Tacoma, Washington (Tah-ko-mah)
Note: Most of the information here will be about the kindred of Tacoma and their contributions, interests, and history within the city. If you're looking for more comprehensive information about the actual city, click [here] for the wikipedia article and [here] for the cities official website.
The city of tarnished destiny is a metropolis that has been marred by extreme highs and lows throughout its existence, and that's not just true for the standard human. Kindred as well, entrenched with the city as long as it existed, have faced nothing but pitfalls via their involvement in the city. That is until the Anarch victory over the Sabbat and the Camarilla reinvigorated the Kindred with new hope and new passion.
While Kindred aren't the only type of supernatural creature within Tacoma, the city draws plenty of also-rans of all kinds, but none hold as much of a hold on the entire city's politics as the Kindred.
Demographics
There are 212 noted Kindred active in the Tacoma area, although there are most likely scores more that're more transient or recent additions. Many of the Kindred within that number are a part of Clan Brujah, although there isn't a strict majority among others. Many of them are younger Kindred, generations 12 and 13, with a decent population of thin-bloods and Caitiff being thrown into the mix as well.
As far as Kine demographics go, Tacoma's population is predominantly white, as always, with Hispanic people, Black people (not solely African-American), and Mixed race people taking the next largest spots respectively.
The median age of the city is 35, with the most common ages of the population being between 25-44. Additionally, the average (reported) income of the city was in the middle-class range, although roughly 12.5% of the population are in poverty, with the unhoused population most likely making the true number much higher.
Government
The Kine government is run by the elected Mayor and eight elected council members, one from each of the five individual political districts with the rest being more generally elected.
The Kindred "government" is overseen by Baron Fiore Choi-Yun and his team of Aides, although due to the free nature of the Anarchs, this is more of a management and mediating position than rulership. Many of the Kindred-popular districts within the city have an Overseer as well, someone who is trusted, respected, and/or feared enough to ensure others stay in line and don't do anything too stupid in the high-vampire-traffic areas.
Industry & Trade
Tacoma is a city full of a variety of different trades and opportunities, and that is no different for its Kindred inhabitants. In fact, after the rejuvenation of victory and reclaiming the area, the Anarchs of the city are branching out and trying to bring something new and fresh into their unlives, with many entering new fields of business.
The most key industry for Kindred and Kine alike are the ports of Tacoma, a key feature of the region and a lucrative chunk of the market, along with a convenient method of transportation for...less than publically acceptable items.
Infrastructure
Kindred have been involved in Tacoma since its founding, same as its northern neighbor, although unlike that city they've been less intrinsically entrenched in its development. However, through the years many different hidden libraries, chantries, places of power, and underground tunnels were forged by Kindred hands to aid them through the nights.
After the Cleansing Nights, the newly appointed Barons spent the summer months repairing the damages the Sabbat attack dealt, especially the unseen ones. Few changes benefit Kindred alone, although the city is experiencing a new boom of late-night coffee houses, nightclubs, and public programs. Of course, much has been poured into pre-existing areas that benefit Kindred and their prey, such as increased funding for public transport, public parks, and a strange loosening of loitering laws.
Certain affluent members of the new Kindred society have also thrown their funds into the local museums, art scenes, educational departments, and even sewage systems, as their needs and desires happen to bring positive changes to more than just themselves.
Districts
Under Baron Fiore, there are many "claimed" districts in Tacoma that are officially appointed with an Overseer, a trusted and/or reliable Kindred that keeps the peace within that neighborhood, essentially to stop over-hunting of Humans and also to ensure that no one causes a masquerade breach in high-traffic areas. While these differ from Kine districts, there's plenty of overlap. A few of the main districts that most Kindred care about are:
- Proctor - A high-traffic and high-class part of Northern Tacoma that brings in plenty of Kine of all walks of life, and similarly plenty of Kindred like to look around the stores and the meal options.
