambushes, and dangerous animal attacks.
Quick Facts
- Affiliation
- Van der Linde Gang
Lore & Background
West Elizabeth is one of the two American states the player can explore in Red Dead Redemption, the other being New Austin (with Nuevo Paraiso in Mexico as a third region). The region is a fictionalized version of the Western United States and serves as a key setting for John Marston's journey. John's pursuit of former ally Bill Williamson begins in New Austin, where Bill's stronghold at Fort Mercer is located. After being shot and left for dead at the fort, John is rescued by local rancher Bonnie MacFarlane and makes allies including U.S. Marshal Leigh Johnson, con artist Nigel West Dickens, grave robber Seth Briars, and an alcoholic arms smuggler known as "Irish."
Later in the story, John returns to West Elizabeth to track down Dutch van der Linde, who has formed a new gang with disaffected Native Americans in the mountains. With help from Bureau of Investigation agents Edgar Ross and Archer Fordham, John pursues Dutch after the Blackwater Bank robbery—which had already occurred before the game's events—and participates in the U.S. Army's assault on Dutch's stronghold.
Reader's Guide
West Elizabeth is a primary region for the first half of John Marston's story. Key locations include Fort Mercer, where Bill Williamson's gang is based, and Blackwater, where Dutch van der Linde attempts a bank robbery. The player can explore the region freely, encountering random events such as ambushes, pleas for assistance, and dangerous animal attacks. Side activities include bounty hunting, herb collecting, gambling, and hunting.
The Honor system affects how NPCs react: high Honor earns greetings and store discounts, while low Honor causes NPCs to act insecure and establishments to close their doors. The player can use a bandana to disguise themselves when performing criminal acts. The bounty system governs crime: witnesses run to the nearest police station, and the player can bribe or kill them. Once law is alerted, a bounty is set, and more lawmen are sent to hunt the player. To evade pursuit, the player must escape a circular zone or kill all lawmen in a town.
More in The Van der Linde Saga
Elsewhere in Red Dead Redemption
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