Novel Outline – Asoka

Plot
One Sentence Summary

Radhagupta joined Asoka to end the Rebellion, he later proves himself in combat and helps
Asoka gain the throne by killing Susima, after which he succeeds the throne and later
converts to Buddhism.

One Paragraph Summary

Radhagupta one of the ministers of the late king of the Mauryan Empire, plotted to
usurp Susima, the heir-apparent to the throne and put Asoka, the half-brother of Susima as
the king. It was revealed that the reason that Radhagupta wanted Asoka to be the king was
because Susima was unfit to rule the kingdom and Asoka’s brahmin heritage was greater
than Susima’s. It later caused a civil war over who should be the rightful ruler, causing
civil wars to spark all throughout the kingdom, fanatics of the two disputed successor led
charges to obtain glory and victory for their pledged king. Later, victory was guaranteed
to Asoka caused by the assassination of the Susima. The throne was later secured by
Susima. He became king for four years ruling the kingdom in a cruel but efficient way, this
slowly influenced him to convert into a Buddhist and promote the spread of the religion all
over Ancient Asia. He was considered one of the greatest emperors of India.

One Page Summary

Describe your plot here in one page.

Chapter List

Chapter 1

The ones flourishing province of Taxila is plagued with rebels causing havoc and disarray
over the Mauryan Kingdom, The empire called forth their greatest warriors led by the son
of the king, Ashoka to end the down-trodden uprising. Ashoka in battle proved to be a great
warrior slicing down enemies and decimating his foes. Though, his brute might wasn’t
enough to defy the rioters. The sheer strength and numbers of Ashoka’s army was
insufficient to suppress the strategized guerrilla tactics of the uprisers. Suddenly, a horde
of Mauryan archers appeared and submitted to the command of the prince under orders of
the Empire. The archers let out waves of arrows raining down on their enemies, wringing
out their numbers.

Eventually, the rebels concocted a plan, compacting themselves side by side and shielding
themselves in a square to mimic the shell of tortoise, pikemen were inside the formation to
lunge to anyone trying to get near their formation. Slowly, the formation cut down the
empire’s archers reducing the weakened army’s soldiers more. Most of their elephants
were wounded and bleeding from the prolonged battle, the mighty large majestic elephants
brought the 35 elephants they brought, were hit in vital parts of their bodies, some even
lost limbs to strength of the rebels towers and ballistae, the 35 battle-ready elephants were
reduced into 12 with various injuries.

1
Ashoka felt devastation as he gazed upon his army, morale was low and he was running of
tactics. As he peered upon his soldiers he saw a glimpse of the future, the Mauryan Empire
conquering and flourishing under his rule. It brought him determination, the foresight of
what the future would hold brought resolve towards Ashoka, he called upon all his
commanders and asked for their reports on the status of his military and his opponents,
asking upon his commanders suggestions to turn the tide of the battle.

Most of his commanders asked for retreat, to fight another day and win the next battle but
willingly giving up this one. Some of the commanders suggested that they fight to the death
that the Brahmin would lead them to victory. Hearing the sides of his commanders, Ashoka
asked for solace, clearing his mind from all of the distractions to devise a plan that would
guarantee their success. His head full of doubts of wether he was a capable ruler, if he is
capable of living up to the name of his Father, the king and his Mother, a brahmin. The
thoughts conflicted his mind, dispute was plastered all over his face, He was amazing with
the sword but he was not ready for a full fledged battle with an army so savage.

A commander under his command, approached the meditating Ashoka. He introduced

himself as Radhagupta and suggested a plan that would turn the tides of his battle. Ashoka
disagreed from what Radhagupta proposed but the commander was persistent. Effortlessly
explaining his plan and its guarantee of victory. Ashoka asked why was Radhagupta too keen
on winning.

Radhagupta answered back that a king should be able to lead his men to victory. Ashoka
dismissed what Radhagupta said and went through with his plan. The victory of Ashoka
seemed to be guaranteed by the dwindling forces of the rebels. As Ashoka entered the city to
claim his right. The elder of the city approached Ashoka and they convened that they did not
oppose the emperor nor the king but instead oppose the oppressive ministers that brought
tragedy and distraught to the city. Later, as he was reconstructing the war-torn city a
messenger appeared before him, bearing bad news. His father was terribly ill and is
requesting an audience with the young prince. Distraught Ashoka accompanied by
Radhagupta, which he considers a valuable asset rushed over to the palace to see his ailing
father.

