>>5812060>>5812108>>5812134>>5812176>>5812242>>5812285Unsure of both the scale and minute details of the threat, steps are taken to track down and detain anyone suspicious. Unfortunately, this leads to some confusion, as people begin to suspect their neighbors of collaborating with demons. To add onto this, it is likely that these demonic scions, whomever they might be, could be adding to the confusion with controlled disinformation and rumor meant to obfuscate and further mask their presence.
Our wolf-scouts and warrior-priests are put on high alert to single out people without established families, or people who have not been in communities for very long and may have started families of their own.
In the meantime, torture is implemented upon the demoness, but she seems to revel in pain. "My home realm is one of torment and fire; you can do nothing to me I have not lived through a thousand times." She reveals nothing, despite your people's most creative and downright sadistic tortures being inflicted upon her. Whatever your people can imagine, the greater demons of her home have undoubtedly thought of worse. The public spectacle of the demon being tortured yet laughing has a lasting impression upon the people; it frightens them.
There is one advantage in this situation that come to our aid, as they have so often in the past: the sylvians. Pureblooded sylvians are beyond reproach in this instance, for even if scions of this demon could have seduced and mated with a sylvian or half-sylvian, their children wouldn't be full-blooded sylvians themselves. Diviners and priests from pureblooded sylvian lines are trusted and the faith of the people is placed upon them to aid them in this battle against an unknown enemy.
They conduct a thorough investigation, working tirelessly to sort through rumor and suspicions from multiple sources. They produce a number of suspects, one of whom is all but confirmed to be one of the sons of the lost thirdborn; he looks nearly identical to his father, though with darker hair, and his amber eyes burn brilliantly with a keen intellect.
He is brought before the Regina and a council of seers, warrior-priests, priests and notable figures to answer for himself. "Even if my blood were demonic, what crime have I committed? Is it is a crime to be born?" he asks the crowd. "And even if it were, then our ruler should be damned as well, for tainted blood runs in her veins---the blood of those who drink blood!"
It has not been public knowledge that the royal line, for two ages now, descended from the male half-vampiric twins, the children
of the thirdborn brother of the 5th Regina and the Vampire Queen---the original source of the thirdborn curse. Somehow, the demon knew of it. There is no falsehood detected in his words by the truth-seeking diviners, and public attitude quickly shifts against the Regina---particularly from the vampire-hating Sylvians.
What is to be done about this tumultuous turn of events?
