Inside story: “The Village of Quippley”

The “Inside story” is series of narratives describing the back story of the comic.  This is the first story, all about the village of Quippley.

Quippley is a small town in the Northeast corner of the Old Continent, situated between the towns of Beans and Welshish-shire, just north of the Great Spear-Wood  and approx 15 miles west of the Sea.

The village was settled by Alabumbus Quippley, a curious and outspoken individual who departed (some say forced) from the city of Markton due to his radical views on pig care.  He found a small patch of unoccupied land some 40 miles west of the old city and set up shop.  He built a stand there, selling snouts–but discovered there was very little foot-traffic so far away from any majors road.  He tried several other ventures, all failing, until he implored his older brother for help.  Thomas Quippley begrudgingly relocated his family and turned the land into a barley farm.  The resulting community was named after him (Alabumbus was subsequently driven from the village after trying to wed his brother’s prized sow).

Because Quippley had the queer reputation for taking in outcasts, over the years more than just farmers settled there.  At first the original townsfolk did not welcome their unconventional neighbors, but when they saw the lucrative income brought in through their ways, many abandoned tilling the soil for card games, magic tricks and the occasional sword swallowing.  As the surrounding region developed, traffic increased, and the citizens of Quippley earned better wages through their unusual professions.

By the year 446, Quippley had grown to a staggering population of 43.  A small collection of traveling wizards settled in along its outskirts, content with living in relative quiet among the motley community.  Among this folk was a young wizard named Algerbane and his wife and daughter.  His experience in Quippley will be told in full in Year 2 of the Wizard of Quippley comic.