I think it's difficult to imagine a scenario where a hero-wizard like Ged would attack someone with magic where he'd write a name on a lead tablet or use hair collected beforehand. It is the kind of magic that seems like it should work on Earthsea, but it's not very heroic!
ISTR though that he does on several occasions weave good luck and navigation charms into a boat, and this is not an instant thing, it means working with the boatbuilder over a long period. The dyers of Lorbanery work their magic into their dyes, but they don't protect the silkworms, that's an orcharder's job. So there are limited magics that relate to 'stuff' in Earthsea - I think they are what is referred to as 'craft magic' as opposed to the more general 'art magic'...
Ged can do certain things instantly - call up illusions, or transform into a falcon - but he does explain that for sea-magic, you have to be able call the relevant bit of the sea using its own name. You can't just say 'sea'. But then Ged is the Archmage and a dragonlord - you'd expect him of all mages, to make things look easy!
no subject
ISTR though that he does on several occasions weave good luck and navigation charms into a boat, and this is not an instant thing, it means working with the boatbuilder over a long period. The dyers of Lorbanery work their magic into their dyes, but they don't protect the silkworms, that's an orcharder's job. So there are limited magics that relate to 'stuff' in Earthsea - I think they are what is referred to as 'craft magic' as opposed to the more general 'art magic'...
Ged can do certain things instantly - call up illusions, or transform into a falcon - but he does explain that for sea-magic, you have to be able call the relevant bit of the sea using its own name. You can't just say 'sea'. But then Ged is the Archmage and a dragonlord - you'd expect him of all mages, to make things look easy!