Chapter 2

In Takshila, not only was the young prince Ashoka there, but it housed the heir apparent,
Susima. The prince was the governor of Takshila, though due to the revolt of the oppressed
he was led to no other choice than to call help from the empire, who brought Ashoka to repel
the uprising. Ashoka succeeded in quelling the rebellion causing Susima much shame as he
the heir-apparent did not succeed in destroying the revolt but instead it was hindered by a
half-son and unfavoured son of the king, Ashoka. It caused internal conflicts to Susima who
was aggravated from the success of his illegitimate brother.

He called upon all of the Takshila’s subject and subjected those suspected to aid the revolt to
torture and cruelty. He personally whipped and lashed the children of the rebels and cut the
hands of those who fathered and mothered those revolutionaries. He was paranoid and
skeptical of those around him suspecting hem of aiding the rebellion causing him to jest and
torture even his advisors.

This caused much anger to his advisors, the cruelty of his jests and whim was too erratic for a
person in power. This caused most of his advisors to call upon ministers to destroy the
reputation of the heir-apparent and cost him the guarantee of the crown after his father’s
death. One of his father’s ministers went to Takshila to see the aftermath of the rebellion and
help with the reconstruction of the magnificent city. Susima sceptical of the advisor, followed

2
him and suspected him to be a traitor to him, believing that he supports another for the
throne. So In a moment where the minister was at arm’s length of Susima, he was slapped
down by the latter. The blood of the minister decorated the waxed shiny floor of the house of
the Governor.

Susima laughed and berated the minister, provoking him to fight back against the young
prince. The young prince even had the shame to announce that it was only for a jest, though
the seriousness of the bruise was more than enough to see there was killing intent from the
impact of the bruise. This set-in stone the fear of the minister’s, that if the prince could jest
on hurting important officials what more would he do to the citizens and even fear the notion
that the prince after his succession may even put them to sword on a simple whim.

This caused great trouble to the ministers, plans of usurpation and revolt surrounded
Susima. He later found out that a lot of the minister’s were planning to help Ashoka succeed
the throne but as he was about to make a move, a messenger rushed into his room
announcing that the king, his father is terribly ill and asks an audience with the heir-
apparent. This made Susima smile, he knew what would happen next, he will be the king
before the end of the new moon. He gathered his armies and those he trusted the most and
rushed to the palace to see for himself if the throne was about to be his.

Chapter 3
Summarise here.

Chapter 4
Summarise here.

Chapter 5
Summarise here.

Chapter 6
Summarise here.

Chapter 7
Summarise here.

Chapter 8
Summarise here.

Chapter 9
Summarise here.

Chapter 10
Summarise here.

Chapter 11
Summarise here.

Chapter 12
Summarise here.

Chapter 13
Summarise here.

Chapter 14
Summarise here.

3
Chapter 15
Summarise here.

Chapter 16
Summarise here.

Chapter 17
Summarise here.

Chapter 18
Summarise here.

Chapter 19
Summarise here.

Chapter 20
Summarise here.

Setting
Political context

Ancient India, where the past king, Bindusura died and wanted his apparent-heir,
Susima to succeed the empire. It later brought dispute between who should succeed the
throne cause the ministers backed up another with a claim to the throne, Asoka. The support
of the minister was due to the lack of restraint of Susima who insulted the ministers and the
fact that Asoka’s mother was a Brahmin (Priestess). This in turn led to a civil war for the
succession of the throne. This would be ruled by a political system of a Monarchy where a
there is a supreme leader the King and influenced by his ministers.

Social conventions

Ancient India, the caste system applies wherein, there are Brahmins or the Priests,
Kshatriyas or the Kings/Rulers and Warriors, Vaisyas or the Merchants, Craftsmans and
Landowners, Sudras or the Farmers and Laborers, and Dalits or the untouchables. This
system predominately influenced how the social system of India works. Where the
Brahmins are hailed as of the highest calibre and must be respected accordingly and the
those underneath are supposed to respect and serve them with unwavering loyalty.

Every-day life
List some key features of every-day life during your historical period that you would like to
include in your story.

4
Environment

Ancient India technology dominated the environment, Elephant riders and horse
archers were just some of the cavalry employed in the Ancient Indian army. Chariots were
used by commanders cause of its mobility. Infantries were used as fodder and really didn’t
have strategical formations often caused them to scatter about. Most weapons used by the
Infantry was lances and bucklers. Archers on the other hand had a unique weapon a bow
as tall as its archer, which was pressed on the ground and the foot was used to fire the
arrow. Turrets and towers also were part of Indian Warfare strategies used to house
archers to land blow against the distant enemies utilizing the defence offered by the towers
and the great position it gives.

