Father Emry darted another suspicious glance at Vassily’s string of charms, their brisk pace through the dimly lit streets jangling the baubles incessantly.  He had held his tongue thus far, but the clergyman could not let this moment of dusky silence pass without at least a casual attempt at sharing his faith.  He fixed his gaze straight ahead, and drew in a breath of the humid night air.

“Seems like trust in just one being might make for a lighter trek,” he said, chuckling at the end to invoke a more playful tone.

Vassily replied with a chuckle of his own, never breaking stride.  ”When you’ve met as many of the bad powers as I have,” he replied, “faith in one good power seems like suicide, Father.”

Father Emry instinctively nodded his head, and motioned for them to turn down the approaching alley.  ”So who do those totems represent?”, he asked.  His curiosity was not altogether insincere.

Without a word, Vassily grabbed the sleeve of Father Emry’s vestment and stopped in his tracks right below a guttering street lamp.  He looked the clergyman unwaveringly in the eye, and removed his necklace, placing the charms in Father Emery’s hand.  ”See for yourself, Father.  These charms aren’t meant to represent powers; they’re meant to ward them off.”  He listed them by rote, having selected and arranged each one lovingly on the chain.  ”After all, I’m a warlock, Father; we deal in curses and powers whose existence most would rather not admit.  Every curse or power I could put upon another soul, they’re always waiting for me if I’m not careful,” he intoned.  ”With all due respect, I suspect you’d rather be here when they come calling.”

Slowly, and with a slightly trembling hand, Father Emry handed Vassily back his necklace.  ”With all due respect,” he began, a slight smile curling the corner of his mouth, “I suspect you’d be grateful to have me here if they do.”

Vassily did not reply, but rather glanced down at the Father’s holy symbol and donned his own string of totems.  With a nod of his head toward the waiting alley, he led the way for Father Emery into the waiting night.

This generator is a convenient way to generate quick effects of a curse.  The curse may be the result of disturbing an ancient tomb, defiling a sacred place, stealing a magic artifact, or triggering a hidden trap.  Likewise, they may come from angering a powerful mystic, or simply irritating a local shaman.  In short, if your campaign calls for a chilling curse that’s not defined by any rulebook, or you just want to drop a hex on the party that might well surprise them, look no further.  All you need is a D12; 1-6 is a Meddlesome Curse, 7-10 is a Morbid Curse, and 11-12 is a truly Malevolent Curse.  Intwischa has already done all the dirty work for you!

Meddlesome

Meddlesome Curses are inconvenient and disruptive, but the threat they pose to the afflicted is fairly minor.  Meddlesome Curses should prove fairly easy to remove, or at least relatively short in duration.  We suggest the cursed individual suffer from its effects for around 6D6 hours.  Roll a D12 to decide the hex that’s in effect!

1. Amnesia (short-term):  The subject has trouble remembering any new information they obtain once the curse is in effect.

2. Nausea:  The subject feels sick to their stomach, and the mere mention of food seems to make it worse.

3. Lethargy:  The subject has no energy, and resists physical activity of any kind.

4. Kleptomania:  The subject experiences an undeniable urge to steal everything that isn’t nailed down.

5. Liar Liar:  The subject is compelled to answer every question falsely, no matter who asks it.

6. Exhibitionist:  The subject experiences a continual urge to shed their clothes or armor.

7. Seeing Double:  The subject witnesses two of everything it sees, making it difficult to distinguish which is the authentic article.

8. Troubadour:  The subject breaks out into song without warning or provocation.

9. Thickened Tongue:  The subject finds it difficult to speak clearly, instead slurring their words uncontrollably.

10. Chameleon Curse:  The subject inadvertently takes on the color and/or texture of its natural surroundings.

11. Intense Itching:  The subject experiences uncontrollable itching, either universally or in a location decided by the game master.

12. Super Stench:  The subject emits a noxious odor from its body, which no amount of washing or perfume will remove.

Morbid

Morbid Curses are troublesome and damaging, but the threat they pose to the afflicted is rarely permanent.  Morbid Curses should prove somewhat difficult to remove, or at least moderate in their duration.  We suggest the cursed individual suffer from its effects for around 3D6 days.  Roll a D12 to decide the hex that’s in effect!

1. Veracity:  The subject is compelled to answer every question honestly, no matter who asks it.

2. Obesity:  The subject’s base weight approximately doubles, which may affect their stamina or endurance.

3. Invisibility:  The subject, and its possessions at the time of the curse, disappears from view and cannot be seen by the naked eye.

4. Allergy:  The subject develops a severe sensitivity to a substance of the game master’s choosing.

5. Mutation:  The subject’s features or extremities take on the appearance of an animal or insect of the game master’s choosing.

6. Unquenchable:  The subject experiences an intense thirst that cannot be sated, no matter how much they drink.

7. Insomnia:  The subject finds it nearly impossible to sleep, which may affect their ability to heal or regenerate.

8. Amnesia (moderate):  The subject has trouble remembering any new information they obtain once the curse is in effect.

9. Racial Morph:  The subject takes on the appearance and abilities of another race, chosen by the game master.

10. Blindness:  The subject loses their ability to see, which may affect their alertness and other senses.

11. Backward Babble:  The subject can only speak in backward sentences, although the subject believes they are speaking normally.

12. Vertigo:  The subject is unable to maintain their balance while standing, instead feeling at all times as if the room is spinning.

Malevolent

Malevolent Curses are calamitous and destructive, and the threat they pose to the afflicted may well have lasting effects.  Malevolent Curses should prove very difficult to remove, or lengthy in their duration.  We suggest the cursed individual suffer from its effects for around 3D6 weeks.  Roll a D12 to decide the hex that’s in effect!

1. Lycanthropy:  The subject transforms into a wolf in the light of the moon, or at least they truly believe they do. (Game master’s choice.)

2. Petrifying Touch:  The subject turns any person or object they touch into stone.  This effect may end when the subject’s curse does (game master’s choice).

3. Rapid Aging:  The subject experiences a drastic shift in physical age; the game master should choose whether they get older or younger, and the extent of the shift.

4. Attract Evil:  The subject emits an odor or aura that is irresistible to beings and creatures that are up to no good.

5. Vampirism:  The subject is damaged by sunlight, and experiences an undeniable thirst for blood.  Holy water has no particular effect however.

6. Miniaturization:  The subject shrinks to a diminutive size, whether that of a doll or that of an insect.  The exact size should be decided by the game master.

7. Weightlessness:  The subject is unaffected by gravity, and will float into the air uncontrollably.

8. Pyroderma:  The subject is consumed in a layer of flames, which burns anything or anyone who tries to touch them.  The subject is undamaged however.

9. Multiple Personalities:  The subject manifests a new and unique identity every time they wake up.  While some personalities may recur, they will never do so consecutively.

10. Unchecked Aggression:  The subject seeks to commit violence at every opportunity, whether they face friend or foe.

11. Water Breathing:  The subject may no longer obtain oxygen by breathing air, but instead may only breathe safely in an aquatic environment.

12. Blood Like Water:  The subject will bleed uncontrollably if their skin is broken even slightly, draining them of strength and vitality.