The PEDWAY
Above & Below Ground Pedestrian Walkway
A series of underground tunnels and overhead bridges weave through the heart of the Hive, connecting most of the buildings. This area was completed only recently and was immediately claimed as territory by the Nosferatu, led by Primogen “Khalid.” The Nosferatu made the calculated decision to push for this territory, bolstered by the loss of the shadier parts of lower Wacker Drive in the rebuilding and revising of the city at the turn of the century. The territorial disputes over the Pedway have been a point of conflict with the Ventrue, who own and operate a large number of the buildings to which the Pedway is connected. Through the trading of boons, unrequested support of the Caitiff and thin-bloods in this endeavor, and backroom deals, the Nosferatu seem to firmly control the location.
This situation gives some hope to Caitiff and thin-bloods who exist under the heels of the Ventrue clan. This fragile grouping of allies has literally pulled the ground out from underneath the kings of Chicago, though there surely will be retribution coming in later nights
Michigan Avenue Underground
To ease downtown Chicago's traffic congestion, civic authorities built "sub streets" near the Chicago River, where Michigan Avenue crosses. Three blocks of Michigan, ten blocks of Wacker Drive, and several smaller streets were divided into upper and lower levels. However, these lower streets quickly gained a bad reputation due to Chicago's urban crime and violence. The overhead streets cast perpetual shadows, and the city, busy with corruption, neglected streetlight repairs. This lack of light and maintenance deterred cars from using these routes, further justifying the city's neglect and enabling embezzlement.
Dubbed "the Underground," this area became a haven for Chicago's homeless due to its slightly warmer temperatures in winter. The streets fell into decay, with broken streetlights and cardboard houses often becoming mausoleums for their owners. Police only enter the area in large squads, and traffic moves slowly due to poor lighting and debris. Panhandlers and "window washers" swarm paused vehicles, and those who don't give money risk having their cars tipped over.
Ironically, the Underground is also a "gas station" for vampires, who feed on the area's vulnerable inhabitants during times of need. Despite the stigma, most Chicago vampires have fed here at some point. Rumors persist about passages connecting this area to the city's sewer system and building basements, hinting at a labyrinthine underground network ruled by the Nosferatu, though many Kindred dismiss these stories..
