Characters in Earthsea

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of the names of characters in the stories about the fantasy world of Earthsea, written by Ursula K. Le Guin.

[edit] On names and naming

In Earthsea one character often has several names. This is because in Earthsea, the true name of a person has power, and a wizard can wield total power over someone whose name he knows. Consequently, any person guards his true name closely, and only shares it with those whom he or she can totally trust. Through childhood up to puberty, children are known by a child-name; at their rite of Passage, about the age of thirteen, children are given a true name in the Old Speech, usually by a wizard, that they will keep for the rest of their lives. In the Kargad lands this is not done, and a name given to a child functions as that person's name for life; it may, or may not, be the person's true name. In dealings with most people, the Hardic peoples of Earthsea use a "use-name", usually a common word in the Hardic language (rendered into English) by which they are identified. A person may keep one use-name all his or her life, or may change it at whim, or may be known to one group of people by one name, and to others by another name.

In the list below, true names are used where known; otherwise use-names and nicknames. A secondary list below gives the use-names and child-names of those whose true names are known.

[edit] Names of characters in Earthsea

True names are shown in bold type. Use names are in italics. Child names, names of unknown status and nicknames unmarked.

A

  • Aihal – A wizard on Gont, student of Heleth and master of Ged; called Ogion.
  • Akaren – A dyer of Lorbanery, who lost her magical powers.
  • Anieb – A woman of the Hand, called Flag. (The Finder)
  • Ard – The Mage of Perregal, master of Heleth. Created Ard's lore-books. A female mage.
  • Ath – A mage who wrote the first Book of Names.
  • Ayeth – A sorcerer on Semel. Called Sunbright. (On the High Marsh)
  • Azver – The Master Patterner of Roke, from Karego-At. Means "banner of war" in Kargish. (Dragonfly)

B

  • Beech – Sorcerer of Valmouth. (Tehanu)
  • Benderesk – Lord of the Terrenon in Osskil, husband of Serret. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Blackbeard – A mage, descendant of the Sealords of Pendor, who challenged Yevaud. (The Rule of Names)
  • Brand – Master Summoner of Roke after Thorion. (The Other Wind)

C

  • Cob – A sorcerer whom Ged previously met and defeated. Years later he came to possess the staff of the Grey Mage of Paln, and mastered his necromantic lore becoming a great Mage in his own right. Always fearful of death, he became obsessed with immortality. Using the power he had gained he opened the door between the world of the living and the dead in an attempt to gain the immortality he sought. This caused magic to be drained from Earthsea which ultimately brought him into conflict with Ged once again. Orm Embar, strongest of the dragons of Earthsea sought to slay Cob but was slain by him on the shores of Selidor. (The Farthest Shore)

D

  • Deyala – The Master Herbal of Roke. (Dragonfly)
  • Duby – A eunuch at the Place of the Tombs. (The Tombs of Atuan)
  • Dune – Old wizard on Roke, friend of Elehal and Yahan.

E

  • Elehal – A mage on Roke, called Ember, partner of Medra, sister of Yahan. (The Finder)
  • Elfarran – Wife of Morred.
  • Elt – A wizard wise in names.
  • Emer – A woman of Semel. Called Gift. (On the High Marsh)
  • Enemy of Morred - An unnamed mage of great power who fought Morred. So great was the power of the spell he wove against the White Enchanter, even his death could not stop it from sinking the Isle of Solea beneath the sea.
  • Ennas – Great Mage of Perregal, from whom Ard's lore-books came. (The Bones of the Earth)
  • Erisen – A twisted mage and a follower of Cob. Called Aspen. (Tehanu)
  • Erreth-Akbe – Hero-mage of Havnor, companion of King Maharion.
  • Essiri – A gifted man of Havnor, who abandoned wizardry for musicianship. The word means "willow" in the Old Speech. Called Diamond. (Darkrose and Diamond)
  • Estarriol – A mage of Iffish, friend of Ged. Called Vetch. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Etaudis – A witch on Way. Called Rose. (Dragonfly)

