Hello folks,

if a player running the maester's path agenda doesn't get his chains from the agenda until the time limit is reached, will he lose the game if he has more power than his opponent? And which rank would he take if it's a multiplayer game?

The "you cannot win" condition means only that you cannot stop the game by claiming victory. If the game goes to time (or in a melee game), players are ranked according to the difference between the power total they need to achieve and the power total they have achieved, regardless of special win conditions or restrictions, but taking into account effects that modify either the total power needed (the North and Treaty agendas) or the power achieved (CS Melisandre, Infamy).

Short answer: The Maester's Path has no effect once the game has reached the time limit or for determining ranking in a melee game between players other than the winner.