Random encounters/Red Dead Redemption

Random Encounters can occur anywhere on the map during the player's travels. With very few exceptions, they will be marked with a blue dot on the radar. Some will start with an NPC asking the player for help while others will not involve the player unless specific actions are taken. The tasks the player can carry out for them are not considered side-quests done for Strangers, but rather random encounters that will affect the player's fame and honor.

These encounters can often be performed in an honorable or dishonorable way at the player's discretion, either adding or detracting from the player's honor level. Random encounters can reoccur throughout the game at the same or different location. This page covers the different types of random encounters that can be experienced.

Viva la revolución!
In most Mexican cities, mainly in Escalera, a large gunbattle will break out between Mexican Army soldiers and Rebels. This is common at the end of the story missions once the Rebels take over Escalera. Most of the time the Rebels get killed. If you choose to attack the Mexican Army, you will get a bounty on your head. There tends to usually be 1-3 Rebels against 1-2 Mexican Authorities. This is common near the meat area and outside the General Store. You can usually stand and watch as the gun battle goes on and you won't get shot. All bodies can be looted giving you about $4 each, and with the Rabbit's Foot, $5-6.

The Beauty and the Wagon
Encountered outside of cities. A woman standing near a wagon calls the player for help, and when the player comes closer, 4-5 men pop up from behind the wagon and start mugging the player. If the player stays still without shooting them, they hold up a ransom for a fee, then let the player go. Once the player kills them all, they have the choice of sparing the woman or killing her for her deception. If the player chooses to spare her, she will plead for forgiveness and offer the player money.

Hint: If the player hogties the lady, she can be brought to justice the Old West way: by putting her on the tracks and watching the train deal with her. This is an easy way to complete the Dastardly Trophy/Achievement.

There is a chance that the woman is in real need of assistance. In this case Marston can take her up on his horse and take her back to the nearest town (although they will be chased by criminals). Ways to know the difference:


 * With the bandits, the woman is usually found with a stagecoach (as seen in the picture); when she is in real need of help, she will have a carriage or a wagon.
 * If it's an ambush, bandits can be seen through the windows of the stagecoach.

Wounded Lawman
Encountered in the wilderness, near major roads or intersections. The player may come across a crashed wagon with an officer in front of it. The officer will be wounded and will tell you that two criminals are making an escape and that they killed his companion. He then asks the player to go catch them. The player can either kill both criminals and receive less fame/money or they can hogtie them and bring them back to the officer, which will reward the player with more honor and money. Once the player kills or captures both criminals, they can return to the officer and receive their reward. In most cases, the Lawman will execute the Hogtied criminal(s), most likely in revenge for his fallen partner. The player can also help the criminals by killing the Lawman. This will reward the player fame and decrease his honor, unless he has the bandana equipped.

Escort Mission
The player will find a stranded party on the side of the road, usually near a broken wagon, asking for assistance. If the player agrees, he will let the person ride with them to where they want to go. This encounter is easy to confuse with In Need of a Ride and the Beauty and the Wagon. Usually bandits will try to attack at some point during the mission. The player can fight them, or try to outrun them.

In Need of a Ride
Encountered outside of cities. When the player is traveling on a horse, a man or a woman calls them over and asks for a ride. Once the player gets closer, he/she will steal your horse and start riding away. The player must kill or capture him/her or he will lose his horse. Alternatively, if it is his saved horse, he can whistle ("up" on the D-pad) and the offending party will be bucked off. The player must be warned, killing the thief after the players horse bucks him off will cost him some honor (unless you wear a bandana). In addition; an attentive player may draw their gun before the thief can get close to their horse and threaten the would-be horse thief, which will either cause the thief to run away or draw their own gun and attempt to kill the player.If the player dismounts the horse and lets the stranger mount it they will get 50+ honor

Alms from the Convent
Encountered in cities/villages. A Nun walks up and greets the player and asks them to accept some money from her in a form of appreciation for what they are doing. This may only occur when the player has a positive honor ranking. The player can accept the money or walk away. This will earn you 20 Fame. The item Obscuridad del Santo Andres can also be obtained: "A blessed symbol from a far-off land. Enemies have less chance to hit you." According to the nun, she and her sisters raised a collection to help "further your cause in this wicked land".

