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My theory for now is that the monster zombie plague is manmade or (un)intentionally mutated into what is it now.
One of those "higher ups" perhaps (2nd prince party? obvious reason being get rid of the crown prince; classic), wants to intentionally create a crisis where they come out on top, or its an accidental outbreak of a bio weapon. It could be both of those at the same time too. Like all these appearences of monsters pre-apocaypse were test runs, lil accidents or simply abandoned after a successful trial. The same herb being found there strongly suggests that. If I'm recalling right these encounters so far took place where Vanilla's father noted locations on FL's blueprints (or they're locations number 2 and so on, which weren't mentioned on there. Perhaps I'll bother digging up those mentions just to see and compare).
Which brings me to this point: Vanilla's dad was somehow involved in these experiments, in whatever way shape or form. The Sinclairs too perhaps, though it's too early to tell just yet. Generally it's pretty clear that parent generation got a bunch of skeletons in the closet, Eden's dad too for sure.
Also I might be super wrong but the og FL, Aurora or what was her name, I'm certain she's a descendent from that mystic protector family Seigrave. Which is why FL's dad said to protect her - that mf knows. How? Idfk.
FL's powers seem inhuman or rather superhuman. I wonder if that was the intended or unintended result of those supposed experiments. Her dad had a shit ton of cash and desperation to cure his daughter, so he was able to come across these people and got some boosted af elixir out of it. And from there he discovered shit was about to go down along with Vanilla's dad (and some others too maybe). They planned to expose the whole operation, but bam and they were abruptly and "accidentally" put to eternal sleep. It COULD be that they were looking for ways to stop the outbreak and in the process came across Aurora, who they decided to keep safe with the Lancesters where she couldn't be harmed. Big MAYBE here. I'm heavily speculating atp.