Boot Hill Cemetery

Boot Hill Cemetery

"Where Too Many Troubleshooters End Up"

"The dead don't always stay buried in Dodge. Sometimes they get up and walk.
Other times, something pulls them down."
— Old Pete Swenson, Gravedigger

The Hill That Eats the Dead

Boot Hill sits west of Dodge City, a grim reminder of mortality overlooking the town from a gentle rise. The name comes from the old frontier saying about dying "with your boots on"—violent death in a violent place. In Dodge, where killings happen daily despite the firearms ban, Boot Hill is growing faster than the town it watches over.

The cemetery isn't particularly old—Dodge City itself was only founded in 1872—but it's already one of the most densely populated plots of ground in Ford County. Wooden crosses and simple headstones mark hundreds of graves. Some have names. Some just say "Unknown" or list a year. A few belong to famous gunfighters or prominent citizens and boast more elaborate markers, though even those are modest by Eastern standards.

During daylight, Boot Hill is reasonably well-maintained. Families visit graves, mourners leave flowers, and the gravedigger does his work. It's somber but not particularly frightening—just another frontier cemetery in a violent age.

After dark, everything changes.

When the sun sets, Boot Hill belongs to the ghouls.

The Geography of Death

Location & Layout

Boot Hill sits approximately half a mile west of Dodge City proper, atop a rise that gives it a commanding view of the town. The walk from Front Street takes about fifteen minutes at a normal pace, longer if you're carrying a coffin or hauling a wagon.

The Main Cemetery: The largest section, covering about three acres. Graves are arranged in rough rows, though the organization has become less formal as the cemetery has expanded. The older graves (1872-1874) are closest to the original entrance. Newer burials spread outward in all directions.

The Pauper's Section: Southwest corner, where those without money or family are buried. Simple wooden markers, most without names. Just "Unknown Male" or "Unknown Female" with a date if anyone bothered to record it. This section is poorly maintained and overgrown.

The Confederate Section: Unofficial but recognized. Southern partisans, Texas cowboys, and Confederate guerrillas tend to be buried together on the south side. Some graves fly small Confederate flags or have markers mentioning military service.

The Union Section: Similarly informal. Northern sympathizers and Union veterans are buried on the north side. Fewer Confederate flags, more mentions of regiment numbers and battles.

The Children's Plot: East side, marked by smaller crosses and stones. Heartbreaking number of infant graves. Frontier life is hard on children.

The Gunfighter's Row: Not an official designation, but locals call it that. A section near the main gate where famous gunfighters, notorious outlaws, and well-known lawmen are buried. Visitors sometimes come to see these graves specifically, morbid tourism being what it is.

Features & Landmarks

The Main Gate: Simple wrought-iron arch with "Boot Hill Cemetery" worked into the metal. Always unlocked—there's no point locking a cemetery gate when the real danger comes from below, not above.

The Undertaker's Shed: Small wooden structure near the entrance where gravedigger tools, coffin lumber, and supplies are stored. Locked at night, though the lock wouldn't stop anyone determined. Old Pete keeps a shotgun here, loaded with rock salt for scaring off scavengers (the four-legged kind, anyway).

The Dead Tree: A massive, lightning-struck cottonwood in the center of the cemetery. Completely dead, no leaves, bleached white by sun and weather. It's visible from town and serves as a landmark. Some graves cluster around it, as if seeking shade from a tree that can no longer provide it. At night, the bare branches look like skeletal fingers reaching toward the sky.

The Warning Signs: Marshal Deger has posted several hand-painted signs around the cemetery perimeter: "STAY OUT AFTER DARK" and "DANGEROUS AFTER SUNSET—NO EXCEPTIONS." Most people assume these refer to human grave robbers or coyotes. A few know better.

The Soil & The Stench

The ground atop Boot Hill is rocky Kansas soil, hard-packed and difficult to dig. Old Pete curses it regularly. Graves can't go as deep as they should, which makes his job harder and the ghouls' job easier.

During the day, the cemetery smells like dry grass, dust, and old wood. Nothing unusual.

At night—especially on warm, still nights—an unmistakable stench drifts up from the tunnels below. It's the smell of decay, rot, and something living-but-wrong that lives in close proximity to death. Anyone with a sensitive nose can detect it from fifty yards away. Up close, it's nauseating.

The ghouls themselves reek. Their stench makes them easy to track but impossible to ambush. You'll smell them coming long before you see the faint red glow of their eyes in the darkness.

