Red Dead Online: ‘Further Pursuits: The Next Steps’ Treasure Vault Guard Loyalty Mission 1 – Richard

The script for a proposed "Loyalty Mission" for a Treasure Vault Guard as a part of my "Further Pursuits: The Next Steps" concept for Red Dead Online.

Enter the player, walking through their vault. They hear a faint crying noise from around a corner, upon inspection they find their hired guard, Richard trembling on the floor and pointing a black and Copper LeMatt Revolver at his head. The player leans down, puts their hand on the barrel and points it away from Richard’s chin.

 

RICHARD: Oh, um, hey partner. I’m sorry, it’s just been one damned evening for me.

The player sits next to him, and offers him a bottle of alcohol.

(Any co op partners will sit alongside the wall)

RICHARD: Thank you kindly. -He takes a swig, looks at the bottle, and downs it.- Those b******s. Those sick, evil, devilish b******s. -He begins to tear up again.- They took my boy, my only boy after the love of my life passed to the Cholera in Armadillo. I swear to the Lord above, I am going to find every last one of those Murfree Brood and I am going to bring forth hell upon their sorry souls.

Camera cuts to the player, who is checking the bullets in their guns. It cuts back to Richard, who aggressively throws his glass bottle at the wall.

RICHARD: You know what they did? They put my boy’s head on a pike. Seventeen years old and they done something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy.

Camera cuts out to the pair of them, the player nudges Richard and spins the barrel of their Revolver, before standing up and offering their hand to Richard.

RICHARD: What are you planning?

The player takes their gun out again, taps their head, and re-holsters it.

(Co op partners will also gesture, pulling out knives, dynamite, etc.)

RICHARD: I like your thinkin’. Let’s pay these fools a visit.

 

The player(s) ride with Richard to the cave at Beaver Hollow, where they must fight through waves of Murfree Brood who are equipped with mid-tier weapons and machetes. Upon reaching the end of the cave, another cutscene will trigger.

 

The player and Richard notice three large cages filled with people, and begin opening them. One only has one person in it, a little boy surrounded by skeletons. He is dirty and his clothes are tattered. It is very clear he’s been crying.

 

RICHARD: Boss. It’s… A child. Those fuckers. They took a child.

The player looks infuriated, takes out their pistol and lays a few more shots into one of the Murfree corpses, before kicking it.

Richard approaches the cage.

RICHARD: Hello there, son, what’s your name?

VINCENT: My- My name- Vincent.

RICHARD: Well hello there, Mr Vincent. Are your Mother and Father around? Where do you stay so we can take you home?

VINCENT: They’re… He starts to tear up They’re in the cage with me. The scary men. They stole Mama and Papa’s skin. -He bursts out into tears.-

Richard leans back as the camera cuts behind him, panning out to show the two skeletons next to Vincent.

Richard holds his hand out to Vincent, trying not to cry himself.

RICHARD: Here son, don’t you worry. We’ve got you. -He glances to the player, who nods.- Come here son.

Vincent comes to Richard, who picks him up. The player (along with any co op players) starts opening the other cells and guides all the prisoners to a passenger wagon.

 

The player must then drive the wagon back to Annesburg, where they take all the survivors into the Sheriff’s office to be helped. From now on in gameplay, players will see Vincent playing in the Vault Dorms.

Author's Note

The Red Dead Online protagonist never speaks, at most they will make a noise. They are also player-created, so it is important to not enforce too much of a character or personality onto them.

The mission supports 1 – 4 players, with the host taking priority in the cutscenes. Other players will be seen in the background.

Players must own a Treasure Vault with the guard 'Richard Brown' to tackle this mission.

Setting: 1899, Western Frontier.