Hadiya Pashar

Hadiya Pashar is a human cleric and a member of the Cobalt Caravan. She is the mother of Zara Pashar. She is played by Dania.

Appearance
Hadiya is of a dark, brown complexion. She has a round face, large full lips, upturned brown eyes and a prominent straight nose. She stands at 5'7" with long, dark purple curly hair (2C texture) typically worn down to her waist or pinned up with a cobalt blue headband. Hadiya dresses in typical Lagashi clothing - loose fitting and more suited to warmer climates. Her clothing has small golden-coloured details such as small coin-like embellishments, and she often wears gold bracelets, anklets and earrings. Her nose is also pierced.

She is always wearing her holy symbol of Avandra The Changebringer - a golden coin with Avandra's side profile engraved, worn on a necklace.

When armoured, Hadiya wears a breastplate engraved with Avandra's likeness. She holds the shield with the Borgov family crest, which the Cobalt Caravan won in a scavenger hunt in Letheril's Forge.

Personality
Hadiya is a headstrong and ambitious but seemingly kind woman. She can be stubborn, often seeming relentless in trying to get her way. She tries to not be particularly impulsive but her stubbornness can get in the way. She can become hot-headed if irritated, and is not afraid to speak her mind. Hadiya knows how to make deals and can often charm her way to what she needs.

She is sociable and seems to be able to get along with all types of people, but her no-bullshit attitude can make her seem intimidating to some. Hadiya can be a flirt, and does not shy away from sexuality.

Hadiya values freedom and has an adventurous spirit. She enjoys taking chances and believes her road is her own to pave. As such, she is a strong believer of The Changebringer's teachings. She strongly values family and community as a result of her collectivist upbringing; however, this consequently contributes to her insecurity and fear that she is selfish or greedy for pursuing her path in life.

Background
Hadiya was born in Uruk, the capitol of Lagash, to Layla and Rasheed Pashar. Like Hadiya's family, the neighbourhood was made up of the families of simple fishermen, sailors and other dock workers. They were a poor community, but their strong bonds allowed them to take care of each other as if they were all members of the same family. As such, Hadiya was never lonely, despite growing up an only child. In particular, Hadiya made two close, life-long best friends - Tasneem, the daughter of a local innkeeper, and Yusra, the daughter of a local blacksmith.

Hadiya loved and cared for her community deeply, but her future seemed laid out for her- and bleak. To marry a sailor, to raise children. To live exactly as everyone on the docks live. To struggle and to work and to get ill. To pass away and leave a family behind, like her mother before her. Afraid of this fate, but accepting its inevitability, Hadiya became a rebellious teenager. She played tricks and cons on people in the richer districts with her friends, relishing in the rush of getting chased by guards. As they grew older, they took advantage of the sleazy sailors and travellers that viewed young Lagashis as exotic. They would flirt, get them drunk, and rob them. Risky behaviour, but rewarding.

When Hadiya was 23, she met Lucas Dunmore (known to her as Theris). He disembarked a merchant ship, looking oddly out of place - unblemished, unmarked, and with a signet ring he failed to hide. She approached him that night, attempting to charm him, but found a mutual attraction forming. Later outside his inn, she confessed her initial intent to rob him. Lucas was confused, but intrigued- and a fling subsequently began. They spent a month together, and Lucas showered Hadiya in luxuries she'd never experienced. Most of all, he was kind. But he was private, and at times melancholy, never speaking of his past. Hadiya loved him for he gave her an escape from reality, from the future she was doomed to fall into. One day, Lucas disappears without a goodbye.

Hadiya wallowed in self-pity and depression. She mourned the loss of her little fairy tale - a charming 'prince' to spoil her, for her to never have to worry about anything. Her depression only led to feelings of guilt- that she was ungrateful, selfish, greedy. She returned to her life, helping her father in his work. Within the following months, she began working with local merchants and traders. They spoke of The Changebringer, whose temple Hadiya then visited out of curiosity; she is struck by Avandra's teachings.

''There is no going back - we all walk the paths we walk, and we can only look to the future. But the future brings change, and those that chase the horizon are blessed. There is no pre-written story, there is no fate. We must write our own stories.''

