The Nine Feats of Imogen II

The Nine Feats of Imogen II are nine tasks given to the Queen Imogen Wilem II of Flowers in 85 A.E. to 76 A.E. by a mysterious saintly figure who she saw through various means. The Feats are important in Fleur as a controversial moment in both its history and religious experience.

Prelude
Justainism was introduced to Fleur around 230 A.E. by Queen Kateraldir Wilem of Flowers after she converted upon marrying her Arimanian husband. The religion became briefly popular but did not become the majority religion until the three princesses Imogen, Margo, and Cycillia Wilem jointly declared it the official religion of Fleur. The three made a great deal of show in opening churches and monasteries around the country and by performing various religious acts for the public.

When Queen Imogen Wilem II of Flowers had her first dream in 85 A.E., the majority of her country followed her religion. In this dream, Imogen found herself among a field of white lilies with trees distant and black far off on the grey horizon, with silver mountains and a white Sun. Before her, in the center of the field was a man larger than any man, floating with his toes facing the earth. His brow had upon it a crown of resplendent colors, his beard and curls were soft, and his eyes sad. A sword pierced down through his breast, another stabbed his thighs together, and a dagger did the same to his ankles. His hands were bound behind his back. When she saw him, she fell to the ground and kissed it and cried out for there was a pain in her breast like a sword.

But the man spoke to her saying, "Be not afraid, oh Child of Prophecy, for I have come to thee with Truth and Adoration. Nine Feats are for thee, for thine is the path of thorn and sword. Lay not kisses upon this ground but the blood of redemption. In thy heart thou shalt know Three Laws to Live By and these shall be thy first three tasks. Follow them until the end of thy days and thine will be the Kingdom of Pearls and thy seat shall be the Seat of Sufferers. Never in thine days shall thy take a razor to thine head and never in your days shall thy drink the wine of men and be drunk by it. Never will thy loveth another as thou have loved til now and never shall thy loveth another as thou loveth Me. Know these things and commit them to thine heart, for that is where all good dwells. Go then to that place which I have shown to thee and make swift thine feeble feet, for thine is the Kingdom of Pearls." Then Imogen awoke in her bed and knew of her next task.

Feat One: Never Take a Razor to Thine Head
Imogen never cut her hair after being commanded not to by the Lord of the Pierced Breast. By her death, it hung to the floor and dragged behind her as she walked.

Feat Two: Never Partake of the Wine of Men
Imogen never drank of wine or other spirits after receiving her command. She only drank water from streams and ate food from the woods raw and unprepared. She continued this even when she lived in her palace.

Feat Three: Never Love Another
Imogen never loved another earthly being until her death and loved only the Lord of the Pierced Breast and Justain after receiving her command. This feat was the one she called the hardest in her journal and the only one she did not complete.

Feat Four: Our Lady of the Nine Virtues
When Imogen awoke from her dream, she had the knowledge of her first true task within her. Under the cover of darkness she fled the palace to find the Sepulcher of the Sacred Palm, a rock tomb carved into the seaside cliffs of Highfjall. On her journey, Imogen took care to let loose her flowing hair and to not drink of anything but fresh water from streams or rivers. She ate only berries and fruits from the wilderness and meat she captured herself. When she made it to Highfjall she spent fifteen days searching for the Sepulcher but when she found it she became afraid. The gates of it were black and rusted and the sea raged at its cliffs. But she persisted and entered and steadied her heart with thoughts of the Lord of the Pierced Breast.

Inside, Imogen found a tomb made of old stone with a woman's visage carved into the top. The woman was enshrined in flowers of stone and had a halo about her head. Imogen did not know what to do, so she prayed and suddenly she became blinded by a bright blue light. Before her was the spirit of the Lady of the Nine Virtues, a woman who had lived her life according to the Nine Tenants of Justainism without fault. The spirit and Imogen then had a long conversation on theology and philosophy that slowly began to wear down Imogen's defenses. Imogen began to stumble through her answers and was unable to best the spirit. Out of desperation, she submitted before the Lady, prostrating herself and announcing her defeat. Instead of being punished, Imogen found the spirit to be lifting her up and drying her tears. "Weep not child, for you have proven you know the laws and on your tongue is the mark of the Sanguinarium. You have shown great wisdom today and you have prostrated yourself before one you know as above you. I bless you today in the name of the Great God Justain with the gift of my sacred knowledge." With that, she kissed her brow and disappeared, leaving Imogen with the knowledge of all sacred things.

