Tinker,
an Earthsea rpg,
set in the time of The Book of The Dark
a work-in-progress
| Source | Abbreviation | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| The Word of Unbinding. | WoU | Gnomes, rock trolls and vampires were only used in this early story and are not considered canon by the author. |
| The Rule of Names | RoN | |
| A Wizard of Earthsea | WoE | Page numbers for WoE, ToA & TFS are from Bantam Editions, 1982/83 |
| The Tombs of Atuan | ToA | |
| The Farthest Shore | TFS | |
| Tehanu | T | |
| The Other Wind | TOW | |
| *The following are separately listed stories from 'Tales from Earthsea' * | TfE | TfE, Harcourt 2001 |
| The Finder | TF | |
| Darkrose and Diamond | DD | |
| Bones of the Earth | BotE | |
| On the High Marsh | OtHM | |
| Dragonfly | D | |
| A Description of Earthsea | DoE | This explication clarifies history, timelines, culture and lore and, as such, is essential as in-game canon. |
| These last two stories from The Books of Earthsea conclude the canon | ||
| The Daughter of Odren | DO | |
| Firelight | F |
The following are useful online sources of names, timelines, analyses of themes, detailed maps and musicEarthsea wikipediaThe Isolate TowerGregory B. Sadler's analyses of all Earthsea books
David Mitchell on EarthseaKoriel Kruer, Artstation, detailed mapsFor the Long Dance
For Sunreturn, or an example of music performed in Darkrose and Diamond (TfE)
Atmosphere and sea journeys
Atuan
The Inward Isles and The Reaches
| The Inward Isles | People | Known for | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Havnor | - | The Tower of the Kings, atop of which is the sword of Erreth-Akbe | The Great Island |
| Gont | - | Goatherds, pirates, sorcerers | - |
| Andrades | - | Merchants, Old Serpent of Andrad | Pellawi-fur cloaks |
| Paln | - | The Lore of Paln | |
| The Enlades | House of Serriadh, of the line of Morred and Elfarran | Enlad, Isle of the Myths | - |
| Taon | - | Harps | |
| Ilien | Gemal Seaborn. Maharion | The last King of all the Isles | |
| Way | Akambar, House of Shelieth | Shelieth of the Fountains (also see note on Gensher and the Stone of Shelieth in Canon) | |
| Pendor | Sealords of Pendor, pirates and slave-takers | Jewels from long-dead princes of Paln and Hosk | Long dead during WoE |
| Direction | Lands | Persons of note | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North | Hogen Land | - | - | '...a land greater than...the Archipelago' or '...mere reefs and rocks...' |
| - | Osskil | Benderesk, Lord | Osskili | Court of the Terrenon |
| - | Rogmy | - | - | TfE |
| - | Boreth | - | - | TfE |
| North East, Kargad | Karego-At | The God King in Awabath | Kargad | |
| - | Atuan | Wuluah & Atwah | ||
| - | Hur-At-Hur | - | - | '...they say there are still large dragons in the mountains.' ToA |
| - | Atnini | |||
| East | Springwater Isle | - | - | Ged's Spring |
| - | Iffish | Vetch | ||
| Southeast | Astowell | - | - | 'also called Lastland' (WoE) |
| South | Lorbanery | |||
| - | Showl (TFS) | - | - | Slave market |
| - | Isle of the Ear | 'where men do not go' (WoE) | - | 'full of bones and portents' |
| Speculated. 'They sell men in the South Reach' (TFS) | The Market of Amrun (TFS) | - | - | Slave market |
| Southwest | Obehol | |||
| - | Wellogy | |||
| - | The Long Dune | |||
| - | The Open Sea, The Roads of Balatran | The Children of the Open Sea | ||
| West | The Dragon's Run & | |||
| - | Selidor |
The Old Powers and their known locations
| Location | Island | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Roke Knoll | Roke | The Loosing of The Shadow, WoE |
| Immanent Grove | Roke | The Patterner resides and observes The Pattern here |
| Court of the Terrenon | Osskil | The Terrenon Stone is contained here (The Hawk's Flight, WoE) |
| The Tombs and Labyrinth | Atuan | The Nameless Ones |
| Forest, near Faliern | Havnor | Next to Mount Onn (The Finder, TfE) |
| - | Paln | Speculated |
| The Black Well of Fundaur | - | Emanations of Fundaur, centuries before Dulse/Heleth (TfE) |
| The Lips of Paor | Unstated | - |
| Ea | 'that sacred and powerful soil' (DoE) | |
| The Springs of Ensa | Solea | Now sunk |
| Dark Pond | Gont | Top of Semere's cow pasture (BotE) |
(TfE)
Throughout Earthsea, various springs, caves, hills, stones, and woods were and always had been sites of concentrated power and sacredness. All were locally feared or venerated; some were known far and wide.Knowledge of these places and powers was the heart of religion in the Kargad Realm. In the Archipelago, the lore of the Old Powers was still part of the profound, common basis of thought and reverence.Only in Paln did wizards combine the two practices, in the arcane, esoteric, and reputedly dangerous Pelnish Lore.Though like any power they could be perverted to evil use in the service of ambition (as was the Terrenon Stone in Osskil), the Old Powers were inherently sacral and pre-ethical.
