Chicago Metropolitan Area

Descripción general

Chicago has hosted vampire and werewolf populations since before the Great Fire of 1871, which neither species started but both exploited to reshape territorial boundaries. Vampires consolidated control over downtown and the North Side through banking and real estate development. Werewolf packs claimed the South Side and scattered suburban territories through labor unions and construction contracts. The 1920s gangster era was secretly dominated by species warfare disguised as Prohibition violence. Today, both species integrate so thoroughly into human institutions that detection seems impossible. Most humans live their lives completely unaware that their alderman, surgeon, or building superintendent might be something else entirely. The city functions normally because both species benefit from stable human society. Conflict happens in boardrooms, construction sites, surrounding wilderness, invisible to the millions who commute and shop and sleep without ever knowing what shares their sidewalks.

Sociedad

Chicago operates under standard American democratic governance, with humans holding most elected offices while supernatural beings pull strings from appointed positions and career civil service roles. Vampires dominate night-shift industries, emergency services, hospitality, and financial institutions that operate across time zones. Werewolves control construction, warehousing, food processing, and outdoor municipal work. Inter-species treaties signed after the 1968 riots establish strict territorial boundaries and blood-cattle agreements that both sides violate constantly. Humans who discover the truth either receive hush-money positions, become thralls through vampire compulsion or werewolf pack-bonding, or vanish completely. The Cook County Coroner's Office employs specialists who falsify death certificates for supernatural killings, classifying them as gang violence, overdose, or animal attacks.

Tecnología

Modern technology works identically for humans and supernatural beings, with specific adaptations. Vampire blood synthesizes into recreational drugs sold in nightclubs, creating temporary euphoria and heightened senses in users. Werewolf hormonal treatments suppress involuntary transformations but cause severe aggression and organ damage with prolonged use. UV-filtering films and LED lighting allow vampires limited daytime movement. GPS tracking and smartphone surveillance complicate both species' hunting, forcing reliance on encrypted communications and cash transactions. Deepfake technology helps maintain cover stories when video evidence surfaces. Silver-plated ammunition is manufactured in secret by arms dealers who understand their customer base. The black market for clean human blood rivals the market for fentanyl in sophistication and distribution networks.