Hadiya found comfort and warmth in Avandra and her people. She eventually took as her deity, beginning her life as a clergy member and guild merchant in the name of the Changebringer. It is within these months that Hadiya learned of her pregnancy. On the 10th of Unndilar, baby Zara was born - the love of Hadiya's life.

Hadiya spent the next years balancing her life as a merchant, clergy member and mother, which proved to be no easy task. She travelled frequently for work, and enjoyed the adventure and excitement of it but always put her family at the centre of what she does. But her tendencies for trickery would not disappear easily, and her work is not always clean. Ten years after that fateful meeting, Hadiya is entrusted by the guild to travel across the Zabrajen Pass and into the new state of Sovereign to transport and sell wares - her rite of passage as a newly blessed cleric of Avandra. She kisses Zara and her father goodbye, telling them she will return home after a month or so. And she heads out on this journey.

Cobalt Caravan
Entrusted with the guild's task, Hadiya set sail, disembarking in a port town in the Ramalian Empire called Wanborne. It was there she came across Jian, a suspicious-looking masked man. Deciding that his strange appearance probably made people more afraid of messing with him, Hadiya hired him to guard and accompany her caravan to her destination - Letheril's Forge. She was impressed to find he was also quite good at driving the cart and caring for the horses, who he inexplicably named Oatmeal and Porridge.

The two of them travelled to the border between the Empire and Sovereign, and found themselves waiting in a queue of caravans. It appeared that guards were questioning all those who wished to cross, using Zone of Truth to find any fugitives or smugglers. Waiting for the line to move, Hadiya was approached by a red tiefling with large antler-like horns - Meraki. She offers to protect Hadiya and the caravan in exchange for passage into Sovereign. Hesitant but unwilling to turn down a seemingly good deal, Hadiya accepted. Meanwhile, Meraki's companion Calamity James snuck into the back of the caravan. The four crossed the border.

Hadiya was initially uncertain and apprehensive of the group she had found herself in, constantly scolding them for getting her into troublesome situations. Despite this, she began to feel a sense of responsibility for them, which slowly turned to care and respect. Still, her fear that this adventuring lifestyle was selfish and indulgent ate at her, and an inward battle ensued - what had she gotten herself into? She was a merchant, not some adventurer. She had a child depending on her. And yet, she has always had an adventurous spirit.

Her fateful meeting with Earlmund Goldenrune, a dwarven priest of Avandra, eased her worries. He reminded her of Avandra's teachings - to embrace change, to make your own path. He offered to buy the wares she currently had, and Hadiya graciously accepted. Putting her merchant life aside, she pushed down her anxieties and embraced the call to adventure. It is around this time that the group met Clara Bedivere and adopted her into their now officially established adventuring party.

Calamity James
Hadiya and Cal's initial relationship was rather tense due to his sneaking into Hadiya's caravan without permission. The two seemed to be somewhat at odds as Cal's impulsive attitude frequently struck a nerve with Hadiya and resulted in her scolding him and repeatedly complaining that she is not his mother. However, despite her exasperation with him, Hadiya could not help but begin to care for Cal. His spontaneous nature is reminiscent of her own youth, and it becomes clear to her that he truly means no harm.

Hadiya and Cal's bond strengthened over time. She admires his sense of loyalty and his determination to make things right when he makes mistakes. They also make the perfect smartass / bitchy duo.

Lucas and Zara's sudden appearance in Letheril's Forge put a strain on their bond when they realised that Hadiya's fateful fling and Cal's childhood love were the same man. Both angry at Lucas, they initially comforted each other. However, Hadiya soon began to feel frustrated and uncomfortable when she approached Lucas to discuss their situation and he asked for help in getting Cal to speak to him. Her head spinning with worries about her daughter's safety and Lucas' arrogant attitude, Hadiya forced the two into a room together. After a few minutes, she realised her mistake when Cal left the inn in tears and she found Lucas in the same state in the room she'd left them.

After their first attempt investigating the issues in the mines of Letheril's Forge went wrong, Hadiya and Cal worked together to research how to protect themselves. They visited the library, devising a plan for Hadiya to cast Divination and seek advice from Ioun. In their shared determination to protect their friends and solve the mystery of the mines, the tension between them relaxed slightly. As time passed and they continued to protect each other from threats, their bond strengthened once more.

Although their relationship has been complex, Hadiya cares deeply for Cal and wants nothing but the best for him.