Feat Five: The Saints of Summer
Imogen spent three days resting in a village near the Sepulcher of the Sacred Palm and on the third day she gained the knowledge of her next feat. She headed quickly south, through Barland and into Korevna, North of St. Idwin's Isle on the mainland to a great field. In the center of the field was a stone circle, a ruin of some ancient structure. In the center was a dolmen with stains of old blood upon it and the carving of six names. The names were such: Euclidio, Panaetio, Albarom, Sycosius, Vultrom, and Episcetes.

Imogen did not know what to do, so she waited at the circle. She waited and waited and soon fell asleep. When she awoke she saw that she was under the cover of a dark sun, the sun covered black but the light like that of an eternal sunset. Before her were six revelers, young men in their prime in the costume of festivals. They saw her and delighted and took her into their circle around the dolmen and the six began to dance in a great spiral about it. Imogen joined, soon dancing and singing with the revelers. But the men did not stop, they danced and danced and danced beneath the eternal sunset until Imogen could dance no longer. But she continued to, until she was held up only by their arms.

For three days and three nights they danced until, when Imogen opened her eyes, she saw that she was dancing with horribly malformed and twisted men, old and withered. They stopped then, so that the chief among them, Albarom, could speak, saying: "We are the Saints of Summer. In our time, there was no war or hardship; the people turned their eyes from the pain and suffering and reveled forever and ever under the summer sun. But we six, in the prime of our youth, came to this place and made our circle and our dolmen, and performed Sanguinarium and Penance until we became as old and crippled men. We gave our lives to Justain, who is holy and eminent, and who is pierced by so much anguish. We became the Saints of Summer and we showed our people the true meaning of worshiping in entirety. Take our blessing; may your nails grow long and sharp, may your sours fester and bubble, may your feet never know rest." With that, Imogen's suffering grew.

Feat Six: The Cup of Godly Knowledge
Imogen felt great pain and anguish from her Fifth Feat, so she traveled to Isgerdia and rested. During her sleep she was visited again by Lord of the Pierced Breast. This time, the distant mountains were nearer and when she prostrated herself, Imogen found that the Lord was bleeding black blood.

"My wounds weep in adoration of thee, oh Child of Prophecy. Do not weep for me; in suffering I am made radiant. Raise thy head, raise thy eyes. See yonder mountains of grey and black? Upon their crest is the Gate to the Kingdom of Pearls and within it the Seat of Sufferers and with it, the key to thine kingdom. Thy hath been steadfast in thy promises; keep steady upon thy path and all will be as foretold, oh Child of Prophecy!" Imogen awoke in her bed and knew of her next feat.

Within the vaults of Isgerdia's Cathedral of Saint Oscar Imingar, there was held a cursed cup, which the monks and holy men called evil. Anyone who drank of the cup died or went mad, so the monks had locked it away deep in the vaults beneath the Cathedral. Imogen was allowed to view the cup, on account of being a queen, but the monks were watching closely as to stop her from drinking of it. She prayed before it, then pressed her lips to it and drank of the air within it. She crumpled to the floor and her heart stopped beating. The monks were frightened and unsure of what to do, so they wrapped her in cloth and fine oils and perfumes, preparing her body for burial. They put about her ankle three gold bracelets as a votive offering. They then placed her into a tomb within the walls of the underground catacombs and sealed it, agreeing to not speak of her to anyone.

But after thirty-three days, a young scribe in training was lighting votive candles for the dead when he heard the rattling of metal within an unmarked tomb. Frightened, he ran and told one of the monks and when they returned he broke the seal of the tomb with a pick and found Imogen sitting upon her stone bed. Her hair had grown past her feat, her nails long and withered, her skin so pale and frail that it stayed in whatever shape you made of it. She was so thin she could not walk on her own, so the two men assisted her into the Cathedral so that she could pray and perform Sanguinarium. Afterwords, she spoke of her time away with God, how she walked with Him, made conversation with him, and learned of knowledge beyond that of mortal understanding.

As penance for their crimes of hiding her 'death', every monk of the Cathedral committed suicide by being sealed in tombs beneath the church save for the monk who found her and the scribe in training. To them, she imparted fragments of Knowledge while she recovered at the Cathedral. She left after thirty-three days.

