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| Archmaster Oghan |
Maesters can be recognized by the wear chains about their necks, as reminders
of their vows to serve, with every link made of a different metal. Maesters
never remove their chain, not even when sleeping. It is considered a great
shame for a Maester to surrender his chain.
Each link represents mastery of a different field of
learning; gold signifies money, sums, and accounts, black iron is ravenry,
steel is warcraft, silver is for medicine and healing, bronze for astronomy,
copper is for history, lead for poisons and so on. The chain as a whole
represents the realm. Most Maesters are found in castles, serving the current
lord, whoever he may be, and their loyalties belong to the office rather than
particular individuals.
No formal entry requirements exist for study at the Citadel,
apart from being male. Study, however, takes years; most novices forge one link
of their chain in a year, with some taking five times as long, and even the
most exceptional may only manage three in one year. The Citadel does not pay
its students, so only those with some form of support can study. In practice,
this limits Maesters to the sons of the nobility and wealthy commoners. Still,
the absence of formal entry requirements is not mere rhetoric; a son of the
smallfolk can become Archmaester and face no prejudice, though his chances of
being elected Grand Maester are slender at best. The Archmaesters claim to look
only to ability when appointing the Grand Maester, and it could be legitimately
argued that noble blood is an important talent when you must negotiate with the
king.
Maesters take vows when they complete their initial studies,
renouncing their house name (if any) and swearing to celibacy. This vow is
supposed to demonstrate their independence and dedication. Most Maesters
continue studying and forging links for their chain throughout their lives; the
chain of an Archmaester typically has dozens of links, forged of every
conceivable metal.
The Archmaesters are the acknowledged masters of one field
of study. They are granted rooms in the Citadel, as well as a mask and rod made
of the same metal as the appropriate link in their Maester’s chain.
Archmaesters hold their posts until death or retirement, in most cases, and
meet in Conclave to determine when the seasons have changed, and to select a
new Grand Maester.
Second in significance is ravenry, represented by a link of
black iron. This skill refers to the breeding, raising, and training of ravens
to deliver messages. Folklore suggests ravens are clever and can only be seen
when they want to be seen, and therefore are able to uncannily hide from
predatory animals and hunters as to be nearly invisible to all save for
Maesters and some rangers and those who know how to communicate with them. They
are by far the fastest means of communication in Westeros, and a Maester
without this link would find it difficult to find employment in most castles.
Most ravens are black, of course, but the Citadel also breeds white ravens.
These are used only to announce the coming of winter.
A third link of special significance is the link of grey
Valyrian steel, which represents the study of higher mysteries. This link is rare;
indeed, fewer than one Maester in a hundred forges such a link. This rarity is
for the very good reason that sorcery does not appear to work with certainty
and is shunned by the Faith as witchcraft. The Maesters believe it once did, in
the days of High Valyria, but not since the Age of Heroes and is believed to be
gone from the world. Part of the initiation of a new Maester involves a night
in sealed room with a Valyrian candle of obsidian. He can have light if he can
light the candle; sorcery says it should be possible. Of course, if he cannot, and
the ceremony teaches him about the limits of knowledge
and the need for humility in the face of the world.
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