Mirthos “The Velvet Noose”
Master of Strings | Dead Man with a Spotlight | The Show That Won’t Die
“This ain’t no solo act, lad. The Velvet Noose don’t perform alone. He pulls the strings of two poor fools who think they’re still dancin’ for applause.”
🎪 Silka “Spindle-Limbs” Kreel — the contortionist who dodges death like it’s choreography
💪 Barroch “Meatgrip” Muldoon — the strongman with a chain ‘round his soul
📜 Or read the full tale of the cursed trio in The Circus That Sets Up Without Askin’
Stat Block – Mirthos (5e-Compatible)
CR: 10
Type: Medium Undead (Unique)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Role: Support BBEG / Battlefield Controller
Tactical Theme: Magical ringmaster who teleports within his cursed tent, puppeteers two deadly thralls (Barroch and Silka), and casts debilitating illusions and charms.
Core Stats
AC: 16 (Magical Glamourweave Coat)
HP: 165 (18d8 + 72)
Speed: 30 ft.
Saving Throws: CHA +9, WIS +7, INT +6
Skills: Performance +13, Arcana +9, Insight +9, Deception +11, Persuasion +11
Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Psychic, Bludgeoning/Piercing/Slashing from non-magical attacks
Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Exhaustion
Senses: Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Insight 19
Languages: Common, Infernal, Elvish, Telepathy 60 ft.
Undead Traits
Doesn’t need to breathe, eat, or sleep.
Can’t be affected by spells that target “living” creatures unless otherwise noted.
Special Abilities
🕸️ Marionette Strings (3 Targets, Constant Effect)
Mirthos maintains an arcane tether on up to 2 creatures (usually Barroch and Silka). While tethered:
They gain +2 to all attack rolls and advantage on saves against fear/charm
Mirthos can use a Bonus Action to have one of them move up to 15 ft and take a free attack (no reaction used)
If Mirthos is incapacitated, the tethers break and the thralls fall prone, dazed for 1 round
🌀 Curtainstep (Recharge 5–6)
Mirthos magically vanishes into a swirl of crimson velvet and reappears anywhere within the tent. Counts as teleport. No opportunity attacks. Can pass through walls and objects tied to the tent’s interior (stage, curtains, props).
🎙️ Command Performance (1/Turn)
Targets a creature within 60 ft. Must make a DC 16 CHA saving throw or act as though they are part of the show — they lose control of their movement and must perform (see table below). Repeat save at end of each turn.
Example performance results:
Mimic a dying monologue
Begin dancing uncontrollably
Applaud (Mirthos heals 15 HP if this happens)
Try to juggle nearby weapons
📣 Echo of Applause (Passive)
For every enemy within 30 ft of Mirthos that uses a Reaction or Bonus Action, Mirthos gains +1 temporary AC until the start of his next turn (max +3).
Spellcasting
Mirthos is a 9th-level spellcaster. Charisma is his casting stat (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks).
Prepared Spells:
Cantrips: Vicious Mockery, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand
1st (4): Command, Disguise Self, Shield, Tasha’s Hideous Laughter
2nd (3): Mirror Image, Suggestion, Misty Step
3rd (3): Counterspell, Hypnotic Pattern, Major Image
4th (2): Greater Invisibility, Phantasmal Killer
5th (1): Dominate Person
Mirthos prioritizes control and distraction — he rarely casts damage spells. He fights by turning the players against themselves.
Legendary Actions (2/round)
Snap the Spotlight (Costs 1): Forces one PC within 30 ft to reroll their attack with disadvantage as a stage light blares in their face
Twirl the Threads (Costs 2): All tethered allies (e.g. Barroch/Silka) can immediately move up to 10 ft and make one melee attack
Stage Whisper (Costs 1): Sends a telepathic insult to a PC. They must make a DC 13 Wisdom save or take 1d6 psychic damage and have disadvantage on their next saving throw
Equipment
Glamourweave Coat: Grants AC bonus and illusion immunity from True Sight under 60 ft
Mic of the Dead Tongue: Allows Prestidigitation-level voice projection, perfect pitch, and magical reverb. Used to deliver spells.
Red Thread Rings (x2): Arcane anchors to Barroch and Silka — must be destroyed to sever the tethers manually.
Makin’ The Show A Part Of Your Campaign?
📌 “Yer party’s got a plan? Mirthos don’t care. Plans make noise. And noise feeds the show.”
👉 Step into the spotlight with the rest of our Tavern Toolshed bosses — each one built for chaos, challenge, and cheerin’ crowds. Explore more freaks, beasts, and battle-ready weirdness over at The Tavern Toolshed and Player Builds & NPCs if you’re lookin’ to fight flair with flair.
Who Is Mirthos?
He was once a bard of rare talent — famed, envied, worshipped in some towns. But applause, lad, it rots the soul if you hold it too long. Mirthos couldn’t bear to be forgotten, so he made a pact with something worse than any devil. Something that doesn’t want blood. Just attention.
He died. But the stage did not.
Now, wherever there’s silence, he fills it. Wherever there’s resistance, he folds it.
