Sci-Fi/Fantasy

GM Brendan will run a game of **Weird Heroes of Public Access**. Lights! Camera! Technical Difficulties! Action! In WHPA we'll play 80s-vibes small-town TV hosts taking on monsters or \ angry parent groups. New players welcome! No prep needed! **Where**: 1111 Belle Pre Way, Alexandria. Right across the laneway from Lost Dog. Looking for a place to play in-person RPGs and make new friends? Burnt out on internet D&D? Interested in trying games like Shadowdark and Dungeon Crawl Classics? Look no further than DMV RPG - Open Table! Whether you're a seasoned player or just getting started with tabletop role-playing, our group offers a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for all gamers to gather and embark on epic adventures together. From Dungeons & Dragons to sci-fi sagas, there's something for everyone here. Join us for regularly scheduled meetups, make new friends, and unleash your imagination in a fun and collaborative setting. Let the games begin! **Rules**: always teachable at the table **Gaming is for everybody**: Welcoming, inclusive, and safe **Pregens**: the GM will have pre-made characters so you can jump right in **Game**: Old School & New School, but likely lightweight **Multiple GMs**: We run games in a rotating GM format, so come to play and make friends, but we'll be looking for your interesting one-to-three shots to try.

Starting Thursday, May 21, I'm running a weekly Proxy Cube draft in DC. **Cubes:** * [100 Ornithopters](https://cubecobra.com/cube/about/100-ornithopters?view=primer) : a normal-feeling cube with one twist: the only creatures are 100 copies of Ornithopter. No tokens, no creature lands, and no way to deal damage to your opponent that doesn't somehow involve Ornithopter. * **Modern Cube:** a straightforward Modern-format cube. **Details:** * **What:** Proxy Cube draft (2 cubes to begin with) * **Where:** As You Are, 500 8th St SE, Washington DC * **When:** Thursdays, 6:30 PM, starting May 21 * **Format:** Multiple pods, scales with attendance * **Entry:** $5–$10 suggested donation, with proceeds going to a local community fridge project More info at [capitalcube.club](http://capitalcube.club/) (reserve a spot) All skill levels welcome.

• What we'll do On https://blackecon101.podbean.com/ Thursdays at 6 pm. discussing the economy....

I know it's short notice, but is anyone interested in going to the Prodigy WNFC Playoff game on Thursday at 7PM? The Washington Prodigy hosts the Mississippi Panthers, the 2024 IX Cup Champions, in a playoff showdown with a trip to the Eastern Conference Championship on the line. Tickets are available to purchase at [https://tickets.fastbreak.ai/attend/women-s-national-football-conference-v3updfuo34d9vcp53wtu/2026-eastern-conference-playoffs](https://tickets.fastbreak.ai/attend/women-s-national-football-conference-v3updfuo34d9vcp53wtu/2026-eastern-conference-playoffs). They're General Admission, so we can meet before the game to choose where we want to sit.

Join us for MORE Women's MTB Ride at the Cabin John Trails in Potomac, MD. Beginner-level riders are welcome and encouraged to join in the fun! A mountain bike in good condition and helmet are required. **Sign up at Golden Volunteer here:** [https://x.gldn.io/e/jgkrtQUn21b](https://x.gldn.io/e/jgkrtQUn21b) ***Please do not sign up on Meetup! If you do, you won't be alerted if the ride is cancelled!*** **Meet** at 6:00 PM with wheels down at 6:10 PM. We will not ride if the trails are wet or muddy. Check your email from Golden Volunteer in case the ride is cancelled due to weather/trail conditions. **Description** \- The event is open for women age 18\+\. You must sign a waiver on the Golden Volunteer link\, wear a helmet\, and be able to comfortably ride your mountain bike\. We expect to ride about 4\-5 miles on single track natural surface trails\. Bring your mountain bike\, helmet\, and drinking water\. This ride is **not suitable for hybrid bikes**! As space is limited, please update your RSVP if you cannot attend. **And support your trails and join MORE! www.more-mtb.org** **Where** – Meet at the parking lot for the Cabin John Group Picnic Area at 7701 Tuckerman Lane, Potomac, MD. Follow Google Maps at: https://goo.gl/maps/aumXoQnD2qAp3iNp9

