The Patrons are why the heroes fight. They’re two rival beings from beyond our plane, and during the Maelstrom each one wants to be summoned into New York. In a match, they’re the giant idols at the heart of each base. Destroy the enemy’s and you complete the ritual for your own. (For how to actually kill one, see the Patron.)
The two Patrons at a glance
| The Hidden King | The Archmother | |
|---|---|---|
| Team colour | Amber | Sapphire |
| Followers | The Hidden King’s Court | The Guided Hand |
| Looks like | A shadowy, antlered figure with glowing yellow eyes and long clawed hands, bound to a burning wicker effigy | A figure in a broken mask shaped like the Statue of Liberty’s head, bound to a crystal effigy burning with blue flame |
| Base | A run-down factory full of speakers and microphones, in working-class Downtown | A neoclassical museum in upper-class Uptown |
| Old name | The Amber Hand | The Sapphire Flame |
The Hidden King
The Hidden King never speaks to the heroes himself. A herald speaks for him, and his messages are about summoning, duty and a new era that begins when the King returns.
- He has apparently wanted to be summoned for centuries, according to The Doorman.
- His herald encourages McGinnis’s inventions, praises Haze’s sense of duty, and urges Victor to complete the ritual and take a place beside the King.
- He calls the Archmother a tyrant, and invites Venator to help overthrow her.
- An unused voice line had him call himself “Anvil’s Song”, a name Warden still references.
His name and look recall the King in Yellow, the unseen figure from Robert W. Chambers’ 1895 horror stories. Valve hasn’t said whether that’s deliberate.
The Archmother
The Archmother also speaks only through a herald. Her messages are about summoning, the gifts and rituals offered to her, a new world, and valuing the people others overlook.
- Like the Hidden King, she has apparently wanted to be summoned for centuries.
- Her herald addresses heroes including Viscous, Drifter, Graves, Celeste and Venator.
- The bank behind her Walker on York is the City Mother Bank, and The Doorman calls her the “City Mother”.
- Unused voice lines had her call herself “Whisper in the Wind” and “Ambition’s Spark”.
What do they really want?
Nobody knows, and that’s the point. What the game tells us:
- Both have wanted this for a long time, and both can only be summoned during a Maelstrom.
- Both promise a wish to the heroes who help them.
- Both talk about a new era.
- Some heroes think that’s a trap. Warden and his family, who have prepared for the ritual for years, believe either Patron would bring about the end of humanity.
Many heroes are in the fight for the wish. Others, like Shiv of the Baxter Society, seem more interested in hunting the Patrons themselves.
The rename
Before the Old Gods, New Blood update on January 22, 2026, the Patrons were the Amber Hand and the Sapphire Flame. That update rebuilt both bases and Patrons, gave them their current names, and recast the Hidden King’s announcer.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the Patrons in Deadlock?
Two rival beings from beyond our world, the Hidden King and the Archmother. Each wants to be summoned into New York during the Maelstrom, and each promises a wish to anyone who helps. The giant idols at the heart of each base in a match are the Patrons.
What were the Amber Hand and the Sapphire Flame?
The Patrons' old names. Until the Old Gods, New Blood update on January 22, 2026, the Hidden King was called the Amber Hand and the Archmother was called the Sapphire Flame.
What do the Patrons want?
The game doesn't say. Both have apparently wanted to be summoned for centuries, and both talk about ushering in a new era. Some heroes, including Warden's family, believe that freeing either one would mean the end of humanity.
Is the Hidden King based on the King in Yellow?
His name and look echo the King in Yellow, the mysterious figure from Robert W. Chambers' 1895 horror stories, but Valve hasn't confirmed it as an inspiration.
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