The problem is wether Nandan is an entity born of Gender, or of Rune.
I would choose to go with him being a Runic Entity, and so I'd make a write up like so:
[Earth Rune] Nandan
Nandan is the son of Ernalda who does woman's work, instead of being a farmer or warrior. When Vinga led all the women off to war, Nandan was the only one left who could feed the men, care for the children, and heal the warrior's wounds. He called to him the men who could not follow Orlanth, and bid them do as he did, and when the women returned, some of them carried on following Nandan and were welcomed by Ernalda as worshipers of her through Nandan.
Of course, Nandani can then become members of others of Ernalda's subcults, such as Orane the wife and Uleria, who would certainly live up to the sacred role of Nandan the woman.
As to why Nandani wear dresses, that is a matter of their rune. For the dress is the ritual garment of the Earth Rune, as much as the Trouser and Kilt are for Storm, the bare legs of the Sun rune, and the Cloak of the Darkness rune. (The Water Rune has no clothes for their ritual garmet, hence why Heler's worshipers go naked so often). This ritual nature of clothing leads to the distinctive nature of the Orlanthi cults (Lhankor Mhy's robe obviously suggesting a former Male user of the Earth Rune, which is why Lhankor Mhy is a path so different from the normal male deities of the Orlanthi)
[God Learner's Note: The supposed runic nature of clothing is most likely due to cultural influences. The plain Esrolian robe, the skyclad Wenelian barbarians, and the Dara Happan bare legs resulting in these standards of dress being connected with each culture's dominant elemental association.]
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