Scourge of Contamination

Contamination is a nigh universal Scourge, at least at low levels, as it focuses on a demon commanding their own infernal essence, as well as that of other demons. Any demon who wishes to be able to interact with the mortal world requires its use, as this Scourge is what they employ to infuse their essence into mortal bodies for the purpose of possession. With greater skill, demons can further bond their essences to hosts, making themselves more difficult to exorcise, as well as contaminate objects with their essence, forming connections so that they may sense the object's whereabouts and surroundings. True masters of the Scourge are able to employ it for the purpose of manipulating other demons, tearing them out of their hosts or trapping them in whatever material prison they please.

## Mechanics

Contamination involves the demon mastering their own essence, so that they can use it for a myriad of purposes, ranging from simply healing themselves from damage, reshaping their Ethereal form to one they find more pleasing, or enabling them to inhabit material forms and exist outside the Ether. As a demon grows more skilled in this art, they can influence the essence of other demons, by inserting portions of their own essence into them and then manipulating the other demon's form through it.

Demons do not require use of this Scourge to interact with other spiritual entities within the Ether, as that power is innate. However, they do require it to touch and manipulate demonic Shadowforms, as well as interact with spirits when possessing a physical body.

## Powers

### Lower Mastery (Levels 1-2)

* **Consume Chaos (Level 1):** Consume Chaos is one of the few powers that is absolutely universal to all demonkind, with any demon who survives for any notable period of time requiring its use. This power enables demons to feed on all manner of evils, or more specifically, the reaction that wicked deeds cause in other beings. Ambient rage, pain, hate, misery, fear, and any other negative emotions fuel demons once they learn this power, replenishing their strength and healing injuries that their Ethereal forms suffer. Any such negative emotions that a demon themselves causes grants them incremental increases in overall power, with the more direct a hand they play in causing such strife granting them further increases in Rampancy, as the acts of hate and suffering they perpetuate adds to their own.
* **Shadowform (Level 2):** The Shadowform is known by all manner of beings who have any infernal knowledge as being synonymous with demons. The Shadowform is a state that demons learn to take, where they become intangible clouds of smoke and shadow, able to fly through the air at considerable speed, and able to resist the pull of Hell upon them, allowing them to leave. More notably, however, it allows them to achieve two more notable feats: Possession, and travelling to the physical realm. The latter ability entails demons taking on their Shadowform, and then worming their way out of Hell and through cracks in the Veil, and then travelling through the Demon Roads within the Veil to Earth, where they must again find a crack in the Veil that they can squeeze through. The Shadowform is partially able to exist in the physical world, as it is perceivable to mortals, but elsewise, no interactions with physical reality can be made in it. That is where its second useful aspect comes in: Possession. Using their Shadowform, a demon may infuse themselves into every portion of a mundane mortal's body, forming a bond between their two essences, and taking over the mortal's physical shell. Their victims are conscious throughout this entire experience, as their body is usurped, unless a demon utilizes another ability to silence their mind.

### Minor Mastery (Levels 3-4)

* **Consume Demon (Level 3):** A power essential for rapidly rising through the ranks of Hell, the ability to Consume another demon is performed when a demon has been weakened, or if the one attempting to Consume the other is already far more powerful than they. In order to engage in the act, the assaulting demon must drive a bolt of their own essence into their victim, breaking their form apart and destroying them. Then, before the fallen demon's essence scatters, they must seize and attempt to devour as many pieces as they can, absorbing the energies into themselves. Any other demons with this ability may join in, allowing a group of them to swarm and Consume another demon like a pack of ravenous wolves.
* **Regenerate Ephemera (Level 3):** While demons who first begin forays into the Scourge of Contamination quickly learn to feed on chaos and strife to heal their Ethereal forms, this ability forgoes that need, allowing demons to expend power to heal themselves without the need of ambient suffering. Such healing is not instantaneous, but becomes quicker and easier the more a demon masters Contamination. Furthermore, causing a bit of chaos in tandem with this power makes it all the more effective.
* **Contaminate Object (Level 4):** Inanimate objects are not suitable for full possession, but that does not mean demons cannot exert any influence over them at all. Using this ability, a demon may infuse mundane object with their own essence. This ability does not grant the object any supernatural powers, except for greatly enhancing its resilience, with said enhancements being more potent the more the demon has mastered the Scourge of Contamination. However, any Contaminated object is an extension of a demon; they always know its exact location at all times, and at will, they can choose to perceive its surroundings, being able to see, hear, smell, touch and even taste through it, despite such things being physically incapable of doing so.

