The Emissary

In 'The Emissary', you step into the shoes of a young noble on a diplomatic mission: to win the support of eight neighboring kingdoms. At each stop, you face the local ruler in a series of debates, and the art here lies in precision. You must win a specific number of tricks in each kingdom – no more, no less – to secure their backing. Failing in even one kingdom means the end of your mission.

This is a solo game, a pure abstract strategy card game playable with a standard deck of cards. The gameplay revolves around managing your hand of cards and anticipating the demands of each kingdom. You 'visit' the 'kings' and 'queens' (represented by the face cards of the deck) in any order you choose, and each royal's position dictates exactly how many tricks you must win. With each visit, you draw a fresh hand of eight cards, and decisions about which cards to play and when are critical. The game forces difficult choices, as special abilities to 'bend' the rules are limited. If you enjoy trick-taking games and challenges that demand surgical accuracy, 'The Emissary' will hook you. It's inspired by classic games and even spawned another award-winning print-and-play game. Get ready for a brain-bending challenge that's easy on the wallet!