Xiersel the Mistress of Creative Recruiting Techniques, Elite Imperial Blade

Song List

Role

Chapter 10

"I know you've been searching for me, that you've figured out who I am. An
assassin, a member of a dark society. If you can manage, look down."

Xiersel forced herself to look down, though her body what little mobility she
had was waning and her breathing becoming increasingly labored. She could see
it though, atop of her breast, a silver coin with twin scythes.

"You? You did this to me?!" Her eyes went wide with shock.

Parel nodded, and his voice, now hoarse with strain explained it to her. "It
was the only way, they'd have killed you anyway. This way, it will not be
painful. It's a paralytic poison, gradually, it will stop your heart, and so
they'll have their revenge on me, and their contract closed on you."

"Contract? I see, it makes sense now. So it's as I thought, you killed my
parents, didn't you?"

Parel could barely whisper now when he spoke. "I couldn't do it then, when I
took your parents lives. The instant I spared you I knew I had doomed us
both. I am just glad you got to live, and I'm sorry I could not prevent this.
You deserved more from life, more than I ever could give you."

Parel's head slumped, and his breathing ceased before he could say another
word. She knew he had finally succumbed, and that she would be joining him
soon. She heard the stir as the others began to rouse from their slumber, and
knew she had little time as all her vitality was fading from her.

If this was to be her end, so be it. With all her focus, will and strength
left, she forced herself to sing, to fight through the poison and make her
body respond. A haunting requiem poured from her lips, a song lamenting the
loss of the parents she never knew, the man that raised her, and the life she
would be unable to finish. She made it to her feet, not noticing the sound of
the coin hitting the floor, and managed the short distance to Parel's body,
singing all the while.

She pulled his body from the chair, and dragged herself to the wall, where
she slumped down in sheer exhaustion, Parel's head cradled in her lap. Her
eyes closed of their own, but the song still sounded.

The assassins just sat listening and watching it unfold, and when the room
fell silent, they departed. In the room remained the lifeless form of Xiersel
cradling her father.

Role

Chapter 9

The small town was nothing impressive to be sure, far enough from Udgaard to
be little more than really a logging camp. Still, this is where her father
was rumored to be. Xiersel found what passed for an inn and got a room,
planning to begin her search in the morning. Resting against the wall, she
gradually fell asleep.

She awoke to a figure sitting in a chair directly across from her. She tried
to reach for her sword, but her body was unresponsive. Without a second
thought she begin to sing, and the lullaby's final note was greeted by three
thuds on the ground as three people fell to the ground in the shadows.

"Impressive, Xiersel." The man in the chair looked at her but made no other
movements.

"Clearly not well enough to get you as well." She replied. She began another
verse but the man just laughed.


they come to. Please, just let me speak while we have the time, daughter."

Her eyes widened for a moment, but she looked at the man sitting before her
more closely, and indeed, it was Parel, though his form was showing his
advanced years. Also clear to her was a rather large wound in his stomach.
The reason he remained awake, the pain would not relent enough for him to
sleep she knew.

"I've been looking for you Father, if you truly even should be called that."
Was all she could say to the man before her.

Role

Chapter 8

As the new emperor returned to his chambers Xiersel watched quietly from the
back of the room. Things had gone just as she had hoped, the last Emperor had
finally succumbed, and a new emperor had finally arisen, the one person she
had convinced to remain in service to the Empire. Few knew that the former
high priest had pondered ending his life, and she had little intention of
making it known, for such may have been seen as a sign of weakness.

As an added bonus, the War Master had ended his own life, and Xiersel knew
she would likely be considered to fill the position. A chance to further
serve the Empire and ensure that only the best candidate remained on the

fail to continue strengthening the Empire, she would look to find another who
would from the throne.

For now though, things were going well, and she had no doubt soon enough she
would have one worthy of singing for. That only left the matter of her
father's odd coins and what they meant left to be unravelled, but as War
Mistress of a growing empire, she hoped she would have more time for her own
endeavors. If not, she would have to find it, for pressing as the Empire's
affairs were, her father's past intrigued her almost more than seeing the
Empire flourish under her vision for it.

Role

Chapter 7

The high priest's face was solemn as Xiersel looked upon him. "It seems my
time has come to pass, and I will not be long to see what ill fate befalls
me." Xiersel just looked on, allowing the priest to speak his mind. As she
understood it, the emperor would be gone soon, another to take his place,
likely another who had no love of the priest, a member of the shadow sect
that Xiersel saw as unable to truly aid the empire from the position.

