North
Northern
Baltimore is its richest area, including many of its great cultural and
artistic landmarks (as well as some of its less elite but not less famous
areas, such as Baltimore Street). The
area is primarily controlled by the ‘upper class’ clans – the Toreador,
Tremere, and Ventrue, although the Giovanni also wield some influence here.
The
Baltimore Museum of Art
The
Baltimore Museum of Art is one of the greatest triumphs of more progressive Toreador
in the Baltimore area, bringing greats works and national recognition to the
city. Including the world-renowned
Thinker sculpture and one of the most expansive Andy Warhol exhibits in
existence, the Baltimore Museum of Art, known as the BMA, is one of the most
important cultural and social places in Baltimore. Its location in one of the richest areas in town (Roland Park)
and it close proximity to John's Hopkins University puts it very much in the
center of attention for the Baltimore elite.
The sculpture
gardens at the BMA are one of the primary meeting places of the Toreador, as
its close proximity to several very nice restaurants and the Museum, as well as
the art that is displayed in the garden itself, draw the attention of the
socialites from the Clan of the Rose.
Baltimore
Street
Baltimore
Street is the officially sanctioned feeding area in Baltimore. What Times Square once was for New York,
Baltimore Street, known locally as the Block, still is for Baltimore. Consisting of numerous strip clubs, porn
stores and adult theaters, and supporting a great deal of prostitution, the
shadow government of the Kindred has long crusaded to maintain Baltimore
Street's shady atmosphere, despite problems with the current mortal government. Any Kindred in Baltimore are encouraged to
do their feeding either on Baltimore Street or the Docks. It is simple for the Kindred to cover up
some feeding done on a whore or a drunkard at a strip club, and the close
proximity to the Inner Harbor means that visiting Kindred can have an easy meal
of it.
The
Catacombs
The
myriad catacombs beneath Baltimore City are cautiously avoided by the majority
of the Kindred of Baltimore. Located
beneath the Westminster Hall, it is rumored that the Giovanni commit acts of
necromancy - and necrophilia - with the corpses interred there. It is also rumored that those silent
chambers are packed with ghosts - and perhaps stranger. Most prudent Kindred do not enter the
catacombs without a 'native' guide, but the entrance to the catacombs is
publicly available. Only the most
foolish of Kindred would dare it without permission, however.
The
Evergreen House
The
Evergreen house is an 1850s Italianate mansion full of libraries of rare books
and antique furniture. After the fall
of the Enoch Pratt Free Library chantry, the Tremere retreated north to the
Evergreen House, closing it off to the public 'for renovations'. The mansion is being revamped to fit the
Tremere, and the house has so far worked well as a chantry. The libraries are already well stocked with
occult books, and the mansion is large enough to house any of the Tremere who
need to stay there. It is currently
housing Reuben Shalowitz and Jamal Jeffers.
It is rumored that powerful wards have been placed at the house and that
a coven of ghouled sorcerers have been meeting there at night, under the
Tremere tutelage. No Kindred are
permitted on the grounds without an invitation. Anyone seeking audience with the Tremere are expected to wait at
the gate until a servant comes and lets them in. Supernaturals other than vampires are not allowed on the grounds
at all.
Geisha
Geisha
is in northwest Baltimore, and is one of the most exclusive clubs in the
area. Owned by Dominique Crowe,
Toreador twin sister of Leah Crowe, Geisha is the hottest Kindred club in the
entire state, and houses a great deal of Toreador, fashionable Malkavians, and
Ventrue nightly. Open from sundown to
sunup, the club offers an excellently stocked bar (including vitae) staffed by
a ghoul of the owner, two stories and two dance floors, and quite a few back
rooms. One dance floor consists
primarily of blue and white, and plays more relaxing, ambient music, and other
consists of a brass and red décor and plays harsher, more abrasive dance
music. Each room has excellent lighting
and a second floor with tables and seats, as well as a stage and
projectors. The music played in the
club is almost entirely original underground music, rooted out by Dominique
Crowe and presented for the masses in the club. CDs of the sets are available at the door. If you know who to go to, one can acquire
various custom narcotics and other vices for the discerning Kindred (or Kine),
and discreet back rooms are available for anyone interested in indulging any
tastes less suitable for mass consumption.
Prudent feeding is permitted by the management of the club.
Gunpowder
Falls State Park
North
of Baltimore City, the Gunpowder Falls State Park is the largest national park
in Maryland. It is completely closed
off at night, due entirely to the vampire influence over the area - it is the
primary meeting place for the Garou in Baltimore. Any Kindred coming into Baltimore for the first time will be told
to avoid the area, and only the most powerful (or stupid) Kindred ever set foot
there, let alone return. The Gangrel
use the Gunpowder Falls area as a hunting ground.
Roland
Park
The
entire Roland Park area is considered Elysium by the Kindred of Baltimore. The richest area in the Baltimore
Metropolitan area (and subsequently home to not a few vampires), Prince
Albrecht has declared the area off-limits for hunting in an attempt to keep the
rich cosmopolitans of Baltimore save from vampires. Kindred whose domains are in Roland Park are permitted to feed in
the area, but they are not permitted to hunt anyone in the area. If some does hunt in the area, it will be
difficulty 8 - and if caught, the repercussions are drastic.
Westminster
Hall
This
historical hall is said to be infested by the Giovanni, the center for their
experimentations with death (especially since it is the opening to the myriad
catacombs that lie beneath the soil of Baltimore). Westminster Hall is guarded carefully by the Giovanni day and
night, and is nearly impossible to get into without getting the attention of
ghouls, Kindred, or most certainly wraiths, who always watch in the
darkness. The secrets that lie beneath
the Hall may be worth it, however.