Jian
Hadiya finds herself unsure of Jian. On one hand, he exhibits borderline selfish and careless behaviour, not seeming to understand the trouble he causes her and the others. On the other, he also seems protective and thankful of the group as a whole. After their time in the swamps south of Letheril's Forge, Jian gave each member of the Cobalt Caravan a bouquet of flowers, using flower language to express each person. He also gifted Hadiya a new pack of cards, seemingly apologising for burning some of her previous cards in a campfire.

When Clara was killed by an intellect devourer overpowering her mind, Jian ran and hid away in a quiet alley. Upon finding him, Hadiya noticed just how upset he had become; but also how he agreed to come along to the temple when Hadiya expressed how much they needed him there.

At the gala in Sovereign, Hadiya found Jian hiding in the bathroom and discerned his anxiety and desperation to escape. Without thinking of the consequences, she offered to help him escape and casts Dimension Door, taking the two outside into the castle courtyard. However, she found herself frustrated and confused when Jian quickly thanked her but disappeared into the night. Later, when she expressed her frustration at him running off and not explaining himself, Jian dismissed her and told her she didn't have to help him.

Despite finding herself annoyed at his strange and unpredictable behaviour, Hadiya's protectiveness of Jian does not wane.

Clara Bedivere
Whether it's the age gap or the differences in upbringing and personality, Hadiya and Clara initially had little in common. Hadiya is still often baffled by Clara's reckless attitude and naivety, but this also contributes to her feeling of responsibility for her. Although a decade apart in age, Hadiya feels somewhat of a maternal bond with the young fighter. She tries to keep her out of trouble and aid her through her problems without seeming condescending. Clara's distrust and apprehension around religion is something Hadiya tries but struggles to understand - for her, Avandra has been an anchor and the inspiration she had needed to work hard to pave her own path, to embrace the changes life throws at her. For Clara, the Paladin School of Iomedae had done the opposite.

While camping in the swamps south of Letheril's Forge, the group spent time drinking from bottles of wine they had salvaged. Drunk, Hadiya and Cal questioned Jian and Clara in an attempt to learn about their pasts, with little luck. When the two left to sit away from the group, Hadiya felt guilty for prying; after all, she of all people knew that the past did not define us. When Clara tried to reach out to Iomedae through a weapon-maintenance ritual, Hadiya noticed her struggle to remember the appropriate verse, and decided to quietly join and guide her along. Noticing her hesitance and anxiety, Hadiya simply helped her along without questioning why she was doing this. When Clara's body was possessed by an intellect devourer in the mines of Letheril's Forge (unbeknownst to the rest of the group), Hadiya felt uneasy. A tense argument broke out, with Hadiya asking the rest of the group to return to the temple with her to be examined. The possessed Clara refused and began to return to the mine; Cal cast Protection from Evil and Good, and the intellect devourer escaped Clara's skull, leaving her body limp and lifeless. For Hadiya, little could be more devastating - someone so young, someone she was supposed to be responsible for, and her life was cut short. When the group attempted the revival of Clara in the temple, Hadiya pleaded with Avandra to help return Clara's soul. She expressed how young she was, how much she still had left to do. Change is inevitable, yes, but Clara did not have the chance to pave her path. Clara's return to life and to the group at this moment was a relief she'd never known.

Hadiya and Clara discovered they had a shared competitive spirit and love for games and tricks. For the gala, Hadiya taught Clara how to play bingo, and the two devised bingo cards. They also made a bet on whether or not Jian would dance. Hadiya won the bet, correctly predicting that Jian would not dance, but lost at bingo. As her prize, Clara is tasked with devising a dare for Hadiya.

Meraki
In the early days of their relationship, Hadiya found herself confused by Meraki - she was stubborn and often blunt, seeming to care for Cal's company and little else. At the same time, she never backed down on her promise to protect Hadiya and her caravan, even after the group safely crossed the border. They appeared to have little in common, with Meraki clearly being an outlander, and Hadiya having grown up in one of the largest cities in the continent. Still, they slowly formed a bond over their time together.

Not unlike Cal, Meraki received her fair share of scolding by the hot-headed Hadiya at first. When the two tieflings were arrested in Threshold for causing a public disturbance late in the night, Hadiya was exasperated as she felt that she held some responsibility for the two. Despite her anger, she argued and persuaded Magistrate Cobb to let them go with a warning.

