The word baleful is employed across literary genres to evoke an atmosphere of ominous threat or malignant influence. It can denote supernatural maledictions, as in the dispelling of a dangerous spell ([1]) or the casting of a sordid glance that foretells impending doom ([2], [3]). Authors also extend its use to describe the insidious quality of nature—whether in a malevolent mist ([4]) or the baleful glare of a celestial body ([5])—while it characterizes the inner state of characters with hard, unyielding features or venomous intent ([6], [7]). In epic narratives and gothic tales alike, baleful becomes a versatile modifier, imbuing both settings and personalities with a foreboding aura that heightens the tension and dark allure of the narrative ([8], [9]).