If you've spent more than five minutes riding through the mud of Saint Denis, you’ve probably realized that Rockstar Games loves a good mystery. Some are big, like the Mount Shann UFO, and others are small, weirdly specific encounters that make the world feel alive. One of the strangest bits of world-building involves the search to locate Diego and the Baron. Most players stumble onto this by accident, or they hear a snippet of dialogue and wonder if they’ve missed a secret mission.
It’s easy to get lost. The game is massive. Honestly, tracking down specific NPCs in Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) is sometimes like trying to find a clean shirt in a pigsty.
Who are Diego and the Baron anyway?
To understand why people are looking for them, you have to look at the "Duchesses and Other Animals" questline. This is the infamous Algernon Wasp mission. It’s a grind. A total nightmare for completionists. You're hunting for exotic bird feathers and rare orchids, but the lore surrounding the high society of Saint Denis is where Diego and the Baron pop up.
They aren't just random names. They represent the peak of the "Gilded Age" decadence that Arthur Morgan absolutely loathes.
The Baron refers to Baron de la Bouse. He’s a fancy, somewhat pompous figure associated with the elite circles of the city. Diego is usually linked to him as a companion or an associate in these social tiers. They aren't legendary animals you can track with Eagle Eye. You won't find a golden trail leading to their front door. They are part of the atmospheric storytelling that defines the Lemoyne region.
The Saint Denis Social Circle
Saint Denis is a trap. It’s beautiful but filthy. When you're trying to locate Diego and the Baron, you’re really looking for the Mayor’s party or the high-stakes poker games.
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Remember the mission "The Gilded Cage"?
That’s your best shot at seeing how these characters operate. You’re at a party. You're wearing a suit that probably costs more than a horse. You’re rubbing elbows with the people who actually run the state. This is where the names come alive. Players often confuse these specific NPCs with "The Baron" from other games or lore, but in the context of RDR2, it's all about that suffocating, high-society vibe.
Why the Location is So Frustrating to Pin Down
You can’t just set a waypoint. RDR2 doesn't work like that for background characters. If you're looking for them during free roam, you're mostly out of luck unless you're looking for the specific vibe of their whereabouts.
They hang out where the money is.
- The Saint Denis Parlor House.
- The Mayor’s Estate (during specific story beats).
- The high-end tailor shops.
If you're hunting for a specific "interaction" or a lootable item associated with them, you’re likely thinking of the various "encounters" that trigger randomly. Sometimes, a carriage will pass by, and the dialogue will mention the Baron's latest exploit. It’s flavor text. It adds weight to the world. It makes you feel like the city exists even when Arthur isn't looking at it.
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The Confusion with Other "Barons"
Let's get real for a second. A lot of the search traffic for this duo comes from a mix-up. People often conflate RDR2 lore with other media or even "The Baron" from the Witcher series or various historical dramas. But if we’re sticking to the Rockstar universe, "The Baron" is a title often whispered in the backrooms of the city’s more "refined" establishments.
Diego is a bit more elusive. In some player circles, Diego is associated with the petty thieves or the lower-level runners for the more established crime lords in Saint Denis. The contrast between a "Baron" and a "Diego" highlights the massive wealth gap in the game. You have people living in mansions and people dying in the gutters three blocks away.
How to Trigger Related Content
If you want to feel like you’ve actually found them, you need to lean into the stranger side of Lemoyne.
- Complete the Mayor's missions. Mayor Henri Lemieux has a series of tasks for Arthur. These involve intimidation, some light "diplomacy," and a lot of sneaking around. This is the closest you get to the inner sanctum where the Baron’s influence is felt.
- The Algernon Wasp Quest. As mentioned, start the "Duchesses and Other Animals" mission. It triggers in Chapter 4. You’ll find Algernon in a greenhouse-style shop in the northern part of Saint Denis. While you’re gathering items for him, the dialogue and letters you find often reference the elite class Diego and the Baron belong to.
- Listen to the NPCs. Don't just sprint everywhere. Walk through the market. Stand near the fountain. The gossip in Saint Denis is actually programmed to change based on your story progress. You'll hear about the Baron’s latest fall from grace or Diego’s latest brush with the law.
It’s about immersion.
The Role of Collectibles and Letters
Sometimes, the "location" of a character isn't a physical spot on the map, but a mention in a discarded letter. Check the nightstands in the fancy hotels. Loot the bodies of the upper-class NPCs (if you don't mind the honor hit). You’ll find invitations. You’ll find debt notices. These documents often name-drop the duo, giving you a "paper trail" to follow, even if the characters themselves are currently "off-stage" in the game’s engine.
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Actionable Steps for the Completionist
If you’re determined to see everything related to these figures, here is exactly what you should do next.
First, get your honor up or down depending on how you want to interact with the city. High honor gets you better dialogue from some NPCs; low honor lets you interact with the seedier elements who might know Diego.
Next, head to the Saint Denis Graveyard at night. There’s a lot of lore buried there—literally. While it’s famously the spot for the "Stalking Shadow" or the vampire rumors, it’s also where many of the city's elite ended up. Checking the names on the more elaborate crypts can sometimes provide the "final location" for characters mentioned throughout the game.
Third, pay attention to the newspaper boys. Buy every edition. The New Hanover Gazette and the Blackwater Ledger (later in the game) contain stories that wrap up the arcs of minor characters you hear about in the streets. If the Baron gets swindled or Diego gets caught in a heist, it’ll be in the "Local News" section.
Finally, don't obsess over a map marker. RDR2 is a game of ghosts and echoes. To locate Diego and the Baron is to understand the social fabric of the game's most complex city. They are the symbols of a world Arthur Morgan is watching die—a world of titles, backroom deals, and expensive cigars that can't hide the smell of the swamp. Spend time in the salons, read the letters you find in the pockets of the rich, and the story of these two will reveal itself naturally through the environment.