Trebā Gnosis (TREH-bah NOH-sis)
Cultures
In the vibrant world that forms the backdrop for the saga of the Elsod family, Cultures are not mere backdrops but the very essence that breathes life into the society, influencing behaviors, cuisine, architecture, and much more. The focus on the source cultures of the Elsod lineage underscores a fundamental truth: no culture exists in isolation. Each is a result of millennia of interactions, blending and borrowing, evolving through time to shape the world of today.
These cultures, while distinct, share a common thread — the undeniable influence they exert on one another, weaving a rich mosaic that enriches every aspect of life. From the architectural marvels that punctuate the skyline to the exotic flavors that tantalize the palate, every element is a testament to the diverse heritage that precedes it. This intercultural tapestry not only defines the present but also serves as a foundation for future generations, offering a legacy of richness and diversity.
As we explore the source cultures of the Elsod family, we acknowledge this is but a glimpse into the vast tapestry that makes up our world. Each culture, with its unique contributions, has played a part in the evolution of society, enriching the people of the time as they, in turn, enrich those who come after. It is a cycle of growth and exchange that highlights the beauty of diversity and the unbreakable bonds that connect us across time and space.
In this section, we celebrate the confluence of cultures that shape the identities and destinies of the Elsod family and the world they inhabit. It is a homage to the power of cultural heritage in molding the present and inspiring the future.
Further on, we will explore some of the other cultures found in Tir na nOg and abroad. While these cultures retain a lot of the original influences, those aspects which do not align with the overall culture of the realm have been left behind in the mortal world.
Jump to additional cultures
In the expansive realm of Tir na nOg, our journey through culture extends beyond the familiar grounds of the Elsod family to encompass a broader spectrum of diverse traditions and heritages that also find their home here. These additional cultures, while not the primary lineage of our protagonists, play a pivotal role in the cultural confluence that defines this world. From the mystical rhythms of ancient folk songs echoing through bustling marketplaces to the intricate patterns woven into the fabric of everyday attire, each culture contributes its unique essence to the realm.
While every effort has been made to provide accurate dates reflecting when these cultures were most active, influential, or distinct, adjustments have been made to account for proto influences that may have been critical or instrumental in their development. After all, cultures do not simply "become" nor abruptly "end" on a specific date; their evolution is shaped by a continuum of ideas, migrations, and exchanges that transcend any rigid timeline. These nuances are recognized in the cultural framework of Tir na nOg, where the echoes of ancestral traditions ripple through time and space to enrich the present.
These cultures, though transformed to harmonize with the mystical nature of the realm, retain the essence of their ancestral roots. Elements that may have clashed with the realm’s ethos have been seamlessly shed, like autumn leaves, allowing traditions to be reborn in alignment with the values of this land. What emerges is a vibrant cultural mosaic, not diluted but distilled into its purest forms, enriching the realm without overpowering it.
This section celebrates not only the diversity and adaptability of these cultures but also their resilience. As the land thrives, so do these traditions, reshaped yet familiar, influencing everything from culinary arts to ceremonial rites. They remind us that the realm itself is a living, breathing entity, constantly evolving and growing through the contributions of all who dwell within its borders. This cultural symphony, with each culture playing its part, underscores the unity and diversity that is the lifeblood of the land. It offers a rich and dynamic backdrop to the tales of adventure, intrigue, and harmony that unfold in this enchanted world.
The Culture of Tir na nOg
Mortal Realm Distribution Map
Cultural Timeline Notes
Cultural Era: ~550 BCE - ~330 BCE
The Achaemenid Persian Empire traced its lineage through an unbroken chain of rulers, linking their authority to divine right and the legendary kings of ancient Iran. While their well-documented rule began in 550 BCE, Persian tradition speaks of a far older heritage, with figures such as Jamshid and Keyumars governing in a distant golden age before recorded history.
Cultural Era: ~1500 CE - Present
Though the modern American nations emerged in the last few centuries, many Indigenous groups hold that their presence in the land stretches back to time immemorial. Oral traditions recount the emergence of the First People from sacred landscapes, marking an ancestral presence that predates European accounts by thousands of years. But for us we are looking primarily at the European immigration/colonization and beyond.
