Hex Mark

The first Hex Mark was burned into the soul of the Deadlands' original survivor - a gunslinger who cheated death at the gallows and was cursed to carry the frontier's mark forever. Now, every competitor who survives a culling receives this mark, binding them to the cursed lands.

The Hex Mark appears as a circular sigil with intricate tattoo-like patterns resembling skulls and serpents, surrounded by a faint crimson glow. It appears to shift and writhe when the bearer is in danger, the serpent appearing to circle eternally around a central point. The mark cannot be removed or transferred - it binds to the survivor permanently. It glows faintly when other marked individuals are nearby and grows darker or brighter based on the bearer's current ranking.

The Hex Mark designates those who have survived at least one culling, marking them as permanent players in the Deadlands' game. Bearers are exempt from certain culling rules but are also bound to the frontier forever - they carry the weight of all who fell before them.