Geography

Downtown

While Chicago is far more than the sum of its down�town, this area is still the heart of the city. This area contains both the Loop and the “Magnificent Mile” (North Michigan Av�enue). The Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contempo�rary Art, and the Civic Opera House are all located here. These locales are easily accessible to Kindred of an artistic bent. The most sophisticated stores are found along the Magnificent Mile. Many of these cater to the Toreadors, who consider themselves obliged to keep up-to-date with current fashions. This area is also the heart of Chicago’s business activi�ties. Those Kindred who enjoy the world of high rarely far from such buildings as the Chicago Mercantile Ex�change, the Board of Trade, and the International Monetary Market. Even if they are unable or unwilling to participate directly, their retainers are a common sight.

The Loop

This part of the downtown area was so named in the 1890s because of the rectangle formed by the tracks of the elevated trains. The name also refers to the convergence of cable car lines into this area, the center of the city. To this day cable cars still ply the street alongside theEl (in place of the bus system that actually exists). However, the Kindred, particularly the younger ones, have given it another name. They call it “The Hive”. For more information on this aspect of the city, see The Hive, p. 47. This is very much the center of the city, although it consists almost entirely of office buildings, and not much happens here at night. Animportantstructure,fromaCainitepointofview,is the hudential Building, at 130 East Randolph. The 34th floor is where Lodin, Prince of Chicago, governs the city.

Shopping

There are several major stores in this area, including Marshall Field’s (111 North), Carson Pie Scott & Co. (1 South), and Capper & Cappex (1 N. Wabash Ave). Bookstores are popular in this area. One of the major stores is Kroch’s & Brentano’s. The I Love A Mystery Book�store (Stevens Bldg., Suite 810,17 N. State St.) is popular with the newer generations of Kindred. It has a large collection of mystery, horror and science fiction paperbacks. Younger Kin�dred often come here to keep up with their favorite authors. Older Vampires can occasionally be found here, casting a supercilious eye over the Stephen King shelf. The older Cainites prefer rare and antiquarian books. The London Bookshop & Gallery (79 W. Monroe, Suite 1121) ispopularwith thoseventrue whoare familiarwith thegoodold days of Elizabethan England. Most Tremere and other Kindred with an interest in rare books will patronize not only Kroch’s & Brentano’s, but Kenneth Nebenzahl, Inc. (333 N. Michigan, 28th floor) and J. Stephen Lawrence Rare Books (230 N. Michigan Ave., Mezzanine). The Modem Bookstore (407 S. Dearborn, 2nd floor) is a common place to find those Kindred, such as Karl (Neil Graham) and Joshua, who still have an interest in socialist causes. Kindred who were born in Europe, Africa, or Asia occasionally go to Powell’s Book Warehouse (1020 S. Wabash, 8th floor), which is thebestplace in thecity for foreign-language books.

Music

Those interestedcan findanumber ofmusic stores near Wab& and b~. me most among the fikd are at theFine Building, on South Michigan. Most ofthem note with amusement the motto on the front of the building: ‘“1 passes - art alone endures”. Bein & Fushi, on the tenth floor, handles rare bowed instruments, while Eugene S. Gordon deals in woodwinds. Nearby, Schilke Music products works on brass instruments. Kindred such as Tamoszius Kuszleika and GWood Marshall have called upn Bein &L Fushi on occasion to repair antique violins. To date, these two have been able to deflect questions about where they obtained their rare instruments. Geoffrey Fushi has, however, put in a standing 7-figure bid for Tamoszius’ Stradivarius if ever the Toreador should wish to sell it. There are other music stores in the area, particularly along South. Members of Baby Chorus can occasionally be found at Chicago Guitar Gallery (216 South, 3rd floor), Sid Sherman Musical Instrument Co. (226 South, 3rd floor), or Drums Ltd. (218 South, 8th floor). There are also several Elysium-governed buildings near here, including the Orchestra Hall (220 S. Michigan), the Fine Arts Theaters (410 S. Michigan), and the Auditorium Theater (70 E. Congress Pkwy.).