The Gift
Similar to "Alms from the Convent", a random person outside a city will run up to the player and say he has been looking for him/her everywhere. The person will offer the player a gift, which is a Pardon Letter or money (there may be some other unconfirmed gifts) for saving his/her mother or friend. (Confirmed: A nun will appear and give you Obscuridad del Santo Andres. Not connected to Alms encounter.)

You're That Famous Fella
With high enough fame, people in towns or on horses on the roads may say they have heard of the player's deeds. You do not get anything from this encounter, however. This will not occur when playing as Jack Marston - you will be treated as you were when you first started the game. This is most likely because Rockstar did not want to voice act each and every NPC for the purpose of saying Jack Marston's name instead of John, although this is unconfirmed. Another theory is that because Jack didn't do much to make himself known, nobody knows him.

Hangman's Noose
Encountered in the wilderness. A man will ride up to the player while he is on a horse and ask him to save his wife/brother/friend/cousin from being hanged by a group of bandits. The player can follow him and he will lead the player to a tree with a couple of horses/carriage. There are 4 to 5 enemies and a hanging man/woman. The player must shoot the rope quickly before they die. The easiest way to do so is by using Dead-Eye. Then all there is left is to kill all the enemies and the player will be rewarded with Fame. A scripted hanging can also occur if the player is near the Hanging Rock or Tumbleweed. This can happen very often whilst riding in Tall Trees and sometimes at Odd Fellow's Rest.

Kidnapper
While in a city (especially Thieves' Landing), the player can hear a woman screaming for help. A criminal has hogtied her and is running away with her on his back. The player can choose to shoot him or Hogtie him and cut her free for a decent amount of fame and money.

Store Robbery
When the player is in a city, a store owner might run out and yell that somebody just robbed their store. The player can catch the robber and bring him back to the store or kill him. The player will receive Fame and more cash if he keeps him alive, but if he chooses to kill the robber and loot his body, the player can take all of the money for himself. Returning the thief to the shopkeeper will cause the shop keeper to repeatedly kick the thief in the head, pausing only to spit on the thief. Killing the thief is probably doing him a favor... (Occasionally, generally in Mexico, the thief will be a woman, but she will still be referred to as "he".)

Grand Theft Stallion
When the player is walking in a city, there is a chance that a random pedestrian will run up to the player and desperately ask him to get his horse back which just got stolen by some rustler. The player can catch/kill the criminal and return the horse for Fame and cash. It may be easier to catch the horse if the player lassos or throws a knife at the thief. This will avoid spooking the horse with a gunshot. If the horse is spooked, catching it may be problematic. Sometimes, most often in Mexico, horse-drawn carts are stolen. These are much easier to retrieve as the horse will not run without a driver.

If this happens in Thieves' Landing, kill the horse thief and catch the horse quickly, otherwise there are good chances that the horse runs into the water resulting in the horse's death and the failure of the mission.

Riding off before the person gets on their horse counts as a fail, even after you catch the horse and release it right next to them.

Nice Eyes
Occasionally, while in open wilderness, the player will hear shooting coming from a nearby camp and a flock of birds (mostly crows and vultures) hovering above. The man at this camp will challenge the player for money to shoot a number of birds (starts at 3 and gets 1 larger every second time) in a faster time than him (Dead-Eye helps a lot). The player will receive cash as their reward.

