History Main / ArtifactOfDoom

** Played straight with the original ''Necronomicon'' (only, any other copies are just books) in German author Wolfgang Hohlbein's ''Hexer'' stories, which is actively malevolent, extremely unsafe to read, and tends to draw supernatural evil to itself partly through its own power and partly because it's secretly one of the [[PlotCoupon Seals of Power]] that [[SealedEvilInACan keep the]] [[EldritchAbominations Great Old Ones]] [[SealedEvilInACan in their respective prisons]] after their defeat by the Elder Gods.

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': The Thirdspace Gate opens the way for EldritchAbominations to consume the universe. And they can make you want to open it when it's still closed.

* ''FanFic/BaumannRevenge'' The All Stars Staff is the one responsible for giving Mr. Baumann the desire to get rid of Ben Tennyson. Turns out that it didn't follow Baumann's desires, and it has UndyingLoyalty to its one true master, DX-4. It has NighInvulnerability. When Verdona used her magic to damage it, it wasn't damaged. Black Hole was not able to damage it, because it was made from an unbreakable material despite his power. In the end, the only way to destroy it was to trick it into turning into its OneWingedAngel form and destroying the dragon inside it.

* In ''{{Goblins}}'', the Axe of Piridan is a major subversion: while Big-Ears intially senses a palpaple aura of evil around it, and we initially see it in the hands of a monster, it's actually a ''Good'' weapon. The aura comes from the fact that it's a RestrainingBolt against a powerful demon, and it won't hurt a [[KnightInShiningArmor Paladin]] unless the Paladin wants it too... which is unlikely at best.

** Possibly worse, the Resurrection Stone, which is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. It also invariably drives all who possess it or seek to possess it insane. It isn't evil (in fact, there is no indication it has any kind of will of its' own), but ultimately, no mortal being can withstand such power Entire civilizations have been destroyed by the madness it brings with it.

** Possibly worse, the Resurrection Stone, which is ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. It also invariably drives all who posses it or seek to posses it insane. It isn't evil (in fact, there is no indication it has any kind of will of its' own), but ultimately, no mortal being can withstand such power Entire civilizations have been destroyed by the madness it brings with it.

* The [[http://ww2.wizards.com/gatherer/CardDetails.aspx?id=31801 Mirari]] twists and corrupts those who seek its power in the post-Invasion world of Dominaria in the ''MagicTheGathering'' storyline. However, is this a subversion; it's revealed in the end that it was only meant to be a probe, but ended up spilling magical power into the world, the power inevitably corrupting the bearer.

** It is pretty much the rule for ''all'' major Artificts throughout D&D that each of them must come with some curse. If it ain't cursed, it ain't an Artifact. This was stated explicitly in the 2nd Edition AD&D ''Book of Artifacts'', and is implied elsewhere.

* ''Literature/TwentyThousandLeaguesUnderTheSea'': The [[CoolShip Nautilus]] is this for Captain Nemo: at the State of technology in 1869, a submarine could destroy any ship and then escape unpunished. By using it as a WeaponOfMassDestruction, Nemo discovers that WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity. Nemo last act in the book is [[spoiler: direct the Nautilus to a Giant Whirpool, dooming himself and his crew.)]].
* Questing Stones are reputed to be this in ''Literature/SeptimusHeap''. No Apprentice has ever returned after having been dispatched with one of them[[spoiler: , until Septimus is given one and survives the Queste in ''Queste'']].

* The killer camera in ''{{Goosebumps}}: Say Cheese and Die!'' , which destroys or causes harm to persons or objects [[SpookyPhotographs that it takes pictures of]].

* ''Literature/TheNeverEndingStory'' : Subverted with Auryn, which removes memories from its user but can also change somebody's personality, as for [[RingOfPower The One Ring]]. The longer the Bearer has Auryn, the more he begins to be upset, irritable and angry. This is the case for Bastian, at last.

* In the John Silke series of ''Death Dealer'' books ( which are based on the painting by Frank Frazetta) the main character is given a helmet possessed by the god of death, which makes him a nigh-invincible warrior. On the flip side, it will put Gath (the name given to the death dealer) through slowly increasing discomfort, pain, and finally torture. The helmet can only be removed by an innocent young woman, and final love interest, named Robin Lakehair.

* In the animated ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice,'' the [[DoctorFate Helmet of Fate]] is this because of the much less equitable relationship between the spirit of the Lord of Order, Nabu, within and the wearer as compared to other versions. When someone puts on the Helmet of Fate, Nabu, the spirit in the helmet, takes over their body and becomes Doctor Fate. The wearer's mind become nothing more than a voice in Doctor Fate's head. The helmet can only be removed if Nabu wants it to. Since Nabu needs a body to keep order, the chances of him releasing the wearer from the helmet is slim. [[spoiler:That wasn't so for Kid Flash and Aqualad when they donned the helmet in the episodes "Denial" and "Revelation" repsectively. However, in the episode "Misplaced", John Zatara had to take his daughter Zatanna's place to free her, and has been his new body ever since. Nabu ''was'' kind enough, though, to relay Zatara's concerns about Zatanna joining the team.]]