- Antique Row - Including a large chunk of downtown Tacoma's Theater District, many artistically minded Kindred have their eyes on the area, and many also enjoy the variety of items they can
smugglefind throughout the various antique shops. - North End/Old Town - While many Kindred actually steer away from this area, as the large open body of water poses risks to their daysleeps, the local Thinblood population finds it just right.
- Museum Row - A key feature of downtown Tacoma, a busy stretch of road featuring the local history and art museums, home to plenty of secret meetings and hidden havens, along with a mass amount of traffic and business opportunities.
- UWT - Right next to Museum Row, the local university is solidly under Kindred's watch, even if they only influence actual control of the faculties rather than controlling it themselves. They do keep an eye out for any worthwhile targets for meals or assistance among the student body and keep the sparse mages that work in that environment versus the University of Puget Sounds' Chantry under close observation.
- 6th avenue - Much like Proctor, 6th Avenue is a high-traffic stretch of road, spanning multiple neighborhoods and commercial spaces. While the entire street isn't under strict observation, many Kindred take their chances along the most populous areas and are subject to observation, all the same, to keep it from getting messy.
- Business Row - While not a very colorful or touristy location in downtown Tacoma, a key chunk of urban real estate is full of various different offices and companies, many of which are starting to come under Kindred's operation or supervision.
- Hilltop - A diverse district that has a long history of struggles in the city. Redlining, gang violence, and now gentrification, yet the community voice and presence are loud and palpable, and while many older Kindred pay it no mind, local Kindred and those whose hearts are in the area protect it fiercely from every angle.
- South Tacoma Way - Another high-traffic street, aptly in the southern end of Tacoma, where all sorts of the business line the frequently traveled road, from gothic bars to plant stores to car dealerships and restaurants.
Assets
So much money gets thrown around Kindred society that unless you are literally on the very bottom rung, it's practically meaningless. However, for the purpose of getting things moving and Kindred housed, Fiore and his crew have a lot of financial weight passing through Tacoma. On top of that, the Sabbat invasion left behind a lot of their own resources, financial and otherwise.
Guilds and Factions
While the whole of the Anarch society in Tacoma is a faction in and of itself, there are still some internal divisions over how the new Tacoma governance should go. While not enough time has passed for these to coalesce into full factions or parties, a few specific schools of thought are beginning to appear.
- Valiants - Kindred who wish to amass power in its many forms to take the fight to the Camarilla and bring more of Washington into the Anarch fold, ideally going far enough to take on even the Garou and Hunters that keep them from pushing eastward.
- Stasis - Those who believe it's more imperative to collate power in order to refine and defend Tacoma long-term rather than going on the offensive.
- Unionizers - Those who wish to reach past the divides in order to bring a united flow of power to the area. Different clans, different generations, and even different types of Supernatural beings present in the city.
- Politics - Kindred who feel that getting Tacoma to a position of bargaining power is the true path, in order to ally with the Camarilla, instead of wasting time on the opposition.
History
Seattle's Pioneer faction is named as such due to its vampiric members being part of Luther Collins's original party, and being integral to the development of the city. Tacoma is not too different, although its history is much less storied as far as Kindred are concerned.
While there have been subtle pulls and pushes here and there, especially with the city's first climb as a key part of the Northern Pacific Railroad, all was soon eclipsed as Seattle's growing prosperity and the pull of the gold rush brought national attention northward. While this meant things were rocky for the few Kindred who were stuck in the city rather than flying northward as well, it also gave them a degree of anonymity to work on various projects, many of which stay hidden to this day.
As human disasters came and went, especially during the great depression when Tacoma was not only hit by the global incident but also disastrously record winters, power outages, and legislation that brought political power to a standstill, the few Kindred that were left in Tacoma found themselves at more and more of a demerit, with barely a dozen permanently remaining during the height of the struggles.
By the time a state investigation occurred in 1951 to root out corruption in the government of the city, the last Kindred independent in Tacoma knew it was time to invest in Seattle. During the next few decades, the Camarilla of Seattle under Prince Lou Graham treated Tacoma as just another extension of their control, spreading through even the connecting cities of Federal Way and Fife among others.
