World of Darkness

Attendance is $35 (cash, credit/debit card, or ApplePay - paid at the door), which includes water/soda/coffee, bread, choice of a plated lunch entrée, and a dessert assortment. Parking is also validated in the Reston Station garages (3 hours of validation). Join one of Northern Virginia's most successful business networking groups (part of BNI). Open to the public and is typically attended by business owners, business developers, and entrepreneurs. Meetings are typically attended by 30-40 members and guests. \*\*\*PLEASE RSVP here: [REGISTER HERE](https://square.link/u/0WvC6Eir) \*\*\*If you do not register on the BNI website, there may not be a seat available for you.

Let's explore the trails of the Agricultural History Farm Park in Montgomery County. Mostly flat with a few hills, natural trails. Approximately 7 miles. Dress for the weather. Thursday will be warmer... Bring microspikes, as the snow is frozen. Poles also recommended. Bring snacks and water. No dogs allowed on this hike.

We’re heading back to NoVa for our next Virginia LFG Happy Hour! Come join us for a drink and some food at Starr Hill Brew Pub as you look for your next adventuring party. Whether you are looking to DM, roll some dice as a player, or just meet some amazing folks, this is the event for you! So come on by, grab a drink and food, and come meet some nerdy folks! Can't make it? No worries! Join the[ DMV D&D Group](https://discord.gg/bDvGRtKfhR) to stay aware of future events!

This *free* lecture "explores the complex history of rum, from its production to its consumption, and from its origins in the Caribbean to its impact on the Atlantic world. Attendees will have the ***opportunity to sample authentic 18th-century rum punch*** & submit questions." *USE this **LINK to RESERVE** YOUR free TICKET:* [Ford Evening Book Talk with Jordan B. Smith, February 12, 2026 7:00PM | George Washington's Mount Vernon](https://checkout.mountvernon.org/library2026/smith?_gl=1*l8y2k8*_gcl_au*MTIzNjkxMjQwNC4xNzY5NDEzNjQ0*_ga*MTEzNjM4NzA3OC4xNzU1NDg0MzEx*_ga_Z7H51J8C80*czE3Njk0MTM2NDkkbzE3JGcxJHQxNzY5NDE0OTE3JGo2MCRsMCRoMA..)

For February's selection, we'll be reading Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. Find out more information and register here: https://arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/15663422

A biweekly open-table **West Marches Shadowdark campaign** based mainly on a collection of OSR adventures written by G. Hawkins. **What You'll Need:** 1. *(Recommended):* A laptop, tablet or phone (I will bring a power strip for charging). We will be using a virtual table-top (Owlbear Rodeo), which does not require installation or an account. Alternatively, players can forego the VTT and play using a "Theatre-of-the-Mind" approach. 2. *(Optional)* The *Shadowdark RPG Core Rulebook* or a downloaded copy of the free *[Player Quickstart Guide](http://%5B%5Bhttps//%5Bwww.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D%5D(www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D)(%5Bhttps://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D(https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D))(%5B%5Bhttps://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D(https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D)(%5Bhttps://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D(https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf))))*[.](http://%5B%5Bhttps//%5Bwww.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D%5D(www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D)(%5Bhttps://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D(https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D))(%5B%5Bhttps://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D%5D(https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D)(%5Bhttps://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf%5D(https://www.thearcanelibrary.com/collections/shadowdark-core-rules/products/shadowdark-rpg-quickstart-set-pdf)))) 3. **Character design:** Players will roll character stats in person, either with physical dice or using the character-creation-rolls channel in my Discord server. Characters start at level 1. Players can create a stable of up to three characters to choose for use in sessions. If a character dies, a new character can be created (at level 1) as above. I recommend that created characters be entered into the online Shadowdark character creation resource *[[Shadowdarklings.net](http://shadowdarklings.net/)]([https://shadowdarklings.net/create](https://shadowdarklings.net/create))* for long-term storage and updating between sessions. 4. You can bring physical dice or use the VTT built-in dice roller.

