Rictavio

Rictavio is a flamboyant half-elf entertainer originally from the Sword Coast who found himself stranded in Barovia. Trying to make the best of the situation, Rictavio traveled to the town of Vallaki where he started performing his puppet show for the locals. He enjoyed some modest popularity but one day he was told by Izek Strazni to relocate his show, Rictavio's Rambunction Reproductions, to the town square. It seems like Rictavio had finally hit the big time!
His show was a hit with the townspeople as well as the party who couldn't resist coming to see. The show was a tale of unlikely allies joining together to do battle against an evil prince, who bears a striking resemblance to Count Strahd von Zarovich. It was a tale of true love, as a puppet that looked remarkably like Ireena Kolyana found itself whisked away by the puppet of the hero. With the puppets gone, Rictavio voiced the final lines for the half-elf puppet.

"And so my good friend the hero had at last rescued their true love, and they lived happily ever after, the sky shining brightly upon their lifetimes. As for me, I took the advice of my friend and considered a career in vampire hunting. The pay isn't great, but the real treasure was the friends we made along the way."
Afterwards, the party invited him to a conversation at the Blue Water Inn where they were all staying. Rictavio agreed, and the party would politely interrogate him about his past and what his current plans were. Rictavio was playful with his answers about himself, but was forthcoming with his answers to any questions about what he had seen in Barovia so far. He appears to have quite an ear for gossip.
Rictavio has struck up a sort of friendship with the toymaker, Gadof Blinksy, even going so far as to leave his pet monkey in his care just because he thought Blinksy could use a friend.

I'll be here all week! Where else would I go?