Art

A little to the east is the Art Institute of Chicago. This building is the largest art museum in Chicago, and contains any numberofpricelesspaintings, including Grant Wood’sAmerican Gothic and Seurat’s Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grana2 Jatte. Younger Kindred and Brujah prefer the Museum of Contemporary Art, but their Elders enjoy surrounding them�selves with the best of the past centuries. (For more detail, see The Elysium -Places of Note, p. 4 1).

Politics and Business

The “heart” of Chicago is at Daley Plaza and City Hall to the west. Those Kindred who dabble in politics come here “after hours”, issuing instructions to their Dominated poli ticians. Joseph Petersen, one of Lodin’s lackeys, is a regular visitor. Several blocks south of City Hall is the financial district. The Chicago Board of Trade Building, which also contains the Chicago Board Options Exchange, is a focal point in this area. Other nearby buildings include the Chicago Mer�cantile Exchange (444 West), the MidAmerica Commodity Exchange (175 West), and the Midwest StockExchange (120 S. La Salle St.). Most Licks take no interest in commodities trading, as it gives them little opportunity to take advantage of their special abilities. Still, there are a few who dabble, including Lawrence Balls, Alan Sovereign, and Jacob Schumpeter. Those who do generally prefer free-willed retainers to Dominated traders. These retainers can be seen trying to sell or buy contracts near the close of business on any given day.

Miscellaneons

West of the financial district are two places of note: The first is Union Station, one of Chicago’s two major train depots and a principal point of departure for Cainite rail travelers. An Amtrak train provides ample concealment for a coffin or other resting place, but is sufficiently public to involve little risk of attack by 1 ycanhpes. A Vampire will usually take a night train, have at least two retainers on watch, and employ Domination or Presence to make sure the conductor is friendly. None of this is possible, of course, without the permission and assistance of Edgar Dnunmond, who controls the railroad. However, a wellchosen compliment is usually enough to en�sure his cooperation. The well-travelled Gangrel Inyanga has a great deal of experience at this. The second place of note is the Sears Tower. For more information on his building, see The Hive- Places of Note, p. 49. It is the tallest building in Chicago, and looms over down�town like a huge vulture seated atop a cliff. North of Union Station is the Civic Theater, on 20 N. WackerDr.,whichcontainstheCivic OperaHouse. The younger Kindred typically have little interest in opera, but other vampires come here for the season from September to mid-December.For years there have been rumors that there is a Methuselah in the city who has a strong interest in the opera and rarely misses a performance. To date no one can determine if the rumor is true. The entire Civic Theater is part of the Elysium.

The Magnificent Mile and Near North Side

The first thing one notices when one crosses the Chi�cago River on Michigan is a series of stairways leading down�ward. From these you can enter lower Michigan Avenue, one of several streets that the city created to ease traffic congestion. In the Gothic-Punk world of Vampire, most people wouldn’t drive downthereonabet. ThisundergroundareaispartoftheBarrens. For more information, see The Burrens- Places of Note, p. 50.

Shopping/food

In direct contrast to lower Michigan, the first mile of North Michigan going north from the river is known as the “Magnificent Mile”. This areaisastretchof exclusivestores that cater to Chicago’s elite. You can buy almost anything here, from the most upto-date fashions to jewelry. linens, and furniture. Several expensive hotels also dot this area. Valued guests of the socially-oriented clans will often take rooms at such places as The Drake or the Mayfair Regent.

Restaurants

Although there are many restaurants of note in this area, two in particular stand out. The first is Daley’s, located on the west side of the lo00 block of North State Street. An AmericanDnternational restaurant, its prices are high but not extreme, and its menu is an extensive mix of steak, pasta, and seafood. It is a popular spot with Ballard, who often holds meetings here. On two seperate occasions Kindred-fights have broken out when Ballard has summoned Neonates here. Such breaches of the Masquerade have never gone unpunished, but Ballard has Dominated the owner, Arnold Daley, and fellow�diners into silence on such occasions. An abandoned brewery, backs on to the restaurant, facing onto Dearborn. It has become a rendezvous for Juggler’s Anarchs despite its proximity to Ballard’s lair, they apparently do not realize the danger. Several out-of-town Anarch organiz�ers have used the brewery to meet with those dissatisfied with Lodin’s rule. The second restaurant is Spiaggia, at 980 N. Michigan. Once the finest Italian restaurant in Chicago, Lodin’s lieutenant Ballard has ruined it. It was here that he chose to start training himself to keep solid food down. In the early days, before Ballard was accustomed to eating, he would sometimes sud�denly vomit at his table - and he always insisted on the best, most conspicuous tables. Even though the undigested food lacked the characteristic smell, the noise was enough to drive mortal patrons away in disgust. Once used eating, Ballard insisted on consuming so much, so unpleasantly, that it was scarcely an improvement. Owner, Anthony Vincenzo, Dominated by Ballard on his first night at Spiaggia, is forced to stand by and watch his business descend into ruin, and remains open only due to the Vampire’s largess.

