Contractual obligation

[The JAM]

[...unWARP!]

Good evening.


I think I see what's coming now.

Quentyn of Ridgedale never did come back, meaning he never did retrieve the items, meaning he did not fulfill his end of the bargain.

Meaning that the land was never given to him, meaning that his daughter did not have the right to parcel the land.

Meaning that no one who lives in Freeman Downs has acquired their property legally.

Meaning that Freeman Downs should not legally exist.





















































AAACK!!!!

That might mean that Quentyn is going to try to fulfill the contract by going OUTSIDE THE MIST WALLS to retrieve as many items as he can, and possibly finding the remains of Quentyn of Ridgedale!!

THIS IS THE NEXT ADVENTURE!!!! THE TRUE TALES OF THE QUESTOR BEGIN NOW!!!!!!!!



This is going to take a while, isn't it?


¡Zacatepóngolas!

Until next time, remember:

I

AM

THE

J.A.M. (a.k.a. Numbuh i: "Just because I'm imaginary doesn't mean I don't exist")

Good evening.

[WARP!!!]

[Sariah]

I didn't see that coming! This is going to take a while. And those humans... can be pretty rough.

[Astral]

oh for the love of mike... bloody artifacts...

[Chaser617]

Looks like whoever is behind this is going to try to use Freeman Downs as a way to get rid of Q. Maybe the think he's not skilled enough to survive outside the barrier, and thus, will get himself killed like his predisessor (well, I'm guessing most beleive the original Quynten of Freeman Downs died in the fullfillment of his duties).

[TMLutas]

I guessed a few days ago that the charter was what was up for grabs. I even figured out that it was on account of a questor's bad acts. I just didn't guess right on *which* questor was the problem

My bet is that either Quentyn himself stands up and takes on the job or he's hired by the village to fulfill the contract with the Archivist's guild. I'm still not sure that this is completely on the up and up. Do the Rac'Conan have any sort of legal concept of adverse possession (popularly known as squatter's rights)? The rest of their law seems to be loosely based on a vaguely libertarian version of anglo-american common law but the whole story line seems to depend on adverse possession being missing. In an adverse possession legal regime, any sort of reasonable time limit for claims of this nature should have expired long ago, or was the claim filed to avoid missing an upcoming deadline? Even more fun, did the clock start ticking when Quentyn gained his office and didn't go right off to fulfill the contract?

An aside, I guess this makes the Questor training manual sent by Quentyn a sort of "last letter home" equivalent. Quentyn would probably mail such a volume out whenever he thought he might get killed on a job and pick it up whenever he came back, filling it out in the meantime with more words of wisdom. He might have sent that book out and gotten it back dozens of times. It might have been something he picked up in Ridgedale and brought with him (rebinding in an appropriate frontpage for his new territory).

Anyway, it's a neat development but certainly raising as many new paths in the story as it closes.

[Jaydub]

*chuckles evilly* Oooh, yes... you are right about that. Ralph's finally putting his real plan into action. This will be the plot twist to end all plot twists!

And we're not telling. So nyah.

So Quentyn is going to be sent on a Quest into the land of humans. That should be interesting......

Looks like I was right on the money back on this 3-30-06 post.

[Mikhail Dragoslav]

Question: What's the difference between a township and a village? At least in Questorverse?

From what I gathered there was already a township called Freeman Downs and thanks to Quentyn's (the original) land expanded the township and sold it to the people of said township, becoming the village of Freeman Downs. Doesn't that mean that only part of Freeman Downs is in question?

What's the distinction?

Also note that Quentyn (I) managed to move his Questorship, hence the reason he was originally called Questor of Ridgedale and later Questor of Freeman Downs. That also explains, why Quentyn's (II) dad called him the first Questor of Freeman Downs.

How many Questors were there at their height? One per village or where there more?

[Madmoonie]

AAAAAAAAAA! (reads comic and keels over) Quentyn IS being sent into the human world....ooooh....this is gonna be tricky! I hope he gets to take some people with him (like Kessie for instance ) You know, this almost reminds me abit of LOTR, where Frodo must venture outside the Shire to destory the ring. Something no one since his "crazy" uncle did so. Any coinidence? Also, the missing weapons? Reminds of something at the end of World War, the Nazis were plundering all of Europe for the riches of fine arts and antiques, and then when they began to lose the shipped them all to a salt mine, in.....Austria? Maybe, but probably not. I can't remember. Anyway, years later, there were rumors that some of the trucks filled with these priceless treasures went.......missing

[Squirrelly61104]

Ralph, you sneaky son of a human.
I get it now.
They weren't talking about Quentyn, questor of Freeman Downs.
They were talking about Quentyn, questor of Freeman Downs.