In the swamps south of Letheril's Forge, the Cobalt Caravan faced a new enemy in the form of a night hag. She inflicted a curse of some sort on Hadiya, making her weaker and giving her nightmares - horrible visions of baby Zara being stolen away. When the group were ambushed by a group of lizardfolk and the hag herself, they were almost bested. Hadiya fell unconscious, but Meraki was able to defeat the hag with a risky but powerful manoeuvre. Later, when the group made camp, Hadiya confessed to Meraki that she felt shame in being weak - that she often feels she has to be the one to provide, to take care of her friends and family, and being unable to do so is her fear. Leaving her daughter and family in Lagash, her responsibilities as a merchant, all made her feel like a greedy person. Meraki's response was immensely comforting to Hadiya; she told her how the burden to protect everyone was not hers alone to bear, and that they were a team that looked out for one another - that she would protect her, as she promised when they first met. This was a moment Hadiya would never forget.

Meraki's protective nature was something Hadiya greatly valued, no matter how much it would also frustrate her - after Clara had been mugged by a group of men in Letheril's Forge, the group went to confront Gizmo in the Drank & Shank tavern. Hadiya, wanting to use her diplomatic skills to make a deal with Gizmo to return Clara's gear, asked the rest of the party to leave the room. Stubborn as always, Meraki refused to leave her side, which both irritated and touched Hadiya.

At the gala in Sovereign, Hadiya was baffled by Meraki's drunkenness - she had never touched alcohol in the months they'd travelled together. When Meraki asked her to dance, Hadiya gleefully accepted. She gently led Meraki's hands to her waist, wrapping her own arms around the tiefling's neck. As they danced, Hadiya tried to persuade her to reveal what was wrong, to no avail. Knowing it would be difficult to get through Meraki's stubbornness, she resigned to just enjoying their dance together. She talked of what she'd learned at the gala as they swayed, her cheeks a little warm - probably just the wine, right?

Lucas Dunmore
During their month-long fling together, Hadiya and Lucas formed a bond neither of them would soon forget. When Lucas appeared with Zara in Letheril's Forge, he and Hadiya seemed to clash due to their shared stubbornness, Lucas' arrogance and Hadiya's anger. Hadiya seems to have always been aware of Lucas' haughty nature, and expresses this to Cal one night when she opens up about her discomfort and feeling of inferiority around nobles. She seems to have known that Lucas was a noble when they first met, but did not know his real name.

Hadiya also displays some fondness towards Lucas, sometimes commenting on how he still looks almost the same or reminiscing about his habits and their brief time together. She tries to make light of their strange situation to ease the tension, teasing him or making jokes about their fling. However, a small part of her still suffers from heartache when she looks at the man that left her so suddenly without warning.

Despite their awkwardness around each other, they share in their love of Zara and their conviction to keep her safe and happy. Hadiya realises just how much he cares for Zara, and how good of a father he had been in the time he knew her - as such, she wants to try to mend their broken bond and co-parent for the sake of their daughter.

Family
Hadiya's current blood relatives include Rasheed Pashar (her father) and Zara Pashar (her daughter). Having been brought up in a loving home and community, Hadiya has always been taught to value family. Lagashis in poor neighbourhoods especially understand the importance of community - the people that helped raised Hadiya, and the people that subsequently helped raised Zara, were not all family by blood. This community-wide effort to care for each other meant that Hadiya could balance her life as a clergy member, merchant and mother. It meant that even when Hadiya was away from home for long periods, Zara was taken care of and loved by those around her.

Despite this, Hadiya still sometimes struggles with the fear that she is selfish for leaving Zara and her family behind. Now that Zara is in Sovereign, Hadiya is still apprehensive about leaving her for long periods to pursue dangerous adventures. Lucas' presence is both a blessing and a concern - he has shown himself to be a capable father, but leaving her child in the care of a man that left her with no warning causes Hadiya uneasiness. Balancing her life as an adventurer and a mother is proving more difficult than she had expected.

Trivia

 * Hadiya was initially created for a different, short-lived campaign alongside Jian
 * Her deity has changed over the course of the campaign from Waukeen, to Abadar, and finally to Avandra
 * Hadiya's personality was initially written to be much more self-centred, untrusting and Chaotic Neutral