The Curse of the Voodoo: Voodoo, also known as Vodou or Vodun, is a religious practice that originated in West Africa and was brought to the Americas by African slaves during the transatlantic slave trade. Voodoo is a complex belief system that encompasses religious, spiritual, and cultural elements. In popular culture, Voodoo is often portrayed as a dark and sinister practice associated with curses, black magic, and witchcraft. This has led to a fear and misunderstanding of Voodoo, with many people believing in the curse of the Voodoo. The curse of the Voodoo refers to the belief that practitioners of Voodoo have the ability to harm or control others through supernatural means. It is believed that a Voodoo curse can cause a variety of negative effects such as illness, bad luck, and even death.
“Yooou who reeeekindle the Flaaaame, embraaaaccceee deeaatttthhhh!”
Such a curse can be from a variety of sources; an exploitation of a life source at a deific level, exposure to using evil magics for too long, a hex brought upon by a powerful caster or even a destructive force bent on draining life from all reality. Maybe it was a little too realistic for classic monster movie fans; maybe Drake just isn t enough of a monster; or maybe it just came along a decade too late.
It is believed that a Voodoo curse can cause a variety of negative effects such as illness, bad luck, and even death. However, it is important to note that the curse of the Voodoo is a myth perpetuated by misconceptions and sensationalism. Voodoo is a legitimate religion and spiritual practice that is based on the beliefs and rituals of its followers.
Curse of Undeath – A Dark Souls-inspired mechanic
Check out my updated take on this alongside some neat ways to change up Tomb of Annihilation (again) here!
“Yooou who reeeekindle the Flaaaame, embraaaaccceee deeaatttthhhh!”
Sometimes, the sweet embrace of death is all but impossible for countless damned souls. They are forced to continue to walk a dark path. For them, they seek to regain an essence of life and restore their shattered minds, lest they be lost to an abyss of emptiness and madness. Such a curse can be from a variety of sources; an exploitation of a life source at a deific level, exposure to/using evil magics for too long, a hex brought upon by a powerful caster or even a destructive force bent on draining life from all reality.
The Curse of Undeath is a vile magical power that breaks the soul and leaves the body as little more than a husk. These drained husks share little with their once living counterparts. They are merely corpses controlled and warped by dread energy. Any remnants of mind left in these creatures are stretched to madness and driven to violence. While many of them retain enough knowledge to fight as though could in life, it is impossible for them to engage in rational dialogue let alone interact peacefully.
Author’s Note: Dark Souls III is out and I love it! With that, here’s an optional rule for handling a curse similar to the Undead of the Dark Souls universe. If you don’t want to literally be running Dark Souls, it shouldn’t be too hard to reflavor this into a different dread curse of sorts. If you’ve ever played Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem, Anthony’s chapter certainly comes to mind. One last disclaimer, these are mostly random ideas in my head, in an attempt to make a Dark Souls inspired mechanic. As such, it’s more than likely that this idea is a bit clunky. It will probably receive a revision in the future, if reader interest is there.
An Affliction of Body, Mind and Soul
As the last of life’s flames extinguish, you become less and less human. For every time you die, a piece of you is lost when you’re brought back. Only through restoring your humanity can you truly become whole. Even before the curse has truly taken hold of you, its dark power has tainted you indefinitely. You may currently look like one of the living, but heinous power seeks to transform you into one of many mindless and angry dead.
The source of the curse can be from one of several horrible events. Perhaps the Gods attempted to prolong the life of themselves and their followers by draining life essence from the planes. Perhaps an entire area was desecrated by overuse of necromancy. No matter the cause, the results will turn apocalyptic in the long run as people without souls begin to wither into deranged husks. Even before before truly becoming one of the Undead, the cursed already suffer greatly. Upon being afflicted by the Curse of Undeath, you automatically fail death saving throws when brought to 0 HP. You must still roll a Death save. Upon failure, you receive two failed saves instead. Getting a natural 1 causes three failed saves instead of two.
Image Source: Revenant – oevrlord
Based off of Dark Souls, which belongs to From Software. Made by Doctor Necrotic, for Doctor Necrotic Media.
There’s always a ranch or town boss in a Western who’s the villain, but when there’s a vampire gunman in town any villain is going to seem soft by comparison—even someone like Bruce Gordon, who played Frank Nitti in the old Untouchables TV series and also appeared with Vincent Price in Tower of London. And there’s always a damsel in distress, a delectable morsel-in-waiting in every vampire movie. Here, the part is played by Kathleen Crowley, who was in her fair share of B movies and Westerns, including The Rebel Set, Target Earth, Female Jungle, and Maverick.
In Voodoo, curses are not a common practice and are discouraged by the religion itself. Voodoo practitioners focus on healing, protection, and maintaining a positive balance in their lives and communities. It is also important to recognize that the curse of the Voodoo stereotype has been harmful to the image of Voodoo and its practitioners. This stereotype has resulted in discrimination, persecution, and the marginalization of Voodoo communities. Instead of perpetuating the curse of the Voodoo myth, it is essential to understand and respect the beliefs and practices of Voodoo. By doing so, we can work towards dispelling stereotypes and fostering a greater understanding and appreciation for the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Voodoo..
Reviews for "Voodoo Curses and their Connection to Witchcraft and Black Magic"
1. John - 2/5 stars: I was really disappointed with "Curze of the voodoo". The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were poorly developed. The writing style also lacked depth and didn't engage me as a reader. Overall, I found the book to be a letdown, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars: "Curze of the voodoo" was a complete waste of my time. The plot was predictable, and the dialogue felt forced and unrealistic. The author didn't do justice to the voodoo theme, and it ended up being a confusing mess. The book lacked originality and failed to captivate my interest. I regret reading it and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
3. Michael - 3/5 stars: "Curze of the voodoo" had its moments, but overall, it didn't live up to my expectations. The concept was interesting, but the execution fell flat. The pacing was off, and it felt like there were too many unnecessary subplots. The ending also left me unsatisfied, as it was rushed and unresolved. While the book had potential, it didn't deliver in a way that left a lasting impression.