This is probably the easiest way to earn a lot of money in a relatively short time. Every time the player fails to kill the birds in the allotted time, he will be given the option of "double or nothing". If he fails the challenge several times in a row, the wagers will have been raised by quite a fair amount. After failing the challenge several times in a row, the player must then complete it successfully (most likely with Dead-Eye). He will earn all his money back, but not a lot extra. If the player then kills the stranger and loots his body, he will receive a huge amount of money (although he will also lose Honor if he doesn't wear a Bandana).

He is found mostly in large even areas or near water.

The Herbalist
Encountered in the wilderness, a person at a campsite will wave the player over and ask him to help him find a few herbs. Accepting causes a short challenge to start where the player must gather two herbs and run back to the herbalist's camp before the herbalist. The player will receive cash as his reward. As with the shooting challenge above, if you take the challenge you can kill him and take an amount of money equal to whatever the bet was; if you accept the challenge and lose you can kill him and take back your money along with his. To guarantee success, use a horse to cut down travel time between herbs.

The Trapper
Encountered in the wilderness, a person at a campsite will wave the player over and ask him to help him gather some pelts. On accepting the challenge, the hunter will give the player some bait to use and indicate how many and what type of pelts he needs. The player simply needs to use the bait just outside the camp, then kill and skin the animals that come. This can be quite useful for Master Hunter Challenges 2 and 6, as most commonly the pelts asked for are foxes, racoons and deer, which need to be killed and skinned for these challenges.

Treasure Hunter in Need is a Treasure Indeed
While in the open, the player might encounter 2-4 criminals holding up a treasure hunter, usually with them shooting at the treasure hunter who is taking cover behind his wagon. If the player fails to act fast, the hunter will be killed. The player can help him by killing the criminals and he will receive a reward, after which the treasure hunter will ride off without his wagon. The first time the player encounters the treasure hunter, the reward will be the first map of the ''Treasure Hunter Challenges. ''If the treasure hunter is killed, the map can be found on his corpse. Even if you shoot the treasure hunter to help the bandits, they will sill shoot at you after.

It Might Help If You Aim
While in the wild, the player will hear gunfire. It's two lawmen chasing after a criminal. The player can shoot him in the leg and let the lawmen finish him or just kill him. The player will receive a thanks from the lawmen and some fame. Alternatively, the player can shoot the lawmen and let the criminal go free. This event is not marked with a blue dot on the map, probably because the player can help either the lawmen or the criminal.

Bad Hunter
Outside cities, the player might encounter a man on a horse chasing after some animal trying to shoot it. The player can help him out and he will receive a thanks from him. This event is not marked with a blue blip(but when it happens you will hear music typical to this event). Assisting the hunter also appears to be the only method in which to hunt and skin regular bears, as opposed to the grizzlies in the rest of the game, as well as hunt buffalo after their extinction related to the Manifest Destiny achievement/trophy. It is possible that animals like boars can appear in Mexico, or bighorners in New Austin due to this. Once the animal is dead, the hunter will dismount and stand over the dead animal. While he does this, the player can hit "Skin animal" and get the loot from the animal without actually skinning it.

The Prey
A man or a woman in the wild is running away, screaming for help. There are some type of animals, such as wolves, cougars, bobcats, bear or coyotes, chasing after him/her. The player can help out and receive a reward. (Tip: It helps to use Dead Eye to kill the animals since manual/auto targeting could potentially target and kill the victim.) 

"I'm about to make you famous"
Depending on the player's fame, there is a chance that townsfolk will want to make a name for themselves by killing the player in a duel. They will harass the player and challenge him. If the player has low enough honor, the person will blame him for killing his brother/friend. If the player ignores the challenge and walks away, he/she will lose honor. Accepting the challenge puts the game in dueling mode. By killing the opponent the player receives 50 Fame. He can also disarm him by shooting his hand or arm (harder than shooting to kill) and receive 100 Fame. It is also possible to shoot his hat off if the player chooses to disarm him but it does not give the player more Fame.

