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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks for your interest! I would love to hear what you think. It’s a very open-ended story gaming experience. I tried to dissect what makes Le Guin’s Hainish stories tick - layered world building, peaceful exploration, etc. Give it a go and share the world you create!

Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · 1d

Thanks Gene for repping Emissary! DMV folks, come out to @peoplesbooktakoma.com on Saturday 10/18 to check it out!

Sticky Doodler @stickydoodler.bsky.social · 1d

Once you start going to local tabletop design events you start realizing how many people make games, some right in your own hometown. @playsamovar.bsky.social is someone I'm delighted to share a neighborhood with. Come check out his love letter to Ursula Le Guin's Hainish cycle:
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Indie & Local Tabletop Games Fair
featuring Samovar Games
Emissary: A story game inspired by Ursula Le Guin's Hainish Cycle
📆 Sat, Oct 18
🕛 12-5pm
📍 People's Book, Takoma Park MD

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · 5d

I finally finished @stickydoodler.bsky.social’s Bonsai Diary. Truly a mind-expanding experience to think forward six generations, especially in this moment that is so steeped in despair.

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · 8d

October 18, People’s Book in Takoma Park! Hear from the creator of Fluxx and many more. Buy local board games, card games, roleplaying games, and zones!

People's Book @peoplesbooktakoma.com · 23d

🚨 Alert! Games! Alert! 🚨

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Reposted by Ben (he/him) {samovar games}

Chris, Junk Food Games @junkfoodgames.bsky.social · 19d

Indie Tabletop Day at Pure Panic Comics and Games is in just over a week!

Games, vending, panels!

Sept 28th!

Silver Spring, MD

Check out the deets in the link below and sign up to play some games.

Tell your friends!

www.designedinthedmv.org/indie-tablet...

Indie Tabletop Day!

Green Intern Games Hartly Samovar Games StickerDoodle Games

www.designedinthedmv.org

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Sep 8

Great game!!

Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 26

Come check out our little mini-convention with vendors, panels, and game demonstrations highlighting locally-designed tabletop roleplaying games!! There is so much creativity going on #DesignedInTheDMV

Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 24

! @ipr.bsky.social is selling Emissary at PAX West, bringing this game to the PNW, home of Le Guin’s worldbuilding.

Also #DesignedintheDMV stuff by @goblinmixtape.bsky.social, @scryptidgames.bsky.social, @tomahawkbunny.bsky.social (who did I miss?)

www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/PAX-We...

PAX West 2025 :: IPR

Indie Press Revolution (IPR) is a direct sales network of quality independent publishers, dedicated to bringing you the best of small press tabletop roleplaying and storytelling games.

www.indiepressrevolution.com

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 22

I’m playing thru this currently in little installments and it’s truly a joy! A meditative practice!

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 22

I’m so digging it! The fact that so many of the mechanics rely on telling a little tale makes it feel unique. It shines the spotlight on players and reminds me a bit of a straight-up tale-telling experience like Baron Munchausen.

Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 8

Nice haul!

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 8

Ala at pure panic put me on to a limited series horror/mystery comic called The Nice House on the Lake that I ate up. He’s got good recs! What did he suggest to you?

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Aug 6

I’ve been toying with a room-by-room exploration game idea recently so of course I had to try out Moon Rings by @junkfoodgames.bsky.social! I loved my journey and the story that emerged. Shout out to the Madame Zostra figurine from Betrayal at House on the Hill for being my Witch.

Cards and paper on a table, showing a game of Moon Rings.

A small plastic figurine of a woman in a blue dress.

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jul 31

Emissary is now available on @ipr.bsky.social!!

www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Emissa...

You are a visitor. A lit match thrown into a world of tinder.

Tell your own story of discovery, diplomacy, and dialogue in the style of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Hainish cycle.

#GenCon #TTRPG #zine

Emissary: A Story Game Inspired by Ursula K. Le Guin

YouTube video by Ben Glickstein

m.youtube.com

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jul 31

So exciting!! Emissary is on @ipr.bsky.social!!

🪐👽✨

Indie Press Revolution @ipr.bsky.social · Jul 30

New!

Emissary is a GM-less storytelling game for 3-5 players, and a love letter to Ursula K. Le Guin's Hainish Cycle.

www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Emissa...

