Monster Whisperer

I'm curious how the concept of communicating with monsters developed for this story—was it based on existing folklore or entirely from imagination?

The demons felt complex and layered, which made me wonder if they symbolize something deeper. How did the author approach their moral ambiguity?

Every monster and myth feels so detailed and lived-in. I'm interested to know if the lore was mapped out beforehand or developed organically as the story grew.