diff --git a/docs/brand-design-language.md b/docs/brand-design-language.md
index bdca745..065dc21 100644
--- a/docs/brand-design-language.md
+++ b/docs/brand-design-language.md
@@ -139,15 +139,15 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"]
 ```
 
 Inside that scope the identity changes deliberately: **Georgia serif** for
-article body at `1.04rem / 1.72`, a near-black-violet ground, and its own
-cobalt-and-amber accent set. Its ground radials' alphas are base values
+article body at `1.04rem / 1.72`, and its own cobalt-and-amber accent set.
+The essays sit on their own near-black-violet ground with no sheet; sections
+are separated by cobalt and amber rules; PREPRINT, WORKING PAPER and the page
+number are mono labels. Its ground radials' alphas are base values
 multiplied by `--gamecult-wash`, like the site ground's.
 
 | Token | Value |
 |---|---|
 | `--ritual-paper-bg` | `#050614` |
-| `--ritual-paper-sheet` | `#06091d` |
-| `--ritual-paper-panel` | `#111a49` |
 | `--ritual-paper-ink` | `#f1f4ff` |
 | `--ritual-paper-muted` | `#bac4ff` |
 | `--ritual-paper-faint` | `#7a84c5` |
diff --git a/site/quartz/styles/custom.scss b/site/quartz/styles/custom.scss
index 8b39e19..ee1439f 100644
--- a/site/quartz/styles/custom.scss
+++ b/site/quartz/styles/custom.scss
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/small-ritual-of-reach"],
 body[data-slug="Blog/week-of-nonconsensual-access"],
 body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
   --ritual-paper-bg: #050614;
-  --ritual-paper-sheet: #06091d;
-  --ritual-paper-sheet-2: #0a0620;
-  --ritual-paper-panel: #111a49;
-  --ritual-paper-panel-2: #20145a;
   --ritual-paper-ink: #f1f4ff;
   --ritual-paper-muted: #bac4ff;
   --ritual-paper-faint: #7a84c5;
@@ -110,24 +106,8 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
 
   .ritual-paper-page {
     position: relative;
-    margin: 0 0 2rem;
-    padding: clamp(1.45rem, 3.4vw, 3.25rem);
-    border: 1px solid rgba(174, 189, 210, 0.2);
-    border-radius: 8px;
-    background:
-      linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(233, 245, 255, 0.018) 1px, transparent 1px),
-      radial-gradient(circle at 92% 8%, rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.035), transparent 22rem),
-      radial-gradient(circle at 12% 12%, rgba(49, 88, 255, 0.055), transparent 24rem),
-      linear-gradient(180deg, var(--ritual-paper-sheet), var(--ritual-paper-sheet-2));
-    background-size: 32px 32px, auto;
-    box-shadow:
-      0 28px 72px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.42),
-      0 0 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.03) inset,
-      0 1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06) inset;
-  }
-
-  .ritual-paper-page-cover {
-    padding-top: clamp(1.8rem, 3.6vw, 4rem);
+    margin: 0 0 2.6rem;
+    padding: 0;
   }
 
   .ritual-paper-page::before {
@@ -135,11 +115,7 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
     position: absolute;
     top: 1rem;
     right: 1rem;
-    padding: 0.24rem 0.55rem;
     color: rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.92);
-    border: 1px solid rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.36);
-    border-radius: 999px;
-    background: rgba(220, 85, 36, 0.12);
     font-family: "IBM Plex Mono", Consolas, monospace;
     font-size: 0.68rem;
     letter-spacing: 0.18em;
@@ -148,8 +124,6 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
   .ritual-paper-page:not(.ritual-paper-page-cover)::before {
     content: "WORKING PAPER";
     color: rgba(233, 245, 255, 0.9);
-    border-color: rgba(49, 88, 255, 0.36);
-    background: rgba(49, 88, 255, 0.12);
   }
 
   article h1 {
@@ -273,24 +247,15 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
   article blockquote {
     position: relative;
     margin: 1.35rem 0;
-    padding: 1rem 1.2rem 1rem 1.35rem;
-    border: 1px solid rgba(49, 88, 255, 0.2);
+    padding: 0.2rem 0 0.2rem 1.35rem;
     border-left: 0.22rem solid rgba(220, 85, 36, 0.82);
-    border-radius: 6px;
-    background:
-      radial-gradient(circle at 100% 0%, rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.08), transparent 38%),
-      linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(17, 26, 73, 0.94), rgba(8, 11, 35, 0.94));
-    box-shadow: inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.035);
   }
 
   article blockquote::before {
     content: "quoted protocol";
-    position: absolute;
-    top: -0.62rem;
-    left: 0.95rem;
-    padding: 0 0.35rem;
+    display: block;
+    margin-bottom: 0.4rem;
     color: var(--ritual-paper-faint);
-    background: var(--ritual-paper-panel);
     font-family: "IBM Plex Mono", Consolas, monospace;
     font-size: 0.62rem;
     letter-spacing: 0.09em;
@@ -313,12 +278,9 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
 
   .ritual-paper-abstract {
     margin: 0.9rem 0 2rem;
-    padding: 1.2rem 1.35rem;
-    border: 1px solid rgba(96, 119, 255, 0.56);
-    border-radius: 6px;
-    background:
-      radial-gradient(circle at 92% 8%, rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.12), transparent 28%),
-      linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(17, 26, 73, 0.96), rgba(32, 20, 90, 0.9), rgba(220, 85, 36, 0.14));
+    padding: 1rem 0;
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--ritual-paper-rule);
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--ritual-paper-rule);
   }
 
   .ritual-paper-abstract p {
@@ -329,15 +291,11 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
   .ritual-paper-method-card,
   .ritual-paper-results-strip {
     margin: 1.35rem 0;
-    border: 1px solid rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.42);
-    border-radius: 6px;
-    background:
-      radial-gradient(circle at 100% 0%, rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.1), transparent 32%),
-      linear-gradient(135deg, rgba(17, 26, 73, 0.92), rgba(220, 85, 36, 0.16));
   }
 
   .ritual-paper-method-card {
-    padding: 1rem 1.1rem;
+    padding: 0.8rem 0 0;
+    border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.42);
   }
 
   .ritual-paper-method-card p {
@@ -349,6 +307,8 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
     grid-template-columns: repeat(4, minmax(0, 1fr));
     gap: 0;
     overflow: hidden;
+    border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.42);
+    border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.42);
   }
 
   .ritual-paper-results-strip span {
@@ -434,20 +394,12 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
   }
 
   .ritual-paper-page-number {
-    min-width: 2.25rem;
-    padding: 0.32rem 0.5rem;
-    color: #080712;
-    border: 1px solid rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.62);
-    border-radius: 999px;
-    background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--ritual-paper-orange), var(--ritual-paper-yellow));
+    color: var(--ritual-paper-yellow);
     font-family: "IBM Plex Mono", Consolas, monospace;
     font-size: 0.74rem;
     font-weight: 700;
     line-height: 1;
     text-align: center;
-    box-shadow:
-      0 0 22px rgba(255, 178, 30, 0.24),
-      0 0 34px rgba(49, 88, 255, 0.12);
   }
 
   @media all and (min-width: 1120px) {
@@ -490,8 +442,6 @@ body[data-slug="Blog/witness-authoritative-networking"] {
 
     .ritual-paper-page {
       margin-bottom: 1.15rem;
-      padding: 1.25rem;
-      border-radius: 0;
     }
 
     .ritual-paper-page::before {