Damsel In Distress
While traveling through a settlement, the player might encounter a screaming prostitute and a man with a knife chasing after her. The man will pull her down and kill her if the player doesn't stop him in time. On success, the player will receive both Fame and money. The player can either shoot him, lasso/beat him up or just watch while the guy stabs the woman.

A glitch can occur if you kill the man. The townsfolk will start shooting at the player and the woman will be afraid of the player.

There is another glitch where the lasso kills the attacker.

Aggressive Camper
In the wild and often based at a small camp, the player can meet an armed man with a dog. As he approaches, the man will raise his weapon and tell the player to go away. If the player fails to leave, the guy will start shooting and his dog will attack the player. The player can kill him (and loot the chest he is sometimes guarding) or run away. This event is not marked with a blue dot and is especially common in Nuevo Paraiso. It has been also found on the hill above the cabin on Lake Don Julio and north-east of Pacific Union R.R. Camp.

A second variant of this occurs in Tall Trees and very close to the river in the Great Plains; however, instead of a dog, there will be two people who will often not warn the player, but will simply open fire. 

"A fella's got to eat"
A man will ask the player if he wants to provide him with company; when the player gets close enough, the guy will shoot the player. If the player kills him, he will find a hostage hogtied near the tent and several human bones and heads scattered around his campsite.

Mainly cannibals are around The Hanging Rock where American Appetites was completed, though the player could find one around the Great Plains or Tall Trees, even in Nuevo Paraiso and Hennigan's Stead.

Captured Outlaw
A lawman or soldier in the wilderness will ask Marston to deliver a hogtied outlaw to a nearby settlement. It is very much like normal bounty hunting as the player will be pursued while en-route. The pay and honor are much lower however and it counts for +1 travelers escorted.

Dynamite Delivery
Two gentlemen with a wagon full of dynamite will ask the player to deliver the wagon to a weaponry shop. The player must make sure to avoid bumpy paths, or the dynamite will explode. The player will be attacked by thieves who will shoot at him.

One Spark
Out in the wilderness, the player may run across a camp with several crates of Dynamite and two men preparing dynamite bundles from these crates. If the men are approached, they will add some dynamite to the players inventory. If the player sticks around for a minute or so, one of the men will say something to the effect of "Careful, one spark and we'll all go up" or "Time for a cigar, got a light?". Right afterward, the dynamite will explode, taking the camp and the two men with it. The men can be looted afterward; however, they do not carry anything special. This can also be encountered in Mexico, but without the explosion scripting; the player can of course shoot the dynamite at the cost of honor. This encounter does not appear on the minimap. If you loot the chest near them they may begin throwing dynamite and shooting at you.

Wild Posse
Usually found riding into town. A group of around four gang members will be riding along one dragging a lassoed person behind him while the others fire their guns into the air. +100 honor for aiding the victim and preventing the four gang members from terrorizing the town, but be warned when you shoot at the gang, they will start shooting back at you, so using the Dead-Eye will help a lot. If Marston kills the posse, he will receive honor and a thank you from the townfolk. The places this mainly occurs is Armadillo, Casa Madrugada, Manzanita Post and Thieves' Landing. This is not marked with a blue spot on the map.

The Supply Coach
When near a store, a woman will tell the player her supply wagon is missing. He then can press B/Circle to accept her job and find out what happened to the stagecoach. Rather than be given a clear destination, you are given the direction the wagon was heading from and advice to watch for circling vultures overhead to denote the wagon's location. The player must follow major roads. Following horse trails in the forest will result in confusion and getting lost. When the player finds the stagecoach, it has been attacked by robbers whom the player then has to kill. Following this the player will have to drive the stagecoach back to the woman for his reward. This is very common at Manzanita Post.

Pit Stop
Randomly in the distance, a man may ride up, get off his horse and walk/run towards a rock, which he will then proceed to urinate upon. The player can easily steal the man's horse or murder and loot him.

