’’If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever.’’

Maybe this world is another planet's hell?

"Life sucks no matter what, so don’t be fooled by location changes."

Life's a bitch, and then you die.

Well it's a pretty tough call when all you can see
is numbing government when you look at the TV,
and the big business Satan,
and cops who'd love to take your head off if they had half a chance.

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good, and the very gentle, and the very brave, impartially.

"[W]e believe in a sky father above and a earth mother below. The rest is struggle and pain before death...Some of the foolish ones believe in spirits as well, but most of us believe in a good horse and a strong right arm"

"Murphy is an optimist."

’’Life is pain, Highness. Anybody who says otherwise is selling something.’’

There's a hole in the world like a great black pit,
and the vermin of the world inhabit it,
and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit,
and it goes by the name of London.
At the top of the hole sit a privileged few
making mock of the vermin in the lower zoo,
turning beauty into filth and greed. I too
have sailed the world and seen its wonders,
for the cruelty of men is as wondrous as Peru.
But there's no place like London!

The Extinction of Virtue: There are few illusions left in the World of Darkness. Centuries of greed and deceit (on the part of humans as well as Kindred) have eroded humanity's innocence. Cynicism and despair permeate everything, from the tags on city walls to the movies in theaters. No one dares to believe in much of anything, because virtues like charity and compassion are just invitations to be victimized. A gentle soul and a loving heart are as rare as diamonds, and as precious.

Blood and Money: Life is cheap, and desperate people resort to violence out of frustration, fear, hatred or greed. Crime is ever-present, and many families and neighborhoods adopt a siege mentality against the rest of the world. It's us or them.

No More Good Guys: The world has lost its heroes. They were caught in sex scandals or taking bribes, or perhaps they fell victim to endemic urban violence. There is no strong leadership, no faith in politicians or belief in building a better tomorrow. People know better.

’’Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.’’

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. This is the tale of those times. It is a universe you can live in today – if you dare – for this is a dark and terrible era where you will find little comfort or hope. If you want to take part in the adventure then prepare yourself now. Forget the power of technology, science and common humanity. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future, there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter and the laughter of thirsting gods.

But the universe is a big place and, whatever happens, you will not be missed…

The common man is like a worm in the gut of a corpse, trapped inside of a prison of cold flesh, helpless and uncaring, unaware even of the inevitability of its own doom.

"Once upon a time there was a poor child who had no father and no mother, everything was dead and no one was left in the world. Everything dead, and the child went out and cried day and night. And since no one was left on earth, it tried to go up to heaven and the moon was giving it such a friendly look, and when it finally got to the moon, the moon was a piece of rotten wood and so it went to the sun and when it got there, the sun was a wilted sunflower and when it got to the stars they were little golden gnats, stuck there like the shrike sticks them on the blackthorn, and when it tried to go back down to earth, the earth was a knocked-over pot and it was all alone and it sat down and cried and it's sitting there still and it's all alone."

"[L]arge squadrons of overstuffed vultures were making feeble attempts to get airborne."

"I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves."

"History...is indeed little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind."

Tired with all these, for restful death I cry,
As to behold desert a beggar born,
And needy nothing trimm'd in jollity,
And purest faith unhappily forsworn,
And gilded honour shamefully misplac'd,
And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,
And right perfection wrongfully disgrac'd,
And strength by limping sway disabled
And art made tongue-tied by authority,
And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill,
And simple truth miscall'd simplicity,
And captive good attending captain ill:
Tir'd with all these, from these would I be gone,
Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.
— William Shakespeare