New Chikago

New Chikago was the Capital of the Empire of Chikago, and was the largest city in Mereka since before the Great Flood. It was the political, economic, social, and religious center of the Empire. The other cities of the post-flood world sought to emulate the imperial capital and its grandeur.

It was founded around 1700AF by the Midlander tribes of the region, who lived among the ruined skyscrapers of the city, until they eventually united their rooftop villages to reform Chikago. Its location was well known for its strategic importance, being the site of the only channel between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Sea, the Chikago River.

By the time of the first Emperors, Chikago had a population of over 1 million souls within its high walls, far more than any other city in the known world. The center of the known world became synonymous with Chikago, as it was the capital of the Civilized world which the Empire controlled.

Cityscape
Chikago had a very unique cityscape, as the city was built straight on top of the ruins of the Ancient city. The shells of ancient skyscrapers were filled with new houses, shops, taverns, and workshops built straight into the sides of their skeletons.

The wealthy of the city lived on the upper floors of the skyscrapers, in what was known as the Upper City, where they constructed elaborate palaces, town-homes, and gardens. High above the busy streets below them, the wealthy elites of the city could avoid the noise and squalor of the city. They could easily traverse the many rope bridges that crossed the urban canyons between the ruined High rises. Often, a wealthy lord of one of Chikago's aristocratic families would each control one or more towers, which they peaked off with their elegant rooftop palaces.

On the rooftops of lower buildings and the lower levels of the tall buildings, was the Middle city, where the cities working and middle classes resided. Distinct communities developed in this area, and it was home to many of the cities merchants and craftsmen.

At the bottom on top of the old cities broad avenues at the bottom of the urban canyon were the slums of the lower city, also simply known as "The Streets". Within the squalid brick slums which filled the cities original street levels, was rampant crime and disease, as the waste of those in the skyscrapers fell down upon the homes and narrow alleyways of the lower city. The Lower city was home to the cities poorest citizens, as well as numerous provincial migrants who were drawn into the city by a slight chance at a better life.

Within the various tunnels which once formed old Chikago's sewers and subway systems, was the undercity. The undercity was sparsely traveled and were considered dangerous, even for Imperial Legions. The only inhabitants of the Undercity were the cities mutant population and the descendants of criminals who had been banished there by the cities people, the undercity also contained the cities massive catacombs, where the bodies of the dead were stored.

The city was surrounded by two rings of high and heavily fortified walls. The inner walls enclosed what is known as The Loop, which formed the core of the city and was the site of the towering ancient Seers tower, which was crested by the Imperial palace, known as the "Top of the World". The Outer walls were farther out from the loops and enclosed the North, South, East, and West sides, which were the more residential areas of the city, where much of the population lived.