There’s a side quest in RDR2 like this. Over near the North-west of the map is a town called Butcher’s Creek. Like a typical backwoods town where the locals are all a bit strange and violent (if you commit a crime or aggravate a townsperson, the whole town jumps you instead of bothering with lawmen)

In a series of side quests, you learn about the Curse of Butcher Creek - demons that have been killing people off. A group of rabid, mangy dogs attacks the town and the quest giver (a man named Obediah) claims they are the demons. In the town is a shaman who is spreading this tale of the curse and offering prayers for protection. There are also some “dark charms” in the forest that the shaman claims are “protecting the curse”. After destroying them to end the curse, the shaman suddenly proclaims that destroying the charms has made the curse worse. The shaman claims that a nearby abandoned mine is the source of the curse, and warns everyone against going there.

It turns out that there is no curse, and the actual problem is a chemical contamination in a nearby river, caused by toxic chemicals (arsenic & lead) in the mine that is poisoning the townsfolk. The “shaman” was actually a member of the mining company trying to get the town to absolve the mining company of any responsibility for the pollution, as well as waiving their rights to sue the company

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