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jul 30

Sadly Emissary didn’t make it into IPR’s system soon enough to make it to GenCon, but they’ll have 184(!!) indie games including a bunch #DesignedintheDMV! Check them out below:

Indie Press Revolution @ipr.bsky.social · Jul 28

Here's the list of 184 products from 108 of our member publishers we'll have in #Booth449 at #GenCon2025, including a link to download
a 36 page PDF or ePub with short descriptions of all of them, in case you wanted a little travel reading.
www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Gen-Co...

Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jul 19

For Emissary's BxW illustrations, the wonderful Nick Bosworth helped conjure the feeling of simultaneously *exploring* and *imagining* a world. His solid, anonymous figures interact with loose, sketchy environments that feel like they're still being drafted.

A figure with headphones gestures toward a sunflower

A figure lies face down next to a spilled basket of mushrooms

Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jul 12

100 copies packed up and shipped to @ipr.bsky.social! I can’t wait for Emissary to reach retailers all over the country!

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Reposted by Ben (he/him) {samovar games}

Josh Heath @highlevelgames.bsky.social · Jul 2

Hey #ttrpg land.

#PbtA fans.

#gamers

Our game is nearly funded. $305 away from our $10,000 goal.

I think this game is amazing and so do most people who have read the manuscript (everyone who's told me says they like it)

Come join us?

www.kickstarter.com/projects/hig...

May I Enter: A Vampire Game

Play vampires inspired by the question: May I Enter?

www.kickstarter.com

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jun 29

I’m honored to be involved in such a fantastic lineup. Buy local games! Thanks @junkfoodgames.bsky.social for all your hard work on this.

Sticky Doodler @stickydoodler.bsky.social · Jun 29

New ♦️🎲 Designed in the DMV 🎲♦️ Catalog just dropped!

ft games designed by residents of DC - MD - VA

Retailers: Order our games and let customers browse the catalog
Gamers: Find our games at your friendly local game, book, or comic shop!

youtu.be/US1u3gKAHWQ

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June 28, 2025

YouTube video by StickyDoodler

youtu.be

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Reposted by Ben (he/him) {samovar games}

Sticky Doodler @stickydoodler.bsky.social · Jun 29

New ♦️🎲 Designed in the DMV 🎲♦️ Catalog just dropped!

ft games designed by residents of DC - MD - VA

Retailers: Order our games and let customers browse the catalog
Gamers: Find our games at your friendly local game, book, or comic shop!

youtu.be/US1u3gKAHWQ

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June 28, 2025

YouTube video by StickyDoodler

youtu.be

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Ben (he/him) {samovar games} @playsamovar.bsky.social · Jun 29

Packed Emissary demo night at @fantomcomics.bsky.social

I’m always a joyful bundle of nerves when people engage with something I wrote!

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Reposted by Ben (he/him) {samovar games}

Sticky Doodler @stickydoodler.bsky.social · Jun 4

The Bonsai Diary is now live on Kickstarter.
Grow a tree with pen and ink
and play to find out: What does it mean to leave a legacy?
💚
It's a meditative and tranquil drawing and journaling experience. Please consider backing it:
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sti...

the Bonsai Diary

Find tranquility with this meditative draw-and-journal game.

www.kickstarter.com

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Reposted by Ben (he/him) {samovar games}

Lyme @lymerpg.bsky.social · May 26

Last month, I convinced two game stores to stock local indie RPGs by walking in and showing them the catalog we put together at #DesignedintheDMV. At this point every major DC-area game store east of the Potomac stocks local games. If you make games in a different city, you can do the same thing!

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Reposted by Ben (he/him) {samovar games}

Lyme @lymerpg.bsky.social · May 12

Gene is a class act and I really hope this succeeds.

Sticky Doodler @stickydoodler.bsky.social · May 12

I'm launching the Kickstarter for The Bonsai Diary on Monday, May 26. It's my very first crowdfund; please give it a follow 👀
I'd also love to give you a copy, show up on your podcast, or otherwise promote why everyone should have a little tree of their own 🌲
www.kickstarter.com/projects/sti...

Coming soon: the Bonsai Diary

Find tranquility with this meditative draw-and-journal game.

www.kickstarter.com

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