Sandman Sleeps is coming to DC June 4th & it’s going to be THE show to kick off your summer!! Join the crowd at Pie Shop & also do some good. PunkItForward.Org will be donating $5 for EVERY ADVANCE TICKET SOLD to DC Migrant Mutual Aid, so grab those tickets NOW: ✨🎟️✨👉 https://www.pieshopdc.com/shows/astronaut-class-w-sandman-sleeps-gigi-marie-04-jun Meet this killer lineup: Astronaut Class (alt rock with an astro twist) Space-based rockers, Astronaut Class, have come down from orbit with their debut album in hand. After years of playing together in various groups, longtime friends and crew mates Sean Lazer (vocals/drums), Zach Bogley (guitar), Jake Rohme (keys/vocals), James Bartolotta (bass), Chase Illig (guitar), and Harrison Fletcher (drums) have joined space-forces to create the universe's first interstellar band. Sandman Sleeps (dreamy indie alt rock) Sandman Sleeps is an indie/alternative rock band blending dreamy textures with atmospheric guitars, a tightly woven rhythmic pulse, and emotionally grounded songwriting. Formed in Nashville by sisters Cristina Peck and Alex Peck, the band later expanded with Zack Jones, shaping a more cinematic and immersive sound. Gigi Marie (garage glam punk) Gigi Marie is “DC’s favorite red head rock n roller” according to DC radio DJ Reddy Kilowatt!! A finalist for two Wammie Awards this year for Best Punk Song with “Miss Black Lagoon” and Best Rock Album with “All Things Night & Beautiful”, she’s thrilled to be bringing her Garage-Glam-Punkette attitude to Pie Shop!

**Location:** Crimson Whiskey Bar (Either the downstairs whiskey bar, or main floor bar, TBD) The purpose of Thinkers and Drinkers is to facilitate casual but meaningful and interesting conversations with other people in a face-to-face setting. The topics cover a wide variety of issues and are different for every meeting. While conversations may get heated at times, we ask that all members be respectful of each other and refrain from personal insults. **Topic: The Gilded Age 2.0** It was estimated by contemporary sources at the time that John D Rockefeller's wealth passed the $1 Billion in 1916, becoming the first [Billionaire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billionaire?). This immense wealth was built from his firm, Standard Oil, which he grew from a small operation to one that eventually controlled 90% of the US oil refinery business. This occurred during a period many now refer to as "The Gilded Age". The Gilded Age was a time during the Industrial Revolution boom where unregulated capitalism and non-existent anti-trust laws allowed for the consolidation of immense wealth by individuals like Rockfella in Oil, Carnie in Steel, and JP Morgan in Finance. The age came to an end with progressives like Teddy Roosevelt coming to power, breaking up the big trusts, and instituting reforms to regulate industries and limit the influence corporations and the ultra-wealthy can have on politics. Fast forward to 2026, and the richest man in the world, Elon Musk, is projected to become a Trillionaire (With a T) after his company SpaceX launches its IPO on June 12th. There are 16 other Americans who can be classified as "Centibillionaires" ($100 Billion), and this number has been increasing every year. Having such extreme wealth in the hands of a few gives credence to the notion that we are now living in the Gilded Age 2.0. **Questions to Consider:** 1\. Is it necessarily bad to have so many billionaires? 2\. Are there lessons we can draw on from the first Gilded Age? 3\. Will we see our own "Progressive" backlash against mega\-corporations and the ultra\-wealthy?

Playtesting Agent and Battle-scale of the Zone-17 role-playing and miniatures game.

Let's meet at Springfield Mall to see the H-Man movie, on Saturday, we will buy the seats and tix there, so we can all sit together, and then after, go out to lunch at Silver Diner. I'll be wearing a super hero t-shirt. Mike T

Let's get our 80s nerd on, BY THE POWER OF GREYSKULL!!!