Xiersel saw an opportunity though, one she could not let pass. "The shadow is
weak priest. He is not fit to be emperor. There is but one of the council
worthy of that mantle, and I look upon him now. And it is only you that I
would be willing to serve as my next Emperor." The priest glanced back to
her, almost questioning what had just been said. Xiersel just continued as if
she had not noticed, but she knew it. The High Priest was still listening, he
was open to her words. Time now, to try and close it.

"I would only support one who is strong enough to take our Emperor's place.
See it through to the end, do not allow those others to dictate your fate. Do
this, and I will do what I can to see you enthroned as our rightful Emperor."
The priest shrugged at that, but paused long enough for her to know she had
won this day.

"Very well, I shall remain, to see what happens at the least. Tis a pity you
were not named War Master Xiersel." Xiersel shrugged in return. "I serve the
Empire as it needs me to, nothing more."

The priest just looked around the throne room once more. "I do hope we shall
talk again then." And with that he uttered a prayer and disappeared.

In truth, Xiersel had no idea what went on with the council or the next
emperor. Nor did she care much who wore the mantle. She only cared that a
devout priest had considered leaving, and that she could not allow to pass
without a word. He may take his life someday, but on this one, she had
delayed it.

Still, she remembered the lore of the recent past. The Empire had waned
severely when the Shadow Sect held the throne, and she did not think another
would prove to do anything but further weaken the Empire. The current Emperor
had proved little better in bringing power to the Empire as well. A true
change was needed, a zealot of the cause. The Black Sect would endanger truce
with the Battleragers which would stall recovery. The only natural choice
then, was the divine or the Blades. Xiersel knew the current War Master had
no place on the throne, so t he high priest was the only option. The only one
she could support, or would for that matter.

Now, it was just a matter of aiding his rise to the throne. And perhaps in
return, she would one day be allowed to sing for an Emperor worthy of it.

Role

Chapter 6

"Kittens?" The look on the dark elf's face betrayed a slight smile, as if she
were laughing at the notion.

"Kittens." Xiersel didn't even flinch or hesitate as she confirmed the dark
elf's suspicion.

The woman began to speak but in that moment a puff of smoke materialized, and
when it cleared, a small kitten was at Xiersel's feet. Xiersel just looked at
the dark elf, as if she had known this would happen. The dark elf could not
conceal her shock at first, but managed with a bit of composure "Well, that's
impressive. Do go on then."

So Xiersel continued to espouse the glory of the Empire to the woman, all the
while entertaining the overly affectionate kitten that crawled all over her.
The Empire was secondary in her speech, more important was the entertainment
of the woman, and the notion that Xiersel was making an offer that she cared
little about being accepted. In time she had finished her conversation,
leaving it without an oath or offer of one, but just a thought. "So now you
see, such is the glory and power of the Empire. And when it is right, you
will seek us out, and be welcomed." The dark elf just gave a polite curtsey,
and their conversation came to an end. And with that, the kitten ran off,
chasing something unseen across the bar. Xiersel watched as the kitten
disappeared and left the bar soon after.

Xiersel smirked to her own amusement as she walked away. It had been one of
her more clever speeches, an effort to draw fresh blood to the ranks. The
kitten had played it's part admirably, a ploy she would have to try another
time. She doubted the woman would take the oath, but if anything, she had
planted an idea with her. Perhaps in time it would bring her back. If not,
there would be others willing to listen to the curious minstrel of the
Empire.

Xiersel knew that darkness and order have their place atop the pillars of the
empire. But creativity must be used to bring people round to the notion of
serving it. And so she would be that force for them. Let them find it on
their own, all the while suggesting and influencing without being blunt about
it. She knew forced conscripts seldom lived long enough to matter. If the
Empire was to thrive in the future, it needed those who believed in its cause
to fight for it, not those who were forced to.

Role

Chapter 5

The man turned out to be easy to find. Standing outside the tavern she found
him there, flanked by a dozen of the town guard. "There she is! That's the
assassin!" All the guards looked at Xiersel, then at the man, then back at
her again. "Don't believe me? Look at these coins she gave me! They were the
same as ones left upon the corpses, the twin scythes give her away!" The
guards all turned back to Xiersel, as if they understood what he was ranting
about. For Xiersel's part, the look of puzzlement had not faded.

"Assassin?" She didn't have much time to say anything else as the guards
rushed her. However, instinct and training took over, the song that came
forth from her without thought,entranced and calmed them all. It gave her the
moment she needed though, to make her way from the place without pursuit, the
guards all left in a daze of illusion she weaved upon them.