Feat Seven: The Lance of Sigvening
Imogen did not receive her next vision for sometime after the Sixth Feat. In this time she wandered the wilderness of Korevna, performing Sanguinarium and making pilgrimages to various holy sites in the region. It wasn't until a year later, in 83 A.E., she once again spoke to the Lord of the Pierced Breast. Now in the vision she stood at the edge of the Black Forest, the Lord hovering above her. "Oh Child of Prophecy, before thee is the Winding and Narrow Path. Through hardships cruel it shall take thee but fear not, for mine hand is upon thee; mine black blood is thy blood and the way is revealed before thee."

Imogen's task required her to sail to a small island called Ynirgos, or "Pillar Island", off the eastern coast of Highfjall. She traveled to Gerden and hired a boat to take her there. It took a week's time but they arrived without issue. The boat left Imogen with the promise to return in a week's time. The island is not large, made mostly of pillars of black rock and outcroppings, without trees, populated by sea birds and grass. It took Imogen two days to find what she was looking for: a small tunnel under a rock that led into a tomb. The tomb was ancient, carved into a small cave, naturally melting into the pillar rocks to form swirling carvings of geometric shapes and animals. In the central wall was a carving of a king and in his lap was a long spear.

Inspecting it, Imogen knew it to be the Lance of Sigvening, a king of old from Nordures who sailed along the coast of the North and charted it long before the arrival of the first men upon its shores. The Lance was ancient but without rust or damage. Its point was the likeness of two serpents entwined with their tongues flicking out together into a sharp point. Grabbing it, Imogen went to leave, but was grabbed on the shoulder by the king of stone, who had come to life upon the thieving of his mortal weapon. What followed was a long battle, as Imogen dodged his stony fists while prodding him with his weapon. Finally, she scrambled through the tunnel, causing him to smash his head upon the stone and crumble into rubble, blocking the entrance.

With the Lance, Imogen had completed her seventh feat. She stayed on the island until the boat returned for her, already imbued with the knowledge of her next task.

Feat Eight: The Taming of Hyperbolia
Imogen made her way to Skjol, arriving in early 82 A.E. in Moorful. A harsh winter had rendered the journey rough and long, so she rested before beginning her task. During this time, she had dreams of the Black Forest, of beasts within the shadows of it watching her walk, and of the distant mountains growing nearer. Near Moorful was a great peak, called Horvingardr and upon it was said to dwell a horse called Hyperbolia. The horse was one of three made by Justain at the dawn of time to order the stars and he was wild and untamed, jet black with wings like a night wind. Imogen climbed the mountain in search of him.

Hyperbolia lived in a valley high on Horvingardr where no man had ever stepped foot. It was warm there, hot even, so Imogen removed her clothing and left the Lance of Sigvening among her things. She found a hot spring and bathed there and while she bathed Hyperbolia came to drink. She hid within the water and when he was close, she leapt out and climbed onto his back. Hyperbolia panicked and took flight, leaping into the night air and flying high into the sky. Imogen cried hot tears as the air grew cold and her grip on his mane tightened. The air was frigid the higher they climbed, her grip loosening with each wild buck. But Imogen held fast, not letting go, until she was amongst the stars. There she whispered into Hyperbolia's ear the word's of his divine father which she had learnt from walking with God. Immediately, the horse was calmed and he returned to the hot spring. From there on, Hyperbolia was Imogen's loyal companion, never disobeying a command, swifter than any mortal steed, and smart as a man.

With that, Imogen descended Horvingardr and completed her eighth feat.

Feat Nine: The Slaying of Ob
Imogen had her next vision upon leaving Horvingardr. The Lord of the Pierced Breast was there, before the Mountain at the edge of the Black Forest. Imogen had made it from the forest and for it, she prostrated herself and performed Sanguinarium for Him. He said then, "So close art thou to the place of prophecy, where thou art destined to sit. But lo, a final task before thou can step foot upon the Mountain. The Dragon Ob, a beast of great evil and an affront to God, dwells in a cave near the border of thine earthly kingdom and the one thy dwell in currently. Go there, take up thy Lance and Steed and make swift work of the beast, so as to please myself and God. Do this and the Mountain shalt open and the Gate of Pearls shall be thine own gate, and the Kingdom of Pearls shall be thine own kingdom, and thine earthly kingdom shalt be but a distant taste in thine mouth." With that she awoke and swiftly rode Hyperbolia to the coast.