F

  • Firelord – A mage of great power who attacked the inner Isles as he sought to stop the sun at noon, defeated by Erreth-Akbe. Thought to have perhaps been a dragon.
  • Flint – Husband of Tenar, predeceased her. (Tehanu)

G

  • Gamble – Student on Roke, later became Master Windkey. (The Farthest Shore, The Other Wind)
  • Ged – Archmage of Roke. Called Sparrowhawk.
  • Gensher of Way – Archmage of Roke after Nemmerle. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Golden – Merchant of Glade, Havnor, husband of Tuly, father of Essiri. (Darkrose and Diamond)
  • Gray Mage – Mage from Paln who made great spells (the Lore of Paln) to summon the spirits of the dead for counsel to the Lords of Paln a thousand years ago. He killed the great mage Nereger of Paln. Cob bears his staff, a long steel rod, engraved with runes


H

  • Hara – A sorcerer from Taon, called Alder. (The Other Wind)
  • Hare – A former wizard in Wathort, follower of Cob. (The Farthest Shore)
  • Hayohe – Daughter of Flint and Tenar. Called Apple. (Tehanu)
  • Hemlock – Wizard of South Port, Havnor. (Darkrose and Diamond)
  • Hatha – Witch of Re Albi, called Moss. (Tehanu)
  • Heather – goatherd of Re Albi. (Tehanu)
  • Heleth Farseer – master of Aihal. Called Dulse. (The Bones of the Earth)
  • Highdrake – A mage of Pendor, who taught Medra. (The Finder)
  • Hound – A mage gifted in finding and tracking, servant to Tinaral and Teriel. (The Finder)

I

  • Ioeth – child-name of a son of Pechvarry. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Irian – see Orm Irian
  • Irioth – A powerful summoner who lost his mind. Called Otak. (On the High Marsh)
  • Ivory – A sorcerer from Havnor who pretended to be a wizard on Way. (Dragonfly)
  • Ivy – A witch of Middle Valley. (Tehanu)

J

  • Jasper – A sorcerer of O. Son of Enwit, born in the domain of Eolg, Havnor. Childhood rival of Ged. (A Wizard of Earthsea)

K

  • Kalessin – The eldest dragon. He flies Ged and Arren home after they defeat Cob. Is once called Segoy, suggesting a similarity or identity to the Creator-deity of the songs and legends of Earthsea.(Tehanu)
  • Kest – A woman of Iffish, called Yarrow. The word means "minnow" in the Old Speech. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Kossil – A corrupt Priestess of the Godking at the Place of the Tombs. (The Tombs of Atuan)
  • Kurremkarmerruk – Name used by the Master Namers of Roke.

L

  • Lark – A woman of Middle Valley, friend of Tenar. (Tehanu)
  • Lebannen – King of Earthsea. The name means "rowan tree" in the Old Speech. Called Arren.
  • Lord of Re Albi – A pirate-lord of Gont, father of Serret.
  • Losen – 'King' or warlord of Havnor in the Dark Years.

M

  • Maharion – The last king of Earthsea before Lebannen
  • Manan – Eunuch at the Place of the Tombs of Atuan. (The Tombs of Atuan)
  • Mebbeth – Priestess at the Place of the Tombs. (The Tombs of Atuan)
  • Medra – The first Master Doorkeeper on Roke. Called Otter and Tern. (The Finder)
  • Mevre – A witch on Taon, married to Hara, called Lily. (The Other Wind)
  • Morred – Famous mage-king of Enlad, ancestor of some of the Kings of Earthsea. Also known as "The Young King".
  • Murre – Brother of Estarriol and Kest. (A Wizard of Earthsea)

N

  • Nemmerle – Archmage of Roke when Ged was young, formerly Master Patterner.
  • Nereger – Mage of Paln.

