Master Windkey

Master Windkey is one of the Nine Masters of Roke, the teacher of wind and weather arts at the School for Wizards. He is responsible for instructing students in the practical and philosophical mastery of wind and weather, a craft that requires not only technical skill but also a deep understanding of the Balance and the consequences of tampering with the world's forces. His role places him among the most senior and respected figures on the Isle of the Wise, and his authority extends to the very weather of Roke itself, which may not be tampered with by anyone else.

Teaching and Methods

Master Windkey teaches his pupils in the bays and waters around Roke Island, using light catboats for practice. Under his instruction, students learn to steer by word, still waves, speak to the world's wind, and raise up the magewind. These are intricate skills, and the lessons are often marked by mishaps: Ged's head gets whacked by the swinging boom as the boat jibes under a wind suddenly blowing backwards, his boat collides with another though they have the whole bay to navigate, or all three boys in his boat go swimming unexpectedly as the boat is swamped by a huge, unintended wave. The Master Windkey's teaching is rigorous and hands-on, demanding that students learn through direct experience and repeated failure.

Philosophy and the Balance

Master Windkey imparts a crucial philosophical lesson about the nature of wizardry: that summoning earthly forces like wind and water is to change the earth of which they are a part. He teaches that "Rain on Roke may be drouth in Osskil, and a calm in the East Reach may be storm and ruin in the West, unless you know what you are about." This principle of interconnectedness and the Equilibrium is central to his instruction, warning students that their actions have far-reaching consequences that must be understood before any spell is cast. He does not teach the highest arts of summoning—the calling of real things, the raising of spirits of the dead, or the invocations of the Unseen—to his pupils, but rather focuses on the foundational crafts that a true wizard must master before attempting such perilous magic.

Role Among the Nine Masters

Master Windkey is explicitly named as one of the Nine Masters of Roke, alongside the Master Hand, Master Herbal, Master Chanter, Master Changer, Master Summoner, Master Namer, Master Patterner, and the Master Doorkeeper. When the Archmage Nemmerle dies, it is the Nine Masters who gather in the Immanent Grove to choose his successor, Gensher of Way. Master Windkey plays a direct role in this transition: after the new Archmage is chosen, the Master Windkey stands in the stern of the ship sent to bring Gensher to Roke, raising up the magewind into the sail so that the ship departs quickly. This act demonstrates his practical mastery of wind magic and his service to the highest authority of the School.

Narrative Significance

Master Windkey's instruction is a formative part of Ged's education at Roke, teaching him not only the technical skills of weatherworking but also the ethical framework that governs the use of such power. The lessons about the Balance and the interconnectedness of all things echo the warnings of other Masters, such as the Master Hand and the Master Summoner, and prepare Ged for the moral choices he must face in his later quest. The Master Windkey's role in the selection and transportation of the new Archmage also underscores his importance within the hierarchy of Roke, as one of the nine who hold the highest wisdom and authority on the island.