Canon used in play
and mentioned in passing
Gensher of Way, archmage after Nemmerle, brought Stone of Shelieth to Roke. The Stone contains a Presence (TFS)
Lord of Re Albi married an enchantress (WoE)
Socrcery is more often learnt by apprenticeship to a witch or sorcerer.
Sparkweed, from ashes of burning of Ilien when Erreth-Akbe defended it from Firelord, who was trying to keep sun from moving.
All Enlad laid waste when Hero-Mage of Havnor (Morred) fought his Enemy for Princess Elfarran. Soléa sunk.
Morred, saw his enemy’s name written by falling raindrops in the dust of the battlefield of the Plains of Enlad
Segoy, Eldest Lord, who raised the land from the sea, and first wrote the True Runes in fire on the wind.
'Out of the sea there rise...no evil powers: evil is of earth.' (TFS)
Corly root and the Nagian Chant - for healing.
The Fallows - first dark of moon after Sunreturn. An unlucky time for travellers and for the sick. Children are not given their true name, no Deeds are sung, no swords nor edge-tools sharpened, no oaths sworn. Things done are ill done.
Oaks, chestnuts, and grey alder roots are in profound communication with running water (WoU)
There is a Name that will 'burst all locks and break open any man-made door' (WoU)
The sea wall of Nepp
The Grey Mage made the greatest spells in Lore of Paln (1ka before TFS).
Grey Mage was driven out after Paln fell on evil times, died nameless (TFS pg 74)
Grey Mage’s staff found & used by Cob (Cob calls him 'the master of my art') in TFS.
Grey Mage silenced (killed, TFS) Nereger
Nereger of Paln, learned the Black Mage’s name from overhearing the conversation of dragons
Arha claims The First Priestess was 2 thousand years before her.
Books
Ogion’s lorebooks, from Heleth Farseer, from the Great Mage, Ennas of Perregal (TfE)
Glosses of Danemer (TfE)
Arcana of the Enlades (TfE)
Book of the Undertakings of the Makers also known as The Book of Names
Matter of the Dragons
The Lore of Paln - spells of Summoning the dead are contained within it
Book of the Dark (TfE)
Gelluk's lore book from Way, treatise on quicksilver (The Finder, TfE)
Songs & a Mime
The Havnorian Lay (TfE)
Deed of the Dragonlords
The Deed of Enlad (TfE)
Creation of Éa
The Winter Carol
Deed of the Young King
Song of the Young King (sung at Sunreturn)
Deed of Erreth-Akbe
Deed of Hode
Lament for the White Enchanter - sung by Elfarran at Morred’s death
Song of the Sparrowhawk - Sung to an old tune by chanters of Low Torning, near Pendor
The Song of The Young King or The Deed of Morred. The latter may also be mimed.
