Rangio (ˈɾaŋi.o)

"This is a land of sanctuary, where those who are pursued and harried can find peace. We Etua ward off all those who mean ill to those we offer refuge."

— Rangoetua, the god of Rangio

Rangio is the second-largest island in the Rekauri Archipelago, and its spiritual heart. It is where the Tui Iti first landed in the Rekauri Archipelago, and where the Etua granted them refuge from the evils of the world beyond. It is the most sacred place to the western Tui Iti, and only their original home of Iti Motu has comparable weight in their lore.

There is only one small village on the island, whose population can fluctuate from a low of ten to as high as fifty. It is called simply Kāinga o Rangio, or the Village of Rangio. There are only a few permanent residents of the village, most of whom are priests of the Etua. The remainder are those who have been granted refuge by the Etua, and have not yet healed enough from their ordeals to join the larger population on Rekauri.

In order to seek refuge upon Rangio, a petitioner must find their way to the Mangimoi Archipelago and cast themselves into the wall of mist that surrounds the Rekauri Archipelago. Whether on a boat or swimming, the Etua will make certain the stranded individual is brought to one of the Tahi Rua, the twin lighthouses within the mists at the eastern and western ends of their territory. There, the petitioner may ask for sanctuary, and their soul and memory can be examined by the Etua.

Few are granted refuge upon Rangio, although all are treated with kindness. It is most often granted to those who are pursued by implacable forces that would destroy them. The Etua are careful not to admit anyone who might harm the other residents of the archipelago, and will also turn away anyone they believe is better aided elsewhere. They have even been known to enchant small boats to carry a refugee to their greatest aid, and deliveries from the Etua have washed up near the Solennefrieden Lighthouse on Guith and the Kioku no Jinja shrine on Kojima at irregular intervals. Those who the Etua believe they can best help are then brought to Kāinga o Rangio until such time as they are ready to move on.

Notable Spirits

The Etua are an offshoot of the Atu Motu, and there are not many of them compared to other pantheons, and most of those are anchored on Rekauri, not Rangio. However, those who are associated to the sacred island are considered the most important and powerful.

They are led by Rangoetua, the spirit of Rangio itself. Rangoetua is a god of protection and healing, and it is he who chooses who may be aided by the Etua and who must go elsewhere. He directs the other gods of Rangio in their care, and is primarily responsible for maintaining the wall of mist which keeps their enemies at bay.

The other Etua of Rangio are all dedicated in some way to helping those who have been injured by the world to heal. Matakere is the unseen god of the darkness, the comfort in the night, and companion in nightmares. Whakaruru is the keeper of the home, and provides for the physical needs of the refugees, be they food, shelter, or other support. Tānekore is the guardian of solitude, creating the space for those who need to be alone, while Tānewhakatau brings those people together who might help each other heal. Together, these and other Etua try to heal the worst of what has happened to their charges, making them ready to travel to Rekauri and perhaps back to the outside world.

Geography

Rangio is located just off the southern coast of Rekauri, the much larger island where most of the archipelago's population lives. It is a small, hilly island, with most of the land covered by forest and many beautiful beaches. The wall of mist which surrounds the archipelago is visible from the shore, but Rangio itself is sunny, and the weather permitted to the island is gentle and pleasant.

Type

Island

Location under

Rekauri Archipelago

Geographic Details

Location: Southern Region
Latitude: 3.85 degrees South
Longitude: 12.27 degrees West
Average Elevation: 33 ft
Highest Point: 791 ft
Lowest Point: 0 ft
Area: 25 sq mi

A Matter of Time

When people leave Rangio, they often find they have no clear idea how long they spent there. The passing days seem to carry no distinct season, and each blends with the next such that they become difficult to discern. Those few people who have attempted to keep close track of the passing time find that their tracking does not match the outside world in later comparisons. The time spent on Rangio seems to be very personal, and bears no fixed relationship with time as it passes elsewhere.

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