Savant

A Savant is a high-ranking religious figure of the Infinity Guild, occupying more complex positions in the Guild's hierarchy than Stygolytes, but still ranking below the Only Hierophant and his Black Witnesses. Savants are usually individuals that have gained a sufficient understanding of Black Infinity and the religion surrounding it, allowing them to fulfill important administrative tasks and take on leadership roles within the Infinity Guild. Unlike Stygolytes, of which there are only three distinctions, Savants have five different distinctions that determine their status and the kind of work they perform on a regular basis. These are denoted by the color of a Savant's robe, and are as follows.

Green Savants
The Green Savants are the most numerous and least powerful Savants in the Infinity Guild, presiding above Stygolytes, but still subservient to most of the Guild's religious hierarchy. Alongside Yellow Savants, Green Savants perform basic administrative tasks for the Guild, as well as some simple engineering and research tasks, as well. Although they are numerous, Green Savants have more refined skills compared to most Stygolytes, and are better suited for tasks that demand a greater amount of mental strength. Due to their low status, Green Savants have no extraordinary abilities, but many of them acquire limited cybernetic augmentations, both to enhance their own abilities, and to attract the attention of their higher-ups in the hopes of gaining higher ranks.

While their green tattered robes command authority among the lesser denizens of the Guild, Green Savants are often looked down upon by more powerful Savants, and are quick to receive punishment should something go wrong with the Guild's administration. In many situations, Green Savants are treated the same as Stygolytes, even though they are technically part of the Guild's upper class. Since blame is often shifted to them by aggressive Red Savants and pernicious Blue Savants, most Green Savants learn to become furtive and try their best to remain on good terms with their superiors. It is commonly believed among Green Savants that this submissiveness will eventually earn them a higher title, but this isn't always the case.

Yellow Savants
The Yellow Savants are the greater managers and administrators of the Guild, working with Green Savants to catalog the Guild's expansion, actions and history. Although they are the second lowest-ranking Savants, it is a well-known fact that, without the constant work of the intelligent Yellow Savants, the Infinity Guild would be completely disorganized and unable to function, and this has earned the Yellow Savants a great deal of respect, even among their superiors. Religious manuscripts and reports circulate through the office-temples of the Yellow Savants, and are promptly organized and filed so as to ensure the Infinity Guild works smoothly and efficiently. To improve their effectiveness at these tasks, most Yellow Savants make use of specialized brain implants that enhance their cognitive abilities, allowing them to process information at rates matched only by advanced supercomputers.

The importance of Yellow Savants within the Guild often makes their superiors reluctant to promote them into Red Savants. Many Yellow Savants, due to the perks that come with their high status and the inherent risk associated with being a Red Savant, remain content and do not attempt to gain higher ranks. However, those that are more ambitious must often prove themselves to their superiors in order to rank up. This can manifest in a number of ways, but the most common usually involve trips to the Spur Trinity, where Yellow Savants take a break from their administrative tasks to become missionaries and spread the word of the Only Hierophant among the unenlightened denizens of the Spur Trinity's civilizations. Since the Infinity Guild does not usually maintain close relations with civilizations in the Spur Trinity, knowledge of these civilizations and their opinions towards the Infinity Guild is limited, so there is no way for most Yellow Savants to know just how dangerous their missionary work may be. This, of course, makes a successful return all the more rewarding, especially if the inhabitants of the Spur Trinity are hostile towards Guild missionaries.

Red Savants
The Red Savants comprise the upper levels of the Guild's military organization, acting as its generals and commanders. The Infinity Guild's expansive military force, having been maintained since the Black Crusade, demands a significant amount of organization and maintenance, which the Red Savants provide. Most Red Savants are known to be ruthless and aggressive, and they often collaborate with Stygolytes so as to intimidate the independent alien civilizations that exist within Infinity Guild territory. It is known that, among the most influential Red Savants, there is a de-facto inquisition that exists and carefully suppresses dissent against the Guild across the entirety of the Guild Expanse. Since their occupation often involves direct combat against fierce alien enemies, most Red Savants augment themselves with powerful combat cybernetics that give them superior agility and strength. These coincide with their unique, yet deadly weapons, which are often custom-made by the Red Savants themselves.

