Sirtanne serves Orilia Thorne in what appears, at first glance, to be a thoroughly modest role. Officially she handles correspondence, records, household organisation and the endless practical burdens that gather around powerful people. She is most often described as an administrator, clerk or general assistant – descriptions she has never shown any desire to correct.
That surface is useful to her.
As a “Swallows and Ravens” Bard, Sirtanne has a talent for becoming part of a room without seeming central to it. She is the woman carrying the ledger, arranging papers, remembering names, confirming times, passing messages and quietly ensuring that one conversation ends before another begins. In households and offices where status is loudly displayed, she presents as someone competent, orderly and unthreatening enough to be overlooked after the first few minutes.
Sirtanne
Medium Humanoid (Human, Bard: Level 11 – Swallows and Ravens), Neutral Good
Hit Points: 80
Speed: 30ft.
9 (-1)
16 (+3)
14 (+2)
15 (+2)
16 (+3)
20 (+5)
Skills: Deception +13, Insight +11, Investigation +6, Perception +11, Persuasion +13, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7
Damage Resistances: —
Condition Immunities: —
Senses: Passive Perception 21
Languages: Common, Elvish, Infernal, Dwarvish
Challenge: 7 Prof Bonus: +4
Actions
Dagger. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage.
Light Crossbow. +7 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8+3) piercing damage.
Bard Features
Bardic Inspiration (d10). As a bonus action, Sirtanne grants one creature within 60 ft. that can hear her a d10 Bardic Inspiration die. She may do this five times, regaining expended uses after a short or long rest.
Jack of All Trades. Sirtanne adds +2 to ability checks that do not already include her proficiency bonus.
Song of Rest (d8). During a short rest, creatures who spend Hit Dice regain an additional 1d8 hit points.
Expertise. Sirtanne doubles her proficiency bonus for Deception, Insight, Perception and Persuasion checks.
Countercharm. Sirtanne may use her action to begin a performance granting friendly creatures within 30 ft. advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed until the end of her next turn.
Magical Secrets. Sirtanne has learned magic outside normal bardic teaching, favouring spells useful for escape, concealment and protecting sensitive information.
Swallows and Ravens Features
Circles of Influence. After spending at least 10 minutes conversing with a creature in a non-hostile social setting, Sirtanne may learn whether it holds leverage over another creature present, gain suggestive information about its loyalties, ambitions or fears, or determine whether it is concealing information relevant to the situation. She may use this feature five times per long rest.
Swallow’s Welcome. When Sirtanne adopts her traditional Swallow role, any Deception or Persuasion roll of 7 or lower made in a social environment where she is welcome or expected may be treated as an 8.
Raven’s Silence. When Sirtanne adopts her Raven role, any Stealth or Perception roll of 7 or lower made while she remains quiet, observant or unobtrusive may be treated as an 8. Since entering Orilia Thorne’s service, this is the approach she most commonly adopts.
Unguarded Moment. When a creature fails a saving throw against one of Sirtanne’s enchantment spells, or fails a contested Charisma or Wisdom check against her, she may immediately learn what the creature wants most at that moment, what would make it hesitate, or what truth it is actively avoiding. She may use this feature five times per long rest.
Spellcasting
Sirtanne is an 11th-level bard (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). She has four 1st-level, three 2nd-level, three 3rd-level, three 4th-level, two 5th-level and one 6th-level spell slot.
Cantrips: Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Vicious Mockery
1st Level: Attentive Silence, Disguise Self, Healing Word
2nd Level: Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, Measured Words
3rd Level: Hypnotic Pattern, Major Image, Hypnotic Cadence
4th Level: Borrowed Confidence
5th Level: Modify Memory, Quiet Revelation
6th Level: Mass Suggestion
Magical Secrets: Counterspell, Pass Without Trace
Working Methods
Administrative Invisibility. Sirtanne deliberately presents herself as the sort of competent, modestly dressed clerk or accountant powerful people stop noticing after introductions. She carries ledgers, correspondence and writing materials, and is entirely comfortable spending hours apparently recording figures while listening to everything around her.
Political Ear. Sirtanne now concentrates on changes in allegiance, unexplained absences, unusual expenditure, altered invitations, private meetings and small inconsistencies that suggest larger political movement.
Old Swallow. Her former talent for intimacy, attraction and emotional closeness has not disappeared. Sirtanne simply uses it more selectively than she once did, and anyone who mistakes her quiet present manner for social inexperience is likely to regret it.
Equipment
Mithral-Weave Garments. Sirtanne’s plain administrative clothing is lined with an exceptionally fine mesh of mithral links, almost weightless and invisible beneath the fabric. It offers protection comparable to light armor without changing the fall or appearance of her clothing. Dagger, Light Crossbow, Ledger books, Writing case, Sealing wax, Several sets of ordinary clerical clothes, Small lockbox, Correspondence pouch, Component pouch, Coin purse
The mistake lies in stopping there.
In practice, Sirtanne is trusted with far more than schedules and account books. Orilia employs her because she is perceptive, composed and exceptionally good at understanding what is actually happening beneath the polite surface of a conversation. She notices hesitations, inconsistencies, guarded phrasing, shifts in tone and the private tensions that more obvious personalities miss. Matters that arrive looking administrative often leave her desk properly understood.
She is not talkative about herself. Sirtanne answers questions when politeness requires it, but reveals very little unless she has decided there is a reason to do so. Her past is not something she discusses, and most sensible people learn quickly not to press. What can be observed instead are the limits she quietly places around her own person. She keeps her arms and back fully covered at all times, and those few who know why understand enough to keep that knowledge to themselves.
Among those who work around her, Sirtanne has earned a reputation for calm efficiency. She is rarely flustered, rarely surprised in any visible way and almost never wastes words. That reserve can make her seem austere at first, but it sits beside a more subtle warmth: she is capable of kindness, remembers what matters to people and has a habit of making others feel heard without ever giving the impression she is encouraging confidences. In reality, she is often learning more than anyone intends.
Her usefulness to Orilia lies partly in discretion and partly in judgement. Sirtanne is not simply a collector of facts. She understands which details matter, which can be ignored and which indicate that a problem is larger than it appears. Political movement, shifting loyalties, concealed resentment, quiet fear and private ambition all tend to reveal themselves eventually to someone patient enough to watch without pushing.
She is also far more capable than her appearance suggests. Those who assume a plainly dressed assistant must therefore be harmless are usually working from incomplete information. Sirtanne is self-possessed, observant and quietly resilient, with a depth that does not advertise itself. She gives the impression of someone who has learned the value of composure and intends to keep it.
In appearance, Sirtanne is dark-haired, pale-skinned and striking in a way that becomes more noticeable the longer one looks. In her administrative role she dresses with deliberate simplicity: plain grey and white clothing, neat and practical, chosen to deflect attention rather than invite it. Her hair is kept tidy, her presentation modest, and nothing about her attire suggests status beyond reliability. That understatement is part of the design. She looks like the sort of woman powerful people forget is present.
Very little could suit her better.