In my S&S-campaign we have just included curses. It was actually the players own input.
We use hero points, and after one player lost his character, who was acting as captain, the player opted not to save his character, but rather spend his hero points to cast a curse on the ship. So now, the old captains rather draconic rules are permanently nailed to the main mast, and will reappear whenever they're torn down. Furthermore, whenever a crewman is tied to the mast for punishment, he/she will magicly receive two lashes of the cat'o'nine tails.
Then there's the hammock of hospitality. One player sadisticly kept Plugg alive for months, torturing him daily, and having him sleep in the hammock to be well rested and recupiated for the next days torture. So now, whenever a character uses the hammock, they'll be tormented by Pluggs nightmares. In game terms, a Will DC 10 (+1 pr. consecutive night) means just a poor nights sleep, filled with nightmares. A failed saving throw leaves the character fatigued the entire next day.
Now, for the curse I need your assistance with: The players married the lady of Tidewater Rock, only to lose their captain (and thus new lord of the Rock) the very next week. That was the guy who cursed the ship with his own rules. But as the players returned, they tricked their way in, and challenged the Lady and her champion to single combat for ownership of the Rock. Even though Royster McCleagh won, the PC's interferred in the combat, and cut him down, after which Lady Agatha Smythee threw herself off the tower in desperation... to which my players in general replied "That's a curse on the tower!"
Not one to disappoint my players, especially when they try to make things more difficult for themself, I am now trying to invent a good curse on Tidewater Rock, only to be lifted if the players find and return Captain 'Iron' Berts body to his beloved wifes side. But what is a fitting curse? Potency doesn't matter, anything is welcome.
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I'll go with her becoming a haunt, sobbing at the sea.
Every night, listening to her sobbing cause a Terrible Remorse Spell (CL5) to take effect to the people listening her. Or a Castigate spell.
or
The tower become gloomy and people at a range of x miles suffer a Crushing Despair spell.
or
The wave from the ocean carry her grudge, every ship attempting to reach Tidewater Rock must take a Profession [sailor] DC X or suffer damage as the wave slam the ship against the rocks.
All the dead that have died in the tower rise led by the lady who is now a banshee.