Camp
Occasionally (most often at night), Marston may wander upon a camp of two to three people. They will offer to let Marston stay with them for a while, and if he does, he can sit and listen to them talk about recent events or tell stories of the past, most often about those relating to John's adventures. One should exercise a certain amount of caution, however, as these campsites will sometimes house hostile gangs or cannibals. Sometimes Lawmen or gang members can be seen in camps, especially in Cholla Springs. The player cannot interact with them like normal campsites.

Suicide
Occasionally, the player may come across someone grieving over a dead body. If the player sits there and watches them for a minute (they will not talk to the player), the grieving person will either shoot themselves in the head or drink poison. The situations the player comes upon will vary slightly, as the couple may be two men, two women, or a man and a woman. In almost every case, it appears the already dead person was shot or possibly knifed (due to the pooling of blood beneath them). The player can loot the person who commits suicide once they've died, but not the already-dead body. The player may shoot the gun or bottle out the the living man's hands before he commits suicide, which will in turn give the player honor. The man will thank the player and walk off. This is most common in the Tall Trees and Cochinay areas that are secluded from society. It has also been confirmed near and around Lake Don Julio and occasionally in Escalera.

Scavenger
Occasionally the player may come across a man standing searching over a person's body before jumping on his horse and riding away. The player can search the person's body for a few dollars and he will not be punished even if he shoots the escaping thief for even more loot. The thief is generally a member of a criminal gang, suggesting he has committed a murder.

Wanna Make Some Money?
In Chuparosa, a man will sometimes run up to the player and ask "Hey you! Wanna make some money?". If Marston follows the man, he will ask him to steal a supply wagon and then drive it out of the city. As soon as Marston boards the wagon and starts driving, local law enforcement will begin pursuit. Once Marston ditches the lawmen, he must then take the wagon back to the stranger. The stranger gives Marston some money and says he "might have some more work for you later". The man then rides back into town in the same wagon that was stolen and resells items from the stolen wagon at a higher price. Marston can repeat this event to earn money. The player will lose 100 Honor for completing this event unless wearing the Bandana.

After a successful theft, if the player hops on the wagon the man won't become hostile but instead will drive the wagon to any location in Mexico.

Fate of the Stagecoach
Out in the wilderness, you may see a message pop up on the player's screen saying that "A stagecoach is under attack". The player can then choose to either side with the defending stagecoach or the bandits attacking. If the player helps the bandits, one will board the stagecoach and ride off. If the player boards the stagecoach as well, the driver will take the player to various locations on the map.

Public Execution
In Mexican towns, namely Escalera, the player will sometimes see a firing-squad of Mexican soldiers lining up a couple of rebels against a wall for execution. If the player tries to stop the execution, the Mexican army will immediately open fire on the player and he'll get a bounty on his head, but the player can always just watch the rebels get executed. Sometimes this happens far enough outside a town that the player can kill all of the soldiers with no witnesses around and no bounty on their head. This encounter may not occur if the player has completed every story mission in Mexico, thus allowing the rebels to take control of Escalera. This however, is unconfirmed.

Unlawful Justice
While exploring around in Mexico, the player sometimes will cross paths with a firing-squad and a poor man. It's unsure if the man is innocent or not, but he doesn't appear to be a rebel or bandito and looks just like a normal person. If the player stands in front of the man the soldiers will attack the player. The player can disarm the soldiers by shooting their weapons out of their hands and he will gain honor. Or he could just stand and watch.

Law or Disorder?
When the player's riding/walking about, he may see some lawmen and outlaws in a shoot-out. Just like Fate of the Stagecoach, the player can choose to help the lawmen or assist the outlaws. Whichever side he helps, the faction will be grateful and commend the player on his actions.

Public Protest
Sometimes when riding through Chuparosa or Escalara, the player may see a group of people listening to one person speak in Spanish about injustices. As the crowd starts cheering, a group of soldiers will arrive and open fire. If you fire on the soldiers, a bounty will be put on your head. If you fire on the protesters, a bounty will also be put on your head.

