Piglin

Piglins are a sentient species from the Nether. They can be hostile to humans when they are not traded with or when humans do not wear gold armor. They wield a variety of weapons ranging from swords to crossbows. Their history is closely intertwined with that of villagerkind.

## Taxonomy and biology

Piglins are mammals descendent from an ancient ancestor of the pig. They also share a common ancestor with villagers around 2.8 million years ago, during the Axion Period. Between 400 000 and 250 000 years ago, the earliest modern piglins roamed Craftera. These early piglins were hunter gatherers and left little archaeological evidence behind, except for flint tools and firepits. Rare fossil finds indicate that piglins were inclined to feed on vegetables and fruits.

Piglins are one of the most prominent carriers of the Z-5 virus. Closely related to villagers, it is no surprise that they are also susceptible to the disease. However, Piglins are immune to the disease in the Nether. They can only be infected in the Overworld, similar to Hoglins. In the Overworld, it will usually take only a couple of seconds before Piglins turn into Zombified Piglins, without the need of physical contact with an infected individual. This suggests that all Piglins carry the virus in the bloodstream and only activate the disease when they are outside of the hot and dry climate of the Nether. Zombified Piglins have been observed in large numbers in the Nether, but we must assume these have arrived there after being infected in the Overworld. Zombified Piglins are not hostile towards humans, since they can't infect them. However, they also do not attack Piglin, suggesting they might be able to detect the fact that all Piglins are already infected.

## Behavior

Piglins are generally neutral towards humans, but will attack them if provoked or if the human is not wearing any gold armor. It is believed this stems from a cultural tradition unknown to mankind. In addition, Piglins will barter items commonly found in the Nether for gold ingots, suggesting Piglin society is a materialist society. This theory is further supported by the fact that Piglins will become hostile when their treasures are stolen from the chests in their bastion. These chests are generally protected by a 'Piglin Brute', an axe-wielding Piglin which is highly aggressive towards intruders.

Piglins are considered as highly intelligent beings and live in organized societies in Bastions in the Nether. Sometimes, they venture outside in hunting parties, often in Crimson Forests, to hunt for Hoglins. They have been observed in Nether Wastes as well, but it is unclear what brings them out to this biome.

Piglins actively avoid contact with Zombified Piglins and Zoglins, suggesting they are at least partially aware of the causes and consequences of the Zombification Plague.

## History

Piglins do not seem to have gone through an agricultural revolution, as opposed to villagers, but evidence suggests they might have co-existed with villages and provided protection in return for food. This symbiotic relationship allowed both species to thrive before the Zombification Plague eventually ended thousands of years of mutual cooperation. Archaeological evidence suggests Piglins were gradually driven away from the Overworld, first to the oceans and coastlines during the Doverian culture, and later to the Nether where their infection was halted.

By 150 BA, all traces of Piglin presence in the Overworld disappear from the archaeological record. It is widely accepted that their kind became infected by the zombification plague and retreated into the Nether, where the hot and dry climate kept the disease from turning the infected into zombies. In the Nether, the Piglins began constructing bastions to keep themselves save from the hostile mobs of the Nether. The pigs they initially brought over as food sources have mutated into the Hoglins we know today. The Nether has turned these creatures into hostile man-eating beasts. Piglins too have become more hostile compared to the symbiotic relationship they previously had with villagers. However, they will be more friendly when presented with gold, perhaps a remnant of their symbiotic relationship with the villagers.

Around 2 AA, the Piglins first established contact with the humans when a New Sisanctan scout discovered a Piglin. Researchers asked him questions, but he only answered in a strange language and wrote with weird signs. They looked for his city and tried to communicate, until his leader arrived. Apparently he knew the language. He talked about the Hades, the portal to the underworld, the Nether which was recently discovered. It was a shortcut for trade. Apparently the natives saw the Sisanctans as friends, not as enemies. However, in 7AA, consul Christian ordered closing the portal to the Hades after several zombified piglins crossed over and killed five people. Hadespoort, a human colony in the Nether, was cut off from New Sisanctum, and so was consul Siberius who had set up shop in the colony.

Piglins would live undisturbed for the next few centuries, mostly entertaining positive relations with Hadespoort. However, regular hostile encounters between the humans of Hadespoort and (zombified) piglins gradually caused a dwindling population in the human colony. In 686, Frozyland, T-Town and USA, signed off on the creation of a highway through the Nether which would connect their nations' capital with each other. However, due to hostile encounters with the native Piglins and faster alternatives in the Overworld, the highway was scrapped and projects to colonize the Nether abandoned.

In the 10th century AA, climate change in the Nether dimension threatened to destroy Hadespoort. As a result, the city re-established contact with the nations of the Overworld, including the Kingdom of Frozyland and USA, to request aid. As a result, conflict with the native Piglins was on the rise again. However, exploitation of the Nether Roof since the 11th century has somewhat eased tensions since humans shifted their attention to an area inaccessible to the native Piglins.

## In culture

Piglins have a dominant position in several cultures across the world. Most prominently, they are revered in the Elinite Faith as an 8th, lost tribe visited by the Son of God. As a result, Elinite nations such as the Pontificate of Neo Boreopolis have refrained from colonizing the Nether, even leading to conflicts with other human nations, for example during the Nether Conflict.