Uhmm, that made sense in my head.
Anyway, since our Quentyn is formally established as the Questor of Freeman downs, and the earlier Quentyn had established Freeman downs as his formal base, would that make our Quentyn liable for the old contract, just as the new owner of a business accepts existing assets and liabilities?
And would that mean that Quentyn is entitled to a share of the pay from the original contract?
After all, if the original sale of the property wasn't legal, then it should revert to its correct owner.

Memo to self: never, ever, try to be a lawyer.

[Sariah]

And would that mean that Quentyn is entitled to a share of the pay from the original contract?

I don't think so. There wasn't any pay that came with the contract, just land. But if you mean that when (when not if) our Quentyn comes back victorious, he'd be the owner of the village of Freeman Downs, then yes, I guess.

He'd probably just give it back though.

(He'd better come back victorious! If he doesn't... )

[Madmoonie]

It would be intersting what Gilder and Rahan thought of Quentyn, if he were to become the owner of all Freeman Down. Intersting prospect. One bugs me though. Why now? Is it because there is now a questor of Freeman Downs and now the contract can be finished? Also, how long has it been since the first Quentyn did his thing? Could he still be alive somewhere in the human world? And are there other rac'conan outside the mist? And why does I ask so many questions? ................So many questions, so little time!

[Greatbeast]

OK.....

Here is what I see of it....

1) Quentyn (current day questor) has to take the mission to ensure the survival of the village or its future is in extreme doubt.

2) Quentyn (Current day questor) accepted the Title of Village Questor with "All rights and reponsibilities" along with it. I assume that fulfilling the obligation of the last questor comes with the office.

3) Quentyn (original questor) gave over title to his daughter who IF she has a legal claim long ago sold it all.

4) End result, Quentyn (current day) fails, village doomed. Quentyn succeeds, then village back to current state before the episode started.

IE Quenty only owns what he owns not the village.

If Q2 succeeds then the original title of the village goes to Quentyn I's daughter as Q1 had the legal authority of ownership which makes all future sales legal and binding to all the current owners.

One would hope that Quentyn2 would get a little something for his trouble though.....

And would that mean that Quentyn is entitled to a share of the pay from the original contract?

I don't think so. There wasn't any pay that came with the contract, just land. But if you mean that when (when not if) our Quentyn comes back victorious, he'd be the owner of the village of Freeman Downs, then yes, I guess.

He'd probably just give it back though.

(He'd better come back victorious! If he doesn't... )

[EdBecerra]

And of course, the people behind this, the ones who want Quentyn dead several times over for screwing over their plans, win either way.

If he dies, they get their revenge (minor emotional win) and the land that was formerly his village to resell. (minor compensation for financial losses incurred)

If he survives and recovers the treasures, they get "proof" that contact and trade with the outer world - or even conflict and the expansion of their lands at the outer world's expense - is not only possible, it's practical. (Major win financially, minor loss in that the kid ends up looking like a hero again - unless he accidentally leads some humans back, then it's "He's betrayed us to the hyoomans!")

They can't lose either way... unless the kid can out smart them.

[Nikas_Zekeval]

Question: What's the difference between a township and a village? At least in Questorverse?

From what I gathered there was already a township called Freeman Downs and thanks to Quentyn's (the original) land expanded the township and sold it to the people of said township, becoming the village of Freeman Downs. Doesn't that mean that only part of Freeman Downs is in question?

What's the distinction?

Also note that Quentyn (I) managed to move his Questorship, hence the reason he was originally called Questor of Ridgedale and later Questor of Freeman Downs. That also explains, why Quentyn's (II) dad called him the first Questor of Freeman Downs.

How many Questors were there at their height? One per village or where there more?

Hmm, at a guess it might be like going from a territory to a state, essentially you have to grow to a certain population size before being 'upgraded' in representation.

When I saw Lady Rose tell Quentin to go home, at first I thought she was still treating him like a Kit, not a Questor, not telling him he had a serious legal judgement against him. While the reasoning is false, I still think she did it. Why? Quentin has the journal, and probably the last writtings in Rac'conan hands of Quentin of Ridgedale. I wouldn't even give him the chance to dry off, I'd grab him, tell him what's going down, and get him and the journal to pour over it for any clue that could get them out of this. Like Rilcreak said, do your damn homework first.

As for the contract, this still smells like three day old fish. Besides why so long, why wasn't the title challenged as soon as Quentin of Ridgedale's (QoR) daughter started selling the land? Was the contract was written for the attempt to recover the treasures, or successfully returning part of them? Given how scattered they were and that QoR had written the diary and was a (presumably) competent and legally canny Questor I don't think the land was tied to him bring them all back. So what's the legal ground? Did a pet judge read some ambugious, or down right black letter the other way, language in the contract to mean the land deal required a successful mission, are they alleging that QoR never meant to go after the treasures, or that his efforts (which may have gotten him killed) were not sufficent to prove he made a good faith attempt to complete the mission?

[Maxgoof]

Question: What's the difference between a township and a village? At least in Questorverse?