You're not welcome here!
When riding into Thieves' Landing, the player may be shot at. Shooting the ambusher might cause other townsfolk to start attacking Marston, though this might be because of the player accidentally held an innocent at gunpoint or hit one with a stray bullet while confronting the shooter. This is due to having a high honor ranking (usually Hero) and can be bypassed by wearing the bandana.

Stick 'em up!
On sides of the roads, the player will sometimes spot a supply wagon being robbed by a gang. If the player is just approaching the wagon, he can help out the people in the wagon before they're executed, but if the player arrives late they will already be dead and the posse will shoot the player.

Put up your dukes
When the player travels off course, he'll sometimes catch two guys brawling with their fists. If he stays to spectate the fight, eventually one of the men will knock the other man out and then walk off like nothing ever happened. If the player wants to see this event, the best place is Tall Trees in West Elizabeth. Strangely, the man that is knocked out is killed or knocked out permanently. This encounter is very common while on a Nightwatch job.

Who Dunnit?
While on foot, the player may come across a dead man, woman, or couple of people. He cannot steal from them, so this could evidently mean that these were mugged victims who refused to give up their money and paid the ultimate price for it; however, this might be the result of another stranger event such as the suicide or scavenger in which the player arrived to the scene late.

You can't take it with you
Same as Who Dunnit?, only this time the player catches the mugger in the act. If he sneaks up behind the mugger, he can see them standing over the person they just killed, and the mugger (if desperate enough) may resort to biting off the victims finger (or more probably remove the victims ring with his teeth) to get their rings. If the player runs or walks up to the mugger, he will take out his gun and try to kill the player as well. If the player decides not to do anything, the mugger will call for his horse and ride away.

The Better Man
This encounter is just like Put up your dukes, except instead of a fistfight, it's a gunfight. Once one of the men kills the other, they will claim that the man was trying to kill him, but the two men are not gangster nor criminals, they're just two guys who wanted to settle their differences using guns.

Refreshing
Sometimes, for example in Armadillo, the player can see a man enter the bathroom, sometimes urinating, and other times, freshening up, like shaving, and taking water in his face afterwards. If you did not complete The Last Enemy That Shall Be Destroyed but completed And The Truth Will Set You Free you can see that Jack often does this, or other chores.

A Dog is a Man's Best Friend/Fetch!
Sometimes, when in a settlement, the player may come across a man or woman throwing a stick for their dog. The dog will fetch the stick and return, then the process is repeated. Similar to the "Refreshing" random event the dog will be seen urinating on a fence when in a settlement. This happens often at Manzanita Post as Marston is leaving his safe house.

Don't Play With Fire
While traveling on the road, the player may come across a wrecked stagecoach with burn marks all around. If the player approaches the wreck, they may find a charred body with a fire bottle next to it. It is unsure exactly what happened to the man in the stagecoach, but it appears to have been an accident. This event most likely only happens after the player has completed the story mission The Demon Drink, although it might still happen if the player has only completed the story mission We Shall Be Together in Paradise.

Deserted Locations and Destroyed Houses
Although not a true random event, John Marston will comment as you approach. Listen to what he says, something strange happened here, though yet to discover the mystery, it's well worth taking a look as you will find chests to open at some locations. Often, wild animals will attack Marston after a closer look at the site.

"Hey! Wanna buy a Mule?"
Sometimes, in Nuevo Paraiso and New Austin, a man will be walking along the road with a mule, dragged by a rope, and will try to sell the mule to the player. If the player shoots the rope, the mule will flee, causing the man to chase after it in an attempt to kill it. If the player shoots the mule, the man will attack the player, yelling "You break, you buy!".

Drive-By
Sometimes, the player will be walking around town, and an NPC on a horse will unexpectedly open fire on the player (without the player's input). If the player kills the attacker, he won't get a bounty, and will get a few dollars from the looted body.

