#wacholder

Cahir appeared to the dreamy barmaid as just that. He was actually just passing through, returning to his home in the High Forest as part of a small Wood Elf delegation. But there were problems with lost cargo, and so he stayed in the city for a few weeks. To Irene, who had never left her hometown, he seemed like a true hero, telling stories of slain monsters and disgraced adventurers. And to Cahir, who, at just under 100 years old, was still a child to most of his people, it was a balm for his wounded pride to see the pretty young woman staring at him admiringly and listening spellbound to his words, even though his word never carried much weight among his own kind.

The two spent wonderful weeks together, enjoying each other's company in more ways than one. Irene was head over heels in love, and Cahir genuinely enjoyed her company and their time together. But it wasn't long before the delegation departed again—and with them Wacholder's father. It wasn't until weeks later that Irene realized she was expecting a child, but for her, this was a sign from fate that she and Cahir were meant to be together. She firmly believed that the wood elf would one day return and take her and her child away from the shabby neighborhood to his distant, mysterious home. But that never happened.

When Irene lost hope in him returning after a few years, her world collapsed. She indulged in alcohol without restraint, stopped leaving the house, and allowed herself and her young daughter to become completely neglected. In her intoxication, she often lost control of herself, throwing things around, becoming violent, or just lying there lethargically, without moving. When her daughter fled one fateful night, she initially didn't notice her disappearance. Only when she learned by chance about disappearing children did she panic and desperately search for them – far too late. To this day, she blames herself for her daughter's supposed death; her sudden inability to remember her name nearly drove her crazy.

It was the then-young Captain Grizzly who came to her aid after she took over the blushing mermaid from her father. She helped Irene get sober and get her life back on track. And indeed, her life changed for the better. In her mid-30s, she met the wealthy merchant Owen McNair, who was recently widowed. She became a rather good stepmother to his sons Gideon and Collin and now lives in a small villa in one of the more upscale neighborhoods of Baldur's Gate. She is currently preparing the wedding of her eldest stepson and his bride-to-be.

Cahir, too, has a new life now. After meeting his wife Armelda, he left his adventures behind and retreated into the bosom of his community in the High Forest. His mother, a powerful druid, leads the wood elf tribe there and over the years began to prepare Cahir for his role as leader. His father, still a great warrior of his people, however, still does not encourage his son to do so. Cahir and Armelda have a daughter together, Wacholder's younger half-sister Fern. This is the main reason that Cahir remains unaware of his older daughter's existence. When Wacholder traveled to the High Forest in her younger years to search for her father, she abandoned the idea as soon as she saw that he already had a family. Next to her beloved elf child, she only felt more like a mistake, a slip-up that was better never to happen.