As the party left Madame Eva's tent, Ireena was summoned in while Ghalwin stood guard. Jarmo and Shakti spoke to Jino, who told them tales of a non-Barovian wizard that attempted to lead an insurrection against Strahd around a year ago. The wizard failed, and was knocked dead into the Ivlis River. Jino made a warm companion, and informed the two that the Vistani long ago befriended the vampire lord, allowing them to travel through the mists. Jarmo informed Floriana that they were traveling to ensure that "this bitch will be safe", but the Vistana seemed mostly just confused at the Goliath's slang.
Ghalwin led an ocarina-led tune to impress the Vistani, and the dancer Floriana in particular. He could not, however, seal the deal, as his lack of courting experience came back to haunt him. Ireena confessed to Shakti that her divination was that she was forever cursed to belong to Strahd, and eventually fell asleep on Jarmo's shoulder.
The party went to bed in a communal tent and woke up refreshed. However, they were unable to get Jino to sell them a horse for a reasonable prices; the Vistana claimed that they were a nomadic people tied to their horses, and that many of their horses at the encampment west of Vallaki were being stolen by a giant predator. As such, they said their goodbyes and made their way alongside the Ivlis River on foot.
Only half a day had passed before a feral druid, only speaking broken Druidic, cut them off; their creations, four Twig Blights, a Needle Blight, and a Vine Blight emerged from the trees behind the party. The blights surrounded Jarmo and Ireena as the druid took on Shakti and Ghalwin, nearly killing Lancelot with a wave of thunderous magic. Ireena showed her defensive swordplay as Jarmo made himself a target with his crimson rite, absorbing the wrath of the blights and eventually being downed. The druid tried to ensnare Ghalwin and Shakti in vines; when that didn't work, it tried to run away, and was summarily torn to shreds. The two dispatched the blights, saved Ireena and Jarmo, and rested a bit before continuing to the bridge at Tser Falls.
With thick fog rolling in across the bridge and night descending, they spotted a familiar figure cutting through the mists: a skeleton rider on his undead horse. The skeleton dropped a sack while passing the party, and Ghalwin prayed that the item was a Bag of Holding. As he did so, he was assaulted by a chilling blast of air, and found his prayers answered: it was indeed a bag of holding. The group came up with a nickname for their new friend, the "Bonerider", and set up camp just before the bridge.
That evening, they were all awoken by a howling dark wind that coalesced to where Ghalwin picked up the bag. Spooked, they left camp early and headed across the great stone bridge suspended 1000 feet above the river. Near the edge of the north side, they heard a crying over an unmarked grave; a frenzied Ghost emerged, trying to possess the bodies of Shakti and Lancelot and throw them off the cliff. Jarmo used his size and everyone regretfully punched the crap out of their friend and their dog, and Ghalwin eventually smote the spiteful spirit.