Theo

Grand Maester Theo is the current Grand Maester for the Iron Throne, having succeeded Grand Maester Godwyn in 438 A.C. At the age of thirty-six, he is one of the youngest, if not the youngest, Grand Maesters in the history of the Citadel. Born to parents of minor nobility in the Reach, Theo was marked as different from the other children due to his natural intellect and instincts for acquiring knowledge and sent to the Citadel at the age of eight. He rose quickly in the ranks through years of hard study. He is considered an expert in the fields of healing, botany, and astronomy, though he is learned in all fields of study required for a maester. He currently lives in King's Landing, serving the Crown and the king.

Appearance and Character
Theo is a mild-looking man who stands at a middling height. As someone who wears the same gray robe and chain every day and is far more occupied with other matters, he thinks little about his appearance, which he considers to be exceptionally average. His brown hair is receding more every year, though his beard remains nicely thick. Behind the small Myrish magnifying spectacles he usually wears for his poor eyesight are two remarkably blue and inquisitive eyes. There are creases in his forehead and in the corners of his eyes, speaking to many many hours spent in hard contemplation. On both palms are several deep, lengthwise scars from the canings he received as a child in the Citadel.

In personality, Theo is often as mild as his looks. He is famously even-tempered and agreeable in most matters, though he possesses an iron determination and focus in whatever task he has set himself, often to the detriment of such distractions as eating and sleeping. He is extremely curious and quick to question, something that can infuriate those with less patience. As a teacher, Theo is patient, but firm. He seeks to challenge his pupils and to show the nobles he instructs that there is a world beyond fighting and preening. He has several queer mannerisms and often appears to be lost in thought.

Before the Citadel
Grand Maester Theo was born Theo Middleflowers in 402 A.C. His father was a son of an offshoot branch of a minor house of landed knights in the Reach, House Oldflowers, which liked to trace their ancestry, however convoluted and improbable, back to Garth Greenhand. House Oldflowers had split into two branches long ago, the newest jokingly dubbed House Newflowers; and thus, Theo's branch, splitting off between the two, was dubbed Middleflowers. As a cadet branch of such a minor house, the family lived in no castle and had no riches. His father earned his keep from the small plot of land they owned and farmed.

Theo, the family's first child, was said to be a strange boy. He did not speak until the age of four, instead spending most of his time wandering the farm, extensively and meticulously cataloging the plants and creatures in a language he devised himself. After a wealthier uncle noticed the boy's propensity for learning, he was taught to read and write, and given a few books. At the age of eight, not knowing what else to do with their peculiar child who showed no interest in childlike things, Theo's parents gave him to the Citadel. They would perish three years later, in a harsh winter.

At the Citadel
Theo was not, at first, a star pupil. He was frequently punished for daydreaming and what his instructors assumed was laziness. He often refused to do his readings and practical assignments but would pass any oral examination easily; he was thus accused of cheating, and reprimanded harshly. Once Theo reached adolescence, and had surpassed the knowledge of many of his instructors, the maesters came to realize that Theo was different in his brilliance, and thus largely let him be.

Theo directed his own studies, earning chains and mastering subjects quickly. He took the maester's vows in 425 A.C., at the age of twenty-three. See Maester's Chain below for a detailed summation of his academic credentials.

Throughout his time at the Citadel, Theo's favorite subject and the one in which he displayed the most promise was in healing. His propensity for botany helped him in devising new potions and ointments for common ailments, and he often succeeded in curing those brought to the Citadel for mysterious and often serious illnesses. Like all students of the healing arts, he studied the anatomy of the human body through corpses and performed autopsies and basic surgeries. He is the author of several tomes on the illnesses of the mind, and a staunch proponent that these have similar etiologies to illnesses of the body, though this assertion is heavily contested in the Citadel.

His other areas of interest including botany, one of his first loves. He is an expert on medicinal plants, particularly those native to the Reach. He keeps detailed star charts to plot the days of the year and important events, and has discovered several comets and stars via his invention of an improved looking-glass. While studying calligraphy, Theo came to an understanding of the mechanics of human handwriting and is thus an excellent judge of forgeries or true documents through extensive study. He served as an assistant to the Seneschal of the Citadel for many years, and came to dislike the politics and subterfuge surrounding the important position. He has a close eye for shady dealings and seeks to disrupt them whenever possible.

After the death of Grand Maester Godwyn, Theo was elected by the Conclave of the Citadel to serve as Grand Maester. He left the Citadel and settled into his new position in King's Landing in 438 A.C.

Recent History
To be filled out as game events progress.

Family

 * Gunthor Middleflowers, b. 380 A.C., d. 411 A.C. (father)
 * Cerena Middleflowers, b. 384 A.C., d. 411 A.C. (mother)
 * Six additional children, born from 403 - 410 A.C.