Main Characters

Main: Radhagupta
Basic Details

An important character in the Narrative of Asoka. He helped fight the rebellion and
proved himself in battle to Asoka, he was later named minister of Asoka after his
succession.
Radhagupta, who played a major role in his victory and was appointed the Prime
Minster after Ashoka became the emperor.
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ashoka-6226.php
According to the Ashokavadnam Radhagupta was a son of prime minister who gave
gift to Ashoka a elephant when Bindusar wanted to know who will be the next king.
Radhagupta gave elephant as a gift when Ashoka proceed to  golden palace.

Physical Attributes
Bald, same age as Asoka – about 34 in beginning of story. Good at horse riding.
Back Story

Core Values
What are the character’s core values?

Aims and Motivations

He wants to be ally of asoka and raise asoka to throne. He is devout Brahmin and devotte
of the teacher Chanakya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya)
What is the character trying to achieve in the story and why?

Key Behaviours
What kind of behaviour does the character exhibit, e.g. are they shy, rude, gregarious?

Flaws
What are the character’s flaws?

5
External Conflicts
What are the character’s external conflicts? This includes conflicts with other characters.

Internal Conflicts
What internal conflicts does the character wrestle with in their own mind? He is a brahim
-jain and devoted. But also admire some buddhist monks

Key Relationships

Character Development
How does the character evolve throughout the story?

Reader Appeal
What keeps the reader interested in the character?

Number 2 character.Asoka

Basic Details
Asoka, son of the late king of the Mauryan Empire and of a Brahmin. He is the half-brother
of Susima who he eventually kills. Considered to be the one of India’s greatest emperors
and a great promoter of Buddhism in Ancient Asia.

Physical Attributes
Ugly with rough skin (describe skin). Hwoever he likes woman and has many lovers.
he was good at fighting since childhood and received royal military training. Besides,
he was also excellent at hunting, evident from his ability to kill a lion with only a
wooden rod.
He i

Back Story
He was appointed the Viceroy of Avanti province in 286 BC after suppressing the
uprising at Ujjain.

Core Values
What are the character’s core values?

Aims and Motivations

He wants to become king

Key Behaviours
What kind of behaviour does the character exhibit, e.g. are they shy, rude, gregarious?

Flaws
What are the character’s flaws?

External Conflicts
What are the character’s external conflicts? This includes conflicts with other characters.

6
Internal Conflicts
What internal conflicts does the character wrestle with in their own mind? He doesn’t
realiise it but he wants spiritual understanding.

Key Relationships
What are the character’s most important relationships in the story and how are they
tested?
His relationship with Radhagupta is important in the story, It show his trust
towards one of his supposed to be ministers and how he would help him to achieve his end-
goal.

Character Development
How does the character evolve throughout the story?

Reader Appeal
What keeps the reader interested in the character? His inner devlopment.

Susima

Basic Details

Susima was the heir-apparent to the throne. He is the antagonist of Asoka,

disputing over who should proceed as king of the Mauryan Empire. He was later killed by
Radhagupta at the end of Act 1. Susima was the eldest son of the second Mauryan emperor
Bindusara. Not only was Susima the crown prince, but also his mother was a princess as
opposed to Ashoka's mother, Subhadrangi, who was a Brahmin’s daughter. [4] All these facts
made Susima highly favourable in Bindusara’s eyes and also made him a strong contender for
his father's throne. In contrast, Ashoka's chances of succeeding Bindusara were pretty slim : his
mother was a Brahmin’s daughter and Bindusara is said to not be too fond of Ashoka but he
loved Ashoka’s mother the most amongst all his queens due to she was the most beautiful and
she had once saved Bindusara’s life which is another reason why Bindusara married
Subhadrangī.[citation needed] Susima is said to have 100 younger half brothers.

Physical Attributes
Height, body shape, eye colour, etc.

Back Story

Susima was the son of the late king, before the king’s death he was fighting to end a
rebellion in a province of India, but he was later recalled to the palace. There he found out
he was the Heir-apparent to the throne. Though due to his erratic and cruel nature where
he insults and aggravates his father’s ministers on a whim, it later caused trouble as it led
to the plotting of usurpation over his claim on the throne. It caused him to fight in a civil
war against his half-brother.

Core Values
What are the character’s core values?

Aims and Motivations

To become king of the Empire.

Key Behaviours

7
 Susima is rude and uncourteous, does actions on a jest, and loves to make other
people suffer.

Flaws
What are the character’s flaws?

External Conflicts
What are the character’s external conflicts? This includes conflicts with other characters.

Internal Conflicts
What internal conflicts does the character wrestle with in their own mind?

