Jing Hai

"*Don't try to take on the world alone. Find as many friends as you can to help you out. You can't do it alone... we tried.*"
—Jing Hai
Jing is a character from Freedom Planet: The Pre-Sequel. She is a young, foreign mercenary who is working for Kielon as her first ever job. Quiet and nervous around others, she suffers from uniquely bad luck, and appears to have quite a severe phobia of magic which she is slowly beginning to overcome. She seems to be very good at analysing building security. While she sells herself as a warrior, she has yet to prove herself to the party in combat.

## Appearance

Hai strikes people as short for a tiger, though this still leaves her one of the tallest people in the room, whichever room that happens to be. Her face is rather young. She wears a white, airy shirt and beige trousers that are suited to the humid conditions of Avalice’s southern regions. She wears a pair of brown, hard-worn boots on her feet. Those claws look sharp, and she can probably break a steel safe with her jaws. There is a giant falchion carried on her back. While it looks heavy enough to cut unarmoured foes in two and break the bones of armoured ones, it also looks incredibly unwieldy. Thankfully, she also has a sword courtesy of Shingo Kirishima, after the group insisted on giving her a proper weapon, and a small wood-chopping axe that that sword replaced. The axe can still serve in a pinch.

## Personality

Jing has come out of her shell to no small extent after travelling with Kielon and the others. She is capable of asserting herself, especially on matters she knows a lot about, though she's more inclined to fade into the background on other occasions. She is still noticeably guarded about her past. Jing can be sharp-tongued, and she is particularly hard on those she thinks are endangering themselves and especially others for foolish or selfish reasons. She is also still more than a little paranoid. Jing is very team-oriented. She is quick to coordinate with others and pass on pertinent information. She is afraid of taking on things alone, and distrusts individuals who insist on taking on challenges alone.

Jing appears to be very bright, being quick to pick up on matters she has had no or only passing reference to. There seems to be some form of quiet resolve working away in the background of her mind. Despite this, Jing comes across as somewhat green. She still lacks Quinn Seong's aura of professionalism and confidence, but Jing has lost her old hesitance at the same time. If anything, her lack of calm can lead her towards rash, split-second decision-making that can place her and those around her in danger. When confronted by magic and situations that she does not understand, she sometimes needs the assurances of others in order to stand her ground, though she is *much* more confident in the Astral Plane, a non-magical, psychic realm that she is both cautious of and eager to study. She is still very afraid of magic... though she has yet to let this fear overcome her.

Her quiet resolve also seems to have become a little less quiet. Jing rarely mentions and refuses to discuss her past, but there are hints she has more experience than she lets on. She told the Astral ghost of Merga bluntly that she'd faced people like her before, stating boldly that the dragon didn't know who she was dealing with.

She also definitely has some odd quirks. She claimed to have never used a mobile phone. Jing apparently lost someone close to her under violent circumstances. She is visibly distressed when the event is brought up. She also appears to have had bad luck with leadership figures. Jing stated bluntly to Kielon that he was the first good leader she'd ever met.

Jing speaks with a strong foreign accent that is difficult to place. It sounds vaguely like it comes from the Southern Islands, but it is impossible to place it with any one isle. She appears to have built up a working rapport with both Kielon and Kuu.

## Abilities

### Innate Abilities

* Disturbance: Assuming everyone around her is quiet and still, Jing can sense disturbances in the air and on the ground. She can use this to detect movement, and even the rough shape and weight of what is moving. A lot of different sources of movement can drown the ability out.
* Powerful Bite: A powerful bite that can chew through solid metal. Also serves as an emergency weapon, especially while grappling or if she is restrained for some reason.

### Skills

* Jing is excellent at analysing the best route in and out of a building without setting off traps or running into guards. She is then just as good at slipping inside said buildings and back out again. Appropriately for her personality, she is excellent at remaining invisible to others.
* She appears to be a skilled swordswoman despite her shy demeanour. Jing exhibits a quiet professionalism on the job that isn't immediately apparent when others first meet her. She is a competent warrior, and her agility means she is also well suited to tying down enemies who will have a hard time even hitting her.
* She seems to be fairly bright and curious about the world around her. This helps her pick up on intellectual pursuits quickly, even though she seems somewhat unfamiliar with technology.