Cultural Era: ~15000 BCE - ~4000 BCE
Plato’s accounts place the fall of Atlantis around 9600 BCE, but Atlantean records suggest an even longer period of prosperity before their final collapse. Some accounts tie them to antediluvian civilizations that flourished long before recorded history, hinting at an advanced society lost to time.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~500 BCE
Unknown to modern archaeology, this proto-Indigenous North American culture is said to have existed long before known agricultural settlements. Oral traditions describe an ancient people deeply connected to the land, whose spiritual practices and customs shaped the foundations of later civilizations.
Cultural Era: ~7000 BCE - ~1000 BCE
Though archaeology places the Canaanites’ rise around 3500 BCE, their own records and traditions trace their origins back millennia earlier. They saw themselves as the inheritors of an unbroken sacred lineage, with settlements and religious centers flourishing long before contemporary records acknowledge their existence.
Cultural Era: ~814 BCE - ~146 BCE
Carthaginian tradition attributes the founding of their city to Queen Dido, who fled from Tyre in the 9th century BCE. However, Phoenician records suggest that their maritime influence was part of a much older tradition, with deep roots in an expansive trading empire that stretched back thousands of years.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~400 CE
Celtic traditions hold that their ancestors walked the lands long before written history. Tales of the Tuatha Dé Danann and other pre-Milesian peoples suggest that their civilization existed well before archaeological records confirm their presence, tied to ancient migrations across Europe.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - Present Day
Ancient Chinese records describe a time before the Xia Dynasty when the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ruled, guiding humanity with wisdom from the heavens. These traditions push China’s origins back thousands of years before recorded history, suggesting a much earlier foundation than modern archaeology confirms.
Cultural Era: ~3000 BCE - ~500 CE
Dacian accounts link their ancestry to the Thracians and even older peoples of the Carpathian region. These traditions place their origins in a time long before the first recognized Dacian kings, rooted in divine and heroic lineages that shaped their early society.
Cultural Era: ~20000 BCE - ~30 BCE
Egyptian sources, particularly those compiled by Manetho, describe a succession of divine rulers governing long before the first pharaohs. Some accounts place the earliest Egyptian civilization around 20,000 BCE, well before conventional historical timelines recognize organized society along the Nile.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~146 CE
Greek records describe a world that existed before the Mycenaeans, with the Titan Age preceding the reign of the Olympian gods. Hesiod’s accounts of the Golden Age and earlier civilizations suggest that the Greeks viewed their past as stretching back far beyond the archaeological record.
Cultural Era: ~9600 BCE - ~8000 BCE
This settlement, unknown to modern archaeology, is said to have existed in the post-Younger Dryas period, housing a people who preserved knowledge from a time before the great cataclysms. Their traditions speak of a civilization that influenced later cultures but vanished without a trace.
Cultural Era: ~2500 BCE - ~1178 BCE
The Hittites, recorded in historical texts from 2000 BCE onward, spoke of even older peoples and divine rulers predating their empire. These early accounts suggest an inherited tradition stretching back long before the first written records of their civilization.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~1533 CE
The Inca traced their origins to the children of the sun god Inti, who emerged from Lake Titicaca. Though archaeology places the empire’s rise in the 15th century, Andean traditions suggest that their civilization was but the latest in a long line of cultures dating back thousands of years.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~1300 BCE
Ancient texts connect the Indus Valley Civilization to pre-Vedic societies that existed before known archaeological settlements. Some sources claim that cities even older than Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro once stood, suggesting that civilization in this region extends back to 10,000 BCE or earlier.
Cultural Era: ~2000 BCE - Present Day
The Inuit hold that their ancestors have lived in the Arctic since time immemorial. Their oral histories describe migrations and ancestral spirits that shaped their people long before European explorers recorded their presence.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - Present Day
Ancient Japanese texts recount how the islands were created by the gods Izanagi and Izanami, with Emperor Jimmu descending from the sun goddess Amaterasu. These traditions suggest that Japan’s civilization extends far beyond its earliest recorded history.
