Curse Generator

What makes a curse memorable

Memorable curses are specific. A vague curse of bad luck fades from a reader's mind. A curse that forbids a queen from sleeping under her own roof, or that turns every kindness shown to a thief into a coin of his weight in stolen blood, sticks. The more particular the rule, the more interesting the workarounds. Specificity also makes the curse feel old, as if someone really thought it through before speaking the words.

Three engines that drive curses

Most strong curses run on one of three engines. The first is transformation: the body or voice changes as a sign of guilt, like a king growing antlers each spring. The second is restriction: the cursed person cannot do, say, or touch a particular thing without consequence. The third is repetition: the same misfortune recurs across generations or seasons until a condition is met. Pick an engine first, then decorate it with imagery that suits the world.

Give every curse a price and a key

A curse without a way out is a sentence, not a story. Even legendary curses tend to include a key, however impossible. The key might be a spoken name, a specific act of forgiveness, a stolen object returned, or a child born under a rare star. The key does not have to be reachable in one lifetime. Its existence simply gives characters a reason to keep trying, and gives writers a target to point the plot at.

Using curses at the table or on the page

For tabletop play, hand a generated curse to a player and ask them to write one rule it adds to their character sheet. For prose, drop the curse into the backstory of a side character and watch how it bends every scene they enter. Curses are gifts to storytellers because they generate conflict for free. The character cannot simply walk away from a hex sewn into their bones, and neither can the audience.

Summon the Power of Curses

Crafting a memorable curse can add depth and intrigue to your storytelling. Use these thought-provoking questions to inspire unique and creative curses that will leave a lasting impact on your characters.

• What specific fear or insecurity does this curse exploit in its target?
• How does the curse reflect the personality or desires of the one casting it?
• What unintended consequences might arise from the curse's power?
• In what ways does the curse alter the target's reality or perception?
• What is the ultimate goal of the curse, and how does it serve the story's conflict?

What are good curses?

There's thousands of random curses in this generator. Here are some samples to start:

• Fiery whispers
• Eternal darkness
• Petrified skin
• Cursed reflection
• Thorns upon touch
• Bloodless veins
• Endless nightmares
• Consuming flames
• Uncontrollable hunger
• Cracked bones