Sandra Gray
sandragray@rica.net
copyright 1999 Sandra Gray

Final Exam


Part A: Skeleton of source material:

This is a beartrap plot.

1. Powerful antag wants a valuable treasure. Only a certain person
   can get it. Protag is that person. Protag, who is poor but
   honorable, rescues and falls in love with a woman above his
   station.
2. 1/4 point - Antag discovers protag is the person who can get
   the treasure. Antag captures protag.
3. Because antag wants protag's help to get treasure, antag poses
   as an old fellow prisoner and helps him escape, in return for
   protag's help in getting the treasure. Protag sees the possibility
   of becoming rich and impressing woman he loves.
4. Middle point - Protag gets the treasure. Antag tries to kill
   protag for it, but fails. Protag is trapped beyond antag's reach
   with no apparent way out.
5. Protag uses the treasure to escape. He uses it to impress the
   woman he loves, masquerading as someone of her station.
6. 3/4 point - Because antag has lost treasure, he now wants to marry
   the woman as she comes from a powerful family. Viewing the protag
   as a threat to his plans, he tries to kill the protag.
7. Protag escapes death with the help of the treasure.
8. Antag discovers protag is really the poor person and has the
   treasure. Antag steals the treasure from the protag and uses it
   to gain power over the woman and her family. He exposes the protag
   as a fraud and sends him far away.
9. Protag returns and defeats the antag, regains the treasure, and
   marries the woman.

EXTRA CREDIT:

A theif struggles against an evil lord to save a kingdom and gain the
heart of the woman he loves.


Part B: Write one or two short scenes that open Chapter One in
full blown prose.

EXTRA CREDIT: using style

Seal of Fortune

 1. Lord Wilhelm stumbled on the debris on the floor and let out a
    curse. "Hold the candle closer, fool," he barked to his servant.
    Squinting in the flickering light, he scanned the dusty leather
    tomes on the shelves before him. "Aha!" He lifted a book down
    from a shelf and carried it over to a wood table. His servant
    hurried before him and swept the table clean of the other withered
    books that lay upon it. A cloud of dust arose, making Lord Wilhelm
    cough. He cursed again. His servant trembled in fear, causing
    the candlelight to shiver. "Put that candle on the table before
    it goes out," snapped Lord Wilhelm. The man obeyed.

 2. Lord Wilhelm sat on a stool and opened the book. This had to be
    the book he sought, the key to where the Seal, which granted its
    bearer the rulership of Uster Kingdom, was located. He turned the
    brittle pages as quickly as he dared. He yelped in delight when
    he saw the drawing of the Seal, then frowned at the poem beneath
    the picture. "What nonsense is this?" He read the poem aloud,
    and with increasing frustration. He slapped the table. "I can
    make no sense of this."

 3. "Begging my lord's pardon, but the poem does seem a riddle."

 4. "I know that, Stoffer."

 5. "Since the Seal be hidden, mayhap we need a thief to figure out the
    riddle."

 6. "A thief? We'd need one with good brains as well as good hands--"
    He stopped short. "Are you suggesting the Night Slider?"

 7. "Yes, my lord."

 8. Lord Wilhelm rose. "Impossible. No one can catch him, let alone
    make him do anyone's will."

 9. The servant coughed. "Begging my lord's pardon, but he does have
    one weakness."

10. "The Lady Gallamere." Lord Wilhelm had heard how the lady had been
    rescued from brigands by a mysterious man in black who was reasoned
    to be the Night Slider. "Hmm, you may have an idea, Stoffer."

11. The pudgy servant smiled.

#

12. The Night Slider gazed at the castle of the Lady Gallamere and
    sighed. He looked up at the full moon. It had been full when last
    he had seen her. The moonlight had glinted on the lady's curled
    blonde hair and azure eyes.

13. It was dangerous to be this close. Someone might see him. But
    this night there was a ball at the King's castle and Dar was
    determined that the lady he loved would reach there safely. He
    concealed himself deeper in the shadows at the edge of the forest.
    Before long, a carriage left the castle grounds.

14. Dar tugged the reins of his dark horse and followed the carriage,
    keeping a safe distance. But as he had feared, a small band of
    brigands attacked the carriage as it passed through the darkest
    part of the forest. Dar drew his sword and rode to the rescue.

15. Only to find the brigands joined by mounted guards. Although he
    fought fiercely, Dar was overpowered and captured.

16. All for the love of a woman he knew he could never have.


Part C: Write the rest of the novel in outline form.

1. Dar is imprisoned in Lord Wilhelm's castle dungeon.

2. 1/4 point - Lord Wilhelm disguises himself as an old fellow prisoner
   and helps Dar escape, in return for Dar's help in getting the Seal
   and a treasure. Dar sees the possibility of becoming rich enough to
   give up thieving and impressing Lady Gallomere.

3. Middle point - Dar finds the Seal and the treasure in a cave.
   Wilhelm tries to kill Dar for it, but fails, causing an avalanche
   in the process that seals the cave, trapping Dar inside. Wilhelm
   is left on the outside. Dar despairs of escaping.

4. Dar escapes the cave with the Seal and some treasure. He uses the
   treasure to disguise himself and masquerade as a person of Lady
   Gallamere's station (one "Lord Aston").

5. 3/4 point - Because Wilhelm has lost the Seal, he now wants to marry
   Lady Gallamere to gain more power through her higher-placed family.
   Viewing Lord Aston as a threat, he tries to have him killed.

6. Dar escapes death.

7. Wilhelm discovers Aston is Dar and has the Seal. Wilhelm steals the
   Seal and exposes Dar as the thief Night Slider. He has Dar arrested.
   Wilhelm uses the Seal to cement power over Lady Gallomere, her family,
   and Uster Kingdom.

8. End - Dar escapes prison and leads a group to defeat Lord Wilhelm. He
   regains the Seal, becomes ruler of Uster Kingdom, and marries Lady
   Gallomere.