Cultural Era: ~15000 BCE - Present Day
The Kamilaroi people, who represent all Australian Aboriginal groups, see themselves as part of an unbroken lineage that extends tens of thousands of years into the past. Their traditions describe a sacred connection to the land, with origins dating back to the Dreamtime.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~1500 BCE
The people of Kerma saw their origins intertwined with early African traditions, holding that their civilization predated their first recorded settlements. Oral accounts suggest a presence along the Nile that extends far earlier than modern archaeology recognizes.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - Present Day
Maya records describe cycles of creation, with the current world being the fourth or fifth iteration of civilization. Their sacred texts suggest that the Maya viewed themselves as heirs to a civilization that had existed long before their recorded history.
Cultural Era: ~1345 CE - ~1521 CE
The Mexica, later known as the Aztecs, believed they came from the legendary land of Aztlán, a place of great antiquity. Their traditions hold that their people were guided by divine prophecy long before they arrived in the Valley of Mexico in the 14th century.
Cultural Era: ~7000 BCE - ~200 CE
Mon-Khmer traditions speak of ancestral figures and divine rulers who shaped their society before recorded history. Some accounts suggest a much older presence in Southeast Asia than modern archaeology confirms.
Cultural Era: ~3000 BCE - ~1537 CE
The Muisca trace their origins to divine beings who emerged from sacred lakes and mountains. Their histories describe an ancient presence in the Andean highlands, long predating their first interactions with Europeans.
Cultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~1500 CE
The Norse held that their world had undergone multiple cycles of creation and destruction. Their legends describe a time when the first humans, Ask and Embla, walked the earth long before historical accounts of Norse society.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~400 BCE
The Olmec, regarded as Mesoamerica’s first civilization, believed they inherited their knowledge from even earlier peoples. Some accounts suggest that their traditions and sacred sites date back to 5000 BCE or earlier.
Cultural Era: ~7000 BCE - ~539 BCE
While often linked to the Canaanites, the Phoenicians believed their culture stretched back even further. Some of their records describe a maritime heritage that predates their recognized city-states by thousands of years.
Cultural Era: ~753 BCE - ~476 CE
Roman tradition holds that their civilization was founded by Romulus and Remus in 753 BCE, but earlier accounts connect them to Troy through Aeneas. This suggests that the Romans saw themselves as part of a much older lineage.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - Present Day
Romani oral traditions trace their origins far beyond their migration from India, with legends suggesting ancient roots in lost civilizations or divine ancestry that predate their historical movements.
Cultural Era: ~3000 BCE - ~200 CE
The Scythians, a nomadic people of the Eurasian steppes, saw themselves as descendants of divine warriors. Their myths connect them to the earliest Indo-European migrations, placing their cultural origins much earlier than archaeology typically suggests.
Cultural Era: ~1800 BCE - ~800 BCE
A cultural blending elements of the Sicanians of Sicily and the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia. Mythologically, their traditions may extend beyond the archaeological evidence, suggesting a deeply rooted past in Mediterranean legend.
Cultural Era: ~30000 BCE - ~1750 BCE
The Sumerian King List presents the most extreme example of mythological time scales, listing kings with reigns spanning tens of thousands of years before the great flood. If we take their own records literally, Sumerian civilization existed tens of thousands of years before modern historical consensus, possibly as early as 30,000 BCE.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~1519 CE
The Taino recount that their ancestors emerged from sacred caves long before European contact. Some oral traditions place their origins thousands of years earlier than the first recorded settlements.
Cultural Era: ~300 BCE - ~200 BCE
A Northern Chinese group, Wuxia history describes warrior monks and divine heroes shaping their civilization. While its historical basis is limited, legends place its origins alongside or even preceding other Chinese martial traditions.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~2600 BCE
The Yamnaya, often seen as the early Indo-European ancestors, are held in some traditions as great horsemen and warriors who spread culture and language across Europe and Asia long before recorded history.
Cultural Era: ~5000 BCE - Present Day
The Yoruba hold that their civilization was founded by the divine ruler Oduduwa, who brought order to their people. Their traditions claim an ancestry stretching back to at least 5000 BCE, with cultural roots far older than modern archaeology acknowledges.
