The return letter to Vestil will also have to go through Hella, but I take additional precautions to link the contents solely to Vestil so that it is safer from interception.
Auntie,
How exciting, for me to be able to provide any intelligence for once. My own little one has less of a head for strategy and more one for the whims of the heart. I’m sure there will be more for him to learn even by the time you meet.
What I know of demons:
- Demon Lords are to Dread Lords, Demon Kings are to Hands, a Demon Emperor is to the Empress. Isn’t it funny how power structures converge? How big would an Empire need to be to have more than three layers?
- Demon Kings are somewhat like Hands in their power and ability, but they inherit the sheer will and intent of their predecessors. Thus - killing one will not destroy his mission.
- The emblem is of the Sword of Divine Order, a sect devoted to the destruction of dragons. I have seen them at work and they are brutally effective.
A more general history lesson on demons, for it seems you are encountering them for the first time:
- Demons can mate and breed with just about anything, and their powers seem to breed true and blend together rather than being rejected or weakened.
- They are an incredibly diverse people - I am travelling with one whose bloodlines are of ‘darkness’ and ‘water’ and I hear about many other different affinities that other kinds of demons have.
- With that diversity, of course, I note that they are not like the Collective. That i’m able to travel comfortably with a demon tells me that they have their own thoughts and minds, and can be reasoned with.
- Historically, demons and dragons have been terrible enemies. There was once a group of people with both demonic and draconic heritage (the Demon-Dragon Clan) but they are nearly extinguished and I imagine that neither side will take them in if they resurface. Laying the groundwork for bringing them into our Empire is something that has been on my mind.
Relevant timely information:
- There is a rogue agent dead-set on destroying demons. I have a grudging trust in him, but I would not rely on him for anything aside from his own interests, which are obscure to me. I believe me and mine have some small sway over him, and I have a tenuous line of communication with him. I would align him with dragons, fae, and perhaps my own family if push came to shove. If you encounter him, I think it would be helpful to reveal yourself as family to Mistress, who is Trillium Nightshade’s mother.
- The dragon corpse you saw is likely the remains of Wildfire. I’m very sorry to hear of the dishonour being done to his body - he was a powerful member of the Demon-Dragon Clan and, more importantly, something of a family member.
- The rogue agent tells me that the Demon Emperor is near death, and I would expect that this means a Demon King will soon ascend to Emperorship.
The jointure of the Collective with demons would be disastrous. Their unique racial abilities combining would be incredibly powerful.
From what I know of each of them, demons value their inherent diversity and see it as a gift from their gods. I would be surprised if their Emperor or Kings would ever agree to truly joining the Collective and giving up their diversity for the sameness imposed by unity.
I am curious if the Collective know anything of the origins of demons. I can’t imagine that the Collective ‘gods’, creatures of rock and fire, have much in common with the demons’ ‘gods’ - creatures of air. Without knowing anything of the situation, I’d be curious about sowing the seeds of discord in how these two groups are able to view one another as allies.
Heiassa
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