History TabletopGame / OldWorldOfDarkness

* AndIMustScream: Clan Tzimisce is particularly notorious for this, thanks to their body-sculpting powers, that allow them to reshape victims into house furniture, while keeping them alive and aware of their condition.)

* {{MIB}}: The Technocracy had them.

* {{Cross-Melting Aura}}: Powerful Baali vampires can do this.

Humans share the Earth with various supernatural creepy crawlies that prey on them like cattle, use them as pawns, and kill them when convenient (or at whim). In an interesting tightrope walk, individual humans have little power, and human history is a series of [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy manipulations]] by disguised supernaturals; but a tenet of most of the supernatural groups is that ''humanity'' as a force is dangerous and must remain ignorant. The original game was called ''[[VampireTheMasquerade Vampire: The]] {{Masquerade}}'', after all...

* LiveActionAdaptation: ''KindredTheEmbraced'', a short-lived 1996 series on Fox, based on ''VampireTheMasquerade''.

** This got to the point where [[{{Narm}} every single historical figure in history was some sort of supernatural being and every historical event was part of some supernatural plot]]. It also has the same UnfortunateImplications as AncientAstronauts, as it implies normal humans can never achieve anything on their own (which was lampshaded by ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen'', where demons justifiably held this view about humans). The fact that the only two incidents in history that were entirely the result of ordinary human activity were WorldWarII and TheWarOnTerror open up even more UnfortunateImplications. (Apparently, part of what drove Hitler to evil was the fact that ''[[{{Narm}} he was the only actual normal human]]'' in the old [=WoD=].) Honestly, it's not so much that WWII ''couldn't'' have been the result of supernatural meddling, but most likely suspect to start it up, the Vampires, really don't like the idea of the local chow wagon killing itself off. This ''still'' doesn't change the fact that ordinary humans are better at being {{Complete Monster}}s than the actual monsters (including the Baali, Wyrm, Nephandi, Spectres, etc), ironically enough.
*** Thankfully the revised editions clamped down ''hard'' on this, making it very clear that most human things happened for human reasons with the supernaturals at most altering details.

* FetishFuel

In 2010 the very last book of the New World of Darkness would be published, titled "World of Darkness: Mirrors". While books will still be published, CCP Games and White Wolf will now put an added emphasis on PDF downloads, as well as investing in PrintOnDemand (commonly used by most small RPG publishers). [[YourMileageMayVary Most]] [[RuinedForever fans are not pleased]]. However the first benefit of this approach was realised in June 2011 when after six years of being out of print White Wolf put up a selection of their Vampire books back into production. [[AndTheFandomRejoiced Fan Reaction was positive.]]

** The biggest one is probably the Gangrel clan from the old setting. Originally used to connect "werewolf" legends to vampires, they were left out in the cold when an actual Werewolf game was developed some time later.

* TheDarkSide: Vampires in the old WOD were the same. Partially subverted, as in both cases the degeneration carries nothing but severe penalties. Other beings in the old WOD had their own ways of falling to TheDarkSide - wraiths turn into spectres by giving in to their shadows (sentient embodiments of their negative emotions), mages can turn themselves into Nephandi by inverting their Avatars, werewolves can be turned against their will by forcing them into the Black Spiral Labyrinth, changelings who get particularly bent by Banality can become Dauntain, etc. ... And of course, there is good old getting drunk on power.

* TheDarkSide: ''Every'' supernatural in the new WOD runs the risk of degeneration and turning into something fully monstrous by losing all points on his KarmaMeter. Vampires in the old WOD were the same. Partially subverted, as in both cases the degeneration carries nothing but severe penalties. Other beings in the old WOD had their own ways of falling to TheDarkSide - wraiths turn into spectres by giving in to their shadows (sentient embodiments of their negative emotions), mages can turn themselves into Nephandi by inverting their Avatars, werewolves can be turned against their will by forcing them into the Black Spiral Labyrinth, changelings who get particularly bent by Banality can become Dauntain, etc. ... And of course, there is good old getting drunk on power.

