So whats the story of POE? Is Wraeclast caught in a cursed cycle of destruction?

you will find Dean and Sam in later acts. possibly dante's inferno too

You need to insert gems into a host to fuel the gates to the world of madness and twisted terror. The black shadow sleeps there, it can show you the end of the world if awaken. Gems all have a personality, they can also become intoxicated with nightmare. The map system is a key to reaching out to these realms, including making your way to the queen of the vaal, you will find the beast of darkness also in this device, which can find you in your dreams, or rather nightmare.

Koam found more power and left his people after finding it, the darkness is closer to you than you think.

"

Hodari wrote:

I'm guessing that GGG doesn't have a clue themselves, and will make it up for Act 4 or even later acts.

fixed

the story of POE is, people talk, we don't listen, we hear Cain say "stay awhile and LISTEN"... but we don't, we run outside and fight things... then the story develops with people talking... we don't listen... we cut them off every time they try to say something... and we run outside again and fight things....

and then we fight things..... and then we fight things..... and then we....

(multiply this times 56,873)

then POE 2 starts.... and people talk, but we don't listen... then we go and fight things... and fight things... and....

(on to infinity)