Cultural Histories Based on Traditional Accounts
The histories of the Mortal Realm, as understood by modern scholars, remain in their infancy, limited by what can be uncovered through ruins, artifacts, and fragmented texts. Yet history is not only written in stone and bone—it lives in the memories of those who once walked the earth. In Tír na nÓg, where time does not erode knowledge, the immortal stewards of their own legacies preserve histories unbound by mortal forgetting. What I have presented here are two interwoven narratives: the Traditional Eras, as pieced together by archaeology, and the Cultural Eras, as relayed by those who still remember. Some of these accounts align with what is known in the Mortal Realm; others stretch beyond its reach, revealing lineages, traditions, and civilizations that predate even the oldest surviving Mortal Realm records.Cultural Timeline by Morgan Berry
Achaemenid
Traditional Era: ~550 BCE - ~330 BCECultural Era: ~550 BCE - ~330 BCE
The Achaemenid Persian Empire traced its lineage through an unbroken chain of rulers, linking their authority to divine right and the legendary kings of ancient Iran. While their well-documented rule began in 550 BCE, Persian tradition speaks of a far older heritage, with figures such as Jamshid and Keyumars governing in a distant golden age before recorded history.
American
Traditional Era: ~1500 CE - PresentCultural Era: ~1500 CE - Present
Though the modern American nations emerged in the last few centuries, many Indigenous groups hold that their presence in the land stretches back to time immemorial. Oral traditions recount the emergence of the First People from sacred landscapes, marking an ancestral presence that predates European accounts by thousands of years. But for us we are looking primarily at the European immigration/colonization and beyond.
Atlantean
Traditional Era: ~9600 BCE - ~4000 BCECultural Era: ~15000 BCE - ~4000 BCE
Plato’s accounts place the fall of Atlantis around 9600 BCE, but Atlantean records suggest an even longer period of prosperity before their final collapse. Some accounts tie them to antediluvian civilizations that flourished long before recorded history, hinting at an advanced society lost to time.
Atsilv Aniyvwiya
Traditional Era: ~3000 BCE - ~500 BCECultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~500 BCE
Unknown to modern archaeology, this proto-Indigenous North American culture is said to have existed long before known agricultural settlements. Oral traditions describe an ancient people deeply connected to the land, whose spiritual practices and customs shaped the foundations of later civilizations.
Canaanite
Traditional Era: ~4000 BCE - ~1000 BCECultural Era: ~7000 BCE - ~1000 BCE
Though archaeology places the Canaanites’ rise around 3500 BCE, their own records and traditions trace their origins back millennia earlier. They saw themselves as the inheritors of an unbroken sacred lineage, with settlements and religious centers flourishing long before contemporary records acknowledge their existence.
Carthaginian
Traditional Era: ~814 BCE - ~146 BCECultural Era: ~814 BCE - ~146 BCE
Carthaginian tradition attributes the founding of their city to Queen Dido, who fled from Tyre in the 9th century BCE. However, Phoenician records suggest that their maritime influence was part of a much older tradition, with deep roots in an expansive trading empire that stretched back thousands of years.
Celtic
Traditional Era: ~1300 BCE - ~400 CECultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~400 CE
Celtic traditions hold that their ancestors walked the lands long before written history. Tales of the Tuatha Dé Danann and other pre-Milesian peoples suggest that their civilization existed well before archaeological records confirm their presence, tied to ancient migrations across Europe.
Chinese
Traditional Era: ~2070 BCE - Present DayCultural Era: ~10000 BCE - Present Day
Ancient Chinese records describe a time before the Xia Dynasty when the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors ruled, guiding humanity with wisdom from the heavens. These traditions push China’s origins back thousands of years before recorded history, suggesting a much earlier foundation than modern archaeology confirms.
Dăceni
Traditional Era: ~1200 BCE - ~500 CECultural Era: ~3000 BCE - ~500 CE
Dacian accounts link their ancestry to the Thracians and even older peoples of the Carpathian region. These traditions place their origins in a time long before the first recognized Dacian kings, rooted in divine and heroic lineages that shaped their early society.