Key Relationships
What are the character’s most important relationships in the story and how are they
tested?

Character Development
How does the character evolve throughout the story?

Reader Appeal
What keeps the reader interested in the character?

Add more characters as applicable.

Secondary Characters
Chanakya
Basic Details
Name, where they come from, basic role in the story, etc.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chanakya

Physical Attributes
Height, body shape, eye colour, etc. Chanakya had an ugly appearance, accentuated by his
broken teeth and crooked feet

Back Story
What is the character’s background? What’s happened to them in the past? Asoka was born
in Aug 304 BC

Died : 232 BC

Bindusar was born on 320 BC

Died on 272 BC

Chanakya was born on 371 BC and

Died on 283 BC

So there is a probability of them meeting is quite high, but no such reference have been found.
Chanakya last served bindusara and then retired.

Chanakya served as the chief administrator of Chandragupta Maurya, he started adding small amounts
of poison in Chandragupta’s food so that he would get used to it. The aim of this was to prevent the

8
Emperor from being poisoned by enemies. One day the queen, Durdha, shared the food with the
Emperor while she was pregnant. Since she was not used to eating poisoned food, she died. Chanakya
decided that the baby should not die; hence he cut open the belly of the queen and took out the baby. A
drop (bindu in Sanskrit) of poison had passed to the baby’s head, and hence Chanakya named him
Bindusara.

Chanakya stayed as the administrator of Bindusara. Bindusara also had a minister named Subandhu
who did not like Chanakya. One day he told Bindusara that Chanakya was responsible for the murder of
his mother. Bindusara asked the nurses who confirmed this story and he became very angry with
Chanakya.

It is said that Chanakya, on hearing that the Emperor was angry with him, thought that anyway he was
at the end of his life. He donated all his wealth to the poor, widows and orphans and sat on a dung
heap, prepared to die by total abstinence from food and drink. Bindusara meanwhile heard the full story
of his birth from the nurses and rushed to beg forgiveness of Chanakya. But Chanakya would not
change his mind. Bindusara went back and vented his fury on Subandhu, and delivered a box to
Subhandu which was donated by Chanakya. When Subandhu opened the box, a poisonous gas came
out of the box and spread in the room. Because of the gas, Subandhu died on the spot. Thus Chanakya
took revenge even after his death.

Chanakya retired twice in his lifetime...first was voluntarily and then actively...

As per the history the ARTHASASTHRA was written in 4th Century BCE [i.e. 400 - 300 BC]...and before
started writing Chanakya voluntarily retired from Patlipurtra and made Amatya Rakshas the Prime
Minister of Chandragupta Mouriya, although he gave all the suggestions and hints to the rulers if they
seek any help from him.

It proves that even before the birth of Ashoka, Chanakya was not getting involved neither in daily affairs
of Mouryan Dynasty nor staying in the royal palace.

The last book of Chanakya was "CHANAKYA NEETI" which was written between the period of 321 BC &
296 BC... and after completion of this book Chanakya had taken the active retirement and started his
renounced life...

Ashoka met Chanakya, but he was a child of  08-10 years, when Chanakya left Patliputra. Later,
Chanakya retried and left his body. However, Chanakya's student Radhagupt was administrating the
kingdom during Ashoka's Rule.

The probability of them meeting is quite high. However we don't find any mention about their meeting
in Asoka's history

Aims and Motivations

What is the character trying to achieve in the story and why?

Key Behaviours
What kind of behaviour does the character exhibit, e.g. are they shy, rude, gregarious?

Flaws
What are the character’s flaws?

Conflicts

9
What conflicts does the character experience?

Bindusara
Basic Details
Name, where they come from, basic role in the story, etc.King and asokas father.

Physical Attributes
Height, body shape, eye colour, etc.

Back Story
What is the character’s background? What’s happened to them in the past?

Aims and Motivations

What is the character trying to achieve in the story and why?

Key Behaviours
What kind of behaviour does the character exhibit, e.g. are they shy, rude, gregarious?

Flaws
What are the character’s flaws?

Conflicts
What conflicts does the character experience?

Insert your third secondary character name here

Basic Details
Name, where they come from, basic role in the story, etc.

Physical Attributes
Height, body shape, eye colour, etc.

Back Story
What is the character’s background? What’s happened to them in the past?

Aims and Motivations

What is the character trying to achieve in the story and why?

Key Behaviours
What kind of behaviour does the character exhibit, e.g. are they shy, rude, gregarious?

Flaws
What are the character’s flaws?

Conflicts
What conflicts does the character experience?

Add more characters as applicable.

10