Gamla World of Darkness började som just det -- Mark Rein*Hagen hade en idé om att flytta fram Ars Magicas "Mythic Europe" i en mörk nutid. Sedan förändrades ju idén en hel del under vägen, men i gamla WoD hittar man ändå en hel del paralleller, till exempel vampyrklanen Tremere, vilken ju består av maktlystna magiker som "vann" odödlighet genom att experimentera på infångade vampyrer. Som han skrev i ett nyhetsbrev 1989:
"The last idea that's floating around right now is a game about wizards, very much like Ars Magica, even to the point that there is an Order of Hermes--only set in the present day. Magic has been chased from the earth by the ever-powerful Dominion, but a few creatures of magic and might still manage to hang on in out of the way places. The wizards are part of normal society, covenants may even be corporations, but on certain nights, when the Dominion falls, they can cast their spells with impunity again. But on those nights, others emerge as well.... Since no one takes evil seriously anymore, it has been breeding and growing stronger and stronger. Vampires, werewolves, and even goblins still exist."
Magisystemet i Ars Magica är ju inte heller alldeles olikt det i Mage till strukturen.