Red Dead Redemption II is perhaps one of the most meticulously detailed games of all time, which is incredible considering it's an open-world game with a vast map. However, many things have been left on the cutting room floor, likely due to time restraints and demand from the fandom (the game had already been delayed a year by then). Regions such as Cumberland Forest, Guarma, and Ambarino were severely cut down in content to (likely) try and meet these deadlines. I must also mention the massive amount of out-of-bounds territory in the already textured and modeled map, which led me to believe Rockstar was planning more.
Of course, this is all speculation, but with these ideas in mind, I have created a conceptual map for a new region in Ambarino: the Northern Grizzlies. This region does exist in the Red Dead Universe, but we only hear it from the mentions of gang members. We know that the Van der Linde gang moved to the Northern Grizzlies in late 1898 after a "fire" up in Montana, and they rested in the wilderness for a couple of months near the western foothills of the mountains. During their stay, they recruited members such as Charles, Lenny, Jenny, and Micah-- whom they found in Crenshaw Hills. This leads me to my conceptual map. But before I show it to you, I will explain what some symbols/stuff mean (sort of a legend).
Circular Dots - Towns or Settlements
Triangles - Shacks/Buildings
Star - Point of Interest
Turquoise Drawings - Rivers / Bodies of Water
Square Dot with Line in it - Farm / Ranch
In this map, the Grizzlies North is northwest of the Grizzlies West and north of West Elizabeth. In terms of climate, this region is far more habitable than its other two counterparts. The southern part of the Grizzlies North is where most of the population resides, in a large valley named Tallulah Valley. Situated between the Redemption Mountains, the Little Creek River, which also runs through Big Valley, runs through this region and begins in Milyonne Lake. The southern area of this valley is where Anderson Range can be found. Anderson Range is a ranch similar in size to Pronghorn Ranch, but by 1907, the Laramie boys would buy the farm. Further north is Closson's Rise, another smaller farm independently owned and often harassed by Laramie Boys.
In the southwest of this region, you can find Wakhankee Mountain, a tall mountain about the same height as Mount Hagen. Areas around Wakhankee and the western border are forested and plentiful in supplies and animals. A little bit north is the Valley View Homestead, an overlook point providing a beautiful view of Tallulah Valley. Several outlaws occupied the homestead throughout its lifetime. In my headcanon, shortly before the Van der Linde gang arrived in this region, they scouted and got in a gunfight with a crew living in Valley View (causing a fire). They discovered the gang was holding a man captive, so they took him in. This man was Charles Smith. Shortly after, the gang set up camp here for a few months.
Northeast of the camp is Milyonne Lake: the starting point of the Little Creek River and a popular fishing destination. Along this lake is Crenshaw Hills, the largest settlement in Ambarino (and the capital city). In my headcanon, this town is mainly known for its frontier-style architecture and living, with many hunting and fishing shops. The only thing we know about Crenshaw Hills in the game's canon is that the gang found Micah Bell here during a shootout. A little bit eastward is Buell's Retreat, a small supply shack built during the Civil War named after General Buell. The shack is abandoned but provides some mysteries, including a treasure map.
As you progress eastward in this region, the terrain is more inhospitable and similar to that of the Grizzlies West (snowy and hellish). Around the middle of this region, Paschall station can be found. Paschall Station is a forest fire-lookout base and train station named after one of the first firefighters in America. You can find men on duty here often and be sent on errands there (similar to that of Appleseed Timber Co). South of this is the town of Frostbite, a decrepit town with little to do. The town's northern half (also known as the better half) was obliterated during an avalanche, and that drew much of the people away.
The far east of this region is the most hellish, with knee-deep snow year-round and horrible conditions, but you can still find a couple of locations. Mickey's Haberdashery is a small shack along the road where travelers can rest and get warm during their journeys. And yes, this is named after Minnie's Haberdashery in the Hateful Eight. Further south is the tallest peak in the region (and possibly the game), where the settlement of Tempest View can be found. This town is incredibly remote and is only home to a couple of hundred people. Tempest View heavily relies on Fort Tempest to stay afloat. Fort Tempest is a military installation in this town where a massive stash of gold can be found. Despite being remote, Tempest View is a great lookout and defensible place.
Overall, I regret spending an hour drawing and typing this, but this is my concept for a potential Northern Grizzlies. Give feedback and ideas on what you think about this.