**PICKLEBALL AFTER DARK: GOOMBAY EDITION 2** **Join us for an exciting evening of pickleball, socializing, and networking at *Pickleball After Dark: Goombay Edition 2.*** This Friday night event is perfect for players who want to enjoy great pickleball, good vibes, and plenty of fun both on and off the court. **Friday Feb\. 13th \| 7pm\-9pm \(check in at 6:45pm\)** **Kraken** \| 514 Rhode Island Ave NE Washington\, DC 20002 **$25 per person** *\* Includes Courts for 6-8 players/paddles/balls* REGISTER at www.Goombay.net or click the link below: [http://goombaydc.leagueapps.com/events/4884923-pickleball-after-dark-goombay-edition-2](http://goombaydc.leagueapps.com/events/4884923-pickleball-after-dark-goombay-edition-2) For more information contact (202)210-1957

This meeting will be dedicated to talking about the entirety of “White Noise” by Don Delillo We will be meeting in the National Portrait Gallery Atrium. To stay up to date with events and discuss meetings or books, you can join our Whatsapp group. Please message me to get added.

Dead of Winter is a meta-cooperative psychological survival game. This means players are working together toward one common victory condition, but for each individual player to achieve victory, they must also complete their personal secret objective, which could relate to a psychological tick that's fairly harmless to most others in the colony, a dangerous obsession that could put the main objective at risk, a desire for sabotage of the main mission, or (worst of all) vengeance against the colony! Games could end with all players winning, some winning and some losing, or all players losing. Work toward the group's goal, but don't get walked all over by a loudmouth who's looking out only for their own interests!

Valentine's Day is the perfect day for this sexy but tasteful show for this singles group! As a lover of burlesque, I've attended a few of their performances and am always thoroughly entertained. Feel free to invite a plus one. "Angie and her husband, Brian Newman, have brought their show *After Dark* to clubs across the country, from The Box in New York City to the NoMad Library in Las Vegas. **The duo blends Brian’s talents as a band leader and trumpet player and Angie’s show-stopping burlesque troupe** into a night fit for the Rat Pack. Past guest performers include Lady Gaga, Kelsea Ballerini, Ashanti, and The Doors’ Robby Krieger." Tickets are **$55.30** per person including taxes and fees, and I can get up to 8 tickets for our group to ensure we are sitting together. If we have enough people interested, and I secure your payment early, I should be able to add an additional table. **Your reservation will not be secure until I receive your $, and no tickets will be purchased until then. Tickets sell out fast. It is NOT too early to reserve.** As soon as you are sure that you can attend, please either send your payment t**hrough Zelle (240 446-8744) or Venmo (@Susan-Timm-11).** While the Birchmere does sell food and drinks, we can do better at RT's. I suggest we park at the Birchmere and walk across the street to RT's at 5:30 pm for dinner. That will give us a leisurely time for our meal prior to the show. It makes seating together much simpler if we arrive as a group. RT's is the only creole restaurant in town that I am aware of, so if you like New Orleans style food, you can find it here. If creole is not your thing, they do offer other options. [MENU](https://www.rtsrestaurant.net/menu-3/) Word to the wise, it is easiest to back into your parking space at the Birchmere. You'll appreciate this when the show let's out.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/185767239-these-letters-end-in-tears "**Set in a country where being gay is punishable by law, *These Letters End in Tears* is the heart-wrenching forbidden love story of a Christian girl with a deviant heart and a Muslim girl leading a double life** Bessem notices Fatima for the first time on the soccer field—muscular and focused, she’s the only woman playing and seems completely at ease. When Fatima chases a rogue ball in her direction, Bessem freezes, mesmerized by the athlete’s charm and beauty. One playful wink from Fatima, and Bessem knows her life will never be the same. In Cameroon, a country where same-sex relationships are punishable by law, the odds are stacked against Bessem and Fatima from the start. And when Fatima’s older brother, a staunch Muslim, finds out about their affair, he intervenes by physically assaulting them, an incident that precedes a police raid at the only gay bar in town. After spending days in jail, Fatima goes missing without a trace, and Bessem is left with only rumors of her whereabouts. Has Fatima been sentenced to an unknown prison? Has she been banished from her community, or married off, as some have suggested? Or something even more sinister? Thirteen years later, Bessem is now a university professor leading a relatively quiet life, occasionally and secretly dating other women. However, she has never forgotten Fatima. After spotting a mutual friend for the first time in years—the last person who may have seen Fatima—Bessem embarks on a winding search for her lost love."

