The Orders of High Sorcery
The Orders of High Sorcery are governed by a Conclave of Wizards. Each order sends seven wizards to sit as it's representatives to the Conclave. One of these representatives also serves as the Master of the order. This honor is determined differently, depending upon which order you are referring to. In any event, the Master serves a life-long term in their position. From the twenty-one delegates, one is selected to serve as the Master of the Conclave. This position is an election, whose ballots are cast by every wizard on Krynn, through a consensus spell.
If a person wishes to join an Order of High Sorcery, they usually begin at a young age, studying under an archmage, who is generally approved by the Conclave. When a pupil is deemed ready, usually about age 25 in humans, he or she ventures to a Tower of High sorcery to take the Test of High Sorcery.
Each order of High Sorcery has a school of magic that only they can cast spells of that school greater than 3rd level.
White Robed Wizards have: Invocation/Exvocation
Red Robed Wizards have: Illusion
Black Robed Wizards have: Necromancy
Wizards of the White Robes
These, obviously, are the good wizards. They are usually trusted, but are regarded with trepidation.
White robed wizards gain power slower than that of their brethren, but they ultimately gain the most power of any of the orders. A White Robe wizard must adhere to the laws and ways of good, keeping this goal in mind throughout all of his/her adventures.
Wizards of the Red Robes
These are the neutral wizards. These mages aren't trusted at all, since one never knows which way they'll go.
Red-robed wizards gain power more quickly than their White-robed brethren, but more slowly than those of the Black Robes. Red-robed wizards have access to a greater variety of spells than any other order. A Red-robed wizard continually strives for a balance between all types of magic.
Wizards of the Black Robes
And these are the evil mages. They are feared and avoided at all costs.
Due to their nature and code of "Anything for the sake of the Magic," Black-robed wizards gain power more quickly than any other order. Unfortunately, this often results in a greatly reduced life-span.
Renegade Wizards
Wizards that have reached advanced levels of magic but have not taken the test of high sorcery are known as renegade wizards.
Renegade wizards are those that willingly shun the Orders of High Sorcery and choose to operate by their own methods. Renegade wizards are invariably viewed as a threat to the balance of magic, and are hunted without mercy. Each order has their own method of dealing with renegades, all of which are equally effective. If the renegade refuses to cooperate, they can expect to meet a rather untimely end at the hands of members of the Conclave.
The Test of High Sorcery
Often referred to simply as "the Test," this is possibly a large part of the mistrust of wizardry in Krynn at the present time. The Test is incredibly hard, and is never undertaken by a person not completely devoted to magic. To progress into an Order, an initiate is summoned to take their Test at the Tower of High Sorcery in Wayreth Forest. Once arriving at the elusive Tower at Wayreth (only those with an invitation are able to find it), the initiate undergoes the grueling Test. Each Test is designed for the individual wizard, and tests the wizard's knowledge of magic, their emotional and mental stability/maturity, and their physical strength.
Failure of the Test results in death, a relatively common occurrance. The Test is designed to separate the wheat from the chaff; in other words to take those who will use magic responsibly and admit them to the order, while leaving undesirables out. Less than 20% of initiates pass the Test and less than 3% pass the test unscathed, most are forever changed by their experiences during the Test. Through their actions during the test, each apprentice pledges allegiance to an Order of High Sorcery.