And where there’s an audience — he always finds one.
He owns Barroch and Silka now. Not with chains. Not with blackmail. Just a trick of the thread. They smile when he smiles. Bleed when he bows. And gods help ya if you interrupt his encore.
Mike’s Word on the Velvet Noose
“This ain’t no bard, lad. This is a dead man that convinced the world he’s still got a voice. I seen him vanish mid-arrow and pop out behind the paladin, whisperin’ his own eulogy. His strongman and contortionist? Ain’t performers. They’re puppets. And he’s grinnin’ with the strings wrapped ‘round yer damn neck.”
📌 If ya want to survive, shut the tent up. Cut the strings. And don’t — I mean DON’T — let him monologue.
How Mirthos Fights (And Why It’s Not a Simple Scrap)
“He ain’t the knife. He’s the music playin’ while the knife finds yer ribs.”
Mirthos doesn’t win with brute force. He weakens the party's judgment, redirects their focus, and makes sure the real pain comes from someone else. His entire stat block is built around indirect control, battlefield flow, and misdirection.
His Combat Priorities:
Keep Barroch and Silka alive and enraged
Split the party’s attention — force them into drama
Punish coordination (He thrives on players trying to “optimize” turns)
Avoid direct hits — teleport, redirect, distract
Tactics Breakdown:
First Round:
Curtainstep into a vantage point
Cast Hypnotic Pattern or Suggestion to break the party’s opener
Trigger Irresistible Spotlight or Velvet Thread to sow chaos
Mid-Fight:
Use Encore! to let Barroch or Silka double-dip a brutal round
Drop Greater Invisibility if focus starts shifting to Mirthos
Interrupt healing with Command Performance ("Applaud the pain, darling.")
Final Rounds:
Use Dominate Person to puppet the loudest party member
Monologue. Literally. Do it. Make 'em listen while the tent shifts again
Have him bow after killing a player or forcing them to perform
How to Use Mirthos In Your Campaign
Mirthos is best used as a setpiece villain, not a random encounter. He thrives in:
Story arcs involving deception, corrupted performance, cursed fame, or mind control
Mini-campaigns where the players start noticing strange posters, missing towns, or odd music at dusk
Player parties who rely heavily on synergy and combos (because Mirthos breaks synergy)
Tables who love roleplay — not just rolling dice
Where to Place Him:
As a Side Arc Final Boss – drop the tent during travel or downtime
As an Act II Twist Villain – he may seem like a quirky side NPC at first
As a Tool of a Greater Evil – he’s not the end of the story, but he’s the thing that breaks your party before the real threat shows up
When to Use Him (Timing is Everything)
“Don’t throw him in when yer party just wants a dungeon crawl. That’s like tossin’ wine at a fistfight.”
Ideal Times to Use Mirthos:
When the players are too comfortable — he disorients.
When the group’s grown too meta — he punishes strategy over instinct.
When the campaign tone needs a left hook of weirdness.
When the party’s used to boss fights being straightforward and crunchy.
When to Hold Back:
Your players aren’t comfortable with charm/dominate mechanics.
The party’s too under-leveled (under level 6, he’s a TPK waiting to happen).
You’re running a grimdark setting — he’s creepy, but not tragic. He’s spectacle.
You have a table that struggles with roleplay — his powers can feel unfair if players aren’t playing along.
Campaign Integration Ideas (Optional Hooks)
The Red Poster Hook:
“Come one, come all! A show for the ages! A performance you’ll never forget!”
The poster appears overnight. No one remembers putting it up.Vanishing Villages:
A town the party was heading to... is gone. Not destroyed. Just gone. Except the big top is there.The Rival NPC:
A bard, wizard, or old adventurer tells stories about “The Ringmaster Who Never Died.” Some believe he was Mirthos once — others say he just played him too well.Applause is the Key:
The players hear about a place where “the dead rise when clapped for.” Guess who’s waiting?
Table Warning for GMs
“This fight ain’t fair, and it ain’t meant to be. It’s art. But if yer table ain’t buyin’ tickets, don’t run the damn show.”
Always tell the players it’s weird and different — prep their expectations
Encourage in-character choices over optimization
Let the environment (the Living Tent) play an active role — this is a stage, not a battlefield
If the players start “acting” — reward them, mechanically or narratively
“If yer players walk away hatin’ Mirthos, good. If they walk away rememberin’ ‘im two arcs later when someone ELSE bows before a kill — then ya did it right, lad. This ain’t just a boss. It’s a curtain call.”
Make The Circus A Feature In Yer Campaign, Lad
📌 “Ya wanna stop the show? Don’t just kill the bard. Ya gotta outshine ‘im. Ya gotta steal the spotlight and burn the tent to the bloody ground.”
👉 Mirthos ain’t the end of the road, lad. He’s just the start of somethin’ stranger. If yer still standin’, head over to the rest of the Tavern Toolshed for more campaign warpers, or track down his string-bound freaks in our NPC gallery of poor decisions. And when yer ready to face the curtain — Contact the Tavern. We’ll help ya set the stage.
