Kerkhof Station

Kerkhof Station looms quietly at the edge of the Kerkhof Ferry District, a remnant of an era long past. Abandoned for over 130 years, it stands as a silent guardian on the northern outskirts of the city. The station, once bustling with the noise and energy of travelers, has now become a forgotten place, a sanctuary for The Yard Rats, now the Sentinels of Seregon, young adventurers who have made it their home.

The tracks leading out into the jungle remain intact for nearly 100 yards, gleaming strangely despite the passing of time. The walls surrounding the jungle-side door have been meticulously cleared of overgrowth, revealing stonework beneath. Large wooden spike barriers have been erected at the base of the wall, some now serving as grim trophies, where zombies have impaled themselves during futile attempts to breach the city’s defenses. The station stands at the threshold of the jungle, yet for all its proximity, none of the Yard Rats have ventured beyond these walls—though they often contemplate the dangers that lie just outside.

The massive steel door on the jungle side is rusted yet formidable, a relic of when trains once pushed deep into the wilderness, carrying cargo and passengers into the unknown. Beyond the barriers and spikes, the jungle presses close, full of mysteries and terrors that the Yard Rats have only dreamed of confronting. Opposite this door is an equally large steel door leading back into the city. Behind it, the pristine streets of Seregon begin, with the cobblestones ending the tracks abruptly. This entrance contrasts sharply with the jungle side—clean, orderly, and spotless, a testament to the city’s desire to keep the wilds at bay.

Inside the station, the high ceiling reaches up 30 feet, making the space feel cavernous. The platform runs level with the ground, where a massive, black locomotive sits idle on the switch track. This hulking train, covered in corrosion and wear, was once powered by experimental crystals. The Yard Master, Zuri Ironview, maintains that it could run again if anyone were willing to part with the immense fortune needed for a crystal to power it. Zuri, an elderly dwarf who has lived here since before the station’s abandonment, knows every bolt and piston of the locomotive. Though it hasn’t moved in years, she lovingly tends to it, keeping the dream of its revival alive.

The station itself has become the home of the Yard Rats. The old waiting room, once filled with passengers, is now a common area, where the young adventurers rest and plan their next moves. The benches remain, though many are worn from years of use. The abandoned ticket office still stands, its counters long since emptied, save for a few old timetables and brittle paper tickets that flutter when a breeze sneaks through the doors. Nearby, a working clock ticks away, an ancient but dependable piece of machinery, watching over the station like a silent guardian.

On the first floor, remnants of its industrial past remain. A blacksmith’s area still holds heavy tools, presses, and rusted machinery, reminders of when trains were built and repaired here. Scattered throughout the lower rooms are crates of parts, steel beams, and broken wheels, waiting to be scavenged or restored. Zuri lives in one of these rooms, keeping her armor and shield close from her mysterious adventuring days, though she rarely speaks of the past.

On the second floor, rooms once used as offices have been claimed by the Yard Rats. Each adventurer has their own space, filled with the odd trinkets and gear they’ve collected during their time in the city. A sixth room remains vacant. The walls are lined with faded portraits of long-forgotten station officials, and the old ledgers left behind tell tales of when this station was a hub of activity. For now, it serves as their refuge, a place where they prepare for the challenges they face within the city’s walls.

Though the jungle looms just beyond the station’s gates, the Yard Rats have never ventured into it. Their adventures have been confined to the bustling, complex streets of Seregon itself. They know the dangers that lurk beyond—the jungle whispers of threats they are not yet prepared to face. But the pull of the unknown weighs heavily on them, and each day they grow closer to daring that first step beyond the city walls.

At night, the station is filled with a different kind of life. Soft music sometimes drifts through the fog, coming from the nearby Old Necropolis. Kristof "The Ghoul" Zandstra, the gravekeeper of Seregon, often plays songs of loss and love on his flute, his favorite being Annelies, My Midnight Star, a melancholy tune that haunts the empty station like a ghost from another time. His music mixes with the creaks and groans of the ancient building, giving the place an eerie yet comforting ambiance.

Kerkhof Station is a place where history lingers, where the past meets the present, and where the young adventurers of the Yard Rats contemplate their future. It may be a sanctuary now, but the jungle—and all its dangers—are only a few short steps away.