Grumphook and Gertrude

This 20 master plots book is organized rather rhythmically. Thus, following the rescue plot, is the escape plot.

I find it a little frustrating to have these core plots in mind as I compose each point, but not to see the evidence of such in the end. I suspect it’s the manufactured use of the plots from a list combined with my desire to do my own thang that causes the problems, but I ought to be able to adhere to the plan better I think.

The plot book indicates that in the first part our hero should be imprisoned, in the second planning her escape or making failed attempts, and in the third escaping. I’ll try not to make this sound like The Shawshank Redemption.

Theme

Setup – The passage and quartering of the king’s troops in a tiny mountain village leaves Gertrude, our stout matronly Mayor, little choice but to scour into dragon lands for food. A single dragon egg is said to be able to feed a army for months.

Hook

Plot Point 1 – Upset with the villages transgressions, Dragons surround the little mountain village. Grumphook is particularly upset since it’s her egg in question.

Pinch 1 – Grumphook discovers an early effort of some boys to escape and flames the terraced farmland.

Mid-point Twist – Gertrude discovers in an old text that dragons operate by a rigid code of ethics. From this she determines to challenge Grumphook to a dual.

Pinch 2 – Grumphook not only soundly defeats Gertrude but also informs her the book on dragon ethics was historical BS.

Lull – The dragons depart with no explaination. Initially elated the cautious villagers become confused and suspicious. Stockholm syndrome(?). Zoo syndrome(?).

Plot Point 2 – the dragons return with evidence of having slain the kings men, so no army will swoop in to save the village.

Conclusion – as in all great escape stories, they tunnel out. Duh.

348 words on day 643

The Fairy Plot

Rescue plot next. I’m told this requires a protagonist, and antagonist, and a victim. Much of this physical plot should play out in the realm of the antagonist.

Theme

Setup

Hook – Four colorful and great smelling fairies arrive to tell me I’ve got to come away with them to rescue my missing children.

Plot Point 1 – The fairies convince me of their realness and I finally believe my daughters have been abducted.

Pinch 1 – [antagonist] sends a flock of silver shouldered blackbirds to attack our troupe on the way to gain a special sword/shield/whatever.

Mid-point Twist – I discover my fairy traveling companions have been less honest with me than I thought. They abducted my children, but then had them stolen from them by [antagonist].

Pinch 2 – [antagonist] sends a troll to attack us and two of the four fairies are killed. And we lose our ability to track [antagonist’s] travel.

Lull – I’m pissed and drinking at a bar in Faerie.

Plot Point 2 – A patron points out that since I came voluntarily to Faerie I can’t return home with my daughters even if I rescue them.

Conclusion – I discover that none of this sounds like much of a rescue, but I don’t care since my headache is running the show at this point.

232 words on day 642

A Weird Semblance Thereof

I’m adding a ‘Setup’ item since the circumstances at PP1 need to know what came before them in order to make much sense.

Next up from my cheat sheet of master plots is Pursuit

Theme – Lying to your kids never goes well.

Setup – A former royal guard (think Special Forces-type), Conner has retired to the country to farm and raise a family. His meek ways don’t impress his son much at all.

Hook – A beast Conner had put down in his former life arrives at the farm to take its revenge, but Conner slips away with his son via a previously scouted escape route.

Plot Point 1 – Conner’s son is trapped in the narrow tunnel; Conner leaves him behind in expectation the beast will follow the man and not the boy. Of course, the son sees this as cowardice.

Pinch 1 – Having been chased over field and through forest the beast discovers Conner is without his son and leaves to find the son instead.

Mid-point Twist – Trying to find the beast and his son, Conner discovers his late wife was not the plain farmer girl he’d thought her. For some magical reason this makes Conner’s son special.

Pinch 2 – The beast captures Conner’s son but escapes Conner’s attack. Conner is rendered unconscious in the process.

Lull – Conner wakes in the home of the mysterious woman who cared for Conner’s son until his capture by the beast.

Plot Point 2 – The mysterious woman turns out to be Conner’s wife or a weird semblance there of.

Conclusion – The wife goes to save her son, the injured Conner follows her; Conner locates all three, kills the beast, loses his wife, and frees his son back. Despite being saved the son still isn’t much impressed overall.

310 words on day 641