Rigitania

Genert and Gata, the Earth King and Earth Queen had many daughters together. One of these was Rigitania. Whereas many of their daughters were pretty and plump, rounded homemakers, Rigitania was beautiful and slim, a lean runner who loved nothing more than running naked across the plains and forests of what became known as Votankiland. Genert and Gata decided to give their daughters gifts when they became women. All the sisters came to a cave beneath the earth and were shown by Genert two piles of clay pots, some painted green and some painted red. Esra, Ralia, Kralora, Pela and most of the other Sisters chose pots of Green but Rigitania, Frona and Pent chose pots of Red. Gata then produced two bags of clay figures, some were of grains and fruits but others were of animals and birds. Esra chose Wheat, Pela chose Barley, Kralora chose Rice and Ralia chose Oats but Rigitania chose a healthy Bison. Thus the Goddesses chose their future forms.

During the Golden Age Rigitania saw her Sisters grow prosperous and wealthy because of their grains, but her bison grew weak and thin. She asked them why and they said they were hungry and wanted grass to eat. She saw that all her sisters had grass except her and she was upset so she asked her father. He laughed and said that all grass was like hair, all women had it above and below and that she only needed to think of the grass and it would grow. Soon afterwards the plains of her lands became covered in a lush rich grass and the Bison became fat and healthy. Rigitania took many lovers through the Golden Age and each gave her a clay figurine as a present. Thus, she gained Cattle, Giant Sables, Brontosaurs, Triceratops, Hares, Rabbits, Pheasants, Honey and all manner of small creatures, grubs, roots and tubers. Soon her Red Pot became filled with figurines and she became rich and happy as her Plains and Forests became rich with life.

Then the Sun was slain and the world became Dark. Other deities came from Hell and devoured much of the food and the people became hungry and afraid. Rigitania did not know what to do, apart from growing her hair long and feeding her creatures with her grass. Then a young God named Votank came to her and tracked her through the Forests and Plains. He saw where she ran naked and set a trap for her with swathes of sweetmeats and small things that she loveed to eat. She stopped her running to eat and he leapt on her and wrestled her to the ground, but rather than taking her there and then he asked for her help to feed his people. She agreed and took him to her Deep Cave, showing him her Red Pot and giving him a leather bag full of figurines. From that time onwards, she helped feed the people of the surrounding lands.

Some time afterwards, Rigitania was visited by Hearth Mother who was Votank's adopted mother and wife and had found out how he had fed the people. Hearth Mother said that her people were still hungry as there was not enough food for everyone and that she was afraid that the fod would dry up and the men would become tired of hunting all the time. She begged Rigitania for help, but the Hunting Nymph said that she could not give her what she had given Votank as Men and Women should not do the same things. Instead she reached into her Red Pot and dropped a number of figurines into a small grass bag and gave this to Hearth Mother. She thanked Rigitania and left for Votank's Hearth. She looked into the bag and saw figures of fruits and berries, roots and tubers, nuts and grubs, birds eggs and small animals. Hearth Mother taught her women how to gather the food that was in the bag and their people became well fed. In this way, Rigitania became the Nymph of the Hunters and the Gatherers of Votankiland.

Rigitania is rarely worshiped directly but is worshipped in subcults of both Votank and Hearth Mother. She is worshiped by the Wild Women and her Nymph Daughters and by those who would gain her blessings directly. She is the focus of a number of HeroQuests where hunters or gatherers try to gain permission to hunt or gather new foods, essentially gaining a pick from her Red Pot as those foods and animals not found in the Leather or Grass Bags are taboo and may not be hunted by the clans of Balazar.