Clear of the town, she pulled out a few of the remaining coins she had.
Indeed, every one of them had the same markings on each side, of twin scythes
crossed. She smirked a little as it dawned on her just how little she had
really known of her father. "An assassin. No doubt the coins were left on his
victims, a mark of his work." She knew it not an uncommon practice among such
to leave marks so that people would know who had committed the act, while at
the same time never knowing who exactly was the one doing them. Just that the
same person had done them all.

She looked back to the town. "Someday I'll have to return, learn what I may
of this assassin." It made sense that she had never known much of his life
now, for secrecy was likely the only thing keeping him alive. Still she
wondered. Just how had such a man come to have a daughter? It didn't make
sense to her. She glanced at the coins again. That off to the road.

"Another time. For now, duty calls." With that she set back towards the
Empire, to tend to the day to day affairs that had become common place among
life in the empire. Beating back the hordes that came to threaten their way
of life and collecting the tithes that were owed for living in the glorious
society they were ensuring existed for future generations.

Role

Chapter 4

"Damn it, when in the hell?" was all she muttered under her breath. Xiersel
glanced around herself, but she knew it was gone. Some thief had lifted her
coin purse without her even noticing it. She looked back to the old man who
sat there glaring at her with growing impatience.

"Not able to pay?" He moved his hands back to the bottles of wine that she
had selected but she grabbed his wrists before he got them away.

"Insult me again in such fashion, and I may not be so kind in the future."
She stared back into the man's eyes, but to his credit he didn't even flinch.
He just snorted at her instead. She reached into her cloak, finding her
meager inheritance still there. She took out a few of the silver coins and
tossed them to the man. "That ought to cover it."

The man grabbed up the coins, gave a shrug and walked off. She uncorked one
of the bottles, taking a long drink from it. "Think I overpaid for this
swill. Still, here's to you father, thanks for the drink." She tipped the
bottle and took another long drink. When she lowered the bottle, she saw the
old man there in front of her again, flanked by two younger, and noticeably
larger men armed with swords.

"There she is boys, grab her and lets be done with this." The two men
motioned towards her, but before getting close she pushed off from her chair
and rose to her feet, blade at the ready. The two men came on anyway though,
but their bravery far outweighed their skills, and in a few quick slashes
both were disarmed, with shallow cuts upon them for their effort.

'It really is you. I'd not have believed it possible." That was all the old
man said before he turned and hurried away.

Xiersel just looked as the two injured man withdrew slowly from her as well,
never taking their eyes from her until they reached the door.

"What the hell just happened?" She grabbed the two bottles of wine, stashed
one away, took another drink from the other, and went off to find that old
man.

Role

Chapter 3

"This places looks the same as I remember it." That was all Xiersel said as
she walked around the small dwelling. It had been many years, and it had
taken her a moment to realize where she was when she found herself in her old
village. This building, her one time home, was now abandoned and covered in
grime, broken glass from the few windows the building had, intrusive
overgrowth and cobwebs from years of neglect. She glanced through a small
archway that led into what had been Parel's room. She had rarely been
permitted to enter the room as her father had always been rather secretive,
even with his own daughter. Now, there was nothing to stop her and she smiled
broadly as she walked through the arch, deliberately stomping on the door
that lay shattered on the ground.

As Xiersel walked into the room she noted the surroundings in the light
pouring in through holes in the ceiling. A small unkept bed that looked to
have been nested in by various animals over time, a broken chair next to a
desk with busted drawers, and a few rusted racks and sconces bolted on the
walls. Her past lay bare before her, a broken mess of what once was. A stark
contrast to who she was now, having recently been promoted to an Elite Blade
of the Empire.

As she glanced towards the waning light of the sky she absent mindedly kicked
a small stone that skipped across the floor and hit the stone wall opposite
her with a faint thud. Her ears perked slightly at that sound for it was not
what she expected to hear. Perhaps someone less trained might not have
noticed, but she had heard it, so accustomed to noting the slightest flaws in
sound. She had heard the stone hit stone, but there was the faintest clang of
metal as well. She walked over to the wall, and felt the stone. It appeared
no different than all the others, but as she pried at it with a dagger it
came from the wall without much resistance.

When the stone came away she saw a small depression in the stone, and when
she pressed upon it a small panel slid open on the face of the stone that had
been tucked into the wall. Within there lay quite a few silver coins, each
with an engraving of two crossed scythes on each side. It was something, and
so she placed the coins in a small pouch she kept within her cloak and tossed
the stone onto the floor. If her father was alive or dead now, she did not
know. Nor did she much care for that matter, as her life was with the Empire
now and it had replaced whatever family she may have once known. Still,
perhaps her father's meager fortune might buy her a few nice expensive
bottles of wine to enjoy. She could think of no better way to spend her
inheritance after all, than on something she truly loved.