The Things Beneath

The Ghoul Colony

Twenty ghouls make Boot Hill their home, one of the largest ghoul dens in the Disputed Lands. They've dug an extensive network of tunnels beneath the cemetery, all connecting to a central den where their king rules.

What They Are: Ghouls are twisted, humanoid creatures that feed on the dead. They stand about five feet tall but appear shorter due to their stooped, shuffling gait. Their skin is corpse-gray and covered with pus-filled sores. Razor-sharp claws tip their fingers, and wicked fangs fill their mouths. Their eyes glow faintly red in complete darkness—usually the last thing their victims see.

What They Eat: Corpses. Any corpse. They prefer fresh meat but will eat anything dead. After ghouls feed on a body, little remains but well-gnawed bones. They normally scavenge from recent burials, but they've been known to attack the badly wounded who can't defend themselves.

What They Wear: Some dress in clothing scavenged from their meals—tattered suits, bloodstained dresses, torn uniforms. Most go naked, having no concept of shame or modesty. Seeing a ghoul wearing your dead friend's coat is particularly horrifying.

The Ghoul King

Every ghoul den has a king—the largest, strongest, and most intelligent ghoul who commands all others in the territory. The Boot Hill ghoul king is a bloated, loathsome creature who rarely leaves the deepest chamber of the den. He's bigger than the other ghouls (nearly six feet tall, fat from regular feeding), smarter, and far more dangerous.

His Domain: The king rules absolutely. Other ghouls bring him choice pieces from their hunts, and he decides which ghouls feed first after each excursion. He settles disputes (usually by eating the loser) and directs the pack's activities.

His Caution: Unlike his subordinates, the ghoul king thinks tactically. He won't send his pack against well-armed groups unless he's confident of victory. He remembers past defeats and learns from them. He's survived for years by being cautious, patient, and ruthless.

His Intelligence: The king can understand human speech, though he rarely speaks. When he does, his voice sounds like grinding gravel mixed with wet meat. He's been known to negotiate with humans—usually offering to spare someone in exchange for fresh corpses or information about upcoming burials.

Ghoul Behavior & Tactics

Above Ground (Cowardly): When encountered on the surface, ghouls are cowardly creatures. They flee if attacked by anyone armed or organized. They won't fight unless cornered or protecting their den. A single ghoul caught scavenging a grave will run at the first sign of trouble, disappearing down the nearest tunnel entrance with remarkable speed.

Below Ground (Deadly): In their tunnels, ghouls are completely different creatures. They know every passage, every turn, every dead end. They use this knowledge ruthlessly:

• Ambush Tactics: Ghouls wait in side passages, attacking from behind or from above when intruders pass
• Surrounding: They use parallel tunnels to get ahead of and behind their prey, cutting off escape
• Tunnel Collapse: They deliberately collapse portions of tunnel on intruders, then feast on the suffocated victims
• Dragging: Ghouls grab victims and drag them deeper into the warren, separating groups and isolating individuals
• Darkness: They can see perfectly in absolute darkness. You can't. They use this advantage mercilessly

Night Hunting: Some ghouls have grown bold enough to hunt in Dodge City itself after dark. They stalk the streets near Boot Hill, looking for the freshly dead (victims of gunfights, knife fights, or accidents). They've also been known to drag down the badly wounded before anyone can help them. The ghoul king encourages this behavior—it keeps the pack well-fed and spreads fear through the town.

Ghoul Weaknesses

Bright Light: Ghouls cannot tolerate light brighter than a torch or lantern. Direct sunlight causes them intense pain. Even bright lantern light makes them clumsy and ineffective fighters. If you're going into the tunnels, bring lots of light sources.

Cowardice: Above ground, ghouls flee from organized resistance. They won't fight unless they have overwhelming numbers or no escape route. Even below ground, killing several ghouls quickly can cause the others to retreat temporarily.

Stench: Their overwhelming smell makes them easy to track and impossible to ambush. You'll always know when ghouls are nearby, though this isn't as comforting as it sounds when you're trapped underground.

Limited Intelligence: Most ghouls are barely smarter than animals. Only the king shows real tactical thinking. The regular ghouls follow simple patterns and can be predicted once you understand their behavior.

Ghoul Strengths (Why They're Dangerous)

Poison Bite: Ghoul bites carry a paralyzing toxin. Anyone bitten badly enough to lose wind must resist the poison or become stunned and helpless. This is how they take prey alive to drag into the tunnels.

Night Vision: Perfect vision in complete darkness. Their eyes glow faintly red, which is often the only warning you get.