While the mortal population grew and developed as always, Kindred used Tacoma as a "runners-up club" of sorts, where those who couldn't make it in Seattle proper would put their business, or if they were not fully banned yet not welcomed in Camarilla society either. Unsurprisingly, with a club as selective as the Camarilla and especially the Pioneers, the Kindred population of the city grew once more, with many new Kindred being made in the span between the '60s and the '90s.
However, the rise in the Kindred population wasn't just due to the Camarilla. The Anarchs, coming up from California, were also starting to settle in the area, hoping to take the portside Camarilla stronghold and unite with their California fellows to pincer Portland to get main control of Oregon. However, due to the wisdom of Prince Graham and the wide berth of the Camarilla's control, not to mention the threats surrounding the area that made it hard to set up elsewhere, it quickly turned into a stalemate.
But, stalemate though it was, the more the Anarchs kept a presence, the more Kindred were drawn to their side either by conversion or siring. For decades it became a game of back and forth, tit for tat, one step forward two steps back, with the Anarchs on the back foot but never ceding. Even when Lou Graham was deposed by Alec Cross, the appointed "Prince" of Tacoma, a brutal and vile Nosferatu by the name of Gravenstein, kept the pressure on them so they couldn't take the chance to strike.
This eternal tug-of-war continued until late 2019, when the proud ports of Tacoma were ground zero for a terrifying secret invasion. The third faction among Kindred, The Sabbat, rushed the city, weak from the stalemate that had been persisting for decades, and took over. Slaughtering Anarch and Camarilla alike, both sides fled where they could, with many Camarilla fleeing to Seattle, and Anarchs fleeing to wherever they could to the east where Werewolves and Hunters did not look too hard.
Despite the seeming impossibility of recovery, it was the Anarchs, gathered by Fiore Choi-Yun and his coterie, that were able to negotiate with the Camarilla on equal ground and burn out the Sabbat that had invaded their home. With the Camarilla beaten and drained outside of their main holding, the Anarchs had finally won the city they had been fighting for all these decades. While the goals might've shifted, the new victory, a true first victory for many of the Kindred, has lit a fire in them, and the city is experiencing a Kindred renaissance unparalleled since its founding.
Only the future will tell if they will soar or if it will all come crashing down again.
Tourism
Not many Kindred are naturally drawn to the city, with plenty seeing it as a pitstop for a social or literal move up to Seattle, where true influence and status lies. But, that is one of the many things that Fiore and the newly revitalized anarchs are beginning to change.
Now, it's still not a popular place, especially since there are plenty of areas to avoid along the way to the south sound. Still, for those who are able to (and are willing to) make the trip the uptick in existing businesses, increased security andew ventures ripe for the investing are making many turn their head, especially those who aren't always a fan of the Camarilla. Of course, this attention risks catching the eyes of others as well, but the Kindred are plenty prepared for that eventuality.
Architecture
Tacoma has had
so
many
different
styles of architecture in the history of the City. A drive through the various historical neighborhoods, full of different styles and methods of housing will prove that. It's also been home to various skilled Architects as well, adding to this variety of styles.
Geography
Tacoma has many different elevations, from the low shores of Commencement Bay and Puget Sound to the tall hills going up streets like 19th Street, 51st Street, and Bridgeport Way. It is mostly an urban environment, but there are well-kept pockets of forestry within the city that make for lovely escapes from the concrete sprawl.
Climate
Tacoma is a very rainy city, with recent years seeing an uptick in extreme temperatures on both sides of the scale, but its frequent precipitation stays prevalent.
Natural Resources
Tacoma has many natural resources in and around its city, and ones that have been in danger for many decades. While there are many Kindred who are in support of the lucrative and powerful companies and factories that would decimate and ruin these features, there are just as many who would defend and enrich them for their own goals and desires.
Founding Date
1872
Alternative Name(s)
The City of Destiny, Grit City
Type
Metropolis
Population
219,346 (Humans)
Inhabitant Demonym
Tacomans
Owner/Ruler
Ruling/Owning Rank
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
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