Based on the Earthsea novels by Ursula K. Leguin. The board image is derived from her original hand-drawn map. Earthsea is a world of windswept islands, medieval technology, sorcery and dragons. Attacks are possible to adjacent islands as well as to more distant territories where currents and wind patterns allow - indicated by lighter connecting areas of ocean. The exceptions to this are the great port cities, which can mobilize fleets to make one-way attacks on distant islands.

- Roke can see all lands in the North, South, East, and West Reaches.

- Mount Onn can see all the lands in the Archipelago.

- Control of both Roke and Mount Onn provides 1 additional unit.

- Port cities, marked by a colored sun symbol, can attack multiple territories that cannot attack them back (Havnor Great Port, Hort Town, Awabath, the Keep of Kalessin). These territories are marked by colored flags. Control of all four of these cities provides 3 additional units.

- Power sites provide a 2 additional units to their home island each turn (The Black Well of Fundaur, The Tombs of Atuan, The Court of the Terrenon, The Gate of Selidor). They also have a +1 bonus to defending rolls. They count as capital cities, so if you capture one or more and then lose them all (including by abandonment), you will be eliminated from the game. These territories are marked by a runic symbol. Control of all four power sites provides 5 additional units.

- Control of port cities or power sites is not necessary to gain continental or sub-continental bonuses.

- Port cities and power sites start as neutral.

- Attacks into the North and South Reaches suffer a -1 penalty, due to rough seas and stormy weather. Borders carrying an attack penalty are marked by the symbol of a storm cloud.

- Abandonment of territories is allowed, at which point they revert immediately to neutral.

In the Supply Chains scenario, bonuses for continents are awarded to particular territories rather than distributed at the players discretion. Fortification is allowed at any distance as long as the target and source are connected by a chain of controlled territories.

In Barbarians at the Gate (meant for 4 or 8 players), the Archipelago is heavily armed and neutral, and the players start in the outer Reaches and must work their way inward.