Lore
The lore of Path of Exile 2 follows the story of Path of Exile 1 twenty[a] (or twenty-five[b]) years after the defeat of Kitava.
Oswald
In 1619 IC, Treasure Hunter Oswald explored the Utzaal region and recorded the monsters he encountered.[c]
Count Geonor
20 years following the death of Kitava, Geonor, Count of Ogham, led a troupe of soldiers and confronted The Hooded One in a dark forest. After a brief skirmish, The Hooded One was impaled and immobilized with a sword with runic inscriptions, with Geonor taking from them a metallic sphere. The sphere opened, to the Hooded One's great protests, to reveal the Seed of Corruption, which began feeding on an unlucky soldier. The Seed was carted away as Geonor yelled "Find him!".[d] The release of the Seed of Corruption led to corruption spreading across the land of Wraeclast, as well as the Atlas.
The Hooded One was likely Sin, owing to his dark appearance, apparent godhood[e] and original planting of the Dark Ember to create the Beast.
In the lead up to Path of Exile 2, Count Geonor enacted a reign of terror over the citizens of Ogham, sentencing to death anyone who dared question him. Among these sentenced was the chosen exile character, who narrowly escaped hanging by The Executioner and jumping into the ocean.