The Broken Crown

The Broken Crown is a name The Hidden King uses for his own side. Besides it, he also calls his side The Amber Hand; on the lips of his adversary, The Archmother, this court becomes “the Court of the Hidden King,” a thing that must be torn asunder and destroyed. At every ritual someone stands on this side, but which side anyone stands on is not decided by a name.

The Hidden King makes no secret of failure; rather, he draws nourishment from it:

“The Broken Crown does not fear failure. We learn from it.”

“破碎之冠不惧怕失败。我们从中吸取教训”

Vengeance and a return to the throne are the obsession at the root of this name. In The Hidden King’s eyes, every victory paves the way for the King’s return.

“You have paved the way for The Hidden King's return.”

“你为隐王的回归铺平了道路”

The Archmother, for her part, calls on her side to rise to the occasion and root this court out entirely. When The Hidden King speaks of her side, he all but mirrors the very same words — only it is The Guided Hand that must be destroyed.

“We must rise to the occasion and destroy the Court of the Hidden King.”

“我们必须挺身而出，摧毁隐王的宫廷”

The same person can be singled out by both Patrons at once. So it is with Paige: as The Archmother tells it, she is anchoring The Hidden King’s court, and once she is killed, the rest will crumble.

“Paige is anchoring the Hidden King's court. Kill her and let the rest crumble.”

“佩吉是隐王宫廷的支柱。击败她，其他人就会土崩瓦解”

Yet in another ritual, The Hidden King says she is anchoring The Guided Hand, and he too wants her killed.

“Paige is anchoring the Guided Hand. Kill her and let the rest crumble.”

“佩吉是指引之手的支柱。击败她，其他人就会土崩瓦解”

So “anchoring the court” is no more than the judgment of whichever Patron stands opposite her at that moment; it does not mean she belongs to either side. Both Patrons are vying for her.

The Archmother has also urged Paradox to steal the Crown of the Hidden King and so become legend. That is only what she holds out; The Hidden King has a promise of his own for her, and both sides want to draw her into their ritual.

“You seek the validation of your colleagues, Paradox? Then steal the crown of The Hidden King and become legend.”

“你想获得同事们的认可吗，悖论？那就拿走隐王的桂冠，成为传奇吧”