Egyptian
Traditional Era: ~5000 BCE - ~30 BCECultural Era: ~20000 BCE - ~30 BCE
Egyptian sources, particularly those compiled by Manetho, describe a succession of divine rulers governing long before the first pharaohs. Some accounts place the earliest Egyptian civilization around 20,000 BCE, well before conventional historical timelines recognize organized society along the Nile.
Greek
Traditional Era: ~3200 BCE - ~146 CECultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~146 CE
Greek records describe a world that existed before the Mycenaeans, with the Titan Age preceding the reign of the Olympian gods. Hesiod’s accounts of the Golden Age and earlier civilizations suggest that the Greeks viewed their past as stretching back far beyond the archaeological record.
Hal-Abdu
Traditional Era: ~9600 BCE - ~8000 BCECultural Era: ~9600 BCE - ~8000 BCE
This settlement, unknown to modern archaeology, is said to have existed in the post-Younger Dryas period, housing a people who preserved knowledge from a time before the great cataclysms. Their traditions speak of a civilization that influenced later cultures but vanished without a trace.
Hittite
Traditional Era: ~2500 BCE - ~1178 BCECultural Era: ~2500 BCE - ~1178 BCE
The Hittites, recorded in historical texts from 2000 BCE onward, spoke of even older peoples and divine rulers predating their empire. These early accounts suggest an inherited tradition stretching back long before the first written records of their civilization.
Inca
Traditional Era: ~1200 CE - ~1533 CECultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~1533 CE
The Inca traced their origins to the children of the sun god Inti, who emerged from Lake Titicaca. Though archaeology places the empire’s rise in the 15th century, Andean traditions suggest that their civilization was but the latest in a long line of cultures dating back thousands of years.
Indus Valley
Traditional Era: ~7000 BCE - ~1300 BCECultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~1300 BCE
Ancient texts connect the Indus Valley Civilization to pre-Vedic societies that existed before known archaeological settlements. Some sources claim that cities even older than Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro once stood, suggesting that civilization in this region extends back to 10,000 BCE or earlier.
Inuit
Traditional Era: ~2000 BCE - Present DayCultural Era: ~2000 BCE - Present Day
The Inuit hold that their ancestors have lived in the Arctic since time immemorial. Their oral histories describe migrations and ancestral spirits that shaped their people long before European explorers recorded their presence.
Japanese
Traditional Era: ~13000 BCE - Present DayCultural Era: ~10000 BCE - Present Day
Ancient Japanese texts recount how the islands were created by the gods Izanagi and Izanami, with Emperor Jimmu descending from the sun goddess Amaterasu. These traditions suggest that Japan’s civilization extends far beyond its earliest recorded history.
Kamilaroi
Traditional Era: ~10000 BCE - Present DayCultural Era: ~15000 BCE - Present Day
The Kamilaroi people, who represent all Australian Aboriginal groups, see themselves as part of an unbroken lineage that extends tens of thousands of years into the past. Their traditions describe a sacred connection to the land, with origins dating back to the Dreamtime.
Kerma
Traditional Era: ~2500 BCE - ~1500 BCECultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~1500 BCE
The people of Kerma saw their origins intertwined with early African traditions, holding that their civilization predated their first recorded settlements. Oral accounts suggest a presence along the Nile that extends far earlier than modern archaeology recognizes.
Maya
Traditional Era: ~2000 BCE - Present DayCultural Era: ~10000 BCE - Present Day
Maya records describe cycles of creation, with the current world being the fourth or fifth iteration of civilization. Their sacred texts suggest that the Maya viewed themselves as heirs to a civilization that had existed long before their recorded history.
Mexica
Traditional Era: ~1345 CE - ~1521 CECultural Era: ~1345 CE - ~1521 CE
The Mexica, later known as the Aztecs, believed they came from the legendary land of Aztlán, a place of great antiquity. Their traditions hold that their people were guided by divine prophecy long before they arrived in the Valley of Mexico in the 14th century.
Mon-Khmer
Traditional Era: ~2500 BCE - ~200 CECultural Era: ~7000 BCE - ~200 CE
Mon-Khmer traditions speak of ancestral figures and divine rulers who shaped their society before recorded history. Some accounts suggest a much older presence in Southeast Asia than modern archaeology confirms.
