The Savants are a semireligious society dedicated to the preservation of the Worldstree and its environs. They come from all Races and take no part in the War that so occupies the Faeries - they do not oppose the War when it does not endanger the Lands, but they do not waste thier time with it. They are scholars and mystics, understandable for those that study Truth through Myth. But they are also Warriors and probably the most powerful of Wizards.

Although Savants do not build temples of worship as such, they do maintain several permanent Bases. Foremost (literally) is the Heirophants' Residence at the First Branching. Two of the Rootowns are primarily Savantic:  Burl, home of the Final Library and the University and LongParting, a kind of homebase/retirement community for Rangers. The Great Savant himself lives in Knotknoll, a hidden citidel located somewhere amoungst the Roots. There are also Savant maintained parks in most Elven cities (and all Naelathen).

Although Savants may be of any Race, Naelathen Elves are by far the most common. There are also significant numbers of Fauns, Celenes,Elathe, and Dryads (especially Oak). Faerie creatures who pass the rank of Acolyte and foreswear the use of Faerie Magic loose thier sensitivity to the High Metals, though Celenes never do.

The Savant Order is highly structured. When a being first petitions for acceptance, he becomes a Candidate, and remains so until an accomplished Savant sponsers him. At that point, he becomes an Neophyte under the tutelage of a Minor Adept, usually in his home area. Neophytes undergo cleasing rituals which rid them of their associations with the High Metals and bar them from the ability to use most other forms of Magic. Acolytes study the basic principles of Balance, learn to meditate and a few simple Rituals related to plants, animals and the natural world.

Savants recognize four four fundamental Phases of creation:  Matter, Energy, Life and Entropy. When a Neophyte finishes his basic study of Nature, he becomes an Acolyte and studies each of these phases in isolated schools headed by Hierophants. Acolytes are essentially asetics, completely cut off from the outside world. Many of the rituals they learn are rather dangerous, thus the isolation. There are, however, optional Sabaticals between the study of each phase.

Upon finishing his study of Entropy (or Time), the student becomes an official Novice Savant, assigned to one of the ten Decarchs. Novices learn rituals to combine and transform the four phases and rituals designed to prevent and extinguish Disasters. Graduate Novices become Minor Adepts, which serve under the Major Adepts and learn much more powerful rituals related to Nature. There is only one Major Adept for each bio-geographical area, and it is the responsibility of these Adepts to care for and protect that area.

Beyond the Adepts, the Savants are ruled by the High Cabal, which is composed of ten Decarchs and the Holy Center. The High Cabal guards the secret of the Gates and the Worldstree.

A Savant who retires from the Cabal becomes a Hierophant and again specialized in one of the four phases, and takes on the teaching of the phase related rituals to Acolytes. There is a single Master Hierophant for each phase. There is also a being known as the Grand Master Hierophant, but this may be a composite projection of the other Masters rather than a unique being.

There are several other secondary an/or allied Organizations, including the Rangers and the Green Knights.