She arrived and saw the great mouth of the cave where Ob lived. She knew of him; all Fleurians did, for he terrorized the people of the region. He was the last dragon; it was known. With courage in her heart, Imogen entered the cave and left it with Ob's horn on her saddle and his scales in her bag. What happened within, none shall ever know, for Imogen never spoke of it. Those who went to the cave after Ob's death found his bones where he had fell, the broken Lance of Sigvening where his neck had once been.

After being away for three years, Queen Imogen Wilem II of Flowers returned to Wilemberg, her tasks complete. The people through a great feast to mark her return, showering her in flowers and praise as she road into the city on Hyperbolia, his wings folded at his side. Upon sitting on her throne, she broke down into tears and wept, for great was the weight on her conscious.

Aftermath
Nine months after her return, Imogen had another vision. Now she stood upon the Mountain, her nails bloody and her feet swollen. The Lord of the Pierced Breast floated distant above her, higher on the peak. He spoke softly, "Thou hath completed thy Feats of Wisdom and Strength but there is still work to be done. For the Feats of the Body are eternal and thine life is far from over. Before thee are the hardest tasks; do not take a razor to thine head, do not drink of the wine of men, and do not loveth another as thy hath loved before and as thou loveth Me. Live long; guide thy people into Mine arms and live virtuously and thine shalt be the Kingdom of Pearls and thine earthly kingdom shalt be like dust in the hearth." Imogen awoke and wept.

Imogen ruled for the next six years without change. She was far more melancholy and sad in this time than before her journey, showing no interest in the affairs of her brothers or the births of their children. She became distant and reserved, often spending more time in prayer and Sanguinarium than on her throne. Her hair had grown so long it dragged upon the floor, so she began to fashion it into elaborate shapes upon her head. Her crown grew heavy upon her brow and those who saw her thought she was far older than twenty-three. In 77 A.E. she was locked inside the throne room with several high ranking members of her court who threatened her life if she were to not marry. She had them all executed, but decided to marry a man named Cedric Geraldsin. She loathed him, saw him as weak and cowardly, so she married him to continue her third feat.

Soon after her marriage in mid 77 A.E., she became pregnant. During her pregnancy, she had continuous dreams of climbing the Mountain which she recorded in her biography turned journal. In each, the Lord of the Pierced Breast floated higher above her as she neared the peak. In one of her final recorded dreams, she mentioned seeing a glimpse of the Gate of Pearls, but that with each dream her pregnant belly made it harder and harder to climb. Finally, in early spring of 76 A.E. Imogen gave birth to her only son, Frederick Wilem. Upon viewing him, she cried out it great pain and fell into a deep sleep. For nine hours she slept without being able to be roused, every kind of physician and magician came to rouse her, but none could. Finally, at the end of the ninth hour, she awoke and cried out:

"My Lord I hath failed thee! Mine breast is full of love and adoration, mine soul aches only for him! Ah, to see thy Gate, to glimpse inside thy Kingdom. Mine heart, mine heart! I did it only for Thee!"

She died directly after; she was twenty-four.

Imogen failed her Third Feat: to never love another again. She was overcome with the love of her son and for it, she died. She never managed to enter the Gate of Pearls or to claim her heavenly kingdom. Imogen II died a saint, but also a failure.

Legacy and Controversy
The Nine Feats of Imogen II are somewhat controversial in current times. Those outside of Fleur view them as holy but non-important acts of semi-myth and allegory applied to an otherwise wise but cold monarch who's rule was largely unimportant. They recognize Imogen II as a saint but as a lesser one; someone of little importance. Those in Fleur see her as a hero and a tragic tale of loss and suffering while others see her story as a lie fabricated to make an otherwise insignificant ruler important by the Justainians. They view Imogen's story as propaganda to support the southern religion.

Either way, the legacy of Imogen II lives on through artwork, folk tales, and religious teachings. A small church, the Cathedral of the Nine Feats, in Wilemberg has followers who still practice her feats, especially those of the body, and emulate her other's on special days. Holeaum 15th is her Saint's Day and the day of her death.