Scourge of Annihilation

The Scourge of Annihilation allows demons to physically manifest their rage and desire to burn the world to the ground. Through sufficient mastery of it, they can unleash the power of Hellfire, a supernatural flame which seeks out living targets to consume, and actively attempts to spread itself to destroy as much as it can. It is capable of destroying magical items and entities, including demons, and for this reason, many powerful demons take steps to ensure that the Scourge is not learned by any demons who are notoriously unstable, as putting the wild and notoriously difficult to control Hellfire in their hands is too risky for even the destructive denizens of Hell.

## Mechanics

Annihilation is a direct manifestation of the desire of a demon's rage and desire for destruction, to see the world consumed by fire. At lower levels, this allows them to command and summon mundane flame, seizing control of it through the sheer force of their anger, while higher levels allow them to infuse flame with their raw hatred, creating Hellfire.

## Powers

### Lower Mastery (Levels 1-2)

* **Command Fire (Level 1):** The most basic of Annihilation powers allows demons who wield it to take control of preexisting fire through sheer force of will. Once a demon has taken control over a set of flame, they may cause it to shrink or grow, intensify or lessen its heat, and cause it to contort in all manner of fantastical shapes. Even the smallest source of flame can be transformed into an inferno, as a mere candle can have its fire directed and expanded into a fireball capable of engulfing a grown man. The more a demon masters Annihilation, the more fire they can command at a time.
* **Ignite (Level 2):** When a demon has no fire to control, this Scourge is of little use. However, with this ability, they may simply will fires into being. By concentrating on a flammable object and focusing the searing heat of their anger, a demon may cause anything that can burn to blaze to life with fire. Of course, the more difficult to burn an object is, the more effort this requires, and at this stage, materials such as stone or metal are beyond a demon's capacity to destroy. The greater the mastery of Annihilation a demon holds, the more Ignitions they can perform at once

### Minor Mastery (Levels 3-4)

* **Expel Fire (Level 3):** When a demon masters this ability of Annihilation, it enables them to expel fire from their own bodies, manifesting the tiniest hint of their fury into physical form. Once this fire is summoned, it can then be manipulated as they will, subject to all other powers of the Scourge that they have mastered. Though they may continually produce flame for as long as they wish, the fire produced will snuff out in the air unless it finds something to burn. Demons with greater mastery of Annihilation can expel larger amounts of fire.
* **Summon Fire (Level 4):** Expanding on the power of Expelling Fire, this ability allows demons who wield it to call flame into being in any location that they can perceive. The fire they conjure can be manipulated using any other Annihilation powers that they have developed, and the demon must spend continual effort to sustain it unless it is used to set something on fire. The more a demon masters Annihilation, the more fire they can Summon.

### Lesser Mastery (Levels 5-7)

* **Lesser Hellfire (Level 5):** At last, with this power, a demon may begin to unleash the infernal might of Hellfire. By infusing their pure, unadulterated hatred into any flame, they imbue it with supernatural malignance and destructive power. Any fire so imbued becomes a darker, greasier form of ordinary flame. The flame will actively attempt to spread itself and consume what living organisms it can find, including the hosts of its demonic creator. The smoke produced by whatever it burns will be pitch black, and will curl and twist in an attempt to sting eyes and force itself into lungs. Any attempts made to control Hellfire, by the demon or any other entity, will have to contend with the malignant will the flame has been infused with. Furthermore, any injuries caused by Lesser Hellfire are excruciatingly painful and difficult to heal, even for magical beings.
* **Embody Fire (Level 6):** The Scourge of Annihilation focuses on the controlling of fire. This power allows a demon to *become* fire. Through force of will, a demon can transform themselves into a force of pure destruction, transforming their bodies into a ball of pure flame. The demon can still sense their surroundings, and can will themselves to move about, though it is easier to burn their way across something flammable than to simply float through the air. Maintaining this form takes considerable concentration and energy, but more potent masters of Annihilation can keep Embodied for longer and transform themselves into larger amounts of fire.
* **Fabricate Fire (Level 7):** Using this power, a demon may create tangible constructs from flame, rather than merely shape it. Any fire they wish can be subjected to this ability, granting it tangibility and strength. This allows demons to craft shields, weapons, walls, and more out of fire. These fiery constructs will still burn anyone who cannot command flame, making them ideal for use against all manner of foes.

### Major Mastery (Levels 8-10)

* **Transmute Fire (Level 8):** Building on the ability to Embody flame, this power allows demons to transform physical matter into fire. Not set them ablaze, but truly transform them into flame. This effect cannot be reversed with this ability, and is almost always lethal to mortal beings, as few have the will and magical acumen to transform themselves back or maintain a consciousness as sentient fire. Most of them die within moments of being Transmuted, their souls quickly scurrying off to the afterlife. Magical beings, however, are far more resistant to this effect, the more potent they are the harder it is to transform them. Furthermore, less flammable materials are also far more difficult to Transmute into flames.
* **Awaken the Flame (Level 9):** This frightful ability allows demons to awaken the Arboreal spirits of flame which correspond to any fire that is created within the physical world. These spirits will be warped and twisted by the demon's hateful essence, and when they possess any fire, they will attempt to destroy and consume as much as they can. They will also be easily influenced by the demon who awakened them, allowing said demon to issue commands and direct them about.
* **Major Hellfire (Level 10):** An even more potent version of the Lesser Hellfire weaker demons can create, Major Hellfire is visibly distinguishable by the black streaks running through it. In terms of its power, it is capable of destroying potent magical items and causing tremendous pain and injury to spiritual entities, though it is not quite capable of killing them.

### Greater Mastery (Levels 11-13)

* **Fuel of Fury (Level 11):** This power enables Greater Demons skilled in the Scourge of Annihilation to use the devouring, destructive power of fire to devour flame itself, revitalizing their strength. They can absorb any flame, using it to revitalize themselves, with Hellfire granting them even more power. Of course, absorbing fire that they have just spent energy creating does little, but if that fire has spread in the time between being created and absorbed, it can allow Greater Demons to grant themselves larger power reserves than they began.
* **Greater Hellfire (Level 12):** Greater Hellfire is the most potent form of the ability. In appearance, it is pure black flame, emanating a ghostly glow. It is capable of utterly consuming almost anything, including spiritual entities and souls, enabling it to destroy demons, ghosts, and even angels, as well as deny mortals any sort of afterlife.
* **Absolute Annihilation (Level 13):** This frightful ability, wielded solely by Asmodeus, makes him one of the most potentially destructive beings in all of Creation. The effect of this power is similar to that of Transmute Fire, only rather than merely transmute physical matter into flame, this power allows spiritual essence into Greater Hellfire on an absolutely massive scale. This enables the Regent of Hell to utterly annihilate all forms of life and existence in an area of his choosing, devastating both physical and spiritual worlds alike.