Role

Chapter 2

The instructor was still a tall imposing figure of a man despite his advanced
age. He had long served the Empire in his youth but he had now been relegated
to far less glorious duties in service of the Empire, though he conducted
himself as if his was the only task in the Empire worthy of pursuit such was
his zeal for it. If he spoke, it was only of the Empire's grandeur, of it's
glory, and of the honor it would bring any stonrg enough to serve it. He also
made sure they all knew though, what it meant to fail it. As the instructor
walked towards one young man their silence created tension that they all knew
was about to break.

The instructor's wooden baton struck hard against the young man's wrist with
a sharp snap, but if it hurt the youth, he would not allow it to show, not so
much as a wince. Xiersel knew the strike was coming, they all did, for they
all heard him miss the note after all, causing the whole song to fail. Such
corrections were a matter of course in this orchestra, and to show any pain,
anything other than acceptance, was to invite a harsher correction, a lesson
Xiersel herself had learned years ago. The instructor, for his part, never
looked at the young man, never spoke a word, he just returned to his
position, and with a few taps they began the song anew. And this time they
completed the song to perfection. A slight nod was their only accolade from
the instructor before he tapped out the opening beat once more and they began
the song again.

At a young age she had shown some small talent at the harp, and in her teen
age years Xiersel had been sent to join a small orchestra situated near
Balator after her father had brought her talents to the attention of the
instructor. The orchestra had endured under the direction of that man for the
sole prospect of serving the Emperor if asked, though in all Xiersel's life
they had never actually performed publicly, and she was not sure it had ever
been asked even before she joined. But she knew, for she told it was so by
her instructor, that in such performances, perfection would be required, and
so they must ever be ready. For as harsh as their instructor was, they all
knew a displeased emperor could be far harsher. The scars upon their
instructor's face were a testament to what failure might bring.

Such memories were not so distant that Xiersel could not still recall the
feel of that baton across her own skin, but they were just memories now. The
orchestra had fallen apart years ago when an illness took their instructor's
life. None from the Empire ever emerged to take his place, and in such
absence, the orchestra soon fell apart and they were left to go their
separate ways. But the thought lingered with Xiersel, and the glory of the
Empire had been engrained upon her such that she could envision no other
future for herself.

Role

Chapter 1

At the sound of a small thud a child began screaming from the next room. A
half-elf dressed in dark colors glanced through the doorway and saw a small
baby laying wrapped up on the makeshift bed. Sheating his blade as he went,
Parel walked over to the child, glancing down at the crying baby. The child
clearly shared a high degree of likeness to who he assumed was her elven
mother more so than the father. It seemed the couple had born a child, and
not long ago. Parel muttered to himself for a moment. "Nobody ever said
anything about a child." Why he did it, he couldn't say. Maybe it was a
shared ancestry. Maybe it was because she was so young. He knew it would have
been easier to just walk away, but in that moment, something over came his
better judgment, and he scooped the child into his arms and left the room. He
stopped only to leave a silver coin etched with crossed scythes on both sides
upon the chest of the elven woman and upon the dead human male that lay
outside.

That had been years ago though Parel still recalled that day often when he
looked upon his adopted daugther. Xiersel naturally had no idea about where
she had come from. She just had assumed Parel was her father, that her mother
had passed away shortly after she had been born, which was the only true
thing Parel had ever told Xiersel about her birth. The circumstances of her
demise he had of course embelished. It had been easier when she was young,
for she would believe what he told her without question. She had no idea of
his true profession, of what he did while she slept each night, and he had no
desire for her to find out. Fortunately, Xiersel had shown an interest, and a
talent as well, for playing music, which was an often welcome distraction
from her asking questions. She often spent the evenings playing the harp for
her father, delighted by any smile she would receive at the the end of a
song. Parel would just sit, watching her play, listening to the music.

So it went for a while, until one of his assignments did not go as planned.
He had failed to kill his target, and even worse he had been spotted. He
figured it had been a trap for him, but it did not matter now. He knew they
would come for him now, for an assassin has no friends in the open world. For
all his secrecy, he knew he would be found eventually, and when he was,
Xiersel would also pay the price for his failures. He glanced over at Xiersel
and smiled as she concluded the last note of the song, getting a smile in
return from her. It seemed, he was out of options now.

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