Art

Michigan Avenue is also the heart of Chicago’s art scene. Wally Findlay Galleries (814 North Michigan) is prob�ably the most popular, at least with European Kindred. It specializes in French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. RichardGray Gallery at 620, and R.S. Johnson Fine Arts at 625, also attract the city’s Undead. Several Cainites also have visiting arrangements with the owner of the private Terra Museum at666N. Michigan, which maintains alarge collection of American Impressionists’ works. Younger Licks find the Museum of Contemporary Art, at 237 Ontario, far more interesting than the Art Institute south of the river. Unlike the Art Institute, however, the MCH is not under Lodin’s control, and thus stays open to Kindred at all hours. Vampires interested in seeing the works must either Dominate one of the contributing artists to get an “after hours” tour, or break in. While the rules of the Elysium allow this, it is frowned upon. Lodin has placed his own Edicts on the MCA, knowing that it is primarily the Anarchs who come here. However, the Anarchs have little regard for his orders and do so anyway. In the past, Lodin has used such break-ins as an excuse to take action against Anarchs generally. Balthazar has been known to stake out the museum, simply waiting for Anarchs to break in.

Water Tower Place

Continuing north along Michigan, one comes to Water Tower and Water Tower Place. The former is one of the buildings to survive the Great Fire of 1871. A yellow-stone crenellatedanachronism, it was described as a“monsuosity” by Oscar Wilde when he visited Chicago in 1882 in the company of several Toreadors. Chicago converted the structure into a tourist center some years ago. Occasionally an older Vampire will come to reminisce, but otherwise the Tower receives little attention. Water Tower Place, on the other hand, is extremely popular. It contains almost half the stores on the Magnificent Mile. Opinions on the building vary. Some claim it as a wonder of modem architecture, others call it a marble monstrosity. It lacks any extensive benches (increasing pedestrian traffic and discouraging observation of one’s fellow shoppers) and its marble interior is austere. Of course, this is perfect from a Cainite point of view. There is no one who will scrutinize them, and the lack of ostentation appeals to many. Because of this, and the high-class image of Water Tower Place, even Ventrue, who normally scorn “shopping malls”, come here until close- and sometimes after. Like several other public places, Lodin has issued a specific edict concerning Water Tower Place, forbidding theft, assault, or other breaches of the Masquerade. However, Water Tower Place is nor part of the Elysium. Even with its wide variety of stores, it is unlikely the Elders ever come to this place. Rumor has it that an unidentified Anarch Coterie lurks in the basement sub-level, violating Lodin’s edicts. The Prince has scoffed at such gossip, although it is likely he prefers not to risk his minions by exploring the place. Some claim that the Nosferatu Khalid may know of the Coterie, and the names of its members. He claims ignorance whenever the subject arises.