C'mon Sweet Heart
In Nuevo Paraiso, Marston may hear a woman screaming. Upon investigating, the player will find a group of rebels watching a woman, and one rebel will be trying to kiss her. If the player shoots the rebel trying to kiss the woman, they will get a Bounty.

"Where Did That Come From?"
Occasionally if the player pulls a gun on a random NPC a shot will be heard in the distance and the NPC will fall over dead, with Marston asking "Where did that Come from".

Undead Nightmare Encounters
These encounters are unique to Undead Nightmare. They are usually rewarded with ammo and usually involve saving people from the undead.

Reunited Couple
A wife will see her husband (who was presumably dead before the plague) and try to embrace him. The husband will attempt to infect her and if you save her, she will thank you and reward you. If you kill the husband before he tries to eat her, she will say that "he wasn't one of them" and run away. This usually happens outside of towns.

Doctor
A person can usually be found at a camp with a gatling gun trying to fend off a horde of undead. If he survives, he will ask you to capture an Undead and bring it to him for research. He will reward you with ammo if you do. He also may show aggression if the player attempts to steal from his chest before bringing back a specimen, which contains either ammo, consumables, and/or a Treasure Map (if not yet acquired). Upon encountering this mission again, he may ask for two zombies. After receiving the Blunderbuss, he may ask for undead pieces. After completing typically four to six of these Random Encounters, the player is awarded the High Power Pistol in return.

Note that if you harm his specimen, he will shoot you.

The doctor who appears in this random encounter when encountered in New Austin is apparently the same doctor who can be found defending Armadillo and giving the rewards for the Fort Mercer Missing Persons. He may also be the doctor found in MacFarlane's Ranch in the main game. His Mexican equivalent is possibly the same doctor who owns the Escalera Doctor's Office in the main game, and could also be Porfirio Gutierrez.

The Zombie Prey
Similar to The Prey in the normal Red Dead Redemption, a woman will be chased by one to five zombies. If you save her, she will reward you with ammo. The zombies chasing her are always Bolters regardless of location

Challenger
A man will be trying to fend off a horde of Undead. He will bet some ammo that he can kill more than you. If you lose, you can kill him and loot his body anyway. If he is killed, the challenge will be over.

Stranded Traveler
A person will call out to John and ask for a ride to the nearest safe town. Simply ride up to the person on a horse and ride to the town marked on the map. Upon arriving safely in the town, the person will reward John with a decent supply of a random ammo type.

I Don't Feel Too Good Mister
An NPC will call out to John for help. When John approaches him/her, they will say they are feeling sick and ask for him to call a doctor. Soon after, the victim will start to vomit or writhe on the ground before turning into an Undead. Threatening the NPC can sometimes make him panic and flee, stopping him from becoming undead. Hogtying the victim before they turn undead will reward the player with the Pistol Ammo or the Volcanic Pistol, depending on if the pistol is already in the player's inventory.

Happy Family
A man will happily greet John from his campsite. A closer look at the campsite reveals limbs, bones and other various remains scattered throughout the campsite, as well a "living" zombie (apparently the man's wife) leashed to a stake in the ground. The man will happily chat with John about his happy "family" and occasionally toss his undead wife a piece of meat. There is a chest of ammo or a treasure map at the campsite; however, opening it will cause the man to attack. It is possible for John to shoot the leash causing the Undead family member to attack. Occasionally, the man will stand up and give his wife (undead) a limb. The wife can possibly bite him, infecting him.

Till Death do us Part
Similar in appearance to the above event, a man will call out to John from his campsite. The man is alone and will pick up a severed head from the ground and talk to it affectionately as if it was his wife or girlfriend (or sometimes, he talks to it as if it was his boyfriend/husband). If he is uninterrupted, he will continue rambling and begin to gnaw on the head. As before, there is a chest of ammo in the area that will cause the man to turn hostile if it is taken.

Stranded Camp
A stranded camp full of dead bodies. If Marston approaches, a few undead will rise from the ground.