Muisca
Traditional Era: ~800 CE - ~1537 CECultural Era: ~3000 BCE - ~1537 CE
The Muisca trace their origins to divine beings who emerged from sacred lakes and mountains. Their histories describe an ancient presence in the Andean highlands, long predating their first interactions with Europeans.
Norse
Traditional Era: ~200 CE - ~1500 CECultural Era: ~10000 BCE - ~1500 CE
The Norse held that their world had undergone multiple cycles of creation and destruction. Their legends describe a time when the first humans, Ask and Embla, walked the earth long before historical accounts of Norse society.
Olmec
Traditional Era: ~1800 BCE - ~400 BCECultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~400 BCE
The Olmec, regarded as Mesoamerica’s first civilization, believed they inherited their knowledge from even earlier peoples. Some accounts suggest that their traditions and sacred sites date back to 5000 BCE or earlier.
Phoenician
Traditional Era: ~1500 BCE - ~539 BCECultural Era: ~7000 BCE - ~539 BCE
While often linked to the Canaanites, the Phoenicians believed their culture stretched back even further. Some of their records describe a maritime heritage that predates their recognized city-states by thousands of years.
Roman
Traditional Era: ~753 BCE - ~476 CECultural Era: ~753 BCE - ~476 CE
Roman tradition holds that their civilization was founded by Romulus and Remus in 753 BCE, but earlier accounts connect them to Troy through Aeneas. This suggests that the Romans saw themselves as part of a much older lineage.
Romani
Traditional Era: ~1000 CE - Present DayCultural Era: ~5000 BCE - Present Day
Romani oral traditions trace their origins far beyond their migration from India, with legends suggesting ancient roots in lost civilizations or divine ancestry that predate their historical movements.
Scythian
Traditional Era: ~1000 BCE - ~200 CECultural Era: ~3000 BCE - ~200 CE
The Scythians, a nomadic people of the Eurasian steppes, saw themselves as descendants of divine warriors. Their myths connect them to the earliest Indo-European migrations, placing their cultural origins much earlier than archaeology typically suggests.
Sicagic
Traditional Era: ~1800 BCE - ~800 BCECultural Era: ~1800 BCE - ~800 BCE
A cultural blending elements of the Sicanians of Sicily and the Nuragic civilization of Sardinia. Mythologically, their traditions may extend beyond the archaeological evidence, suggesting a deeply rooted past in Mediterranean legend.
Sumerian
Traditional Era: ~4500 BCE - ~1750 BCECultural Era: ~30000 BCE - ~1750 BCE
The Sumerian King List presents the most extreme example of mythological time scales, listing kings with reigns spanning tens of thousands of years before the great flood. If we take their own records literally, Sumerian civilization existed tens of thousands of years before modern historical consensus, possibly as early as 30,000 BCE.
Taino
Traditional Era: ~600 CE - ~1519 CECultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~1519 CE
The Taino recount that their ancestors emerged from sacred caves long before European contact. Some oral traditions place their origins thousands of years earlier than the first recorded settlements.
Wuxia
Traditional Era: ~300 BCE - ~200 BCECultural Era: ~300 BCE - ~200 BCE
A Northern Chinese group, Wuxia history describes warrior monks and divine heroes shaping their civilization. While its historical basis is limited, legends place its origins alongside or even preceding other Chinese martial traditions.
Yamnaya
Traditional Era: ~3300 BCE - ~2600 BCECultural Era: ~5000 BCE - ~2600 BCE
The Yamnaya, often seen as the early Indo-European ancestors, are held in some traditions as great horsemen and warriors who spread culture and language across Europe and Asia long before recorded history.
Yoruba
Traditional Era: ~1000 BCE - Present DayCultural Era: ~5000 BCE - Present Day
The Yoruba hold that their civilization was founded by the divine ruler Oduduwa, who brought order to their people. Their traditions claim an ancestry stretching back to at least 5000 BCE, with cultural roots far older than modern archaeology acknowledges.
Timeline of Religions
Click image for more details.
Additional Cultures