*** New World of Darkness actually removed most of the inherent "Gothic Noir" elements from all of the properties in favor of a more flexible system that allows you to more easily set whatever tone suits you. While the system no longer railroads you into ascension, it also no longer demands that all players be a member of a dying race that will inevitably disappear completely within a century, so overall I'd call the default tone much lighter.

Humans share the Earth with various supernatural creepy crawlies that prey on them like cattle, use them as pawns, and kill them when convenient (or at whim). In an interesting tightrope walk, individual humans have little power, and human history is a series of [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy manipulations]] by disguised supernaturals; but a tenet of most of the supernatural groups is that ''humanity'' as a force is dangerous and must remain ignorant. The original game was called ''Vampire: The {{Masquerade}}'', after all...

* WraithTheOblivion
* ChangelingTheDreaming
* HunterTheReckoning

* MummyTheResurrection
* KindredOfTheEast
* {{Orpheus}}

** This got to the point where [[{{Narm}} every single historical figure in history was some sort of supernatural being and every historical event was part of some supernatural plot]]. It also has the same UnfortunateImplications as AncientAstronauts, as it implies normal humans can never achieve anything on their own (which was lampshaded by ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen'', where demons justifiably held this view about humans). The fact that the only two incidents in history that were entirely the result of ordinary human activity were WorldWarII and TheWarOnTerror open up even more UnfortunateImplications. (Apparently, part of what drove Hitler to evil was the fact that ''[[{{Narm}} he was the only actual normal human]]'' in the old [=WoD=].) Honestly, it's not so much that WWII ''couldn't'' of been the result of supernatural meddling, but most likely suspect to start it up, the Vampires, really don't like the idea of the local chow wagon killing itself off. This ''still'' doesn't change the fact that ordinary humans are better at being {{Complete Monster}}s than the actual monsters (including the Baali, Wyrm, Nephandi, Spectres, etc), ironically enough.

** This got to the point where [[{{Narm}} every single historical figure in history was some sort of supernatural being and every historical event was part of some supernatural plot]]. It also has the same UnfortunateImplications as AncientAstronauts, as it implies normal humans can never achieve anything on their own (which was lampshaded by ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen'', where demons justifiably held this view about humans). The fact that the only two incidents in history that were entirely the result of ordinary human activity were WorldWarII and TheWarOnTerror open up even more UnfortunateImplications. (Apparently, part of what drove Hitler to evil was the fact that ''[[{{Narm}} he was the only actual normal human]]'' in the old [=WoD=].) Honestly, it's not so much that WWII ''couldn't'' of been the result of supernatural meddling, but most likely suspect to start it up, the Vampires, really don't like the idea of the local chow wagon killing itself off. This ''still'' doesn't change the fact that ordinary humans are better at being CompleteMonsters than the actual monsters (including the Baali, Wyrm, Nephandi, Spectres, etc), ironically enough.

** Though that didn't stop Himmler, Herman Göring and Rasputin cropping up in ''Berlin by Night'' (as a Tremere, Malkavian and Nosferatu respectively for those interested - ). At some point in 2E oWOD it became an in-joke among the writers who they could feasibly associate Rasputin with. One of the fun things about the oWOD is the fact that about five vampire clans claim Rasputin is one of them, as well as at least one Mage Tradition and a Werewolf tribe. [[ChekhovsGun Though this was supposed to be leading up to]] TheReveal that Rasputin was all of the above and the ultimate BigBad of Vampire: The Masquerade. Instead, he's eventually revealed to be a bodyriding Wraith. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Alas]].

* BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy: Happens every so often; can be done well (in ''Mage: the Ascension'', Alan Turing's death at the hands of the Technocracy drove the Virtual Adepts to break away and join the Traditions) and horribly silly (a vampiric Heinrich Himmler shows up in the first edition ''London by Night''; this was swiftly retconned to be an impostor when White Wolf decided it would be awkward to have World War II be an example of supernatural evils).
** Though that didn't stop Himmler, Herman Göring and Rasputin cropping up in ''Berlin by Night'' (as a Tremere, Malkavian and Nosferatu respectively for those interested - ). [[ChekhovsGun Though this was supposed to be leading up to]] TheReveal that Rasputin was all of the above and the ultimate BigBad of Vampire: The Masquerade. [[WhatCouldHaveBeen Alas]].
*** At some point in 2E oWOD it became an in-joke among the writers who they could feasibly associate Rasputin with.
** In the Revised Storyteller's Handbook it's advised not to use this trope too much in your games when Storytelling, while the trope's content is acknowledged to be present in 'early Vampire supplements' (this is on page 120).
** One of the fun things about the oWOD is the fact that about five vampire clans claim Rasputin is one of them, as well as at least one Mage Tradition and a Werewolf tribe. He's eventually revealed to be a bodyriding Wraith.
** And let's not forget about [[spoiler:[[ItWasHisSled what Cain's real punishment for the murder of Abel was]]]].
** Apparently, part of what drove Hitler to evil was the fact that he was the only actual normal human in the old [=WoD=].
** This got to the point where [[{{Narm}} every single historical figure in history was some sort of supernatural being and every historical event was part of some supernatural plot]]. It also has the same UnfortunateImplications as AncientAstronauts, as it implies normal humans can never achieve anything on their own (which was lampshaded by ''TabletopGame/DemonTheFallen'', where demons justifiably held this view about humans). The fact that the only two incidents in history that were entirely the result of ordinary human activity were WorldWarII and NineEleven open up even more UnfortunateImplications.
*** Its not so much that WWII COULDN'T of been the result of supernatural meddling, its more that the most likely suspect to start it up, the Vampires, really don't like the idea of the local chow wagon killing itself off.

** This got to the point where [[{{Narm}} every single historical figure in history was some sort of supernatural being and every historical event was part of some supernatural plot]]. It also has the same UnfortunateImplications as AncientAstronauts, as it implies normal humans can never achieve anything on their own (which was lampshaded by ''DemonTheFallen'', where demons justifiably held this view about humans). The fact that the only two incidents in history that were entirely the result of ordinary human activity were WorldWarII and NineEleven open up even more UnfortunateImplications.

* DemonTheFallen

* GoddamnOrks: Goddamn humans!

* WorldWreckingWave: The Sixth Great Maelstrom, which not only was powerful enough to put an end to ''Wraith'', but set into motion many of the events that ended the other games' story lines as well.

* TheDarkSide: ''Every'' supernatural in the new WOD runs the risk of degeneration and turning into something fully monstrous by losing all points on his KarmaMeter. Vampires in the old WOD were the same. Partially subverted, as in both cases the degeneration carries nothing but severe penalties. Other beings in the old WOD had their own ways of falling to TheDarkSide - wraiths turn into spectres by giving in to their shadows (sentient embodiments of their negative emotions), mages can turn themselves into Nephandi by inverting their Avatars, werewolves can be turned against their will by forcing them into the Black Labyrinth, changelings who get particularly bent by Banality can become Dauntain... And of course, there is good old getting drunk on power.

** ''Werewolf: the Apocalypse'' has Kinfolk, relatives of werecreatures who inherited the gene but not the ability to shapeshift. They're immune to the Delerium/Lunacy effect that befalls most humans who see shifters in their war form. They sometimes have access to Gifts. At best they're treasured allies, family members, and lovers of the Garou; at worst they're treated as brood mares to make make more werewolf babies.

** The Hengeyokai (and possibly also the Kuei-Jin) believe that the crappiness of the world is cyclical and that, so long as the coming 6th age (the ultimate in crappiness) is finite and temporary, the universe will eventually become a better place to live.