Perestan

## Maester of the Citadel

**Perestan** is a Maester of the Citadel and the renowned author of a selection of books and scrolls, mostly those containing information of the known world and its different locations and cultures. His best-selling works include *The Marcherfolk - a Brief History and Lore on the Dornish Marches and Their People*, *Ravens, What They Are and How to Train Them* and *Recipes for Remedies*.

## Appearance and Character

Perestan is of average height, but he is rather slim compared to others. They say it's because he spends too much time writing his books and not enough time eating. His brown hair grows slowly, so even if he doesn't cut or trim it, it remains short for long periods. His eye color is green.

Perestan is a kind and friendly, traits that most people in Westeros would consider signs of weakness and ignorance. Although he isn't strong physically, he knows a lot of things and is always yearning for more knowledge. He questions everything, and in fact believes that most things cannot be known for sure. This is why he is once again questioning the information he has received from his books, and is planning a voyage to some part of the world.

He is extremely curious, and sometimes it becomes a problem for him. Perestan is often so eager to learn new things, that he may ask questions without thinking about them first, resulting in accidental insults and thus, trouble.

## Background

Perestan was born in the Westerlands as the firstborn son of Ser Paxter Ruttiger, the head of that House. He was expected to inherit his father's titles and lands, but eventually everyone came to realize that it would not mean anything good for anyone. Perestan was not a good fighter, and he lacked the body structure and the will to become a knight. Instead, he read books and poetry, played instruments and wrote stories. While Ser Paxter found all of these arts noble, he was unimpressed of his son's physical capability.

When the boy was eleven years old and he had already had a younger brother for some time, Ser Paxter began thinking of sending Perestan to the Wall, where he would be stripped of his heritage and perhaps he would become a man as well. The Maester which served House Ruttiger intervened, stating that the boy would be better off in Oldtown, where he would still lose his rights to inherit, but be of more use to the Realm as a whole. Ser Paxter was very satisfied with this advice, and thus the boy was immediately sent to the Citadel as a novice.

The Maester had not been wrong. Perestan felt very much at home in the grand libraries, the everlasting summer air and the solitude that the Citadel offered. He assisted numerous Maesters and hoarded the many metal links that the acolytes so hard worked for. When he was twenty years old, he had enough links to forge his chain and become a peer in his Order, but he refused, stating that he was not ready. He spent four more years studying, and then accepted the honor.

Perestan served the Citadel and House Hightower faithfully, and some time after being made a Maester, travelled to the Dornish Marches in order to explore the culture and the landscape. He finished his first self-written book, *The Marcherfolk*, at Skyreach, and then travelled with it back to the Citadel to have it copied and sold across the Realm. The book was well-received, with many Marcher Lords congratulating its maker and even sending donations to the Order for their job well done.

The next ground-breaking book was about the Westerlands, titled *The Golden Hills of the Westerlands*. As he was born and raised there, he did go there for a visit, writing the book at the Citadel.

*Recipes for Remedies* and *Ravens, What They Are and How to Train Them* were smaller projects written at the Citadel on demand for those subjects, which weren't necessarily Perestan's field, but he wrote them with enthusiasm all the same. The Council had witnessed his eagerness, and decided that the libraries needed some updating. These were also his most recent projects, as only a year has passed since their completion. After he was finished, he began planning his next project, exploring and managing the libraries while doing so.