In addition to their duty as commanders, many Red Savants are selected by White Savants (and, sometimes, the Only Hierophant himself) to carry out special missions against particularly important individuals or targets. These missions serve as excellent opportunities for Red Savants to test their skills in a challenging environment, as well as gain prestige that can help them acquire higher ranks, if they desire. The uppermost echelons of the Infinity Guild frequently offer opportunities such as these to Red Savants, as it is important for them to be effective commandos and tacticians. These missions also help eliminate weakness among the Red Savants, as those that are unfit to complete their missions do not return and are subsequently replaced.

Blue Savants
The Blue Savants are the researchers and scientists of the Infinity Guild, responsible for developing the advanced technologies and devices that the Guild relies upon to maintain dominance in the Guild Expanse. Endowed with very high intelligence and a natural curiosity for alien artifacts, Blue Savants are undeniably inventive, and have given rise to most of the unique technologies of the Infinity Guild. The high status of Blue Savants is no fluke, as they must adhere strongly to the guidance of the Only Hierophant and his cohort of Black Witnesses when designing the Guild's technology. Most Guild technology is created in the image of Vuokra technology, and the Blue Savants work diligently to ensure that every piece of Guild machinery, no matter how insignificant, embodies the principles of the Guild and the teachings of the Only Hierophant. Their connections to technology make Blue Savants the most heavily-augmented Savants of the Infinity Guild, and they are often so intertwined with their cybernetics that they hardly resemble their original forms. These cybernetics make Blue Savants some of the strongest Savants in existence, even though they do not engage in direct combat very often compared to Red Savants.

Compared to the isolationist tendencies of the Infinity Guild itself, the Blue Savants are surprisingly open to alien cultures and civilizations. They are some of the only individuals that actively promote contact with civilizations outside the Guild Expanse, mostly due to the alien technologies they can access through communication with other civilizations. This has made the Blue Savants much better at diplomacy than even the White Savants, and there are many situations in which certain Blue Savants are selected by the Only Hierophant to conduct meetings with the leaders of other civilizations. The xenophilia of the Blue Savants, however, is only a means to an end, that end being the acquisition of alien technology. Once they have what they need, most Blue Savants cease all contact with other civilizations, and never hesitate to call upon the assistance of the Red Savants to intimidate or attack those that do not cooperate with them. The Blue Savants may be more welcoming than their other counterparts, but they are by no means trustworthy.

White Savants
The White Savants are the highest-ranking Savants in the entire Infinity Guild, and only a stark few exist at any given time. Their presence alone can immediately bring a hush over large crowds, as their enigmatic personalities and shimmering white robes give them an intimidating atmosphere that helps to emphasize the authority they command over the rest of the Guild. The White Savants are the Only Hierophant's direct connection to the Infinity Guild, passing on his messages to the Guild's inhabitants and implementing new doctrines on his behalf. It is often said that the White Savants only speak when the Hierophant speaks, for that is how intertwined they are with him. When he leaves Nexuta on various excursions, the White Savants follow behind the Only Hierophant, acting as his bodyguards. While their passive behavior and slow movements may suggest otherwise, the White Savants are exceptionally good fighters, possessing supernatural speed and strength provided by a combination of advanced cybernetics and ethereal powers bestowed upon them by the Only Hierophant himself.

Despite being the leaders of the Infinity Guild, the White Savants often choose to maintain their anonymity. The thick hoods of their robes completely conceal their faces, and it is difficult to say to what extent most White Savants retain their original forms before assuming their roles. Becoming a White Savant is no easy feat, and demands a great deal of sacrifice and favor from the Only Hierophant himself. Likewise, the few White Savants that do serve under the Only Hierophant have served for a long, long time. Even though they are not Black Witnesses, immortality is a trait shared by all White Savants, and the only reasonable way a White Savant could lose their position is if they are killed by someone else.