The Patrons

The Patrons are transcendent beings from beyond this world, the best known of them The Archmother and The Hidden King. It is said that once the Ritual is completed, they will descend to the mortal world and grant the wishes of those who summoned them. That is why the streets of New York have filled with such a motley crowd, each of them looking on the others as enemies.

Now and then their voices carry, making promises to those who have caught their fancy. Every ritual has two sides, and no one knows which side a given person will end up on, so both Patrons speak to the same person in words cut to measure. To Vyper, each says that they see into her heart and know what she wants, and each says that all she need do to have it is summon them — only each names a different one to summon:

“I see into your heart, Vyper. I know what you want. And you can have it… all you need to do is summon The Archmother / The Hidden King.”

“蝰邪，我看透了你的内心。我知道你想要什么。召唤源祖／隐王，你就能得到它”

To Drifter, both offer a feast of slaughter and ask only to be summoned in return: The Archmother calls it her gift, The Hidden King calls it The Hidden King’s gift. Drifter tells it differently: he works for nobody but himself.

“I don't work for anybody but myself.”

“我只替自己干活。”TL

The Patrons do not stint their praise for those who distinguish themselves in battle; but when that same person stands on the other side, their tone changes entirely. Sinclair is at one moment hailed as great and at another told he will pay — the two Patrons say almost exactly the same words, depending only on whom he stands against at the time; and both say they can set Henry and Savannah free of each other. Wraith, too, has had praise from both.

“Well done, Wraith.”

“干得漂亮，灵魅”

“Very impressive, Wraith.”

“非常精彩，灵魅”

Plenty are willing to believe in them. Mina says, in the airiest of tones, that summoning the Patrons never looked this good; Silver says the Patron made her a promise, and she intends to collect.

“The Patron made me a promise, and I intend to collect.”

“守护神答应过我一件事，我打算讨回来。”TL

Yet some refuse to be anyone’s pawn. Rat King won’t do their dirty work; Vindicta says she doesn’t need the Patrons to kill Hathorne; and the Doorman feels no need to insert himself in the Patrons’ little spat. Solomon goes further: in his view, they need some adult supervision. Victor, on the other hand, is sure the Patron will have answers, and is willing to wait.

“I was hoping that I could sit back and enjoy my day, but it looks like the Patrons are gonna need some adult supervision.”

“我本想安安稳稳地享受今天，可守护神们看来需要一些成年人来管管了。”TL

Their most determined enemy is Warden. Trained from birth as a hunter, he has a single calling: to keep the Patrons from entering the world.

“The Patrons will herald the end of humanity if we let them.”

“如果我们任其发展，守护神将预示人类的终结。”TL

Both Patrons are just as attentive to Kelvin: The Hidden King tells him his expedition wasn’t a failure, that it led him to this moment; The Archmother urges him to finish what he started all those years ago.

“Your expedition wasn't a failure… it led you to this moment. Now finish what you started and summon The Hidden King.”

“你的探险并非失败… 它把你带到了这一刻。现在，完成你未竟的事业，召唤隐王吧”

“It's time, Kelvin. Finish what you started all those years ago. Complete the ritual.”

“是时候开尔文了。完成你在多年前开始的工作。完成仪式”

The Hidden King also promises him truth and answers, and both say that glory awaits him. He himself says they are closer to summoning the Patron; Abrams, though, asked him to his face whether he was worried the Patrons would screw them at the last minute, and added that hope doesn’t keep you alive.