Miscellaneous

Northof WaterToweristhe JohnHancwkCenter. The third tallest building in Chicago, it houses shops, offices, and condominium apartments. The upper-level garage is a major convenience for at least two Cainites who have Havens on the upperfloors. As with the Sears Tower, most Vampires have little interest in the lakefront view from the upper stories. They rarely enter the building except when dealing with one of the busi�nesses on the lower levels. East of this area is the Navy Pier, and Milton Lee Olive Park, as well as several beaches and the Outer Harbor. Even in the Gothic-Punk world of Vampire, this area retains much of its bright, airy appearance. The International Folk Fair, in October, occasionally draws several of the foreign-born Kindred, but usually this area has little to offer a Vampire. Despite a constant police presence, the area is part of the Barrens. Continuing north on Lake Shore Drive one reaches the Gold Coast, Chicago’s most Clite residential neighborhood. Whether you are looking for high-rise condominiums, co-ops, or townhouses, the Gold Coast is the place to be - if you have the money to spare. This area is popular with the recently Embraced, par�ticularly those who were already fond of the “yuppie” lifestyle. Gordon Keaton, who lived here before his Change, still main�tains a condominium on the Coast, although his primary Haven is in Arlington Heights. Keaton is wise enough to make sure that when he meets with his followers, it is well away from this neighborhood. The Anarchs would be sure to arouse suspicion. North of the Gold Coast is Lincoln Park, and the Lincoln Park Zoo. The neighborhood is elegant - not quite as expensive as the Gold Coast, but still nothing to scoff at. It has several tolerable nightspots. Kindred wearying of the constant brutality of The Rack will often go to such places as the John Barleycorn MemorialPub (658 W. Belden Ave.) andpark West (322 W. Armitage Ave.). Keaton often meets his Anarch charges at the Wise Fools Pub (2270 N. Lincoln Ave.), where they occasionally catch Baby Chorus putting on a show when things get hectic in The Rack. Occasionally the band will move up the street for a performance at Orphan’s or Ratso’s as well. For those Cainites with a serious interest in the occult sciences, two of the best places to go are in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. They are the Orthodox Temple of Akhenaton (2551 N. Halsted) and the Fanum (2553 S. Halstead). Both temples are serious places of the occult, and have flourished in recent years. True magi have nothing to do with such well�known covenants, but there are some individuals of talent in the temples. Though they have little rigorous training, many are capable of performing a few tricks, and some even have demon�strated power over spirits or the ability to walk through astral space. The temples are considered somewhat amateurish by the Tremere, and that clan avoids both locations. However, members of other clans wishing to learn the Discipline of Thaumaturgy will sometimes come here for instruction. Acolytes at the Temple of Akhenaton devote them�selves to the worship of the Egyptian deities, including Thoth, the God of Magic. The common member is usually a normal�looking man or woman, the same as you might see in the business district, with a good job and nice family. However, rumor has it that the rarely-seen inner circle of the Temple’s hierarchy are true masters of Egyptian magick. Worshippers at the Fanum follow pagan theology, and this temple sometimes attracts Gangrels; the Wolf Pack has been seen here on occasion. Inyanga visits the temple occasionally and is on good terms with the high priest. Kindred gossip claims that the Fanum has connections with the Lycanthropes, but this has never been proven. If the Fanum were closer to downtown someone might risk a closer investigation, but its location at the outer boundary of Chicago’s suburbs makes it risky to probe too deeply. No one wants to risk a confrontation at this time. TheLincoln ParkZoo isclose enough todowntown not to be part of the Outlands. It is popular with the Gangrel clan, who often visit after hours. While the Gangrels themselves do not feed here, many other clans find this an “easy” feeding spot. Unfortunately, Inyanga, the most powerful of the Chicago Gangrel, is often travelling. The others of her clan lack the strength tomakean issueofKindredpreyingon theLincolnPark animals. Rosa Hernandez in particular finds this upsetting. In deference to her feelings, Doyle Fincher feeds elsewhere (usu�ally at Brookfield Zoo).

Night Life

When the last rays of sunlight Are the first thing that I see When I risefrom your bed And the look on your face Is a mystery that I carry In the space inside my head Invisible Pedestrian, Some Things are Never Change.

North on Michigan, past the Water Tower, and south of Lincoln Park, is Rush Street. This boulevard is host to the most popular nightclubs in downtown. Thousands of residents and tourists enter this area every night, looking for the proverbial “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll”. What is an ebullient - if mildly dangerous - area in the Chicago of our world more threatening in the Gothic-Punk world of Vampire. This neighborhood is the hunting ground of the Undead, who have their own name for it - “The Rack.” Just as Elysium is the Elders’ common ground, so the Rack is to the Anarchs. Further west one comes to Cabrini Green Park and the Cabrini Green Housing Project (at Sedgwick and Locust). The project is the most dangerous in the city, and despite its position in the middle of The Rack, it is part of “The Barrens” (see The Barrens- Places of Note, p. 51). Old Town Triangle, further westpast the project, is still part of the Rack. It currently enjoys an upsurge in popularity among the down-and-out with the opening of several new adult movie houses. There are a few music clubs, but Baby Chorus refuses to dignify them with a performance, and good music is rarely heard. Several comedy clubs, including Zanies (at 1548 N. Wells St.) and the Second City Comedy Review (at the Garrick Theater, 1616 N. Wells), stand out in contrast to the sleazy nature of the neighborhood. The clubs have made the area popular with new Licks seeking a taste of the frivolity of their previous lives. Overall, the area is not as run-down as Rush Street. The adult movie palaces and pushers are beginning to spill west from The Rack, as they sense fresh meat. No doubt the area will continue to spiral downwards as its dubious reputation grows.

