Miracle of Agnes VonStrupp
The Miracle of Agnes VonStrupp refers to an event in 1142 where the spirit of Wang Sorenson briefly returned to earth.
Origins
Agnes VonStrupp was a middle class housewife in a remote village in what is now Lithuania. As preparations for celebrating Wangzaah approached, her husband, an unknown shoe peddler, was killed when he stumbled upon an impromptu swordfight in the town square. Without her husband's shoe peddling income, Agnes had no way of purchasing presents for each of her seven children. She had already purchased a feathered stick from a local toy vendor for her eldest son, Gunter VonStrupp, and felt somewhat guilty that her other six children would receive no gifts. She devised a plan to keep her children home for the entirety of December in the hopes they wouldn't figure out which day they were supposed to receive gifts until such time that she was able to earn extra money.
On the morning of December 24 (Wangzaah was traditionally held on December 23), her youngest daughter, Amelia VonStrupp, decided something was up and confronted her mother. Agnes assured her daughter that everything was fine and that she had a huge surprise planned, but didn't want to spoil it. Amelia didn't quite buy it, but Agnes assured her that if she kept quiet, Wang would bring her the best gift of all.
Agnes then fled to a nearby city in a panic, trying to find some way to purchase gifts for her children. After looking for work in a bulletin, she met with an unnamed nobleman at a nearby boarding house. After their business was concluded, the nobleman asked her why she was so troubled. Agnes burst into tears and wailed that she was misleading her seven children because she could only afford one gift after the death of her husband. The nobleman took pity on her and said:
"If thou layest thine feathered stick upon ye fireplace this eve and each eve hereafter as many as ye have children, upon the morn, ye shall find Wang hast delivered upon you a gift. In seven days' time, ye shall have enough gifts for thine children."
Agnes thanked the man for his assistance and rushed home. She placed the feathered stick she purchased for Gunter on the hearth before bed. The next morning, Agnes woke up and discovered a gift by the fireplace. Praising Wang's name, she told her children of the miracle and gave the gift to her first-born, Angie VonStrupp. Each night after, she placed the stick on the hearth and was rewarded with a gift the following morning until December 31st, when all her children were rewarded with gifts. Also, the miracle had left her with some extra pocket change to buy Amelia a nice doll so that Amelia wouldn't ask questions.
Agnes told the mayor of her town about the miracle. While initially not believing her story, the mayor became a convert when he was unable to locate the mysterious nobleman. The mayor and Agnes were convinced that the mysterious nobleman was the spirit of Wang come unto her in her time of need.
Orthodox Wangism
As soon as she was old enough to move out, Agnes's daughter Amelia told everyone that her mother was making it all up. Amelia stated that there was nothing wrong with how her mother got her money, she simply resented that her mother lied about it because "such a lie is contrary to the spirit of Wang, as Wang was very open about sexuality." Only a small percentage of Wangites listened to her as the rest had come to enjoy getting the extra gifts.
Amelia became the founder of what we now know as Orthodox Wangism, which does not recognize the Miracle of Agnes VonStrupp.
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