Editing The Dawn After Steam: Setting (section)

===Patronage===
The other end of the spectrum involves adaptation, and the major representative form of powee here is patronage, this setting's version of divine magic. The Patrons are various cosmic forces and concepts. They are single-minded entities, each with an idealized view of what the world ought to be.  These idealized views may or may not make sense to humans.  Indeed, it is likely that the Patrons are alien intelligences, and any coherence perceived by human beings is an illusion imposed by humanity.  Nevertheless, Patrons are represented as masked individuals wearing stylized clothing of some form.  Most if not all have very specific ideas about what human societies should look like.

One can gain power by giving one's self to a Patron, submitting to their will. It is common for a community or an individual promise to act in accordance with a Patron's wishes in specific ways (rituals, following taboos, etc.), and in exchange the Patron grants specific boons. 

The Patrons love having insane or mindless instruments furthering their cause.  While most people do not see anything particularly wrong with a degree of patronage, most view The Listeners as dangerously unhinged.