Pen & Paper Bullshit

Fashion Week: an important event in New York City, where thousands from the fashion industry flock to the city to a week of glitz and glamour. Unfortunately, sometimes things take a bizarre turn and the members of the Speedwagon Foundation's Stand Squad must be called in to deal with some rogue Stand users.

Then, the party sits down for a much needed fireside chat. Hugh and Blaze come to, if not an understanding of each other, at least an awareness that the other is not a terrible person. Dawn and Hugh discuss magic and its origins.

The party has decided that the problem of Southwold must be addressed; the people are magical bombs and walking ley lines and, without some kind of check on them, they could easily be turned into living weapons by the Empire or exploited by the Free Cities to bring war to the continent. The solution, then, is to use the ruins of the spires for their own purposes. Will such a risky plan work? Well, it can't be worse than what's already happening, surely!

The cell is tasked with assassinating an inspiring and, more importantly, effective guard captain in Red Row; Captain Zeno has been organizing the Red Row guards into an effective fighting force to stop the riots, which goes against the Ministry's current plans for Spire. Will the cell kill the captain or will they be found out?

The gang prepares for their third heist in as many sessions, though this heist is a little bit different: this time they have to conduct a complex religious ritual to summon the Speaker in Light, all in the middle of a massive cathedral full of guards and priests. Should be easy.

The members of the second cell are in hot water, as the Ministry is less than pleased with the assassination of Lord Faeceran and its effect on the Red Row Riots. Still, they were able to complete their primary mission goal without being seen, so they are grudgingly given some time off while Ministry's plans change and adapt to the ongoing situation. Told to lay low, the group does just that, with the notable exception of Sprig, who is too nice for their own good.

The furthest Imperial outpost is the small town of Southwold, just on the edge of the Little Sea and the Wastes; until recently, it was a staging ground for the Ebon Gauntlet's incursions into the Temple of the White, where kobolds and other prisoners could be brought in for the work program. Now, Southwold is something much weirder and much more dangerous, as Teus' chickens come home to roost.

Following a riot and a murder, the cell is advised by the Ministry to take some time off and lay low. Of course, the group immediately gets on with their lives, as they work to remove some of the stress caused by kicking off a massive riot in Red Row. Not everything goes as planned.

Following their flawless heist, the party decides to keep the ball rolling with another heist, this time one even more flawless than the last! This time, they have to steal some priceless artifacts needed for the ritual described in the Scrolls of Light, from a museum they've already visited; with them, they can finally steal/kill/eat the Speaker in Light.

The Ministry has more than one cell, with each one being situated for certain, vital work; some are used as blunt instruments, like a hammer, while others are more subtle, like a dagger. This is the tale of one such cell, one shrouded in shadows.