The Deed of Ged
Runes, Old Speech and Constellations
Six Hundred Runes of Hardic ('True Runes')
Further Runes, Runes of Éa (used in Great Spells)
The Closed Mouth (Ogion’s Rune)
Sifl, 'speed well' (written on oarport covers)
Simn, 'work well'
Rune of Peace, also known as The Bond Rune (TfE), and The Lost Rune of the Kings (on Ged’s staff)
Agnen, the Rune of Ending (southern constellation).
Rune of The Closed Door, to prevent the return of ill chance or person(s) (TOW)
Memeas, 'I will come' (TFS)
Ahm, the beginning, or long ago (TFS)
Ohb, the end (TFS)
4 from TFS:
Agnen, the Rune of Ending (southern constellation).
The Sheaf
The Door
The One Who Turns
The Tree
4 from TOW:
The Cart
The Falcon
The Dancers
The Heart of the Swan
The Masters of Roke
| Master | Relations | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Finder | Spells of finding, binding & returning | abolished, Archmage Halkel in 730, replaced with Chanter, (TfE( |
| Chanter | Deeds of heroes, lays of wisdom, songs | |
| Windkey | Arts of wind and weather | |
| Herbal | Ways and properties of things that grow | |
| Hand | Sleight, jugglery, lesser arts of Changing | Court of Seeming |
| Change | Making and Shaping | |
| Summoning | light, heat, the force which draws the magnet, weight, form, colour, sound, invocations of the Unseen | |
| Namer | Hardic, Old Speech | Isolate Tower |
| Pattern | Equilibrium & Balance, meaning & intent (TfE) | Immanent Grove |
| Doorkeeper | The names of those who enter The Great House of Roke | 'Not by chance does any man come to the shores of Roke' (common saying) |
Playable Crafts
| Crafts mentioned | Note |
|---|---|
| Jugglery, sleight | |
| Chanters, tellers | |
| Windbringing, weatherworking | Difficulty in outer Reaches or when opposed |
| Finding, dowsing (TfE) | (to bring things home) |
| Binding | (to keep things sound) |
| Mending, unsealing, | |
| Revealing | Many simple sorcerers can cause an image to appear on the water-mirror. (TFS, pg133) |
| Spellsmithing, spellwrights | |
| Healalls, herbalists | |
| Seamastery | 'craft with iron' (WoE) Seamasters can direct a magnet to point to their actual destination. Implicitly a form of Summoning as it directs 'the force which draws the magnet'. |
| Dyeing | |
| Animal husbandry | including beast-calling, being understood by beasts, and beast healing |
| Midwifery | |
| Mining & metallurgy | |
| Planting & growing spells | |
| Love spells |
Note: the division of magic into 'base craft' and 'high art', and the restriction of 'witchery' (and the crafts associated with it) to women was the work of Halkel, who also created the title of Archmage. All crafts may be attempted by those with magical ability, their limitations only set by power, knowledge and an understanding of Pattern.Other occupations, implicitly non-magical: Hunters, herders, tinkers, merchants (sea-peddlars, RoN) sailors, pirates, slavers, slaves, shipwrights, boatmakers, longshoremen, salve sellers, net makers, cowherds, clamdiggers, herb-hunters (RoN), carpenter, cabinetmaker, stonelayer, roofer (Silence's crafts [BotE, TfE])
The Sea Guild - provides food and shelter to sailors, possibly longshoremen, and hospitality to those who travel by ship.
Crossing over to The Dry Land - 'only a wizard can make with open eyes, and which not the greatest mage can do without risk.' WoE, pg82
Should you wish to play,
find me here.
'To light a candle is to cast a shadow.'
'Rules change in the Reaches'. A true spell on Roke maybe mere words on Iffish. (TFS)
'How could he speak to you across the seas but in your own voice?’ TFS p137
‘It’s not only in dreams…that we find ourselves facing what is yet to be in what was long forgotten, and speaking what seems nonsense because we will not see its meaning.’ TFS p76
'Rain on Roke may be drough in Osskil... unless you know what you are about.' WoE p54
A gift untaught is a ship unguided - common saying
Weak as women's magic/Wicked as women's magic - common saying