Greetings!

[ArtemisGray]

are warthogs always insta-KO?

Nope, if you have higher Unarmed Combat the boar will have a harder time depleting your defense bar before knocking you out.

But as TechXKnight said you need a fairly decent amount of UA/MC to handle them toe to toe. Do everything you can to avoid getting chased by one of them for the time being. ( Ender's client, having the radius the boar can attack you from visible which is a feature with Ender's client, but even then that isn't totally accurate and they can sometimes become aggressive from a distance beyond that red circle around them )

[Blaer]

Is there no general chat then? Which way would I head to get to unpopulated areas? or is that a moot question?

[ArtemisGray]

Is there no general chat then? Which way would I head to get to unpopulated areas? or is that a moot question?

There is/was a global chat with Ender's client. I'm unsure if that still works. Besides that no.

There is large settlements scattered all over the place, I doubt there is any real good place to go at the moment. Probably comes down to luck as to how safe you're going to be.

I assume you have Ender's client now? On the minimap there is + and - symbols. Zoom your minimap out as far as it will let you. And make sure that where you build your settlement, you cannot see it from a river with a fully zoomed out minimap. This protects you to a degree more from raiders and griefers.

Keep in mind, a lot of people do the above to keep safe. And it might not be that easy to find a safe location like that.

If you think you've found one, set up a very basic camp and then look around the general area for any villages, and see if there are swamps/mountains nearby that those villages might forage at. Then make your decision on whether or not to build there.

[Blaer]

Ender's client is for windows only I assume?

[FictionRyu]

Ender's client is for windows only I assume?

There are some custom clients over in The Wizards Tower sub-forum. I'm sure you can find one that'd work for your OS.

[sabinati]

not that I expect interlopers...

Always Expect Interlopers

[sabinati]

Is there no general chat then?

#haven on irc.synirc.net

[Blaer]

Is there no general chat then?

#haven on irc.synirc.net

logged in... it's quiet though eh?
Another, surely not a final question, what happens when I log off? do I and my inventory disappear? or am I standing there with my arse hanging out waitin to get pummeled?

[TeckXKnight]

Depends. If you're engaged in combat? You stand there motionless, waiting to die. Otherwise? You disappear after a few seconds. If you've commit any serious crimes, such as theft or murder, then you can be force summoned while offline at your hearthfire and punished. Punishment can include being killed. If you don't have a hearthfire then you can be summoned anywhere.

[Blaer]

Depends. If you're engaged in combat? You stand there motionless, waiting to die. Otherwise? You disappear after a few seconds. If you've commit and serious crimes, such as theft or murder, you can be force summoned while offline at your hearthfire and punished. Punishment can include being killed. If you don't have a hearthfire then you can be summoned anywhere.

And my hearthfire initially is at the game spawn start? but I don't mess around early and I'm "relatively" safe?
Are "Hill-lines" impassable?