## History

### Backstory

Very little is known about Jing's backstory. She sells herself as a mercenary, despite looking more like a farmhand than anything else. What is known is that she lost someone close to her in her past under violent circumstances and has had bad experience with leadership figures all her life. She seems wary of rulers and other powerful individuals... and she seems to struggle to talk about her past at all. Through her conversations with Kuu, it is clear that there is something in her past that she regrets deeply, and that she is trying to make up for.

### A new beginning

She approached Kielon seemingly off the street, apparently looking for work.

### Pre-Sequel Campaign

#### Thermal Base

Jing followed Kielon and the rest of the party during their second foray into Thermal Base. During this mission, Jing succeeded in detecting a large amount of movement in the lower levels of the base. Using this information, she was able to warn the group in advance, and this led indirectly to Kielon's ill-fated foray into the cloning laboratory below. When the alarm was raised, her plan to flood the base was put into action, and Jing's keen understanding of building security allowed her to pinpoint the best places for Quinn Seong to demolish the base's external walls, leading to the lab's destruction.

Whether this was a good call or a serious early blunder is yet to be seen.

#### The Library Visit

After events in Thermal Base, Kielon found Jing up early in the morning after his nightmare involving Merga. Alongside Quinn, she became aware of the circumstances surrounding the death of the half-dragon's brother. Jing was visibly affected. She explained that she "knows what that is like" and was brought close to tears. It is evident she lost someone close to her under violent circumstances.

Jing accompanied Kielon and Quinn to the library, where it became clear that her trade skills were often outstripped by the magical and intellectual capabilities of her more experienced and educated companions. She managed to track down a number of useful books for the party, but it was quickly established that the others had already found a magical means of finding those books. Despite her talent for technology, she also had difficulty looking up the ISBN of an old, unmarked book on the early dragons that the party had information on, something that Kielon and Quinn managed. Jing claimed she'd never used a mobile phone before. Upon learning that Merga's spirit was active within the library and had led them to the books, Jing also freaked out. She hastily scratched the names of the books into her backpack and then practically fled from Quinn and Kielon. She eventually pulled herself together, but remained on edge and paranoid about the books. Jing showed herself to be incredibly cautious around magic, being unwilling to open a door that Merga's spectral trail apparently led to, and reluctant to read the books even after Merga claimed the whole magical trail affair was a trick. Jing also revealed she had a talent for analysing the security of a building, and later commented that she had experience breaking into buildings, though she claimed she didn't like doing so anymore.

Another notable event from the Library visit was Jing's reaction to Kielon suggesting another foray to the spirit realm in order to get at the library's security footage. (The party wanted to get footage of the person who donated the dragon book to the library) Jing angrily said that she would leave Kielon's service if he did so, saying that her job was to keep him safe. She then went on to say that he was the first decent leader she'd known, and asked him to make sure he didn't get himself hurt doing anything stupid.

Jing also reacted with terror when Kielon used Kuu's translation spell on her without warning, panicking for a moment and then angrily rebuking him. It is obvious that she is afraid of magic.

The only other points of note were that she seemed strangely anxious about the idea of applying for a library card, and she didn't seem keen on meeting with the Magister... this despite suggesting herself that the party should report events to him and seek his advice.

#### Conversation With Kuu Sydan

Shortly before heading off to Shang Tu university to meet with its resident expert on the Astral Plane, Jing found herself paired with (or in her mind, saddled with) Kuu. Despite an initial peace offering of gummies, Jing and Kuu did not start things off well, and Kuu promptly took off in a huff (though it is not clear whether this was due to Jing or due to Kuu's internal thoughts.) Worried, Jing pursued Kuu into the next room.

Jing and Kuu initially clashed on philosophical grounds. Kuu, who was trying to train herself to be physically stronger, insisted that she couldn't rely on others and needed to "learn to do things" herself. She stated that this was what she had been taught since birth. Jing, for her part, took the exact opposite line. She explained that trying to take on dangerous tasks by yourself is a sure-fire way to get killed.