!!Examples

* The ''Disney/{{Aladdin}}'' episode "Armored and Dangerous" has the invincible armor of Kileem, a powerful warlord who was undefeated in battle generations ago. The Sultan, who puts on the armor in order to stop a minotaur threatening Agrabah, becomes invulnerable and immensely strong, but is possessed by the spirit of Kileem, who turns out to be an inflammable tyrant and warmonger, who not only plans to conquer the Seven Deserts and later the world but condemns Jasmine to death for resisting him. Aladdin stops him by tricking him into destroying the statue that is the source of Kileem's power, releasing the Sultan from his control and saving Jasmine.

* It is rumored that Shakespeare's TamingOfTheShrew is implied to be one. The rumor states that there is a malevolent spirit which tempts the reader to say bad things about women.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' has a rabbit's foot, that gave good luck to the person who possessed it; however once they lost it, they were doomed to die a CruelAndUnusualDeath.
* ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' had the Coins of Zakynthos, which gave the person holding it charisma and a great feeling of power (useful for creating a CultOfPersonality, which helped AdolfHitler create his), but made them erratic and obsessed with keeping them, even going as far as killing for it.

* ''Series/BabylonFive'': The Thirdspace Gate opens the way for EldritchAbominations to consume the universe. And they can make you want to open it when it's still closed.

* ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' had the Coins of Zakynthos, which gave the person holding it charisma and a great feeling of power (useful for creating a CultOfPersonality, which helped AdolfHitler create his), but made them erratic obsessed with keeping them, even going as far as killing for it.

** The Necrotelicomnicom appears a number of times. The only thing most people (other than the Librarian) know about it is it's supposed to tell you how to communicate with the dead, and that it is a TomeOfEldritchLore. Looking at a single page of a fourth-generation copy reduces men to gibbering madness. The Librarian has read all of it. Since he's an Orang-utan, he got a mild headache.
** The Octavo, perhaps the most dangerous of all magical books. One of Rincewind's many problems in the first two books is that he has one of the eight spells contained therein lodged in his mind. Legend says that the Octavo was accidentally left behind by the creator of the world, and contains the spells that were used to make it. [[spoiler: Legends is ''right''.]]

* The [[BabylonFive Thirdspace Gate]] opens the way for EldritchAbominations to consume the universe. And they can make you want to open it when it's still closed.

** The only True Runes that have not caused ridiculous amounts of damage ''to their users'' are the Sword and Shield runes. Shield is primarily a healing rune, while Sword is primarily a very deadly attack rune. The nature of the Runes compels their users to fight ''each other'', but in the event that at least one of the users is able to refuse that compulsion (and if you've gathered all 108 characters), Sword and Shield forgive each other and become the Rune of Beginning, implied to be the most powerful True Rune in the series.

** The eponymous ''Halo Array'' is probably the most famous example in all-fiction. A network of [[{{LostTechnology}} ancient stellar megastructures]] scattered across the galaxy. When activated from Installation 00 - the Ark - in a single, synchronized event, the Halo Array annihilates all ''thinking'' life in the galaxy - including the local {{Eldritch Abomination}}.

The Artifact of Doom is an unusual villain in that it is a (seemingly) inanimate object but it's pure evil. It is the threat of corruption and falling to TheDarkSide. It may also cause [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Great Insanity]], [[ArtifactOfDeath death,]] or [[AFateWorseThanDeath worse]].

* The {{SHIMMER}} singles championship seems to have a habit of causing {{Face Heel Turn}}s, either in pursuit of it (Madison Eagles), or once a wrestler becomes champion (Sara Del Rey, [[spoiler: Cheerleader Melissa]]). The only {{Face}} to avoid turning heel thus far has been [=MsChif=], who has a "demonic" gimmick.

*** Subverted after gathering the 108 Stars [[spoiler: which requires forgiving Snowe, whose cowardice and mistakes in the beginning of the game led to the main character's exile and disgrace in the first place]]. The Rune of Punishment governs atonement ''and'' forgiveness, so this act shifts it into the "forgiveness" phase. The final attack granted by the Rune of Punishment actually ''heals'' the main character instead of [[CastFromHP taking away his health]] like the earlier attacks. [[spoiler: He even avoids dying in the end.]]

* A weekly Artifact of Doom provides the premise of the SciFi Channel show ''WareHouse13''.

* ''Warehouse13'' is built on this trope, among others. There's an example at least OnceAnEpisode.