From what I gathered there was already a township called Freeman Downs and thanks to Quentyn's (the original) land expanded the township and sold it to the people of said township, becoming the village of Freeman Downs. Doesn't that mean that only part of Freeman Downs is in question?

What's the distinction?

Okay, you obviously do not come from a rural area.

Where I live, the state of Ohio, the land is divided up into 88 counties. This was done at the time the state lines were drawn. Each of those counties are divided up into townships. This was also done at the time the counties were drawn. At the center of each township was usually a town. the borders of the town were usually informal, basically whoever had a building in the area. In my case, I grew up in the village of New Albany, which was in the center of the Plain Township. Each township usually had a school organized in it.

In other words, apparently, the Archivist Guild had claim on the land in Freeman Downs which it turned over to Quentyn of Ridgedale in exchange for his services. The land did not add to the township, it was already a part of it. Quentyn's daughter merely saw the potential and took advantage of it.

There are a number of problems with this history:

1) From what I knew, Harrow the Farmer was the one who basically convinced them to put up the mist wall, thus cutting the seven villages off from the outside world.

2) This history indicates that trade was going less than 200 years ago. So, either trade was continuing after the mist wall went up, or the mist wall went up at this time.

3) Shortly after trade was cut, Quentyn of Ridgedale was contacted to begin his last quest. This would indicate that he took this on shortly after the mist wall went up.

4) But we know that the record of the last human to contact the rac cona occured after the mist wall went up...long after it went up. And this same human met Quentyn of Ridgedale...who disappeared *shortly* after the mist wall went up!

5) In addition, this same human called the area the Seven Villages. But, according to this, it did not become the Seven Villages until after the disappearance of Quentyn of Ridgedale.

Ralph, I think we need a clarification of history here...when did the mist all go up, did trade continue after wards, or recommence, or what?

This is all very confusing.

[Dalak Lutra]

All I can say is "LOOK AT HOW MANY FREAKING CRATES/BOXES OF ARTIFACTS THERE ARE IN THE STRIP!"
Thats easily going to take a good 20 years...

Also, from what stories tell, I would have reason to doubt that he was killed durring this(far to skilled). Missing yes, I say he died of old age.

The hints of Quentyn Exploring the Human world has been all to ever evident to me when I began reading this comic strip(since late december of 04). Although never sure when he would go or why, I knew it would happen eventually. I bet some where inside we all knew it would happen, Am I wrong?

Thinking back to Late december of 04, man... I don't even remember how I came upon this grand comic. Oh well, point is I'm here now and Lovin' it.

Ha, BTW, leave it to legal quandary to twist Quentyn's arm into doing this. Bet he's gonna be on bit ticked 'bout this one. I know I'd be, but I'd do whats requested of me.

Lastly, it would suck if all he got from this was a pat on the back and a "Good Job Quentyn for saving us all from losing our homes" comment. I say he would deserve a statue after this at the least.

OH! Interesting Idea, Quentyn knows slim to jack squat about artifacts, so Guess who's going to have to go along! Also guess which little bard most likely couldn't pass up the oportunity to hear some music created by a different race? Just some more little ideas.(don't forget our "most loved" side kick aswell)

[Acolyte]

From what I gathered there was already a township called Freeman Downs and thanks to Quentyn's (the original) land expanded the township and sold it to the people of said township, becoming the village of Freeman Downs. Doesn't that mean that only part of Freeman Downs is in question?

ISTM at least part of the problem is one of conveyance of title. Everyone who now lives in Freeman Downs bought (or received) it from someone, who bought it from someone, etc, who bought it from Quentyn of Ridgedale's daughter. The trouble is, with the contract unfulfilled, it wasn't really hers to sell. Title not being properly conveyed to the people she originally sold it to, they didn't have title to convey either. So no one who lives in Freeman Downs, whatever its legal status as a village, has the right to live on that land since they don't really own it.

Still, it's very surprising that, now that Freeman Downs exists as a chartered village, it has no rights regardless of that contract.

I'm betting that Quentyn was indeed set up by his enemies in Sanctuary, but that he will (at the end of a thumpingly long arc) be unexpectedly successful in surprising ways, save the village, and that for him to fix this lingering cloud over the village (which was a loaded gun that could have been fired at any time, for any reason) plus the chaos at least some of the artifacts are probably causing in the human world if they're lux technology, are the reason for the white forelock.

Of course, if this goes the way everyone thinks it's going to, do we realize what this means? Ralph is going to have to draw humans. Lots and lots of humans.

It also might not go that way. I can think of a number of alternate scenarios, of varying plausibility.

[Dalak Lutra]

Another idea, while Quentyn is away, the gang raids Freeman downs. That would suck. That or he gets back to find that the guild has already taken back their land.

[SolidusRaccoon]

Bah, seen this comming a mile away.

[TMLutas]

Could this be why the questor museum had only replicas? The originals were in the shipment that got misrouted?