This prompted an enraged outburst from Kuu.

"I GOT MY FRIEND KILLED BECAUSE I DIDN'T! SO DON'T TELL ME NOT TO!"

Jing initially reacted with shock and upset, but her demeanour hardened when Kuu tried to storm off again.

"You're not the first person to lose someone here." she stated.

"Yeah, at least you didn't have to kill them." came Kuu's reply.

Jing struggled to answer this at first. When Kuu hinted that she shouldn't have trusted someone, Jing asked if her friend betrayed her. Lid explained that she was a soldier, and that she was following orders. Her friend remained her friend to the end, but she disobeyed orders, and apparently led an attack on "it", it obviously being something important to Kuu... or at least to her superiors. Kuu said that her friend should have followed orders.

Perhaps Jing's most important response here was to state that soldiers are only as "good" as their cause is. If you don't agree with a cause, you shouldn't serve it anymore. She noted Kuu's reply; Kuu didn't have a cause. She was just following orders.

After Kuu's cryptic explanation of her past, the half-basilisk appeared to forget the entire conversation. Flummoxed, and in tears by this point, Jing confronted her about what she had just been told. When Kuu came across to her as genuinely ignorant of the past five minutes, Jing was lost for words. Unable to think of anything else to say, she tried to impart a firm warning to Kuu not to try to take on the world alone. Jing said that she tried... and she subtly hints that others tried with her.

"We tried."

Kuu then became serious again, and her other personality seemed to re-emerge. She told Jing that "that is how the disease spreads." She explained that she saw many friends fight together and die together after finding some kind of enlightenment. They revolted, and this forced Kuu to put them down. Kuu stated that she felt her hand had been forced.

Kuu then fell asleep. Anxious for her safety and deeply shaken by this point, Jing tried to wake her. She failed to, but she discerned that Kuu was just sleeping, not dead. (The snoring probably gave it away.) Upset, bewildered and unsure what to do or who to tell (if anyone), Jing picked Kuu up, made her comfortable and then waited with her until she woke up.

As she waited, she thought to herself that maybe she had a chance to make up for the past... though she also wondered if she'd just wind up making everything worse... and also wondered quietly whether she already had. This was a strong hint that something went badly wrong for Jing earlier in her life, and it is something she is keen to make amends for.

#### Meet Professor Bunnysworth

Jing travelled with Kuu to Shang Tu University in order to research defences against Merga in the Astral Plane. She also had her own personal reason for going; deathly afraid of magic, Jing wanted to learn how to ward herself from magical harm. She met with Professor Bunnysworth, an expert on the Astral Plane, who introduced her to the principles that govern the Plane, as well as how to protect oneself from magical attack.

Realising that a confrontation with Merga on the Astral Plane was likely inevitable, Jing overcame her fear of "magic" and requested that the professor teach her how to enter the Plane. Despite her crippling fear, Jing managed, to enter the Astral Plane... though this was only with substantial help from both the professor and Kuu, who practically had to throw her out of her body as she hesitated in taking the final step. Jing lacked Kuu's confidence and ease in the plane, but she did at least learn how to move around, and she observed how one might, if one was powerful enough, learn to move things back in reality and transform oneself in the Astral Plane. This was about all she could stomach, however, and the Professor brought her back into her body after only a short period on the Plane.

However, Merga arrived on the Astral Plane just as Jing and Kuu returned to their bodies. The professor confronted her, and fear for his life prompted a worried Jing to prepare to jump back onto the Astral Plane. She was shocked, however, to hear (through Kuu) that the Professor had transformed into a mighty dragon and driven Merga off with a sharp warning. Overwhelmed with this display, Jing asked when she could bring Kielon to meet with the professor, and if he ran any classes. She became very keen on studying the Astral Plane, her former fear melting away by the seconds as she grasped the potential of the knowledge. With a new appointment and information in hand, Jing left the university with Kuu.

