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SPOILER WARNING!
This article contains heavy discussion of plot details from the newest Unwanteds Quests books. You are at risk of major spoilers if you haven't read up to the newest installment in the series. Be careful!

Quill is a dry and desolate island where the majority of the Unwanteds series takes place. "Quill" can refer to both the island where both Quill and Artimé exist, but can also refer to just the land of Quill, on the northern majority of the island. The island is in the middle of the Seven Islands, with three islands to the east, and three islands to the west. Citizens of Quill are referred to as "Quillens".

The land of Quill was very isolated and aggressively punished individuality and creativity in its people. The people are separated into different categories depending on how many infractions they've gained (Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds). Quill is ruled over by a high priest and various governors.

Locations/Appearance

Quill takes up the northern majority of the island, bordered on the south by Artimé. The land itself is a desert, with few trees (all kept to Quill's nurseries[1][2]) and very little rain. Quill was surrounded by a huge cement wall, with a barbed wire ceiling forty feet overhead[3], for many decades before it was taken down in Island of Shipwrecks by High Priest Aaron Stowe. The nation is set up simply; according to Samheed, "it's one big oval road around the perimeter of the island, with quadrants of houses inside."[4]

Locations in Quill

  • The Commons, where announcements are made by the high priest, and where the Purge is held. It is a giant half-circle amphitheater.[5]
  • The palace, sitting on a hill at the far west end of the island.[4] It is surrounded by its own wall and gate, and reaches up to the barbed-wire ceiling, created a crooked turret at the top. Inside the palace's individual walls is where the high priest's personal drivers and cars are stationed.[6]
  • The Necessary Quadrants, four square miles of tiny houses where Necessaries live.[7]
  • The Quillitary housing sector, which includes the governor's homes, the six nicest homes in Quill.
  • The Quillitary grounds.
  • The farms, including the Favored Farm, the nursery where all of Quill's trees are, and the cattle ranch.
  • The Wanted University, where Wanteds go to school.
  • Desolation, an empty area before the gates to Artimé.
  • The Ancients Sector, where people are sent to die.
  • A briny river, used for transporting equipment and supplies for the marketplace.[8]
  • A circular dirt road around the island.[4][9]

There may be other government buildings in Quill, as they are mentioned separately from Justine's palace[10] and Haluki's home office.[11]

After the Fire

After the land of Quill burns to ash in Island of Dragons, it is rebuilt magically as an extension of Artimé. It's set up almost the same way as before, with a few minor changes.

  • A small, barren, burned-out piece of land is left over for those who don't want to live magically.[12] It's located just beyond the Ancients Sector.[13]
  • A paved circular road around the island, as well as walking paths throughout the community.[9]
  • A wider stream, as well as a bubbling freshwater fountain in the Commons.[9]
  • The houses all look the same, with no difference between Wanted or Necessary houses.[14]
  • A lighthouse rather than the palace, stationed in the same spot atop the hill.[15]
  • The Quillitary building is still there, but abandoned at some point.[16]

History

Quill was founded by Marcus Today and Justine 50 years before the first book in the series.[17] The two were only 14 years old at the time[18], but traveled around the Seven Islands telling people about the dangers of the world, and giving them the chance to live in a perfect society.[19] Justine became the first high priest of Quill, likely about 6 years after they first left Warbler Island.

While it's said that the land of Quill was isolated for all of those 50 years[20], it is also said that Quill was trading with other lands before cutting itself off. Marcus says that they used to trade with the neighboring islands.[21] Quill had no money system, either, and did not purchase people.[22] According to Marcus, the wall started construction as soon as Quill was founded[23], though it took years to continue, and was not completely successful in keeping people out, as Nadia was able to sneak in 26 years before the first book. Around the beginning of Quill was also when Marcus erased the memories of the first citizens, including Gondoleery Rattrapp and Eva Fathom, Justine's secretary.[24] This was also when the Purge system was introduced, and Marcus began to distance himself to become the Death Farmer.

At some point, a ship landed on Quill, bringing Quillitary vehicles to the island; this ship came from our world, outside the Seven Islands, and also shipwrecked near the Island of Shipwrecks at some point.

Trivia

  • A quill is any main wing/tail feathers of a bird, or a writing tool made from those feathers.[25]
  • While Quillens are not meant to tell stories, there are still rumors about what might happen at the Great Lake of Boiling Oil.[3] The government also tells the citizens about "evil foreign lands beyond the protective walls of Quill," including a great desert and a dark forest.[26]
  • It's unclear how houses are numbered, but the Stowes lived in 54-43, in Quadrant Four.[27]
  • Quill may have some system of jail, as Aaron mentions it multiple times.[28][29] However, most law breakers in the books are simply sent to the Ancients Sector and killed.
  • There are stray dogs[30] and hedgehogs in Quill. [31]
  • Quillens do get married, but there are no weddings.[32]
  • The only holiday or day off given to Necessaries is Purge day.[33]
  • Not everyone in Quill has the same accent or way of speaking, as shown by Sully. It's unclear what they teach people in Quill's schools, but correct grammar doesn't seem to be one of them.
  • Hugs do exist in Quill.[34]
  • There is such thing as a "Necessaries' knock," five knocks that tell someone that it's not a Wanted at their door.[35]

Gallery

Official Artwork

Disclaimer: While these artworks are official, there are many differences in how the places are portrayed compared to their book descriptions. Many of the official artworks may be incorrect. While they can be used as reference for fan artworks, they are not an accurate representation of how the places may actually look or be set up.

References

  1. The Unwanteds, "The Death Farm" (12)
  2. The Unwanteds, "Mr. Today" (22)
  3. 3.0 3.1 The Unwanteds, "The Death Farm" (13-14)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Unwanteds: Island of Graves, "Stealth and Trickery" (63)
  5. The Unwanteds, "The Purge" (2)
  6. The Unwanteds: Island of Graves, "A Wild Ride" (127)
  7. The Unwanteds, "Wanted" (7)
  8. The Unwanteds, "A Big Mistake" (115-116)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons, "House After House" (25)
  10. The Unwanteds, "A Glimpse of Quill" (201)
  11. The Unwanteds, "And So It Happened That" (381)
  12. The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons, "The Island of Artimé" (15)
  13. The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons, "House After House" (27)
  14. The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons, "House After House" (26)
  15. The Unwanteds: Island of Dragons, "House After House" (28)
  16. The Unwanteds Quests: Dragon Fire, "A New Dilemma" (120)
  17. The Unwanteds, "Quill Prevails When The Strong Survive" (28)
  18. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "A Job Like No Other" (29)
  19. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "Cohorts" (142)
  20. The Unwanteds, "Parallel Lessons" (101)
  21. The Unwanteds, "On a Dark Night" (243)
  22. The Unwanteds Quests: Dragon Slayers, "Putting Things Together" (102)
  23. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "In the Beginning" (62)
  24. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "In the Beginning" (63)
  25. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/quill
  26. The Unwanteds, "Artimé" (39-40)
  27. The Unwanteds, "Wanted" (7-8)
  28. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "Thinking Like a Necessary" (73)
  29. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "Home Sweet Home" (76)
  30. The Unwanteds: Island of Silence, "In a Very Small House" (392)
  31. The Unwanteds: Island of Shipwrecks, "A New Discovery" (352)
  32. The Unwanteds: Dragon Captives, "The Big Day" (bonus chapter)
  33. The Unwanteds: Island of Graves, "Stealth and Trickery" (68)
  34. The Unwanteds: Island of Graves, "Finding the Inner Applecorn" (243)
  35. The Unwanteds: Island of Graves, "More Plans" (446-447)


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