Editing Maesters (section)

==Practices==
===Education===
[[File:Maester studies.jpg|thumb|350px|A maester at his studies, in ''[[Game of Thrones]]'': Complete Guide to Westeros]]
Boys and young men from all over [[Westeros]] come to study, learn, and forge their chains at the [[Citadel]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|7|7|4}} There is no age requirement,{{Ref|SSM|1022}} and despite the prejudice of the [[archmaesters]] to status of birth, males of every social status are allowed to forge their chain. As such, [[Smallfolk|baseborns]] (e.g., [[Pate (novice)|Pate]]),{{Ref|AFfC|0}} [[Bastardy|bastards]] (e.g., [[Walys]]){{Ref|ADWD|37}}, younger children of lords, and even royalty (e.g., Prince [[Oberyn Martell]],{{Ref|ASOS|36}} and Princes [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]]{{Ref|AGOT|60}} and [[Vaegon Targaryen]]){{Ref|TWOIAF|4|4}} can study together at the Citadel.

Novices and acolytes are educated together. Archmaesters give open lectures, which the students can attend at will. Once a student believes he has sufficient knowledge on a particular subject, he can go before an archmaester to demonstrate his knowledge. If the archmaester judges the student’s knowledge to be proficient, he awards him with a link of a metal reflecting the topic.{{Ref|AFfC|0}}

Not all who start their studies will complete their chain. Oldtown is full of aging novices and acolytes who have never started their chains, or never finished forging them.{{Ref|SSM|1022}} Others leave the Citadel before completing their chain on purpose. [[Gunthor Hightower]] studied for several years at the Citadel,{{Ref|AFFC|45}} although it is not known whether he earned any links while there. Both Lord [[Lyonel Strong]],{{Ref|TWOIAF|7|3|1}} and Prince [[Oberyn Martell]]{{Ref|ASOS|36}} left the Citadel after forging six links. Some students learn only something about healing, and may become barbers, serving [[smallfolk]] with [[leech]]es, setting broken bones, and shaving and cutting their hair.{{Ref|AFfC|0}}

It is not known how long a student generally takes to forge a chain. Maester [[Yandel]] earned his first link in {{Date|285}} and completed his chain in {{Date|292}}, at the age of twenty,{{Ref|TWOIAF|1}} while [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]], who took several more years to forge his chain,{{Refn|group="N"|According to [[Jeor Mormont]], Aemon was "nine or ten" years old when he was sent to the Citadel.{{Ref|ACoK|6}} As he completed his chain at the age of nineteen, it had taken him nine or ten years to complete his studies.}} took his maester's vows at the age of nineteen.{{Ref|AWOIAF|Aemon}} The speed at which a student earns his links differs between each student. While some might take a year per link (e.g., [[Armen]]),{{Ref|AFfC|0}} exceptional students might earn as many as three links within a year (e.g., [[Alleras]]),{{Ref|AFfC|0}} possibly even more.{{Refn|group="N"|[[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]] had started his education at the age of "nine or ten", and earned "half a dozen" links by the time [[Aerys I Targaryen]] ascended the Iron Throne in {{Date|209}},{{Ref|ACoK|6}} one or two years after arriving at the Citadel.}}

===Citadel===
[[File:Maester Oath.jpg|thumb|350px|A maester taking the oath, in ''[[Game of Thrones]]'': Complete Guide to Westeros]]
Students are educated at the [[Citadel]], a complex of buildings found in [[Oldtown]]. The Citadel is financed by the lords who pay for having a maester in their service, and from certain taxes that the Citadel collects at Oldtown.{{Ref|SSM|1284}}

===Maester's vows===
When an acolyte has completed his chain, he can swear a maester's vows. The night before, the acolytes must stand a vigil in a vault with a black [[glass candle]]. The acolytes are not allowed any other source of light, and has to spend the night in total darkness unless he can light the candle.{{Ref|AFfC|0}}

When an acolyte of noble birth takes his vows and dons his chain, he puts aside his House name.{{Ref|AGOT|60}} He swears sacred vows, promising to hold no lands or lordships,{{Ref|AFFC|17}} and to be celibate.{{Ref|ACOK|0}}

Maesters serving in the [[Night's Watch]] on the [[Wall]] are doubly sworn, and uphold both the maester's vows and the oaths of the Night's Watch{{Ref|SSM|2999}}

===Subjects of knowledge and tasks===
[[File:Kerry Barnett Linked Advisor.JPG|thumb|350px|A maester advises his lord, by Kerry Barnett © Fantasy Flight Games]]

The order of maesters are sometimes called the knights of the mind.{{Ref|AGOT|53}} Numerous subjects are taught at the Citadel. They include history, healing, herblore, the speech of ravens, the building of castles, navigating by the stars, the measurement of days and the marking of seasons.{{Ref|AGOT|53}} Maesters have performed autopsies for centuries to better understand the workings of the human body.{{Ref|AGOT|61}}{{Ref|AFFC|7}} They have observed that highborn girls get their first period at a younger age than lower born girls, and that very young mothers tend to have a significantly higher rate of death in childbirth.{{Ref|SSM|1050}} They make star maps,{{Ref|AGOT|66}} monitor temperature variations and the march of the seasons, so they can advise on what to plant and when to expect a harvest,{{Ref|SSM|1173}} and measure the length of the days, as to determine the change of the seasons.{{Ref|ACOK|0}} When the Conclave has decreed that the seasons have indeed changed, the Citadel sends out [[white raven]]s to the lords of Westeros, to herald the changing of the seasons.{{Ref|ACOK|0}}

Maesters advise their lords on the operation of their households and lands.{{Ref|AGOT|6}}{{Ref|ASOS|64}} Some lords trust their maesters to open and read letters, and to convey their contents to them. Others prefer to do so for themselves.{{Ref|ADWD|3}} Maesters can be tasked with writing letters for their lords as well, and might be trusted to read and write the letters of those lords who are illiterate.{{Ref|ADWD|37}} They are in charge of the [[raven]]s used as messengers. Although most ravens can only be trained to fly to one castle, a few can be trained to distinguish between two, and rarely even more.{{Ref|TWoW||[[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon I]]}} Maesters assist in childbirth,{{Ref|AGOT|6}} treat [[illness]]es,{{Ref|ASOS|36}} and teach children arithmetic, geometry, language, and history.{{Ref|AGOT|53}}{{Ref|ACOK|66}}{{Ref|ASOS|40}}{{Ref|ADWD|14}}

Even among the maesters who have earned a Valyrian link, representing the higher mysteries,{{Ref|ACOK|28}} there are those who believe that, though magic might have once been a mighty force in the world, it no longer is. They describe Valyria as the "last ember" of magic, which went out with the [[Doom of Valyria|Doom]].{{Ref|ACOK|28}} Most [[archmaesters]] do not care much for ideas concerning occult matters.{{Ref|ASoS|44}} The rare archmaester who does (e.g., [[Marwyn]]){{Ref|AFfC|0}} can expect it to impact his reputation. It is said that all those who study the higher mysteries try their own hands at sorcery eventually, but always fail.{{Ref|ACOK|28}}

Some subjects are forbidden in the Citadel, including cutting open living people,{{Ref|AFFC|7}} or practicing necromancy.{{Ref|ACOK|64}}

===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}}