Look, let’s be honest: Path of Exile has just birthed its very first 'martyr', and it’s turning quite a few heads.

On the 6th, Grinding Gear Games took to their official social media to tip their hats to a player known as CARNDARAK#3163, officially dubbing them a 'martyr'. This player managed to become the 'Martyr of the First Edict' in the Solo Self-Found league, securing a permanent spot on the ladder and, in a rather grand gesture, bestowing a unique buff upon countless other players across the server.

The player in question shared the journey to becoming the first martyr on their own YouTube channel. According to the footage, the prerequisites for martyrdom are simple but brutal: grind your character to level 100, then locate the 'Site of the Chosen'. Once you find it, clicking the structure inside triggers a prompt: "Your strength is unquestioned. Your resolve, unbreakable. Are you ready, Martyr?" It comes with a rather stern warning that making this choice will permanently destroy your character.

Despite the warning, if you step into the structure, the screen fades to white, and that character is effectively deleted, never to be played again. Yet, the legacy remains; when other players visit that same spot, they find a buff that grants bonus passive skill points. Essentially, one player’s ultimate sacrifice provides a temporary growth boost for everyone else online. The account name, character name, and class of the martyred are etched onto the ladder for all to see.

Grinding Gear Games offered their applause, noting, "There are still countless secrets yet to be discovered in the Return of the Ancients update," and encouraged everyone else to keep hunting for those hidden gems.