Claws & Fangs: Natural weapons. They don't need guns or knives. Their claws can tear through leather and flesh easily.

Numbers: Twenty ghouls is a small army. Even if you can handle one or two, facing the entire colony is suicide for most groups.

Home Territory Advantage: They know every inch of those tunnels. You don't. That's a massive advantage in underground combat.

The Tunnel System

The ghouls have dug an extensive network beneath Boot Hill over the past several years. The tunnels aren't well-constructed—they're crude passages clawed and scraped through dirt and rock. But they're effective.

Main Den: The central chamber, roughly fifty feet below the surface. This is where the ghoul king holds court and where the pack sleeps during daylight hours. It's littered with bones, rotting flesh, torn clothing, and the belongings of past victims. The smell is unbearable.

Feeding Chambers: Several smaller chambers where ghouls drag fresh corpses to feed. These rooms are nightmarish—bones, blood, and worse cover every surface.

Connecting Tunnels: Dozens of passages linking the chambers and leading to various surface exits. Some tunnels are barely wide enough to crawl through. Others are tall enough to walk upright (if you're five feet tall and stooped like a ghoul).

Surface Exits: At least a dozen concealed entrances scattered across Boot Hill. Some are hidden under graves, others behind rocks or brush. The ghouls can pop up almost anywhere in the cemetery.

Expansion: The tunnels continue to grow. Ghouls dig new passages regularly, extending their territory. Some passages extend beyond Boot Hill's boundaries toward town. Marshal Deger doesn't know this yet, but it's only a matter of time before the ghouls tunnel under buildings near the cemetery.

Unknown Connections: Old Pete suspects—but can't prove—that some ghoul tunnels connect to older, deeper passages. Something predating the ghouls. Something that might explain why they avoid certain areas beneath the hill. When asked, the old gravedigger just shakes his head and changes the subject.

The People of Boot Hill

Old Pete Swenson

Gravedigger, Ghoul Expert, Traumatized Survivor

If anyone knows Boot Hill, it's Old Pete. He's been the cemetery's gravedigger since 1873, which means he's buried hundreds of bodies and seen things that would break softer men.

The Man: Pete is in his sixties, lean and weathered like old leather. His hands are gnarled from years of digging in rocky soil. He speaks in a slow, deliberate drawl and rarely makes eye contact. He's not unfriendly—just haunted.

His Knowledge: Pete knows more about the ghouls than anyone alive in Dodge. He's seen them, fought them off with a shovel, and lost friends and colleagues to them. He knows their habits, their preferred hunting times, and where many tunnel entrances are located. He can provide valuable intelligence if he trusts you.

His Rules:
1. No work after 4 PM, no exceptions
2. Graves don't go deeper than absolutely necessary (hard soil, and the deeper you dig, the closer you get to the tunnels)
3. Burials only during daylight hours
4. Never, ever visit Boot Hill after dark
5. Always fill graves completely and pack the dirt tight (makes it harder for ghouls to dig through)

His Trauma: Pete has lost multiple assistant gravediggers to the ghouls over the years. He blames himself for not warning them strongly enough. He drinks heavily to cope with the memories and the nightmares. Most nights, you'll find him at the Long Branch or Alamo, nursing whiskey and staring into space.

His Tools: Pete keeps a shotgun in the undertaker's shed, loaded with rock salt for scaring off scavengers. He also carries a heavy shovel that's seen use as both tool and weapon. The shovel's blade is notched and stained—not all of those stains are rust.

Talking to Pete: He won't discuss the ghouls unless he trusts you. Too many people have dismissed him as drunk or crazy. If you show genuine interest, treat him with respect, and buy him a few drinks, he'll eventually open up. What he knows could save your life.

Angus Scrimm

Undertaker, Businessman of Death

Where Pete digs the graves, Angus Scrimm prepares the bodies. He's Dodge City's undertaker, a tall, thin man with a somber demeanor and a head for business.

The Man: Scrimm is in his fifties, well over six feet tall with thinning white hair. He dresses perpetually in a black suit and speaks in a deep, quiet voice. He's professional, respectful of the dead, and utterly practical about death as a business.

His Business: Scrimm's Undertaking operates out of a building on Locust Street. He provides coffins (pine boxes for the poor, finer wood for those who can afford it), embalming services, and arranges funerals. He works with the families, coordinates with Pete about grave plots, and ensures everything proceeds with proper decorum.

