When Cynthia and Mary show up to collect Cynthia's inheritance from her deceased grandfather, the only item she's received is an antique sword that he believed to be proof that the South won the Civil War. The two attempt to unload the object to a curmudgeonly pawnshop owner Mel and his man-child sidekick Nathaniel. When Mel and Nathaniel discover there's a black market for the relic, the two pairs reluctantly join forces to sell this rarefied 'prover item' to the highest bidder. The adventure that ensues takes the four of them on a wild journey into the depths of conspiracy theory and Southern disillusionment.