Maestery

[HierophantX]

Hey guys,

I'm doing some BRP conversions for A Song of Ice and Fire and I'm thinking about Maesters. BRP standard has 50%+ as "professional" level of expertise. I'm wondering what people's opinions are regarding Maester's demonstrating mastery of an individual topic. Is 50% adequate to forge one's chain? How should testing be handled? Opposed check vs. an Archmaester? Resistance table? Some modified version of an experience check?

Also, it appears that maesters continue their research and continue to increase their knowledge once they leave the Citadel at Oldtown. How are they doing this? How would the Maester's Distance Learning Modules be handled? The way that makes the most sense to me would be that maesters are more or less continuously writing what amounts to articles or treatises and sending them back by raven to the Citadel where they are read and essentially peer-reviewed. If they produce enough on a topic then they are considered proficient and notified that they may add the appropriate link to their chain.

Anyway, I welcome comments.

[vagabond]

BRP defines "Mastery" of a skill at 90%. So, the question becomes, how is a "Maester" defined in A Song of Fire and Ice?

Ian

[HierophantX]

Well, from context reading the series I gather that "mastery" in terms of earning one's chain link is the equivalent of advancing from journeyman to master rather than being connected to the BRP rating of "mastery." Especially when you consider that a sworn maester will have enough links to form a collar with links at least in healing, accounting and ravenry (plus at least 2 others). In realistic terms a BRP character could start play with multiple skills at 50 or thereabouts, while having multiple skills at 90 or above seems like a lifetime achievement.