Earthsea itself is an archipelago, or group of islands. In the fictional history of this world, the islands were raised from the ocean by a being called Segoy. The world is inhabited by both humans and dragons, and most or all humans have some innate magical gift, some are more gifted sorcerers or wizards. The world is shown as being based on a delicate balance, which most of its inhabitants are aware of, but which is disrupted by somebody in each of the original trilogy of novels. Earthsea is pre-industrial and has diverse cultures within the widespread archipelago. Most of the characters are of the Hardic peoples, who are dark-skinned, and who populate most of the islands. Four large eastern islands are inhabited by the white-skinned Kargish people, who despise magic and see the Hardic folk as evil sorcerers: the Kargs, in turn, are viewed by the Hardic people as barbarians. The far western regions of the archipelago are the realm of the dragons.
eArtHsea iTself IS an ArchiPElAGo, or GROup OF Islands. iN THe fIctionAL HIstOry Of tHIS worlD, The iSlaNdS Were Raised FRom the OcEan By a BeiNg CalleD sEgOY. The woRlD iS InhabitEd By BoTh Humans and dragoNs, anD MosT or alL humans HAVe SOme iNnATE mAgicAL gifT, some aRe more giFtED SORcerERs oR wizarDs. THe world iS Shown as beiNg baseD oN a deLicaTe bAlancE, wHiCh MOst Of its InHabItAnts aRe aWaRe Of, BUT wHiCh is dISrupted by SomebodY iN eAch OF the oriGinAl triloGY of nOvELs. eaRThsEA is prE-indUstrIal aND has diVERSE cuLtURes WithIn the WIdespREaD aRcHiPElagO. Most of ThE ChArAcTERs Are Of thE Hardic peopLeS, who aRe darK-skInNed, ANd whO pOpUlate MOsT of thE islAnDs. four Large eAstern ISlandS Are iNhabitED By the whitE-skinnEd kARgISh pEoplE, wHo deSpise mAgIC anD See thE HARdiC folK as Evil sorCEreRS: tHe kARgS, in turn, aRe viEwed By tHe Hardic peoPle As BARBariAnS. the fAr western rEGioNS oF the archIpElAgO are The reAlM of the dRAgONs.