### Lesser Mastery (Levels 5-7)

* **Lock Vessel (Level 5):** With the usage of this power, a demon may suffuse a vessel with a bit of their essence, and form it into a barrier that other demons cannot pass through. This prevents any demonic Shadowform from entering the vessel... Or leaving it. This allows demons to confer protection to mortal allies, or punish those who have displeased them. If a demon attempts to enter or leave a vessel, they must have equal or greater mastery of Contamination, otherwise they will be unable to do so. Fortunately for any demon locked inside a vessel, they will still be able to utilize their Scourges. So long as no powers which negate them are applied, of course.
* **Shape Ephemera (Level 5):** This power allows demons to alter and reshape their own Ethereal forms, as well as that of other demons. They may mold their own essence and that of others like clay, twisting it into whatever shape suits them, be it growing horns, enlarging themselves, or granting themselves scales. Once shaped, the changes are permanent, although further alterations can always be made through the use of this power.
* **Seize Shadowform (Level 6):** This power builds on the innate ability of demons to grasp each other's Ethereal forms, so long as they are in the Ether. With this ability, they may grasp another demon's Shadowform as well. This enables demons to pull those with inferior Contamination mastery out of their hosts, grab them as they try to flee, or force them into a vessel of their choosing. This includes inanimate objects, which Shadowforms are not normally capable possessing. The process of forcing a Shadowform into an object is excruciating for the victim demon, and given that demons are not suited to inhabiting objects, this usually cripples their ability to use most of their Scourges. When combined with the ability to Lock a vessel, this power can be used to incite considerable punishments.
* **Dark Seed (Level 7):** Demons are not capable of mating with and reproducing with one another. They are, however, through proper use of Contamination, able to sow offspring among mortals. When a demon possesses a human, male or female, they may choose to Contaminate their host's sperm or eggs with their essence. This will massively increase the fertility of the tainted reproductive material, making it almost certain that intercourse will result in conception. Any child born of this union between mortal and demon will be a cambion, and will, with practice, be able to utilize Demonic Scourges, like their parent.

### Major Mastery (Levels 8-10)

* **Hammer of Malice (Level 8):** Demons who master Contamination sufficiently can wield their own form as a tool of destruction. By driving a portion of their tainted energies into a physical creature or object, they may then command it to tear apart physical material. Such effects are gruesome to watch, as flesh and bone tears apart in gouts of foul corruption, while solid materials shatter, crumbling to rot. Fortunately, this ability cannot harm anything on a spiritual level.
* **Infernal Servitor (Level 9):** Building on the ability to Contaminate objects, this power begins much the same, with a demon pouring their unholy energies into an inanimate construct. However, this goes further, as the demonic essence within the object suffuses it with the demon's will and malice, granting it will and malice of its own. The object comes to life, able to move on its own, its greatest desires to cause destruction and to serve its creator. Though it has no powers unless granted them, the Servitor shares the same connection to its creator as a Contaminated object, with the difference that it can also send its thoughts to them whenever it is needed, and its creator may do the same.
* **Gift the Infernal Mastery (Level 10):**
* **Strip the Infernal Mastery (Level 10):** Many Demon Lords and Overlords punish minions who displease them with physical torture. For the mightiest among them, however, that is often not enough, and they go a step further, using their mastery of demonic essence to strip whoever has incurred their wrath of the ability to wield their Scourges. They infuse their own essence into their victim, and twist it so as to suppress their own ability to call upon their infernal lifeblood to fuel their Scourges. This effect will last until the one who inflicted it removes it, or someone with equal or better control over Contamination undoes it.

### Greater Mastery (Levels 11-13)

* **Evisceration (Level 11):** Greater Demons who master Contamination can wield their tremendously potent substance to terrifying effect. By inserting a tendril of it into another demon or spirit, suffusing them completely, they may then manipulate it to tear whoever has incurred their wrath apart, destroying them utterly. This even enables them to destroy mortal souls.
* **Confer Rampancy (Level 12):** With the level of ungodly power that Greater Demons wield, they have energy to spare. As such, they are able to transfer their own Rampancy to weaker demons, increasing their power. Such a bestowal is quite dangerous, however, as the potency of a Greater Demon's malevolence is such that doses of it that are too large may destroy whoever is to be gifted with it. Fortunately, this power is fairly draining, and cannot be used often, and furthermore, it is impossible for any Greater Demon to raise one of their subordinates to Greater Demon status. Except of course, for the Prince of Demons himself, though the number of times he has done such a thing can be counted on one hand.
* **Devour Rampancy (Level 13):** Demons are able to use Contamination to devour demons they defeat, even with very little skill. However, this is quite the inefficient process, as the act of attempting to devour another demon's essence breaks it up into pieces that the consumer must struggle to grab before they dissipate. However, Asmodeus, as the absolute master of Contamination, has utterly perfected the process, enabling him to not only perfectly consume the energies of other demons to destroy them and empower himself, but take in their power without killing them, thereby lowering their Rampancy and power. This power was first put into effect when a coalition of Greater Demons rebelled against him, and he made an example out of them all, reducing them to Lower Demons, a fate worse than being destroyed. The fate that this power can deliver is one of the primary reasons why the remaining Greater Demons are so hesitant to move against him in any way.