Infobox
Ping Wing is a 22-year-old hippogriff wizard and founding member of the Fists of Mercy. An orphan raised in the underground Marrow Kingdom, Ping Wing led the expedition to escape their anti-magic society and explore the surface world. His passion for magical freedom and exploration drives much of the crew’s adventures across Hanaq.
Background
Ping Wing was orphaned as a child and raised in the underground city of Coredeep by Marcerine, a witch who secretly taught him magic despite the kingdom’s strict prohibition. For a decade, they operated under the cover of a liquor business while practicing illegal magic in secret. Ping Wing never saw the outside world during his youth, making the surface a source of endless fascination.
During his childhood, Ping Wing was frequently bullied by Tsavo, a griffon noble who would later become his wife. Despite their antagonistic relationship, both shared a desire to escape the confines of their underground existence. His speech impediment, which makes pronouncing r’s difficult, occasionally surfaces during conversations.
Ping Wing’s first magical achievement was creating his familiar, Gunter, a small penguin that resulted from his earliest dabbling in magic. This accomplishment marked the beginning of his dedication to magical exploration and freedom.
Abilities
As a wizard, Ping Wing demonstrates considerable magical talent, including the ability to manifest an ornate shadow hippogriff Eidelon. His spellcasting repertoire includes telekinetic projectiles, invisibility, and shocking grasp spells. During the Archibast Saga, he developed transformation abilities, though these sometimes produced unintended results when attempting to mimic others.
Ping Wing’s magical philosophy centers on freedom of exploration and practice, leading him to strongly oppose organizations like the Coven that restrict magical expression. This stance occasionally puts him at odds with authority figures who attempt to control or monitor magical activities.
Exploits
Mercy Saga
Ping Wing initiated the escape from the Marrow Kingdom by planning an expedition to the surface with his mentor Marcerine, seeking to practice magic freely beyond the underground society’s restrictions. When Tsavo discovered their plans, Ping Wing convinced her to join their group rather than expose them to the authorities. During their pursuit by Akun the Breaker, Ping Wing helped coordinate the party’s flight through the dangerous Maw of Innocence cave system, using his magic to assist in combat against centipedes and ooze cubes.
After meeting Civrev, Early Rise, and Longfolia in Hollowdeep, Ping Wing accidentally revealed his spellbook pages during a tavern brawl, leading to their formation as a unified group. He participated in the underground laboratory exploration where they encountered undead creatures and learned about the failed divine magic that had driven the surface population underground. During their infiltration of the Marrow King’s castle, Ping Wing engaged in magical combat against Spymaster Domia while helping to coordinate their escape aboard the airship Dawn Rising.
Throughout their adventures on the floating islands of Mercy, Ping Wing demonstrated tactical leadership during encounters with the Swamp Pirates, using his telekinetic abilities and spellcasting to support the group’s combat efforts. He helped resolve the fuel well crisis at Littlewood, worked with the party to investigate the Sisters Dungeon, and participated in the rescue of Governor Gummo’s granddaughter Polly. When the group encountered the mysterious sphere of holy light that destroyed Littlewood, Ping Wing aided in the party’s narrow escape and witnessed the recruitment of Roo as their navigator.
During the confrontation with the Swamp Pirates at their base on Henge, Ping Wing infiltrated the enslaved settlement and participated in the rescue of captured villagers. He played a crucial role in the final battle against the Swamp Pirate leadership, helping to coordinate tactics against Cabo and utilizing his magical abilities in the climactic confrontation. Following the defeat of the Swamp Pirates and their alliance with legitimate Armada forces, Ping Wing proposed to Tsavo under the stars, marking their transition from childhood antagonists to romantic partners.
Archibast Saga
Ping Wing initially went missing after his marriage to Tsavo, eventually reuniting with the crew on Archibast alongside new companion Night Veil. He participated in the exploration of Hanoi Tower, a Ley Line dungeon, where he solved puzzles involving terracotta golems and assisted in the defeat of the robotic guardian Fortuna. During their investigation of various islands, Ping Wing engaged in combat with transformed enemies and helped gather intelligence about the mysterious Lady of Archibast.
In the tournament arc, Ping Wing competed alongside the Sock Pirates in Queen Mida’s Tournament of Archibast, facing off against the theatrical group Dark Fantasies. He summoned his shadow hippogriff Eidelon during combat, though this proved dangerous when opponents targeted it with adamantine rounds, causing transferred damage that knocked him unconscious multiple times. Ping Wing adapted his tactics throughout the tournament, learning to work more effectively with his teammates while managing the risks of his signature magical abilities.
During the investigation of the Red Eye incidents across Archibast, Ping Wing helped uncover the connection between the villain Vida’s grimoire and the memory-affecting Cinnabar Acorns. He participated in the final confrontation with Vida in the palace, where his protective instincts toward Tsavo culminated in delivering the decisive blow with a shocking grasp spell while declaring “That’s my wife!” This action proved instrumental in defeating the ancient dragon and ending his manipulation of the local population’s memories.