// Shall we assume that Valanthe and Byllemura arrive back into the tent just after Madam Eva cackles about the book adding weight to her powers of clairvoyance? //

"Hey Val...Byll." Emre nods. "Just to catch you up...Madam Eva here just told us that she's Strahd's older half-sister, he's been a vampire for 4 centuries, and he is loyal to the Vistani. So...that's where we're at. Oh, and there's another brother," she said, nodding at the ancient *****. 

// What race is Madam Eva? Human? //

"Wait, what? Strahd's half-sister? Another brother?" repeats Byllemura taken aback.

Valanthe looks around to ensure that there's no humanoid or other creature in the tent besides the party and Madam Eva. 

Perception 3 

No other creature can be spotted in the tent. The only furniture is the table and the box with the cards and a chair. Madam Eva calmly answers, "I know nothing of his brother's fate."

Later that night, everyone gathers by the fire, and one of the Vistani men tells the following story:
"A mighty wizard came to this land a year ago. I remember him like it was yesterday. He stood exactly where you're standing right now. A very charismatic man, he was. He thought he could rally the people of Barovia against the devil Strahd. He stirred them with thoughts of revolt and bore them to the castle en masse.

When the vampire appeared, the wizard's peasant army fled in terror. A few stood their ground and were never seen again, save one.

The wizard and the vampire cast spells at each other. Their battle flew from the courtyards of Ravenloft to a precipice overlooking the falls. I saw the battle with my own eyes. Thunder shook the mountainside, and great rocks tumbled down upon the wizard, yet by his magic survived. Lightning from the heavens struck the wizard, and again he stood his ground. But when the devil Strahd fell upon him, the wizard's magic couldn't save him. I saw him thrown a thousand feet to his death. I climbed down to the river to search for the wizard's body, to see if, you know, he had anything of value, but the River Ivlis had already spirited him away."

Valanthe is enraptured by the storytelling of the Vistani. 

"That must have been an impressive sight to behold. Did any of you catch the wizard's name?.... 

" Does the river have any choke points downstream where detritus tends to collect? It could be that the wizard or his items washed up along there?"

"Oh, good thinking Valanthe" Thpas encourages Valanthe enthusiastically by clapping a hand on her shoulder.

"What about a name?" Emre asks Madam Eva. "Do you know his brother's name?"

Byllemura is lost in her thoughts, enthralled by the overall atmosphere.

The Vistani who told the story says to Valanthe, "The river ends in a small lake. But I had searched it and found nothing at the time. It did happen a year ago so I'm sure there's nothing left of him now. I don't remember the wizard's name but I recall it sounded important."

Madam Eva says to Emre, "The brother of Strahd had the name Sergeii."

Ireena has fallen asleep by the fire with a quilt draped over her. The howls of wolves can be heard from miles off.

Byllemura, coming out of her reverie, starts yawning. Seeing Ireena asleep, she turns to the others and says: "A good night rest is in order, don't you think so? We've had a long day."

"Does Strahd ever return to the site of the battle, or visit his sister here?" Thpas asks eagerly.

Madam Eva says, "Strahd does not know that I am related to him. He believes he is the last of the von Zarovich line."

"All those years... if I had any family left you'd better believe I'd let them know I was there for them. doesn't it get lonely?" Thpas asks truly concerned and curious about this family dynamic.

Eyeing Madam Eva, "Sometimes, it is best for family not to know of one another's existence.  I have some half-sisters... they would think nothing of killing me on sight. In fact, they'd relish in it.  I remind them of a mistake, we'll say."

Replying to the Vistani around the fire, "That's a wonderful - although tragic story - perhaps that wizard is still around. I'll keep that pool in mind should we ever cross it."

"Speaking of crossing," Valanthe continues, "we are planning to travel to Vallaki tomorrow.  Would you happen to know the best way there from here?  Any advice for the journey?  We've already seen a corpse of bats and a ghost riding a horse crossing a bridge - if there's anything strange to worry about between here and Vallaki, it would be good to know."

"The customs of this realm are curious...." Thpas notices the others getting ready to turn in. "Emre, hospitable as the Vistani have been," he whispers quietly "are you still cautious enough to have us draw straws for watch? It's just such a chore, and they've shown us every courtesy."

The vistana (singular of Vistani) replies to Valanthe, "Just follow the trail and you'll find yourselves back on the road. On the way, there are the gates of Ravenloft. They are usually closed. Also, when you come near Vallaki, the road divides again. The west road takes you to the Old Bonegrinder, an ancient windmill home to Mother Morgantha. I would avoid her at all costs."

Another vistana says to Thpas, "We have no need of a night watch. Strahd's minions never attack us."

"Old Bonegrinder? Mother Morgantha? They seem - what's the word - contradictory.  But interesting nonetheless - you know for some reason windmills remind me of giants..."

"Told you that windmill sounded like bad news," Emre says under her breath. 

"I know Erme, and you are right as usual, but bad ideas are almost always fun," Valanthe says with a smile.