History Main / TheWorseningCurseMark

** Artek "the Knife" Ar'talen in ''[[TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms Escape from Undermountain]]'' was given a magical tattoo after he was "[[RecruitingTheCriminal employed]]" via set-up escape by a noble. It mirrored the sun and moon position in the sky and was set to release a killing spell at the pre-set time -- as an incentive to complete his mission and return for removal before the [[IncrediblyLamePun deadline]].

* In Season 5 of ''WesternAnimation/MiraculousLadybug'', BigBad Monarch [[DeliberateInjuryGambit deliberately eats an all-destroying Cataclysm]] from Cat Noir. Thanks to the protection of his own [[TransformationTrinket Miraculous]], Monarch doesn't immediately crumble to ash like anyone else would, but he is left with a massive and debilitating black mark on his arm. One that Ladybug can't fix with her WorldHealingWave thanks to Monarch making off with her lucky charm at the time. As the season progresses, the black mark slowly spreads across his arm and hand, effectively [[YourDaysAreNumbered numbering his days]].

* Coll of ''Literature/TheMapToEverywhere'' has a PowerTattoo that [[AnimatedTattoo shifts around his body]] and allows him to navigate the Pirate Stream...but apparently [[BlessedWithSuck comes with a curse]] meaning that if he stays in one place too long it'll creep around his neck and slowly strangles him to death, essentially forcing him to become a WanderingJew. [[spoiler:This starts to cause problems when the protagonists are trapped in [[PlaceBeyondTime Monerva]].]]

* Literature/HarryPotter's scar counts; not only is his scar an indication that he survived the Killing Curse but [[AcheyScars it twinges]] whenever Voldemort is feeling something particularly strong. The connection to Voldemort becomes stronger as the series continues. The final book's DistantEpilogue confirms that Voldemort's defeat stopped it hurting for good.

* In ''VideoGame/SonicAndTheSecretRings'', Sonic is scarred with an arrow of flame. It shrinks with his lifespan; the smaller the flame is, the less time he has to finish [[MacGuffinDeliveryService gathering MacGuffins]]. Right before the final boss, the camera has to zoom in for you to even ''see'' it. [[spoiler: When Shahra [[TakingtheBullet Takes The Bullet]], this thing gets subverted all the way to Jahannam; [[EleventhHourSuperpower Darkspine Sonic]] has his [[Franchise/FantasticFour flame on]], and [[ExtremeMeleeRevenge he is]] '''''[[ExtremeMeleeRevenge not]]''''' [[ExtremeMeleeRevenge scared of using it]]. ]]

** ''Series/GoseiSentaiDairanger'': Jin Matoba develops that ability to curse a person with a spider tattoo by punching them that causes the victim intense pain and slowly crawls up to their neck, at which point the victim dies. The curse is fueled by the victim's fear and so the spider moves faster the more fear the victim feels, and it can be broken by achieving a calm mind despite the pain.

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* In ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles,'' a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Red Court vampire]] doesn't fully turn the moment they're infected, but the first time they kill through feeding; they can even use some vampire powers and drink blood to heal and "recharge" without losing their human selves and becoming evil. The Fellowship of St. Giles, a group of these half-vampires, have tattoos that help control their bloodlust. By default, they're invisible, turn black when the half-vampire's using their enhanced abilities and getting hungry, and bright red when those urges are getting out of their control.

* Vimes' scar in ''Literature/{{Thud}}'', which he gets from tearing his hand open on a rusty nail and gets eerily inflamed whenever Vimes get angry over some injustice. The scar turns out [[spoiler:to be the entry point where the Summoning Dark came into his body, and after being burned by burning oil in the same location the scar turns into a picture of the Summoning Dark.]]

* In the ''WebAnimation/DingoDoodles'' "Fool's Gold" campaign the [[UpliftedAnimal Awakened monkey]] Sips had his right hand replaced with a cursed crocodile claw. When his magic goes wild there's a chance for the curse to spread further up his limb, turning more of his body into a monkey-crocodile hybrid and shifting his alignment towards Chaotic Evil. Worse yet, when his curse mark grows so does the chance of his magic going wild. Cutting off his right hand and replacing it with his original one restores him almost entirely back to normal but the curse later reemerges because it is actually bound to his soul rather than the hand.

* ''Manga/InuYasha'': Miroku's [[PowerOfTheVoid Wind]] [[PowerPalms Tunnel]] functions as such. Once a year, it will expand and grow more powerful, until it breaches the confines of his palm and consumes him. It can also be damaged by outside sources like blades, which accelerates its growth even further.

** In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Sasuke's Curse Seal acts as this immediately after being applied. When his will or chakra weaken enough, it spread across his skin like a rash, causing additional weakness and pain. It is later upgraded to [[MarkOfTheBeast allow him to draw on its power without the side effects]].

* Vimes' scar in ''Literature/{{Thud}}'', which he gets from tearing his hand open on a rusty nail and gets eerily inflamed whenever Vimes get angry over some injustice. The scar turns out [[spoiler:to be the entry point where the Summoning Dark came into his body, and after being burned by burning oil in same location the scar turns into a picture of the Summoning Dark.]]

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'': In the Trespasser DLC the [[spoiler: Anchor]] has become unstable and could potential kill its wielder. It also apparently ''hurts''.

* ''TabletopGame/YuGiOh'': The card [[https://yugioh.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Snake_Syndrome?so=searchDark Snake Syndrome]] does worsening damage to both players each turn. The artwork shows a man being strangled to death by a snake tattoo that has covered much of his body.

** In ''Azure Bonds'', the eponymous pseudo-tattoo, among other functions, linked Alias to her bosses via their symbols, and there was a reason behind one empty place in their pattern. These vanished one by one when those masters were removed from the scene permanently, and later a mark of the goddess looking after Alias appeared. So when in the third book an old symbol returned...

* ''VideoGame/NinjaGaidenIII2012'': At the end of the first mission, Ryu is cursed with the Grip of Murder, which forces him to endure all the pain of those killed by his Dragon Sword, and will eventually kill him. It initially manifests as a literal RedRightHand, but as the game progresses, it spreads until, by the final mission, it's covered his entire right arm, part of his face, and [[RedEyesTakeWarning one eye]].

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* The titular character's scar in Robin [=McKinley's=] book ''Literature/{{Sunshine}}''. After Sunshine defeats the vampire who gave it to her, it disappears completely.

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Sasuke's Curse Seal acts as this immediately after being applied. When his will or chakra weaken enough, it spread across his skin like a rash, causing additional weakness and pain. It is later upgraded to [[MarkOfTheBeast allow him to draw on its power without the side effects]].
* A far worse one appears in ''Manga/BorutoNarutoNextGenerations''. Members of the Otsutsuki clan have the ability to plant a seal called a Kama on a person's body that slowly converts the victim into a clone of that Otsutsuki member so that they can reincarnate into the victim's body if they are ever killed. Momoshiki cursed Boruto with one of these during his dying moments.