Scourge of Desecration

The Scourge of Desecration was first utilized by the Greater Demon Nergal, after having been instructed by the life shaping Archduke Abaddon. The arts of Desecration enable demons to manipulate the components of living organisms. The least of the powers granted by this Scourge enable them to rapidly heal injuries inflicted on their hosts. The more advanced of them, however, allow living creatures to be twisted into horrific monstrosities, or deadly plagues of all kind to be engineered. In short, Desecration enables demons to ravage the bodies of the living, allowing them to twist them into shapes more pleasing to the corrupted spawn of Hell.

## Mechanics

Desecration functions by demons infusing their infernal taint into living flesh, and then twisting it to their will, manipulating the mortal biology through their dark power. This is a thoroughly unnatural and unpleasant process, with any such transformed body parts always causing whoever they are attached too considerable pain. This of course makes the power ideal for creating monstrous warbeasts, as the warping of their body will result in them being in constant pain, thus causing them to be ill tempered and aggressive. Just how demons like them.

## Powers

### Lower Mastery (Levels 1-2)

* **Regenerate Vessel (Level 1):** This ability enables demons to spur the bodies of any mortals who they possess to rapidly heal any injuries dealt to them. More severe injuries are harder to heal, and may require further mastery of the Scourge of Desecration in order to actually pull off. Such healing is exhausting and unnatural for a mortal to undergo, and if they survive the demonic possession, they will be quite tired and sore in whatever areas were healed. Also, it should be noted, this power can only be used on an individual the demon is possessing.
* **Command Corpus (Level 2):** Utilizing this ability, a demon may manipulate the biological systems of any body they are in physical contact with. They can cause heartbeats to speed up, slow, or even stop, cause a body to purge itself of toxins by vomiting or sweating them out rapidly, or inflict astounding agony by alighting their nervous system, causing every sensation to inflict unspeakable agony.
* **Preserve Vessel (Level 2):** Demons who employ this power are able to employ the powers of Regeneration subtly, enabling them to completely halt the aging of their host, so they may use it indefinitely. This effect also applies to corpses, allowing demons to possess a dead human without fear of them eventually rotting away. Most demons still prefer living hosts, so that they may torment them with the suffering inflicted using their bodies.

### Minor Mastery (Levels 3-4)

* **Shift Form (Level 3):** As they master this ability, demons may learn to alter physical bodies, being able to make relatively minor adjustments like a sculptor with a near finished piece of pottery. They can make any changes to a body they choose, such as increasing or decreasing muscle mass, weakening bone structure, or even altering facial features. However, while they can manipulate skeletal structure slightly, they cannot shape it to any serious degree, and are therefore limited to alterations within the normal ranges of the species they are altering.
* **Shape Form:** Mastering the powers they began with Shifting Forms, demons with this ability gain the ability to warp bone like putty. This enables them to twist any creature into something utterly unrecognizable. Size or mass is of little object to the demon, as they spawn the extra matter from their own foul energies, though for weaker demons, crafting larger monstrosities may take more time.

### Lesser Mastery (Levels 5-7)

* **Manipulate Potency (Level 5):** During the Age of Fury, demons captured human slaves, and bred monsters out of them and other animals. In order to speed up production, and indeed, to make impossible couplings between beasts bear fruit, this power was developed. With some careful manipulation, mortal pregnancies can be guaranteed, while beasts made to couple together can be forced to birth horrific monstrosities. Conversely, for the purpose of preventing certain creatures from breeding, this power can also render any creature sterile.
* **Induce Regeneration (Level 6):** Now, with a touch, a demon may force creatures other than those they are possessing to Regenerate injuries. As with normal regeneration, this process is unnatural and painful to any creature that is subjected to it.
* **Plaguecraft (Level 7):** Upon mastering this power, demons gain the ability to manipulate life at an immense level of detail, allowing them to shape living matter on a cellular level. Of course, being demons, the most common thing created with this power is what earned it its name: Plagues. Demons are able to craft all banner of contagions with this gift, and those who master this Scourge delight in unleashing their twisted creations upon the world.

### Major Mastery (Levels 8-10)

* **Protean Form (Level 8):** Once a demon masters this ability, the need to grasp and mold the flesh of their host becomes a thing of the past. Any being whose body they inhabit can have their form reshaped on the demon's whim. They can cause its form to alter itself in any way they wish, making it grow claws, bone plates, grow, shrink, or alter its facial features into any that they choose.
* **Creeping Corpus (Level 9):** With this ability, a demon can cause body parts of their host to detach and move about as extensions of their will. When combined with their other abilities to shape flesh into any shape desire, this can enable a demon to rip off one of their hosts hand and form it into an entire body, which will then be under their control.
* **Distant Desecration (Level 10):** When a demon gains this power, it enables them to eschew the need for physical contact to work their craft. Any living organism that they can perceive is theirs to warp and twist as they please.

### Greater Mastery (Levels 11-13)

* **Absorb Flesh (Level 11):** Using this ability, a Greater Demon Desecrator may absorb any living flesh into their own, and devour the life force therein, bolstering their own power. Obviously, being absorbed into demon flesh is fatal for any who it occurs to, but fortunately, this ability does not allow the souls of its victims to be consumed.
* **Cognizant Contagion (Level 12):** Nergal, the Greater Demon master of Desecration, developed this ability to spread his unholy influence. With it, the tiniest cell of his body can detach itself, and infect any other body it comes across. Spreading through any creature unfortunate enough to contract it, Nergal can then take control of any flesh that his contagious form has infested, allowing him to spawn massive armies of monsters at rapid speeds.