The “East Side”

Technically, Chicago has no “East Side“, as Lake Michigan marks its eastern boundary. However, this area is popular with tourists and deserves some mention. Grant and Jackson Parks, bordering on Lake Michigan, make up much of Chicago’s south side. This huge area was once the city’s harbor. Now landfilled and extended out into the lake, it is a pleasant area of parkland. Even the gloomy ambience of the Vampire Gothic-Punk world is not enough to dim this area very much. In the Gothic-Punk world, this area is far more dangerous at night then in our reality. However, it is still much safer than, say, New York’s Central Park is in the real world. Despite the wealth of human life and activity here, the parks are considered part of The Barrens; they are too much in the public eye. The gangs, both human and Vampire, can find easier prey across the river to the north, or west in the heart of the city.

Museums

Besides the parks themselves, this area has four major attractions which draw many tourists. Coming south on Lake Shore from the Loop, one passes Buckingham Fountain, a large rococo-style fountain with an hour-long, computer-programmed light-and-color water display. Beyond the fountain, there are three museums on Grant Park‘s south end. The fmt is the Field Museum of Natural History, the largest of Chicago’s lakeshore museums and one of the largest marble buildings in the world. The second, Shedd Aquarium, is east along the lake, and Adler Planetarium is even further east on a small abutment of land. Further south, in Jackson Park, the Museum of Science and Industry draws huge crowds (more than four million per year). Its major attractions are its hands-on displays, a walk�through coal mine, and U-505, a real German submarine from World War 11. While these museums are interesting, they hold little interest for the Kindred. Some older Vampires visit the Museum of Industry and Science occasionally when they feel the need to update their knowledge and keep in touch with the 1990s. Every decade or so, a Tremere takes an interest in astrological influ�ences on magic and spends some time at the Planetarium. And for years it has been rumored that an unknown Methuselah, accustomed to fish Vitae, breaks into Shedd Aquarium some�times to feed. The rumor has neverbeen confirmed, and is hardly believed. In the main, though, the Kindred ignore the museums. TheyarepartofTheBmns,andalthough theyarenottechnically within the Elysium, Lodin has banned feeding here.

Miscellaneous

Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, is located south of the Field Museum,between Wm. McFetridge Driveand E. Waldron Drive. Ballard has considerable influence over the owner, and uses the stadium for his own purposes. It is a wide open area, some miles from the “safer” (Kindred-wise) areas like The Rack and The Hive. Because of this, Ballard will sometimes have Neonates brought here just before sunrise, to put them at a disadvantage and prove his power. Further south on Lake Shore Drive is the McCormick Place, part of the Lakefront Exposition Center. Inappropriately placed for a major convention center, McCormick plays host to several different trade shows throughout the year. The Kindred avoid this area, waiting instead for the Shriners or other con�vention-goers to venture into The Rack in search of excitement.

The Sonth Side

South of the river, and further south of the Loop, lies Chicago’s South Side.Neighborhoods such as BridgepoaGage, Hyde,McKinleyandMarquetteParks, Hegewisch,and Kenwood make up this area. There are a few areas of note here, but overall it comprises mostly lower- and middle-class residences, populated mainly by minorities. Down the social scale hm Chicago’s North Side, the South Side is more likely to receive the spill-over of Cainite battles from central Chicago.

