Iffish

Iffish, a great island in the East Reach of Earthsea, is a land of low blue hills, slate-roofed towns, and a people who are alert and sedate, unlike the rough fisher-folk of the outer isles. It is the home of the wizard Vetch, whose true name is Estarriol, and it is here that Ged, scarred and hunted by the shadow, finds a brief but crucial respite and the steadfast friendship that will sustain him on his final journey.

Geography and Character

Iffish lies in the East Reach, a region where the rules of magic are said to change, and where the farther one goes from the Inner Lands, the less one can guess about the powers and their governance. The island's main town is Ismay, a place of good ale and conversation, where the innkeeper at The Harrekki is a talkative man. The island is also home to the village of Quor, located in the hills. The people of Iffish are described as true townsmen, and they are proud of their accomplished wizard, Vetch, who was trained at the School on Roke and given his staff by the Archmage himself. This pride leads them to be wary of other wizards, as the innkeeper informs Ged that "two staffs in one town must come to blows."

Ged's Arrival and Reception

Ged arrives in Ismay on a golden winter evening, seeking shelter from the cold empty sea and the silence where no voice spoke to him. He finds the inn The Harrekki, where firelight and ale warm him, but he is met with a bland dismissal from the townsfolk, who sense that he is set apart, bearing a doom upon him and following after a dark thing. They see him as a cold wind blowing through the firelit room, a black bird carried on a storm from foreign lands. Ged understands that he is not welcome and that the sooner he goes on, taking his evil destiny with him, the better for these folk. He decides to spend only one night in Ismay, but he lingers the next day, watching the townspeople at their doings—children playing in the snow, the bronze-smith at work, women at their looms—from outside and apart, his heart very heavy.

Reunion with Vetch

As night falls, Ged hears a familiar voice in the street and follows it, catching up with Vetch and his sister Yarrow. Vetch, initially mistaking Ged for a ghost or an imitation, raises his staff in defense, but quickly recognizes his friend and embraces him. Vetch reveals that three days earlier, he saw a presentment of Ged in the village of Quor, a likeness that vanished without a trace. This confirms that the shadow is now taking on Ged's own shape. Vetch, now the chief wizard of Iffish, lives in a spacious and strong-beamed house in Ismay with his youngest brother Murre and his sister Yarrow. The house is filled with homely wealth, a great Taonian harp, and Yarrow's tapestry-loom. There, Ged finds a vision of how a man should live: well-founded, peaceful, and assured.

The Decision to Join the Quest

Over the firepit, Ged tells Vetch the full tale of his journey since they last parted two years ago. Vetch, after pondering, declares his intention to go with Ged on his quest. Ged refuses, insisting the task is his alone, but Vetch argues that if the quest fails, there should be another to bear warning to the Archipelago, and if Ged defeats the thing, another to tell the Deed. He also reminds Ged that he was with him at the beginning of the journey and should follow it to its end. Ged cannot deny his friend, though he fears the danger more if Vetch is with him. They also speak of Jasper, who never won his staff and left Roke to become a sorcerer in the Lord's household at O-tokne. Ged confesses his deepest fear: that he may have no power over the shadow, and that his quest may be an endless, vain venture with no end. Vetch offers the hope that Ged will somehow learn the shadow's nature and so hold and bind it.

Yarrow and the Departure

While Vetch attends to his affairs, Ged stays with Yarrow and Murre. Yarrow, a dark, slight, and slender girl of about fourteen, is quick and silent, and she soon loses her awe of Ged. She questions him about the nature of wizardry, asking why wizards cannot simply summon a meat-pie if they can summon light. Ged explains the difference between illusion and true summoning, and the importance of Equilibrium. He speaks of all power being one in source and end, and of death as the silence before and after a word is spoken. When he becomes troubled and leaves, Yarrow tells Murre that she thinks the voyage leads Ged to his death, and that he fears it yet goes on. Vetch returns, and after taking a somewhat stern leave of the notables of Ismay, he and Ged set forth from the harbor at dawn in Ged's boat, Lookfar. Yarrow stands on the dock, watching them go, as sailors' wives and sisters stand on all the shores of Earthsea, still and silent in her hooded cloak.

Narrative Role and Significance

Iffish serves as the last haven of peace and human connection for Ged before he embarks on the final, perilous stage of his quest into the Open Sea. It is the place where he is reunited with his truest friend, Vetch, whose unwavering loyalty and courage provide Ged with the companionship he needs to face his ultimate confrontation. The island also introduces Yarrow, whose innocent wisdom and gentle presence offer Ged a moment of warmth and a reminder of the simple, good life he is fighting to protect. The episode on Iffish underscores the novel's themes of friendship, trust, and the necessity of facing one's destiny, even when it leads into the unknown.