His Prices:
• Simple pine coffin: $15
• Quality hardwood coffin: $50-100
• Embalming: $25
• Funeral coordination: $10-50 depending on complexity
• Headstone (basic): $20
• Headstone (carved): $50+

His Policy: No viewings after 4 PM. No funerals after 3 PM. Bodies must be buried the same day they're brought to Boot Hill. He's firm about these rules and won't budge even for wealthy clients. He's seen what happens when burials run late.

His Knowledge: Scrimm knows about the ghouls but discusses them obliquely. He calls them "scavengers" or "the night shift." He's never seen one personally (he's too smart to visit the cemetery after dark), but he's noticed that bodies buried late in the day are sometimes disturbed by morning. He assumes others have noticed too, but nobody talks about it directly.

Useful Information: Scrimm keeps detailed records of who's buried where, when, and why. If you need to know about a specific grave or burial, he's your source. He can also tell you which families have plots, which gravesites are maintained versus abandoned, and where notable people are buried.

Reverend Josiah Cole

Traveling Preacher

Dodge doesn't have a permanent minister, but Reverend Josiah Cole passes through regularly and conducts most funerals. He's a circuit preacher who travels between frontier towns, bringing spiritual comfort and Christian burial to those who want it.

The Man: Cole is in his forties, with a wild beard and intense eyes. He's passionate about saving souls and fighting evil. He's also deeply frustrated that Dodge City won't confront the supernatural evil literally eating the dead beneath Boot Hill.

His Sermons: Cole preaches fire and brimstone, railing against sin, violence, and the unholy things that walk the Weird West. He's tried to organize expeditions to cleanse Boot Hill of its ghoul infestation, but nobody's willing to follow him into those tunnels.

His Blessing: Cole insists on blessing every grave properly, even for non-Christians. He believes proper burial rites help protect the dead from being disturbed. Whether this actually works against ghouls is unclear—they still dig up bodies, but perhaps they dig up blessed bodies less often.

His Offer: If troubleshooters are planning to confront the ghouls, Cole will bless their weapons, pray for their safety, and provide whatever spiritual support he can. He might even be convinced to join the expedition, though he has no combat skills beyond strong faith and a louder voice.

Notable Graves

Boot Hill contains hundreds of graves, but a few are notable enough to warrant special mention:

Gunfighter's Row

"Wild Jack" McGraw (d. 1875)
"He Drew Second"

Famous gunfighter who made the fatal mistake of calling out someone faster. His grave is marked with a simple wooden cross bearing the epitaph above. Visitors sometimes leave spent bullet casings on his grave—frontier tradition for fallen gunfighters.

Sarah "Six-Gun Sally" Hendricks (d. 1876)
"She Lived Fast and Died Young"

One of the few female gunfighters buried at Boot Hill. Sally was a sharpshooter, trick-shot artist, and occasional bounty hunter. She was killed in a shootout with the Kansas Redbud Gang. Her grave has a carved wooden marker featuring crossed pistols.

Thomas "The Undertaker" Graves (d. 1874)
"Irony Has a Sense of Humor"

Dodge City's first undertaker, killed during a ghoul attack while working late at Boot Hill. The epitaph was Pete's idea—gallows humor being all he had left after burying his friend.

The Pauper's Section

The Unknown Fourteen (d. 1873)
Simple wooden markers, no names

Fourteen people killed during a brutal guerrilla raid on an outlying farm. Their identities were never confirmed—bodies too badly burned to identify, no surviving witnesses. They were buried together in a mass grave. Locals claim their ghosts sometimes walk Boot Hill at night, but most supernatural activity can be explained by ghouls.

Chinese Workers Graves (various dates)
Separate section, some with small offerings

Several Chinese railroad workers are buried here, set apart from the main cemetery by their own community's customs. Small offerings occasionally appear on these graves—incense, paper money, food items. The offerings never last long. Ghouls or scavengers, nobody's sure.

The Children's Plot

The Winters Children (d. 1875)
Three small graves side by side

Three children from the same family, killed by scarlet fever within a week of each other. Their mother visits every week and leaves fresh flowers. The flowers are usually still there the next day—even ghouls seem to avoid this particular spot, though nobody knows why.

The Mystery Grave

The Nameless Stone (date unknown)
Large stone marker, no name, no date, only a symbol

In the oldest section of the cemetery sits a large stone marker that predates Dodge City itself. It bears no name, no date—only a strange symbol that nobody's been able to identify. The stone is old, professionally carved, and expensive. Whoever's buried there was important, but all records are lost (if they ever existed).