University of Chicago

The University of Chicago, in Hyde Park, is a well�known Midwest college. Most Kindred have little interest in intellectual pursuits, and the neighborhood surrounding the college itself is rather dull, with little or no nightlife outside the student body. There are two places of interest on the campus. The first is the site of what once used to be Old Alonzo Stagg Field stadium. In the early 1940s. Glenn T. Seaborg. a leading physi�cist, led a group of scientists in the isolation of plutonium. One of the group, Enrico Fermi, directed the first successful nuclear chain reaction on December 2,1942. The plutonium was iso�lated in Room 405 of G.H. Jones Laboratory. Because of its critical importance to mortal history, this has drawn the interest of several Vampires, including the Athe�nian Brujah Critias, who visits occasionally to discuss theory with old friends and their proteges. Not knowing his name, the university people call him “the Doctor”, after an obscure British television programme which has achieved cult status in some universities. Since he never ages, Critias must disappear for 10 years or so every 30 years in order to avoid suspicion. Neverthe�less, he has become the subject of some rather bizarre rumors. Critias merely dabbles in various fields of science. His tendency to spout off his wilder theories recently led to the wildly-spread belief in the scientific community of a feasible “milk bottle” fission generator. The early nuclear experiments are the subject of sev�eral rumors among the Kindred. The most predominant started in the early 1970s, when word spread of monstrous creatures living in the sewers near 56th and 57th streets. A series of grotesque murders took place in this area during that time; victims had even the marrow drained from their bones. Some blame humans mutated by residual radiation, others claim that a clan of Lycanthropes lurks here, and others still maintain that an unidentified Gangrel pack has taken up residence. Occasional sightings are reported, but no similar murders have taken place since 1973.

Bridgeport & Chinatown

Northwest of the Hyde Park area are two significant neighborhoods. The first is Bridgeport. Home of former Mayor Daley, this area was once the stockyard center of Chicago. The advent of trucking and the decline of the railroads has caused that business to all but die out. The area is inhabited by several ethnic groups - descendents of the workers from the first half of the century. The Irish are predominant here, a fact which has led Frank Gaughan to take an interest in the neighborhood. Several of his old Irish cronies from the 50s still hang out in the area. Gaughan maintains them as contacts and retainers. Gaughan has no particular opinion on ‘“I’he Troubles” in Northern Ireland, but he does occasionally channel funds to the IRA and other radical fringe organizations. In the early 1980s open war broke out when British MI6 agents arrived to investigate the flow of arms and money from Chicago. Gaughan and his men killed them in a particularly bloody massacre and then had the bodies shipped to Gary. This infuriated and embarrassed Modius, who was forced todeal with inquiriesbytheU.S.andBritishgovernments. Most of Chicago’s remaining stockyards are in Bridge�port Despite popular misconception, this area does not teem with tens of thousands of head of cattle. The Union Stock Yard Gate,atExchangeAve.andPeoriaSt., istheonlymajorfirm still doing business. At one time the area was a primary feeding ground for the Kindred who preferred to avoid taking human Vitae. Doyle Fincher, one of the Gangrel clan, was born and Embraced in this area. His Haven is in this neighborhood, and a number of Kindred - those to whom Doyle tended during the mid-80s conflicts - are aware of its general location. One shop that attracts some Kindred is the Southwest Tattoo Emporium, at 4390 Archer Ave. Mike ‘‘Doc’’ Duggan and Gary “Snake” Martin are the best body-artists in the Mid�west, and experts in single-needle technique. For Brujah looking for that extra mark of distinction, the Tattoo Emporium is the Just a little northeast of Bridgeport is Chinatown. West Cermak, Wentworth. Archer, Canal, and 26th Street border the heartofthisarea.Theresidents-some 15,000ofthem-often know little or no English. They crowd into cheap apartment houses, sometimes living ten to a single-bedroom apartment, 30 rooms to a building. Filth, grime and poverty are inescapable parts of life in Chinatown. It is rumored that there are tunnels beneath Chinatown where the triads meet and Chinese warlocks cast their spells. If this has any truth to it, only the Nosferatu would know. Under these conditions, Chinatown would be an ideal hunting-ground. However, the area is under the “protection” of Chuc Luc; he brooks no trespassing, and has ruthlessly killed Cainite intruders, leaving their broken bodies on the outskirts of Chinatown. Chuc Luc has taken steps to keep the Kindred ignorant of his Vampiric existence. Certain mystical conflicts with Oriental somrors have brought him to the attention of various Tremeres, particularly Nicolai. The Romanian, however, remains silent, content to watch and wait.