The Nether

The Nether is one of the three dimensions, alongside The End and The Overworld. the second most healed dimension. Its nature is energy and fungus based, home to creatures such as Piglins, Blazes, Ghasts and other Nether species.

## History

Long ago, pre-apocalypse, the nether once had mighty fortresses and kingdoms, with its own people and politics as well as its native denizen, the Blazeborns. When the apocalypse hit, no life was spared. The dragon split into two, and wouldn't be able to find harmony again for centuries. The Screaming Quartz betrayed the Reaper of Skulls, leading to its existence being shattered into motes, and for anyone caught in the path of their battle to be withered away. The people (or what little was left) became Wither skeletons, using a forgotten magic to curse themselves to unlife forever. The Blazeborn, with their culture and way of life becoming irreversibly disturbed, eventually became the blazes we know today, a shadow of their former selves. But a rumor has come about that perhaps, they still exist...

The nether became a barren and lifeless place, any remaining normal piglins went into hiding, with only the zombified piglins to populate its grounds and the ambient screech of ghasts to echo though its empty caverns. Very slowly the nether regained its energy, but it laid idle for many centuries while the Overworld continued to heal. Over time visitors came and discovered the ruins of the lost fortresses, leaving abandoned open portals in their wake. People continue to come and go, the nether continued to be unchanging, but then the energy that the nether was storing became overwhelming and then life sprung out, so overwhelming it healed the zombie piglins who were where the energy was most intense, over time becoming the piglins we see today.

Its healing process made the jump from barren and composed of only nether wastes until it evolved into its current state (analogy for the Nether update).

## Mythology/Religion

\*Note: Other than The Golden Hog, The Crimson and Warped Twins, and The Screaming Quartz, these "gods" are actually just very big, very powerful Fragments. Despite this, most Nether residents just call these beings "gods" as they are immortal, powerful beings.

##### The Golden Hog

Used pronouns: It/its

The god who decided to create piglins in its image, it is often the central god of worship in piglin sounders. The bits of gold found in netherrack are seen as the few pieces it leaves for its beloved creations; so while gold is a currency, due to this it also holds spiritual significance and is why many piglins hoard it so much. The Golden Hog is known less for its personality, mostly seen as laid back and simply enjoys watching its creations wander the land. It is said it gets along with the other gods well, and specifically is closer friends with The Lava Walker.

It is a dimensional beast like The Entity, being a personification of the Nether’s land itself.

##### Mother of Blazes

Used pronouns: She/her

The blaze goddess of life and fire, she is said to be a living, walking flame, and is the creator of blazes. As one can assume with the location of blazes, she is associated with Fortresses, which were notably not built by piglins and therefore are seen by piglins as a home for blazes and wither skeletons instead. She is often worshiped by more militaristic sounders, and is often prayed to before battle by warriors, as she is said to give her fiery strength, determination, and guidance to those she favors. She is known to be reasonable, but a god not to mess with; with her closest friend being The Reaper due to the shared home for their creations.

##### Reaper of Skulls

Used pronouns: He/they/it

The god of wither skeletons and death. His domain is over his withered warriors, and dealing with helping the dead lay to rest. It is said he is rather quiet and calm, only taking those when he knows it is their time. Anyone who tries to defy death is met with his wrath, to which he sends out his army of wither skeletons and Withers made from his rage out to the ones who decided to wrong him. Despite this though, there are rare rituals and practices that harness Withers in a way that does not anger him, such as the Sunwalker Sounder’s practice of summoning a Wither and creating a beacon after a leader has died to honor them. Either way, he is a deeply respected god, but one many don’t wish to catch the attention of just in case they accidentally anger him. He is known to be friends with the Mother of Blazes, as stated above, and the two both respect each other’s domains of life and death.

##### Lava Walker

Used pronouns: They/them

The strider god of lava, known to swim and float the lava lakes and seas as if they were the consistency of water. Mainly known for its creation of striders, this god is known as a deeply kind and helpful soul, especially to piglins. Striders and piglins thus have a special relationship due to their gods being on such good terms, with striders often used to cross long lava pools when needed, with many stories saying that striders came to help piglins in danger as well.

##### The Warped and Crimson Twins

Used pronouns: She/her and they/them for both

Duel goddesses, both who created the warped and crimson forests of the nether respectively. Warped was the one who let endermen into the nether. Crimson was the one who created hoglins in competition with the Golden Hog. Different piglins have theories on how angry The Golden Hog was about this, but either way is usually the reason behind hoglin hunts, even if not done out of rage.

These two are also the result of the split Nether Dragon, both halves of one whole currently unable to fuse back together.

##### The Screaming Quartz

Used pronouns: They/it

This god is deceased, only motes of their existence in the form of ghasts still remain. The Reaper of Skulls sculpted them out of quartz, and the only child he ever truly created. It went well for milenia, until his child decided that resurrecting ones from the dead could be beneficial. The Reaper told the child that this was unacceptable, and told them to stop lest there be consequences. The child did not listen, and thus the Reaper was forced to tear from his own being to create the first Wither to stop the quartz god. The Wither defeated the child, to which the child shattered and all that remains are ghasts, which hold no memory of their past self, and instead simply scream and cry for the rest of eternity. The betrayal broke The Reaper’s heart, and ever since he’s refused to make another child.

Because of this, worship of this god has been long gone and forgotten, leaving only true scholars of The Reaper and others who wish to study the mythology in detail to even know of this god’s existence, even its original name is lost to time.