Editing Maesters (section)

===Chain===
[[File:Mike Capprotti the chain.jpg|350px|thumb|Forging the chain, by Mike Capprotti © Fantasy Flight Games]]
A maester can be recognized by the chain he wears around his neck. The collar is intended to remind a maester of the realm he serves.{{Ref|AGOT|41}} The links of the chain can be made of every metal known to man.{{Ref|AGOT|20}} By earning their links, students "forge" their chain. Note, "forge" is metaphorical; though they do study metals at the Citadel, maesters do not necessarily train as blacksmiths.{{Ref|SSM|1171}} Maesters never remove their chain, not even when sleeping,{{Ref|AGOT|41}} and it is considered a great shame for a maester to surrender his chain.{{Ref|AFFC|35}} The Citadel can decide to strip a maester of his chain, thereby exiling him from the Citadel. This is done as a punishment for cutting open living people,{{Ref|AFFC|7}} or practicing necromancy.{{Ref|ACOK|64}} There may be other reasons the Citadel could strip a maester of their chain. It is unknown how many links one must earn to become a maester but it is known that you do not have to have every possible link, since for instance only on in a hundred maesters has a Valyrian steel link.{{Ref|ACOK|28}} It is known that it has to be more then nine links since the acolyte [[Lorcas]] has earned nine but is not yet eligible to become a maester.{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}}

[[File:Maester link by timdurning.jpg|thumb|300px|A maester's chain, with links of different metals, by Tim Durning © Fantasy Flight Games]]
According to [[George R. R. Martin]], 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.{{Ref|SSM|2781}} The metals of which a student can earn links for their chain include:

{{Columns|2|
*black [[iron]],{{Ref|AGOT|20}} signifying [[raven]]ry{{Ref|ACOK|28}}{{Ref|AFfC|0}}
*[[brass]]{{Ref|AGOT|20}}
*[[bronze]],{{Ref|AGOT|41}}{{Ref|AGOT|20}} signifying [[astronomy]] or astrology{{Refn|group="N"|Based on Archmaester [[Vaellyn]]'s "subject to judge" being "the heavens"{{Ref|AFfC|0}} and him being described as "the stargazer"{{Ref|AFfC|Appendix}} (Archmaester [[Ollidar]] having bronze ring, rod and mask and being described as "keeper of histories" is presumably a mistake).{{Ref|FaB|3}}}}
*[[copper]],{{Ref|AGOT|41}}{{Ref|AFfC|0}}{{Ref|AGOT|20}}{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}} signifying history{{Refn|group="N"|Based on Archmaester [[Perestan]] being called "the historian".{{Ref|AFfC|Appendix}} (Archmaester [[Ollidar]] having bronze ring, rod and mask and being described as "keeper of histories" is presumably a mistake).{{Ref|FaB|3}}}}
*[[electrum]]{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}}
*yellow [[gold]],{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}} signifying mathematics or economics,{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}{{Ref|FAB|The Heirs of the Dragon - A Question of Succession}} that is the study of money and accounts{{Ref|AGOT|41}} or sums and numbers{{Ref|ACOK|28}}
*red gold{{Ref|AGOT|20}}
*iron,{{Ref|AGOT|20}} signifying warcraft{{Ref|AGOT|41}}
*[[lead]]{{Ref|AGOT|41}}{{Ref|AFfC|0}}{{Ref|AGOT|20}}
*[[pewter]]{{Ref|AFfC|0}}
*[[platinum]]{{Ref|AGOT|20}} 
*[[silver]],{{Ref|AGOT|20}} signifying [[medicine]], healing, and the functions of the body{{Ref|ACOK|28}}{{Ref|AGOT|41}}{{Ref|AFfC|0}}
*[[steel]]{{Ref|AGOT|20}}
*[[tin]]{{Ref|AGOT|41}}{{Ref|AFfC|0}}{{Ref|AGOT|20}}
*[[Valyrian steel]], signifying the [[Magic|higher mysteries]]{{Ref|ACOK|28}}
}}

While there are only fifteen known links, and thus fifteen known subjects of expertise taught at the Citadel, there are twenty-one known current archmaesters of the Citadel, for only eight of whom a specialty is known.{{Ref|AFFC|Appendix}} It is currently unknown if each of these archmaesters are specialized in a separate subject, or whether multiple archmaesters can be specialized in the same subject. However the fact that Maester [[Gormon Tyrell|Gormon]] takes Archmaester [[Walgrave]]'s place in judging those attempting for the [[raven]]craft link,{{Ref|AFfC|0}} but is not an Archmaester himself is a strong indication that there can only be one Archmaester per subject.

Only one maester in a hundred holds a link of Valyrian steel.{{Ref|ACOK|28}}