In addition to receiving new information and learning how to enter the Astral Plane, Jing seemed to establish something of a rapport with Kuu during her visit to the university. She now viewed her a lot more warmly.

#### Defeat on the Astral Plane.

Late at night, Jing was confronted by Merga in a dream. Merga taunted her about her fear of magic, gloating that she shouldn't be afraid of the Astral Plane, but what she would find on that plane.

"You're quite the fish out of water, aren't you? But it's not the water you should be afraid of... it's what's in the water!"

She then transformed into a shoal of sharks and devoured Jing in her dream. Jing awoke screaming and shaking. The incident would only presage the nightmare that was to follow. Later that night, both Kielon and Jing sensed a disturbance on the Astral Plane. Both instinctively entered the Plane, and they found Kuu being savagely attacked by Merga. Kielon and Jing came to her rescue, though Jing only did so after Kielon promised her magical protection.

The attempt was a disaster. Merga defeated both Kielon and Jing effortlessly, taunting them before smashing them back into their bodies. Kuu resisted far longer and far better, but was eventually overcome. Jing awoke and, believing that she had failed Kuu and overwrought by Merga's strength, despaired. Kielon helped her pull herself back together, pointing out how much she'd helped them already.

#### Guarding Clyde

Jing was left behind to guard Clyde as the rest of the party went to meet with the Magister. Before the party left, Jing warned Kielon about trusting kings, stating that they always end up serving themselves even when they try to help. While her thoughts on the Magister's intent were on the money, she did end up making an accidental point as the party promptly stumbled upon a clone of one of the Magister's servants, and then were nearly framed for an assassination attempt after the robot spewed hot oil everywhere on death. Even after producing robot parts proving the clone had been present, Neera Li refused to believe them, and only the Magister's more reasoned judgement saved the group from being framed.

Jing also spoke briefly to Clyde during this time. She scolded him for going after his brother, pointing out that if he had been possessed, he would have become a threat to everyone. The message did not seem to get through... Jing was contacted again by Merga. Rather than reacting with fear this time, Jing warned Merga that she had faced such people before. She suggested that Merga didn't know who she was dealing with.

#### Witnessing Merga's banishment.

Upon their return, Jing a huge falchion from Shingo. She was positively thrilled with the weapon, thanking him eagerly and insisting on reimbursing him, but the news Neera would be joining the party soon discomforted her. Jing then accompanied the party to Shang Tu university. Completely at ease around the professor by this point, she calmed a distrustful Shingo down. As the Professor led them into his office, Jing relaxed herself completely as she slid into the Astral Realm. She did, however, recommend that someone stay behind, demonstrating that her guard was still not completely down.

Jing detected quickly that something was in fact wrong with Kielon, and that he was barely in control of himself. Jing alerted the professor, who promptly forced Merga to reveal herself. She also tried to tackle Merga, showing the same level of aggressive recklessness she showed back in the party's dream with her. She failed to even distract the dragon, however, and after being threatened by the professor, Merga took Kielon as a spiritual hostage, warning everyone that to defeat her, they would have to kill him. Jing managed to detect that there was some kind of spiritual link between Kielon and Merga, though she couldn't break it. Thankfully, this was not necessary. Jing watched as the professor transformed again, effortlessly defeating Merga and reducing her almost to death. With Merga's hold over Kielon finally relinquished, Jing watched the dragon slink away.

She returned from the Astral Plane. Jing watched her companions wake up, but two did not. Kielon and Lilac remained unconscious. When the professor succeeded in sending them back from the Astral Realm, he found himself trapped there. Jing managed to establish a connection, ultimately establishing that the professor was trapped on the Astral Plane, would be for some time, and that Jing should bring him to a nurse.

After all of this, Jing heard from Kielon that he had had a vision of something on the way back home, and that it related to an object of Clyde's they found abandoned in the street. Clyde appeared to have disappeared into the north, where another cloning centre of Merga apparently lay deep in the far mountains. Jing agreed with Kielon that they had to tell Clyde, stating that he had a right to know. They set off for the house.