Tír na nÓg

In Irish mythology, Tír na nÓg or 'The Land of the Young' is a name for the Otherworld inhabited by gods and immortals. In the 2000 AD strip Sláine, it is a country that existed 'before the flood', covering the area occupied today by Britain, Ireland and Northern Europe, before the creation of bodies of water such as the English Channel and the Irish Sea.

Tír na nÓg is a pre-Christian country where the gods worshipped include the earth goddess Danu, the sun god Lug and the evil worm god Crom-Cruach. Druids have access to a mystical 'earth power' with which they can work magic, and warriors like Sláine can warp it through their bodies to make them invincible in battle.

The country is split between the northern tribes of Danu, including Sláine's tribe the Sessair, and the southern tribes ruled by the sinister Drune Lords. The north is freer than the south, but even there the culture is brutal and autocratic (with tendencies towards misogyny as well). The main occupations are subsistence farming, fighting, industries related to fighting (such as making weapons) and getting blind drunk to celebrate the successful outcome of a battle.

Among the local fauna are werebeasts, dragons (like the Mata) and even the odd minotaur. Even if you manage to give those a wide berth, the roads are plagued by thieves, bandits, Skull Swords and chancing ne'er-do-wells. Proceed with caution.

Notable residents

 * Sláine MacRoth, a great warrior
 * Roth Bellyshaker, his not-so-great father
 * Ukko, a dwarf
 * Nest of the Speckled Face, a female druid
 * Niamh, a warrior queen