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Location: All throughout the Tacoma District
Deceptively well hidden, the Tacoma Stormdrains run through most of the Tacoma area, and especially through the industrial areas. Clever landscaping and city planning after the Crash kept the stormdrains out of sight and out of mind of most people. Only when traveling through the stormdrains in time of drought, or when flying over Tacoma, does one realize that the stormdrains run through the area like veins through a body. With the multiple connection with the sewage outlets, some Tacoma streetcreeps say that there's not a street, building or park in the Tacoma district that can't be reached by stormdrain or sewer. And judging by the amount of gangers, beetle-heads and junkies that manage to keep out of Lonestar hands in the Tacoma district, I'm putting my money on that being the truth.
The stormdrains are not only deceptively well hidden, but they are also deceptively dangerous. The main waterways are largely desolate places, overrun by burned out cars, trash, debris, toxic waste and the occasional scavengers. As much as city maintenance pays attention to let Tacoma appear to be a healthy place to raise your children, as much do they neglect keeping shit from sliding downhill and into the drains. Many tunnels and drains have started acting like garbage dumping ground, and residents are using it to get rid of everything and anything they'll have to couch up some nuyen for to have removed. Why pay for the removal when you've got near invisible tunnels and ducts running through your neighbourhood that will carry your garbage downstream. It's only in the summer, when the ducts are dry that the garbage is exposed and starts to smell, and then it's time for the city's wonderfully well equiped and heavily armed sewer maintenance personel to clean house. Why that heavily armed? Well, because...
...underneath the bridges the homeless, the rejects and the outcasts, living in small tribal communities, seek shelter from the rain and gather to protect themselves from the devil rats and other awakened and toxic creatures that make their way through the polluted stormdrains. The homeless usually have a fixed place of residence, but some groups are very nomadic. These are usually smaller groups that move around a lot, setting up camp wherever they strand. Logic dictates that these are also the stronger factions, probably through use of advanced weaponry [well, advanced compared to other groups], since they have to make their way through other groups' territory rather often. Also, being in smaller numbers they have to be able to defend themselves better. These are also usually the people that are always on the lookout to do jobs for outsiders, since they tend to be less isolationistic than the regular tribes.
The tribes and groups have many things to worry about; flooding, shelter, food, clothing, organ leggers, Lonestar raids, etc. Anything that might make their life a bit easier will probably win their trust and cooperation.
Another clear and very present danger are several tribes of ghouls that live in the sewage drains that connect to the stormdrains. They come out only when the sun is spent, and they hunt the stormdrains for food. Also, some of the tribes have been known to work for the Tamanous, a group of organ-leggers. Not all of the ghoul tribes are malicious, however, and some live in [guarded] peace with the stormdrain dwellers.
All in all, if someone were to know their way around the stormdrains, and a chummer would have won over the trust and loyalty of the drain dwellers, then that someone would have a good way of getting around Tacoma, and a nice quiet place to set up a meeting or lay low for a while if needs be.
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