créants

Créants is a term used in speculative fiction to denote a class of beings or a force associated with creation. The word appears in various francophone and translated works and is sometimes used as a proper name for a species, a guild, or an order.

In many depictions, créants are ancient and powerful, capable of influencing or manifesting reality through will, magic, or advanced technology. They are often portrayed as guardians of potential, guiding the development of civilizations while remaining elusive and enigmatic, communicating in fragmentary signs rather than direct language.

The concept raises questions about responsibility and ethics in creation, the limits of power, and the relationship between creator and created. Interactions with other beings can be benevolent, ambiguous, or coercive, depending on the work.

Variations across stories show créants as benevolent custodians, neutral forces, or dangerous reshapers of reality. In some uses, the term is metaphorical, referring to human creators—artists, scientists, engineers—emphasizing the creative force at the heart of culture and progress.

Overall, the créants function as a thematic device to explore creation, agency, and the consequences of shaping worlds.