THE CHAMPION: FOR THE LAYMAN
William, an innocent and energetic young man in his early 20s, finds himself thrust into a medieval-modern fantasy world. In the hotel/castle Regency-Complacency, William meets Meg Musique, a beautiful young chambermaid, and falls instantly in love. William discovers that there are going to be several contests soon held to determine the next Champion to the Queen of the land. In a bid to impress and win the affection of Meg, William decides to compete.

During a series of increasingly zany contests during which William meets and is assisted by many characters of assorted species, race, and temperament, William soon is on track to become Champion. However, as William focuses on winning the contests, he begins to forget his true goal: winning and keeping the affection of Meg. Meg and William grow further and further apart. William becomes Champion, only to discover that a heartbroken Meg has already left the Regency-Complacency.

William is Champion, but it is a hollow victory without Meg. As he completes task after task and quest after quest for the Queen, William's heart slowly breaks. The Queen takes pity and sends William on a final quest-- to find his love, and never let her go. . .

THE CHAMPION: FULL SYNOPSIS
In a spacious and bustling transport terminal reverberating P.A. announcements compete to herald the arrival of diverse characters from remote regions of space and time. Travelers are met, and in a short while the terminal clears until only one party remains, a group who, as evidenced by the sign held in their midst, await Prologue. Prologue arrives at last, disheveled and a bit disoriented. As he unsuccessfully attempts to answer his waiting-party’s myriad questions, the terminal transforms into the lobby of the Regency-Complacency, a medieval sort of affair, and Prologue and company change into staff or guests therein. 

After a wearing day-long search, William, a young publishing-house employee on leave,  miraculously finds accommodations at the Regency-Complacency. He checks in and is about to ascend the stairs to his suite when The Laughing Cloud, cumulous and humorous, accompanied by his female-cloud entourage, The Wisps, dramatically descends through the skylight of the lobby’s vaulted ceiling. The Laughing Cloud assures the crowd that, though he’s “a portent of importance,” he’s “not puffed up about it at all” and is totally benign. He chats with William, and, taking paternal interest in the young man, watches over him henceforth. William is shown to his suite by the bell-captain, Maurice (formerly Prologue), wherein William encounters his chambermaid, Meg Musique, with whom he instantly falls in love. 

By pick of the draw, another chambermaid is selected Queen of the May, an anything but frivolous distinction at the Regency-Complacency, where for a full year she will reign supreme. A series of as yet unannounced contests will determine the Queen’s Champion—“The Persuasion of the Hens,” “The Moat Race,” “The Grappling Contest,” “The Lifting Contest,” and “The Limerick Contest.” Come what may, William decides to compete in order to impress Meg Musique. Unfortunately, with each day of exciting tournament battle, he more and more forgets Meg and his alleged purpose for winning. 

Meg tries repeatedly to have William understand that his becoming Champion is not requisite to the success of their relationship. Essential only, she wants him to realize, is their loving attention toward one another, and their mutual respect. Caught up in his ambition, William, however, seems not to see or hear her. Yes, he finally does comprehend Meg’s message, but far too late, only after learning that the heartbroken young woman has packed her bag and slipped away from the Regency-Complacency to find employment elsewhere.  

Having vanquished all opposition and now instated Champion, William finds little joy in the title without Meg Musique. He serves his Queen faithfully, succeeding in procuring the rarest of treasures for her in the most impossible of quests. His evident unhappiness, however, not unnoted by Her Majesty, moves the Queen to assign William one final quest. He is to go forth to reclaim his own treasure and is never to lose her again. William gratefully sets forth on his mission. 

Maurice (now the royal confidante) is deeply touched by the Queen’s compassion for William. Her Highness proposes marriage to Maurice, and Maurice accepts. 

His leave just ending, William pokes his head in at work, the offices of McLeod Publishing. There, he is introduced to a lovely new hire, a woman he feels he must have encountered somewhere, sometime, before in the past . . . .