TheGreatDarkness

Simple Explanation:

In Old World of Darkness we have variety of supernatural-related beings hiding from humans, often living in secret from each other. Mages are capable of bending reality to their will. Vampires are selx-explanatory. Hunters are those who hunt the supernatural to protect humanity.

Mages have been in a brutal war since XIII Century, between those who use magic and Technocracy, who wants to replace magic with science (which is just magic operating on different rules). Technocracy is winning and has run Pogroms (actual I-kid-you-not in-universe name) of "Reality Deviants" - Mages, Fae, Werewolves, Wraiths etc. Except in London, where both sides are relatively chill and local Technocracy believes polite debate is far more effective than gunning down Mages in the street, like barbarians. Most drastic events of the Mage metaplot had minimal effect on Mage society in London.

In 2012 Coallition of Hunters called Second Inquisitions condone a takeover operation of London, slaughtering most of Vampires in the city. London's Prince, ruler of Vampires in a given city, effectively rules from exile, afraid to show up in London unless absolutely necessary. And for the record, that guy is one of Metuzalahs, vampires so old and powerful they're credited with creation of myths of creatures like Minotaur, Baba Yaga or even gods like Odin and Apollo. Hunters use, ever-present in London, cameras to pick Vampire activities, track them down and kill them like dogs. London is refered to, by Vampire players, as "vampire ground zero" or "final death trap". Playing Vampire in London is described as playing a postapocalyptic game surrounded by mortals unaware the nukes hit.

These two exist in the same city at the same time.

I really hate whenever I try to explain how some bad rules can be abused and immediatelly get someone say shit like "If this happens in your group, change it" as if that would solve the problem. And whenever it is not soemthing you witnessed personally, then it means it never happens and could never happen.

Ed Greenwood's YT channel did more for me to appreciate Forgotten Realms as a setting than any book WotC put out, and he constantly revisits areas WotC has no interest in, like Sembia or Cormyr or Daelands.

No I cannot afford it, I had surprise financial emergency this month.

But seriously, either make the whole thing free or paid, don't get my hopes up only to dash them like that.

Explanation: I'm the only person who runs D&D in my friends groups, so I get to play in other games under other Game Masters, but have a LOT of D&D character ideas I will never get to try.

And they didn't even get full 3-actions economy.

3.5 was edition I played the most. It was a reason why I quit RPGs for nearly a decade because I hated it so much.

Every time I see another meme about how amazing 3.5 Tarrasque is, I remmember how amogn actual 3.5 players Tarrasque was the biggest joke. It was always brought up as definite proof designers have no idea how to make good monster. It was laughably easy to beat. A wizard could casually solo it, the same abilities people now miss in 3.5 amounted to ribbons. It was a laughingstock, forums had 100+ pages discussions how to fix it and general consensus was it';s beyond saving. It was first proof in 3.5 if you cannot use magic you're only good to roll over and die.

I honestly don't know if everyone claiming 3.5 Tarrasque is such a horrifying monster are trying to rewrite history or unintentionally proving what a broken, unplayable pile of garbage 3.5 was, if it's biggest punching bag is actually dangerous in a different, better designed game.