I think all feats require a heroquest, but the "normal" feats are learned through quests that are known and reasonably routine to perform. They may even be "modules" of the main myths of your deity that you perform every year at least anyway, just that you are given instruction on when to step forward and what to do then.
"Other" feats are either based off of myths (or secret parts of myths) that are not well known, and/or quests that are very hard to do without the right starting point and regalia, and those are controlled by specefic temples.
So for examples:
To learn the Issaries feat "Talk Faster" you have to go to the temple of Issaries Three-Word in Karse. They swear you to secrecy about the relevant myth, then teach it to you. It is actually quite easy, during the myth of Harst and the Three Beans, when the Blue Squirrel turns to leave after failing to get the beans from you, there are certain things you must quickly say and others that you must offer him, and in return he'll give you the third stripe. Afterwards you'll have a scar down your back and know the Talk Faster feat.
To learn Redalda's "find food under snow" feat you have to go the temple of Redalda Sky Horse on the flanks of Kero Finn. All of Redalda's followers know the basics of how she led her family, two and four legged, to the secret pasture on Kero Finn during the darkness, and how for some time they stayed safe there and helped support Elmal. But normally the quest is extraordinarily difficult. However starting from this temple you can safely make it to Redalda's secret pasture during the chaos age, which is otherwise perilous to get to. They will loan you Harvald's Coat, which should let you survive Inora's attack without too much damge, and so let you graze the secret pasture where it is buried under the snow. Afterwards you'll retain that feat.
Regards;
--Bryan
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