Daybreak

We won. We killed Strahd von Zarovich and set free the land of Barovia. Like all great victories, however, it came with sacrifices.
 
I do not recall much of the battle, as the experience of being a werewolf places the mind in a frenzy of instinct and rage. Much of it was a blur with only moments of clarity, up until the skies seemed to split open, pouring sunlight down upon Castle Ravenloft, and released the curse that the moon held sway over me. I was naked on that balcony, but it certainly wasn't the first time I'd awoken to my senses and found myself without clothes on. Likely won't be the last time either.
 
I know Elaine left with the Raven Queen to return to her non-existence. Bryndon left us when he broke the Staff of Power. Adrostos sacrificed himself at the Amber Temple for a personal matter that I don't believe I would ever understand. Oren seemed to slip away in the aftermath of Strahd's death, none of us knowning his fate. Rudolph van Richten sacrificed himself so that we could retrieve Strahd's Diary from the crazed revenant Vladamir Horngaard. Ireena allowed herself to become Tatyana fully, and finally broke free of her curse of reincarnation to be forever with her love Sergei. Erkki plummeted to his death within the halls of Argonvostholt, trying to help complete the trials given to us. Kasimir fell to Strahd in our final battle, I'm told, having been disintegrated by some spell of the Devil's. And Oswald. Ever the self-sacrificing. Gave his all to save us for as long as he could withstand, only to fall by Strahd's blade.
 
I truly believe it was Oswald that called the spirit of Sergei to our aid in our final moments. I remember seeing the glowing angelic form of the man, after I was forcefully returned to my human form, basically cripple Strahd and call over Marushka and Ezmerelda to deliever the final blow to his brother.
 
We owe them all a debt that cannot be repaid for allowing us to make it this far, and to free Barovia from the curse that made it hell.
 
Only 4 of us managed to leave Barovia after attending Eva's funeral on our way. Ezmerelda, Eerika, Marushka, and myself all passed through the Mist, and found ourselves back on the docks of Waterdeep where I originally took passage on a vessel to Barovia. I.. didn't get an opportunity to see of Moira made it out alive - for when last we saw, the land of Barovia was literally ripping itself asunder. It feels heavy on my heart to know that of all of us who left together, I was the only one to return.
 
On the upside of things, I've never seen Marushka so happy. Big city, large taverns, so many stories to hear and tell... I can't express in words how I feel to have finally freed her of that place. She began telling me of the stories and songs she would write for the others, and I thought it a fitting tribute to them. Many legends are told from bards as they travel the land and exchange stories with others. I couldn't ask for a better ending for them than to be immortalized in story and song to be passed down through the generations.
 
We haven't yet dealt with mine own curse yet, but it would be something we shall discuss. There are plenty of people, now that we are back in Faerun, who can break the curse of lycanthropy. I may keep the scar, however. My wife seems to see it was a reminder of things we went through together, and how far I was willing to go for her. I like that. I know not where our lives will go from here. I suspect I shall take Marushka to see Faerun and show her a world more exciting than I could explain. She has a far better gift for words than I, and I probably did the sites no amount of justice in trying to entire her with leaving Barovia so long ago. I look forward to our adventures together going forward.
 
Hopefully some fucking whackjobs don't try to revive Strahd or something stupid like that. I'm so fucking done with that shit.