Pete claims the ghouls won't dig near this grave. Reverend Cole blessed it repeatedly "just to be safe." Some folks think a Sioux shaman is buried there, others say it's a Spanish explorer from centuries past. Everyone agrees the grave gives off an unsettling feeling.

Marshal Deger's Position

Marshal Deger knows about the ghouls. He's not stupid, and he's heard enough reports from Old Pete and other witnesses to know something unnatural haunts Boot Hill. But he lacks the resources to deal with the problem.

His Warning: Deger has posted signs around the cemetery and warned the town repeatedly to stay away after dark. That's all he can do. He can't spare deputies for a full-scale assault on the tunnels—he needs them in town to prevent the partisan powder keg from exploding.

His Frustration: Deger is deeply frustrated by his inability to stop the ghoul predation. Good people are dying or disappearing, and he can't do anything about it. He's tried organizing posses to clear the tunnels, but nobody wants to volunteer for what amounts to a suicide mission.

His Hope: If troubleshooters offer to deal with the ghoul problem, Deger will support them however he can—within limits. He'll provide ammunition, deputize them if necessary, and look the other way regarding certain legalities. But he won't send his deputies into those tunnels. He's lost enough men already.

His Warning (Again): Deger will also warn you, in the strongest possible terms, that going into those tunnels is likely to get you killed. He respects courage, but he's seen too many brave people die stupidly. If you're determined to try, he'll wish you luck and have Angus Scrimm prepare your coffins in advance.

Practical Information

Visiting Boot Hill Safely

Daylight Hours: Boot Hill is safe during the day. Ghouls retreat to their tunnels and sleep when the sun rises. You can visit graves, pay respects, or investigate the cemetery without significant danger. Still, keep an eye out for tunnel entrances hidden among the graves.

Before 4 PM: Pete stops working at 4 PM for a reason. That's when the sun starts getting low, shadows lengthen, and ghouls begin stirring below. If you're visiting the cemetery, leave before 4 PM. No exceptions.

After Dark: Don't. Just don't. If you absolutely must be at Boot Hill after dark, bring: overwhelming force (at least 6-8 well-armed people), lots of light sources (lanterns, torches, anything bright), weapons, ammunition, medical supplies, and courage. Even then, expect casualties.

Finding Specific Graves

Ask Pete: The gravedigger knows where almost everyone is buried. Buy him a drink and ask politely.
Ask Scrimm: The undertaker keeps detailed records. His information is more official but less personal than Pete's.
Check the Registry: The cemetery maintains a burial registry (kept in Scrimm's office). It's not always up to date, but it's better than wandering randomly.
Look for Markers: Many graves have distinctive markers or features that make them identifiable from Pete's or Scrimm's descriptions.

Arranging a Burial

Contact Scrimm: He handles all arrangements, coordinates with Pete, and ensures everything proceeds properly.
Expect Costs: Budget $50-100 for a basic funeral (coffin, burial, simple marker). Fancier arrangements cost more.
Schedule Early: Burials happen during daylight hours only. Scrimm won't schedule anything after 3 PM, which means you need to plan ahead.
Consider Protection: For important people, consider posting guards on fresh graves for the first few nights. Ghouls prefer recently buried bodies.

Investigating Ghoul Activity

Talk to Pete: He knows more than anyone about ghoul habits, tunnel locations, and past encounters.
Check Fresh Graves: Visit the cemetery at dawn and check recent burials for signs of disturbance. Ghouls leave distinctive claw marks and disturbed earth.
Track the Stench: On calm nights, you can smell ghoul activity from a distance. Follow your nose (if you can stand it).
Watch for Red Eyes: Ghoul eyes glow faintly red in darkness. If you see red eyes moving near ground level, you've found ghouls.
Talk to Deger: The marshal knows which nights have seen attacks and which areas are most dangerous.

Final Warnings

Boot Hill isn't just a cemetery—it's a hunting ground. The dead buried there are harvested by creatures that should not exist. The town knows but pretends ignorance because acknowledging the truth means confronting an enemy they can't defeat.

Marshal Deger can't stop the ghouls. Old Pete can barely live with what he's seen. Angus Scrimm buries the dead and hopes they stay buried, knowing they won't.

If you're fool enough or brave enough to take on the ghouls, do it smart. Bring friends. Bring light. Bring enough ammunition to fight an army, because that's what twenty ghouls becomes in the darkness of their own tunnels.

And if you go down into those tunnels and don't come back, at least you'll be buried close to home.

"Stay out after dark. I mean it. I've buried too many people who didn't listen."
— Old Pete Swenson