Mertili is a port town in the world of Daventry (and possibly the name of the land around it).
Background[]
Mertili is known for its large town and port. The town was the home of Farquhar, his parents, and his grandma Bethina and aunts Inni and Panni, and twelve other children.[1] It was a large town and Farquhar walked everywhere. His mother was knocked off a horse there, and his father worked as a farrier. Farquhar was not allowed around the horses due to his mother's fear of them. When he was old enough he left his family, and worked odd jobs for a couple of years including cook, spider catcher, charcoal burner, and dockhand.
Farquhar once served on a trading vessel between Mertili and the Blue Islands.[2]He learned to sketch when he was not in port. He had finally gained some proficiency by the time the ship returned home.
Mertili is also the location of the Magicians' Academy, or is at least near it. Ulan Vasx once taught at the academy for a while. Farquhar applied there twice. When he was turned down the first time he took on odd jobs around the town. He continued to study during his free time, and applied a second time and was accepted. Though he didn't excel and was later dismissed.
Daventry's port (Mertili?)
It is not clear if Mertili is its own kingdom or possibly a colony or town under the rule of the Kingdom of Daventry. The exact location of the Mertili is not known. It could be part of the western and southern kingdoms which the people of Daventry fled during the destruction by the Three-headed Dragon. These are the many kingdoms the continent is divided into, most of them small and only a day or three's journey by foot in extent. These fiefdoms sometimes war or battle with each other for reasons their rulers care about, and shrink or grow depending on their martial fortunes. They seemingly come and go with the seasons, and few are remembered after their passing.
...or perhaps it was the location of Daventry's fleet, and where Alexander made his journey to the Green Isles.
One known region used for ship landings to reach the Kingdom of Daventry lies east of the southeastern arm of the Great Mountains (Glass Mountains & Hibestian Range) near the Northern Sea, though Daventry itself has lands within its control that extend to the southern edge of the continent near the Southern Sea extending between the 'southern kingdoms' (the minor kingdoms outside of the rule of Daventry). This was the region one of the baby kidnappers claimed to have originated from during their trial in Castle Daventry.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
The name appears to be a combination of 'Mer' the french word for 'sea' (as in 'mermaid'), and 'tili' of unknown meaning.
The exact location of the region is not clear, but based on context it's likely part of the continent of Daventry. It may be located to the west or south (perhaps part of the 'western and southern kingdoms') based on known geographical information in other sources. Or possibly a town to east of Daventry (the port landing location seen in King's Questions).Mertili could be the name of a city or land, perhaps both. The exact context is not entirely clear. Alternatively it could be the name of an island or another port (a third location he visited), although this would seem more complicated (and his backstory context does seem to portray him as taking up his odd jobs centered around his home town).
Farquhar's 'home town' is not specifically or necessarily directly named, however there are references to his odd jobs around his 'home' town, to support his family and his enrollment at the Magician's Academy (which appears to be somewhere near his home). Mertili is mentioned in an offhand remark more or less concerning one of his odd jobs, which implies that it is a port of some sort (he was a dockhand in his hometown for a while), and Mertili appears to be his point of origin, and in the same description he also mentions 'returning home' (from the Blue Islands) which appears to link Mertili with 'home'.
Of other major ports mentioned in the world (other than Port Bruce), there is also a reference to a town or inhabited region somewhere along southern (or southeastern) coastal edge of the Kingdom of Daventry[4] likely beyond the 'southern kingdoms' (possibly a colony of Daventry if not directly connected to Daventry proper) which may be where Daventry kept its flagship and fleet. This port is not named, but may indirectly be related to events of KQ6 (the area where the Johannes Bey or The Valanice left port), and possibly mentioned indirectly in See No Weevil, which might be another possible location for Mertili. King's Questions may show this 'town' to be somewhat north east of Castle Daventry (but one would have to travel southeast and work their way around the southeastern arm of the Great Mountains/Glass Mountains) to the northeast of Castle Daventry to reach it.
If normal KQ naming convention for villages is followed, Mertili the town may be located in Mertili the kingdom. Otherwises its possible that Mertili, if not a town within Daventry itself, could be the capital of another smaller kingdom near Daventry such as Lycathia, or Cumberford.