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. Along with this, Theo is a relatively well-spoken individual, while being relatively precarious with his words. 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 Master Theo was born into House Middleflowers in 402 A.C. The house that Theo originated from was but a minor house, in reality a cadet branch of a minor house. 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 was a relatively soft-spoken child, but that does not even fully account for his earlier years. He spent the first three years of his life focused primarily on studying individuals, interactions and replicating them - as much as any normal child might. Yet, Theo took the extra leap by actually wanting to understand why, why individuals actually committed themselves to such nonsensical acts. While his parents did not not understand the peculiarities of what composed Theo, they understood that his mind could not be tamed by anything simple. So it was there that he was given various books, taught to read and write. The boy would catalogue at length his interactions, his own thoughts on said interactions, and examination of both parties and their motives. Theo sought to attain a grasp of communication, culture and much more than was available to him in his small manor. 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
His first few years at the Citadel could be deemed Theo’s crestfallen period, a time of struggle in both character and development for what he was at the time, an acolyte. While he did relatively well in many of his classes, yet when it came to objective testing he was incapable of keeping up to the pace of other students. Rather than study what he was assigned, Theo instead took these times to traverse the libraries and study on the nature of language and the know how of social interactions. Essentially studying the works of those focused in the study of Diplomacy, Statecraft and Rhetoric. His skill in language grew to such a wide array, and he was capable of actually creating works of literary merit at the age of roughly 13 through his studies. Eventually, the maesters came to realize - after long periods of caning the boy - that Theo was an unorthodox child that attained results. For while he did not seem to care for the objective nature of courses, he managed to attain the practicality of all that he studied. Theo was one to hold an interest in everything he studied, but instead of absorbing it all in small pieces, he preferred to prioritize certain studies. Thus, 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.

While at the Citadel, Theo found much interest in the nature of understanding the political discourse of the world around him, and this led to his profuse studies into diplomacy, culture, language and history. A culmination that would make him a find statesman and diplomat for any leader that might heed him as their Maester. In regards to this, Theo actually sought to leave the Citadel after he managed to finish his thesis ‘On the Discourse of Language in Aegon’s Conquest’. Much of his studies led to him spending time understanding the languages of Old Valyria, Essos and the regional dialects in Westeros - specifically the Dornish dialect. With his profuse examinations of language, he also had a stronger bearing on the cultures and history of people, specifically that of the Old Valyrian and Essosian cultures. These studies led him into the understanding of Dragonlore and the varying ways that maesters of old aided dragon riders with tending to dragons - this became more prevalent once he became the Grand Maester.

It was his studies into the mandatory classes on healing, that led to Theo growing relatively interested in the nature of inquiring on the why. Why the body is the way it is, why the mind is composed in the fashion that is. And during these relatively ontological questions, he began his dive into the study of philosophy - and with it his penmanship would be ‘fixed’ due to how often he wrote pieces for his Arch-Maesters that found his writing not legible. 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. His studies into philosophy are still being developed, many of his pieces now focus on the interwoven nature of culture and philosophy.

As for the development of his reputation as a maester. Theo was deemed a spectacle in the eyes of many of the Maesters and Arch-Masters of the Citadel, and as quickly as his chain grew so did his rank in the Citadel. And with his skill in the politics of the world of Maesters, he rose to prominence both for his intelligence and the sheer will of his character. It would be with this combination and his youthful vigor (since older Grand Maesters died too quickly) that he would be voted in by the council to be the Grand Maester. 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 at the beginning of the 8th month of 438 A.C. and settled into his new position in King's Landing two weeks later.

Recent History
Currently, Theo is also working on a treatise he refers to as ‘Relativism in the Face of Cultures’, a discussion on the philosophical notion of ‘Relativism’ when examining cultures in the realm of Westeros. When not in heated discussion in the Small Council, aiding the King with diplomatic issues or educating individuals, he is at work on his treatise.

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.