You may wonder if you actually saw what you think you saw as you watch this movie, and that’s OK – Oddball Cinema encourages wondering! The visuals are occasionally bizarre, occasionally whimsical, and relentlessly dynamic as the environment changes to suit the characters’ moods, whims, or – well, you just have to see for yourself. Audrey Tatou is the leading lady, but don’t expect the wacky exploits of “Amélie” or the love-conquers-all spirit of “Priceless.” This story begins with comedy and romance, but something malignant lurks in the psychedelic undergrowth. ■ Title — *Mood Indigo* ■ A.K.A. — *L'écume des jours* ■ Director — Michel Gondry ■ Cast — Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh ■ Unrated, suitable for general audiences ■ ©2013 \| 1h 34m \| Comedy\, Drama\, Fantasy\, Romance ■ Distributed by Giant Pictures

This month we’ll be reading Long Live Evil by Sarah Rees Brennan

Rev. Steven Clevenger is an ordained spiritualist minister with over 40 years experience as a Spiritual Healer, Clairvoyant and Spiritual Teacher, educated and trained at the White Lily Chapel. Rev. Siobhan Wolf Shaffer is an ordained spiritualist minister and certified medium and healer with over 20 years experience. She began her development in 1988 in Pennsylvania and continued when she moved to Ohio in 1998 where she studied at Rays of Lights Church with Rev. Steven Clevenger. Our full worship services consist of an inspirational lecture, healing meditation, and messages from the spirit world that serve to demonstrate evidence of eternal life. Please visit our Official Church Website (http://raysoflightchurch.com) for more information.

Join us as we get together to see the steamy-romance-period-drama, WUTHERING HEIGHTS. Director Emerald Fennell gives us her take on the romance between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw from the classic Emily Bronte novel. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: The film tells a passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire moors, exploring the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. The film is directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn) and is loosely based on the classic novel by Emily Bronte. It stars Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Alison Oliver, Owen Cooper and Hong Chau! TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLCdIYShEQ BUZZ & REVIEWS: The film is earning a solid 70% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, where critics say, “The Oscar-winning British filmmaker crafts a sumptuous bad romance that’s quite haughty, darkly hilarious and ultimately heartfelt.” Others call it a “sexy, exhilarating and visually stunning adaptation of the classic novel by Emily Brontë.” We’ll see for ourselves on Friday! PLAN: Purchase your ticket for the 7:00pm showing and meet inside the theater lobby between 6:30 and 6:45pm! Advance ticket purchase not required for this theater but early arrival is advised! Be sure to mention you’re with the Movie Group for admission and concession discounts! Immediately following the movie, don’t miss the best part of the night – food and drinks at the nearby Rusty Bucket! For those new to the theater, parking is available in the lot near Brassica, which will put you conveniently right between the theater and restaurant! Look forward to seeing you there, Dan

Join us for The Fisherman by John Langan. In upstate New York, in the woods around Woodstock, Dutchman's Creek flows out of the Ashokan Reservoir. Steep-banked, fast-moving, it offers the promise of fine fishing, and of something more, a possibility too fantastic to be true. When Abe and Dan, two widowers who have found solace in each other's company and a shared passion for fishing, hear rumors of the Creek, and what might be found there, the remedy to both their losses, they dismiss it as just another fish story. Soon, though, the men find themselves drawn into a tale as deep and old as the Reservoir. It's a tale of dark pacts, of long-buried secrets, and of a mysterious figure known as Der Fisher: the Fisherman. It will bring Abe and Dan face to face with all that they have lost, and with the price they must pay to regain it.

**Men of Unity** is a safe, welcoming space for men to connect, share, and grow together. In this circle, we explore what it means to live with purpose, integrity, and spiritual awareness in today’s world. Through open dialogue, reflection, and mutual support, we learn to balance strength with compassion, confidence with humility, and action with mindfulness. Whether you’re seeking deeper spiritual connection, personal clarity, or simply a supportive brotherhood, this group invites you to bring your authentic self and grow in community. Each gathering may include: * Open discussion on real-life challenges and victories * Guided reflection, prayer, or meditation * Encouragement for living from truth, not fear * Tools for emotional and spiritual growth No preaching. No pressure. Just real men, real conversations, and real transformation.

This meeting will be an open discussion about the book "an Immense World" by Ed Yong