You only die twice
A person will be crying over their recently deceased friend. The dead person then tries to attack the man, but the man will shoot the zombie in the head, then shoots himself in the head. If you shoot the body, the man will run away. There are two variations: a man who is trying to kill himself and a man just sobbing without a gun. If he is without a gun, his deceased friend will turn into an Undead and murder him.

One less zombie to kill
A man will be trying to fight off many Undead at once. If left alone, he will fail, then shout that the zombies are not "gonna get" him and then shoot himself in the head. The player can decide to help him, but they will not be rewarded if they do. At other times, the man will say that he has run out of bullets and the player can watch as the undead claw him to death. However, the man does not turn into an undead when this happens.

Hell has one more seat
A man will be crying over two Undead bodies that are burning and then he will shoot himself in the head.

If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em.
A man will be sitting at a campfire, eating human meat. He invites John to eat with him. If John chooses to, he will eat the meat saying "I can't believe I'm doing this." and then vomit (an undead character will eat and not vomit only if he's alone). The man will talk about food for the duration of John's stay. Subtle differences in the discussion depend on the ethnicity of the NPC. Also, if John just stands around and doesn't sit down, the man will accuse John of trying to rob him and start shooting.

Don't Open that Door!
May happen at most houses you can enter in the wilderness. Three zombies are shuffling against a woman and you can save her. After the three are taken care of, the woman will warn John to "not open the door no matter what". The woman will proceed to take a drink and stumble away before passing out a few steps away. If John touches the door, it will open, revealing a huge attacking horde of zombies. After John dispatches them, there is a chest inside that will give a good deal of ammunition and a consumable item.

Help My Brother
May happen at most houses you can enter in the wilderness. Sometimes a man on a horse will ask John to help his brother who is trapped in the house. The house will be surrounded by a group of zombies and you will need to kill them all before you can reunite the two brothers. Again, there is a chest inside. Open it for some ammo and a consumable item.

Last Stand
A group of men, usually two or three, will be seen surrounded by zombies with a custom-made barricade defending themselves against a group of around ten zombies. The zombies will get closer to the boxes, and once they reach them, they will begin to break them till the barricade is destroyed and the survivors are killed. You can choose to help them or let them die and turn into zombies.

Preacher and Barn
A preacher will be standing outside of a closed barn with a rifle and will warn you not to open the barn door. Usually, he will take a few drinks and recite scripture. After he is done, he usually takes off. If you open the barn door, it will be filled with Undead, who will shortly pour out of the barn. Make sure you stay away from the doors after you open them if you plan on cleansing the area of Undead. A smart thing to do would be to throw in a stick of dynamite or a fire bottle inside the enclosed barn-space.

The Living Enemy
Usually around a town, you will hear an NPC cry out for help. When you arrive, you will see a scraggly man – possibly a treasure hunter – attacking the NPC, demanding money. If you pull your gun on him, he will shoot you. Killing or hogtying the man rewards you with ammunition.

Dinner for Two
Sometimes in the wilderness, the player will come upon two zombies feasting on a dead human. Once the zombies notice the player, they will attack him. If the player does not interrupt them, the corpse may become a zombie. If they are interrupted, the corpse will not rise. The corpse usually has dynamite or fire bottles on it.

The Chase is on
This event can appear in certain towns. A man calls for help as a zombie chases him. Eventually, the zombie overtakes the man and begins to eat him. If the player is quick enough, the zombie can be shot once anywhere and the man will run away but come back once the player has killed the zombie. You will receive ammo upon completing this.

A Hairy Encounter
Similar to the Doctor encounter, in this version there is a man, possibly a doctor, who is defending his makeshift base with a Gatling Gun. Beside him is a Sasquatch, that seems helpless as the hordes attack. The player will receive a reward if he holds off the zombies, but can kill the doctor for other items. He cannot, however, loot the Sasquatch. This only occurs in the Tall Trees area of West Elizabeth.