An Audience with the King: Lore and Endgame Story Guide

[Tyler]

An Audience with the King is a pivotal endgame event in *Path of Exile 2*, centered around the Ritual activity and culminating in a challenging pinnacle boss fight against **The King in the Mists**. This encounter ties deeply into the game’s lore and endgame progression, offering both narrative significance and high-stakes gameplay.

Lore and Narrative Context

The King in the Mists is an enigmatic and powerful figure who commands mysterious chaotic forces within the Ritual endgame mechanic. He represents a dark pinnacle of power that exiles must confront to cleanse the corruption spreading across Wraeclast. The Rituals themselves are ancient ceremonies where slain enemies are sacrificed in circles, and Tribute Points are gathered to unlock deeper secrets and challenges.

Obtaining *An Audience with the King* symbolizes gaining permission to confront this shadowy ruler, reflecting your character’s rise in strength and influence in the world. The Crux of Nothingness, where the King resides, is a surreal, otherworldly realm accessed through the Realmgate, emphasizing the boss’s connection to the chaotic and arcane.

How to Obtain *An Audience with the King*

Earn Tribute Points: Tribute is the currency gained by completing Ritual encounters—defeating waves of enemies summoned within ritual circles on special maps.
Purchase the Map Fragment: After accumulating enough Tribute Points, you can buy *An Audience with the King* from the Ritual Favor altar. This map fragment is expensive, often costing thousands of Tribute Points, so players typically defer the purchase multiple times to lower the cost gradually.
Alternative Acquisition: The fragment can also be bought via the Currency Exchange from other players. Many players choose to **buy poe 2 currency** to afford it faster rather than grind rituals endlessly.

Using An Audience with the King*

Once obtained, the fragment is placed into the Realmgate, creating portals to the **Crux of Nothingness**. Entering this area leads you directly to the King in the Mists boss fight. This encounter is considered one of the most difficult in the game’s endgame content, requiring careful preparation and mastery of mechanics.

The King in the Mists Boss Fight Overview

Phases: The fight has three distinct phases, including a unique maze phase where players must navigate by following Wisps to find their way back.
Mechanics: The King uses a variety of melee and ranged attacks, including powerful combos like Throngrip. Players must manage positioning, dodge deadly attacks, and survive environmental hazards.
Teleportation and Maze: At certain health thresholds, the King teleports players into a maze-like area, adding a puzzle and navigation challenge to the fight.
Recommended Builds: Ranged builds, such as Explosive Shot Deadeye, are often favored for this fight due to the ability to maintain distance and safely handle the boss’s aggressive melee attacks.

Endgame Significance

Defeating the King in the Mists not only provides valuable rewards, including unique items like the **Ingenuity Utility Belt**, but also marks a major milestone in your endgame journey. It unlocks further progression opportunities and cements your status as a powerful exile capable of facing the darkest threats in Wraeclast.

For those lacking the patience or time to farm Rituals manually, there’s also a growing market for *An Audience with the King* fragments, with players trading using poe 2 currency for sale platforms to speed up their access to the Crux of Nothingness.


An Audience with the King is both a literal and symbolic gateway to one of *Path of Exile 2*’s most challenging and lore-rich endgame encounters. By earning Tribute through Ritual farming, acquiring the map fragment, and mastering the complex boss fight in the Crux of Nothingness, players engage deeply with the game’s story and prove their prowess. This event encapsulates the blend of narrative depth and intense gameplay that defines POE 2’s endgame experience.