The Order of Maesters

## The Order of the Maesters

An Archmaester, appearing with the traditional mask and rod of his position

The Order of the Maesters are an order of scholars, healers, postmen, and scientists who are trained at an institution called the Citadel, which is located in Oldtown in the Reach. House Hightower was integral in the Citadel's foundation, and continued to patronize the order up until their exilement in 385 AC. As advisers to the Westerosi nobility across the Kingdoms, the maesters are generally regarded as a neutral organization.

The Order of Maesters is also known as the Maesters of the Citadel, the Knights of the Mind, and most often simply as the Maesters.

## The Organization of Maesters

### **Acolyte**

Maesters begin their training as novices in the Citadel. Once they begin their study and have been seen as proficient in a particular course of study they are tested and awarded a link of a certain metal to reflect their skill and knowledge. A student with a link is known as an acolyte until he has a full chain. It is not until he has completed extensive study in various subjects and has earned enough links to form a chain (to be worn around the neck) that he is considered worthy of advancement to the title of maester, no longer a student but a peer.

### **Maester**

The maesters are scholars, scientists, learned advisors to the nobility, and occasionally pseudo-religious researchers in the occult. Males of any age may begin training as a maester; females are not permitted to study nor join the order. Families from every Kingdom sometimes send their younger sons to the Citadel. A bastard may study at the Citadel and become a maester. The maesters, like the brothers of the Night's Watch, are considered to be servants of Westeros and all its people and in theory have no political allegiance to any particular Kingdom. After finishing his course of study, a maester is assigned to a castle, keep or other holding, and is loyal to the people of that place as a mentor, healer and adviser, regardless of changes in control of that holding. To this end a man who earns his chain is stripped of his family name and from that time on is known only by his title and first name. In practice, some maesters hold over old allegiances and loyalties.

### Archmaester

The perceived "master" of any area of study is given the title of archmaester and a mask, ring, and rod in the corresponding metal to signify his expertise. For example, an archmaester who specializes in ravenry will have a mask, ring, and rod made of black iron. Previously, Archmaesters were the senior-most members of the Order and were given the right to sit on the Conclave. The Conclave is the governing body of the Citadel and is the same body that elects the Grand Maester who advises the king. All meetings of the Conclave are confidential in nature and conducted behind closed doors at the Citadel only.

### Knights

Since restructuring efforts enacted by the Archmaester of Administration in 313 AC, the Conclave has been replaced by five Knights, each representing an area consisting of a multitude of topics:

* **The Knight of the Mind**, who represents the topics of Astronomy, Magic, and Alchemy. As the topics of magic and astronomical divination often attract a more *eccentric* base, the Mind is often seen as a "champion of the obscure", which can double both as compliment and insult.
* **The Knight of the Body**, who represents the topics of Medicine, Geology, Nature, Animal Husbandry, Metalworking, and Agriculture. The "working man's archmaester," for every two appointed Bodies that hail from a noble family, a third is baseborn. As such, the position is often polarizing, with it's Archmaester receiving great praise or disdain according to the varying backgrounds of the Citadel's members.
* **The Knight of the Voice,** who represents the topics of Politics, History, Religions, Philosophy, and Languages. As great aptitude in statecraft is a prerequisite to be appointed as the Voice, the position's occupant often doubles as the sitting Seneschal - a position the more *learned* of their peers have no desire for, believing it to distract from their studies.
* **The Knight of the Palm,** who represents the topics of Ravenry, Math & Economics, Administration, Geography, Engineering. It is seen as the "maester's archmaester", for the Archmaester of the Palm's realm covers such topics as what would be the expected duties of your average assignment to a castle.
* **The Knight of the Sword,** who represents the topic of Warcraft. The office's occupant often hails from houses with esteemed martial traditions, such as the Oakhearts or Tarlys, though name carries less in the Citadel than elsewhere.

#### Election

Upon the death of a Knight, his replacement is selected from the suitable pool by the other Knights; it is not uncommon for nepotism to arise, with various Great Houses having historically paid to ensure their relative was granted such a prestigious position.

A Knight of the Conclave serves for life, and cannot be removed by any means other than expulsion from the Citadel - as such, no Knight may become the Grand Maester, for such a role would take him away from the duties that he is sworn to perform until death.

### Seneschal

The Seneschal is chosen from amongst the Knights by lot, with a new one chosen each year. The Seneschal is tasked with the governance of the Citadel. Most Knights consider it a thankless task that takes them away from their true calling.

## The Citadel

The institution, in which the Maesters originate from and learn in, is an impressive structure in the city of Oldtown, is considered the home of all maesters. Here they undergo their training from the time they arrive as novices until they have achieved the status of maester. At the entrance of the Citadel are green marble sphinxes.

## Traditions and Culture of the Maesters

### The Test of the Candle

The night before an acolyte swear their vows to become maesters, they must stand a vigil in a vault with a black glass candle. He is allowed no lantern, nor any other source of light. Unless he can light the candle, he will spend the night in total darkness.

### The Chains of Service

The chains a Maester signifies that maesters do not serve themselves, but are instead servants of all of Westeros. The chains consists of several links of different types of metal. These chains are formed from every metal known to man, but almost no maester will ever wear them all. Maesters do not remove the chain ever, not even when sleeping.

It is possible to earn multiple links of the same metal; Multiple links of the same metal on a maester's chain signifies the expertise of the maester on the subject. The metals of which a student can earn links for their chain include the following:

* Black Iron for Ravenry
* Brass for Wildlife & Nature
* Bronze for Astronomy
* Cast Iron for Animal Husbandry
* Cobalt for Politics & Statecraft
* Copper for History
* Electrum for Religions
* Yellow Gold for Math & Economics
* Green Gold for Agriculture
* Iron for Warcraft
* Lead for Philosophy
* Nickel for Smithing & Metalworking
* Pewter for Administration
* Platinum for Cultures & Languages
* Red Gold for Geography
* Silver for Medicines & Healing
* Steel for Engineering & Construction
* Tin for Geology
* Valyrian Steel for Magic & the Occult
* White Gold for Meteorology
* Zinc for Alchemy

Only one maester in one hundred holds a link of Valyrian steel, as the study of magic is looked down upon by most maesters.

### Practices and Observations

Maesters chiefly communicate through messenger ravens, which are trained specifically for one route. For example, for a message that must be sent to Castle Black, the maester uses the raven from the Castle Black cage. One of the typical duties of a maester is care of a keep's ravens. A special breed of white raven that is larger and more intelligent than average is maintained at the Citadel for important communications. Maesters also constantly monitor the seasons. When the seasons are about to change, they send white ravens to spread the announcement throughout the realm. Maesters who are skilled in astronomy often watch the skies and study constellations.