O

  • Onyx – A wizard of Roke (The Other Wind)
  • Orm – A dragon of the West Reach, slayer of Erreth-Akbe.
  • Orm Embar – A dragon of the West Reach, descended from Orm, killed by Cob.
  • Orm Irian – A dragon-woman, called Dragonfly. (Dragonfly)

P

  • Pechvarry – A boatmaker of the Ninety Isles. He befriends Ged when Ged first arrives. Ged fails to save his sick son and eventually departs. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Penthe – Girl at the Place of the Tombs. (The Tombs of Atuan)

R

  • Red Mage of Ark
  • Rose – A woman on Havnor, beloved of Essiri, daughter of Tangle. Also called Darkrose. (Darkrose and Diamond)
  • Rose – Mother of Lebannen. (The Farthest Shore)

S

  • Seppel – A wizard of Paln (The Other Wind)
  • Serrathen – Captain of the King's Ship, the Dolphin. (Tehanu)
  • Serret – Daughter of the Lord of Re Albi, wife of Benderesk. (The name means "silver" in Osskilian). (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Serriadh – Son of Morred and Elfarran.
  • Seserakh – Queen of Earthsea, daughter of Thol.
  • Shadow - follows Ged in the beginning but in the end Ged hunts it down and joins his body with it becoming "whole".
  • Skiorh – An Osskilian who was possessed by the shadow that was after Ged. (A Wizard of Earthsea)
  • Spark - Sailor son of Flint and Tenar. (Tehanu)
  • Sopli – A Dyer of Lorbanery who went mad. He accompanied Ged and Arren but drowned himself soon after. Son of Akaren. (The Farthest Shore)

T

  • Tangle – Witch on Havnor, mother of Rose. (Darkrose and Diamond)
  • Tehanu – A burned child, a woman-dragon. Called Therru. (Tehanu)
  • Tenar – Priestess of the Tombs of Atuan, White Lady of Gont. Called Arha and Goha.
  • Teriel – A mage of Havnor in the dark years. Called Early. (The Finder)
  • Thar – A priestess of the Twin Gods at the Place of the Tombs. (The Tombs of Atuan)
  • Thol – King of the Kargad lands (The Other Wind)
  • Thorion – Master Summoner on Roke.
  • Tinaral – A mad wizard of Havnor; called Gelluk. (The Finder)
  • Tuly – Woman on Havnor, wife of Golden. (Darkrose and Diamond)

U

  • Uahto – Eunuch at the place of the Tombs. (The Tombs of Atuan)

Y

  • Yahan – a mage on Roke, sister of Elehal, called Veil. (The Finder)
  • Yevaud – the Dragon of Pendor. (The Rule of Names, A Wizard of Earthsea)

[edit] Use-names and Child-names

  • Alder – Hara
  • Apple – Hayohe
  • Arha – Tenar, when she was priestess of the Tombs of Atuan. Arha means "eaten" in Kargish.
  • Arren – Lebannen, before he became king. Arren means "sword" in the Hardic dialect of Enlad.
  • Aspen – Erisen
  • Diamond – Essiri. For short, "Di".
  • Dragonfly – Irian.
  • Dulse – Heleth
  • Duny – child-name of Ged
  • Early – Teriel
  • Ember – Elehal
  • Flag – Anieb
  • Gelluk – Tinaral; an Osskilian name.
  • Gift – Emer
  • Goha – Tenar, after she had settled on Gont. Goha is a word for a white web-spinning spider in Hardic.
  • Gully – Irioth. Transient use-name.
  • Hawk – Ged, when he sailed the South Reach in disguise.
  • Kelub – Ged, when he rowed on an Osskilian galley. Kelub means "red" in Osskilian.
  • Lily – Mevre
  • Moss – Hatha
  • Ogion – Aihal. Ogion means "fir-cone" in Hardic.
  • Otak – Irioth
  • Otter – Medra, during his youth in Havnor.
  • Rose – Etaudis.
  • Silence – Aihal, when he was serving Heleth.
  • Sparrowhawk – Ged
  • Sunbright – Ayeth
  • Tern – Medra, when he dwelt in Roke.
  • Therru – Tehanu. Therru means "burning" or "flaming" in Kargish.
  • Underhill – Yevaud, when he dwelt on Sattins island.
  • Veil – Yahan
  • Vetch – Estarriol
  • Yarrow – Kest