With war breaking out, the gnomes of Brastlewark in Cheliax can no longer cling to their carefree ways. Self-proclaimed King Drum Thornfiddle is eager to ingratiate himself to Queen Abrogail, and so conscripts the city's magical and creative resources towards the war effort. A few gnomes have broken free, and they have brought evidence of the various works being created in Brastlewark. They're no fighters, though. It'll be up to the Pathfinders to get them safely across the border to Andoran and freedom. A Pathfinder Society Scenario designed for 1st- through 4th-level characters, playable in 4-5 hours. Written by Elizabeth V Nold **Scenario tags:** Hellfire Crisis

I about fell out of my chair laughing at the first trailer of this, and the fact that that \*is\* Idris Elba makes me wonder if he's going to elevate it. Or perhaps his career has tanked. Either way, let's kick off June. We've got a lot of movies this month. Your host will be in F8. Let's get food afterwards.

What would it mean to take the possibility of machine consciousness seriously? To approach it as a question that may be studied with rigor? At this DC Digital Minds gathering, group organizer **Jessie Mannisto** will report back from the **Founding Assembly for Machine Consciousness Research** in Berkeley, CA, where researchers and thinkers are working to develop the machine consciousness hypothesis into something more scientifically useful. We’ll talk about what kinds of evidence might support hypotheses of machine conscience or sentience, what concepts researchers are using, where the major uncertainties are, and why these questions may have ethical, social, and policy implications as AI systems become more capable and socially present. This will be a casual conversation with a little structure: Jessie will give a short report-back from the conference, followed by open discussion. No technical background required -- just curiosity, good faith, and a willingness to think carefully about a strange and important frontier. Optional Pre-Read: [The Machine Consciousness Hypothesis](https://cimc.ai/cimcHypothesis.pdf)

To Celebrate DC Anime Club’s 23rd Anniversary DC Anime Club members will meet up at Okaeri Japanese Cafe & Anime1701 Rockville Pike # B1, Rockville, MD 20852. on Saturday June 6. 2026 from 2pm-5pm. Members are encourage to wear family friendly cosplay but no weapons ,DC Anime Club Jackets and or DC Anime Club T Shirts. We hope to see you there.

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

June is Fantasy month! • The book we will be discussing is The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab. (determined by votes from May Book Club. Message me your e-mail if you'd like a free digital copy of the book) • This event will be at the Dublin library (Room 3). Feel free to come whether or not you've started or finished the book. • Small snacks will be provided. You're welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! Let me know if you’d like to volunteer to bring snacks or drinks for the group. Please try to update your attendance if anything changes so we have an accurate head count for print outs and snacks :)

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/9/6/600_348310902.jpeg Instructor - Crow, HPS Class fee is $30 at the door or approved exchange RSVP with Advance pay of $25 (discounted) by PayPal on the web or by contacting Enchanted Elements (614) 437-2642. Reservations made directly to Enchanted Elements will be added to the class list manually not online. Private Instruction ~ Closed to the Public ~ Initiated Members Only Please come prepared for ritual. Blessings ~ Crow

Based on the novel Roadside Picnic, it is NO picnic, but rather one of the masterpieces of world cinema. Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 Soviet sci-fi classic, recounts the expedition of a writer and professor led by a mysterious guide called "The Stalker." to a futuristic wasteland called "The Zone." Dripping with existential dread, it continually presents strange occurrences that will have us debating the meaning of what we've just viewed right through the ending. *Stalker* (1979) can be streamed for free on HBOMax, the Criterion Channel or Kanopy. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime and AppleTV. The Columbus Library has two copies on disc.

In the year 2044, in the age of AI, a woman named Gabrielle (Seydoux) tries to purify her DNA by purging the inherited memories of her past lives. She (re)lives her life in 1910 Paris and 2014 Los Angeles, and as the procedure goes on, the lines between her worlds become blurred. These three timelines have a lot of connective tissue holding them together; certain symbols and motifs appear repeatedly, not to mention Mackay’s Louis, a figure whom Gabrielle seems drawn to in each lifetime. *The Beast / La Bête* can be streamed for free on Kanopy or the Criterion Channel. It's also available for rent on Amazon Prime, AppleTV and YouTube.