The first sessions are in the books, and both groups are off to fascinating starts, each carving their own path through The Black Sword Hack’s gritty, sword-and-sorcery world. Sunday’s group, The Cycles of Errazu, delivered action and tragic consequences, while Monday’s group, Malpha the Fallen, leaned into investigative tension and rich world-building. The beauty of this system is how it seamlessly adapts to both styles of play. Here’s the breakdown of what went down and some behind-the-scenes thoughts on running the game.

Both groups offer such distinct yet equally exciting gameplay, showcasing the incredible versatility of The Black Sword Hack. Sunday’s thrilling action and Monday’s intriguing investigative tension are like two sides of the same coin, beautifully illustrating how emergent play and player-driven choices can really uplift a campaign. I really enjoy the player-facing mechanics; they definitely speed up table play and keep everyone more engaged—especially when the GM skillfully juggles the various actions!

Let’s Role VTT is doing a solid job, it’s low friction for prep and playing. There is quirky behavior sometimes logging on, and how the UI is designed. Better, however, than some older VTTs, IMGMO. I think Watabou’s generators are the big standout in this setup. I’ve used it for what? 4 out of 5 maps so far!

Session Zero Recap:The group collaborated to flesh out their characters, key factions, and the wider world, setting the stage for the adventure ahead. Using The Black Sword Hack’s prompts and tools, we built a dynamic setting filled with antagonists and intrigue. The session began with the group in the ruined city of Ambersoul, tasked with rescuing Renee, the Philosopher Duke’s daughter, from cultists and mercenaries.

Session One Highlights:The session was packed with high-stakes action and memorable moments:

GM Thoughts:All my prep made it to the table. The Blue Smoke Cultists didn’t make a direct appearance, but their name was dropped in conversation. Having agendas and goals for the major factions for this session did the heavy lifting for deciding what was happening at any given moment. One of my favorite parts of this game is having blank spots in my prep—those gaps always get filled during play in the most organic, emergent ways. For example, I didn’t know who the Beast of Ambersoul would target or why. Vanderjack’s player unknowingly provided the perfect answer!

Unfortunately, the same session also marked Vanderjack’s farewell. Fictionally, he didn’t make it out of old Ambersoul alive, and the other PCs sailed for Iron Port without him. Mechanically, his situation was a snowball of risky choices and critical rolls gone sideways. This wasn’t a single unlucky dice roll; it was a series of bold decisions that led to an increasingly dire situation. When the moment of truth came, I left the choice to live or die with Vanderjack’s player. They chose to embrace the tragedy; honestly, it was such a fitting arc for the character.

The player is excited to roll up a new PC, and Vanderjack may return as an NPC—a rival, no less—in a future session. As a good friend likes to say: “Tragedies are stories, too.”

The Ioun Covenant Co. 1st Det. @25 members

Prepping Session Two:Iron Port is next, with new conflicts and challenges awaiting the players. I plan to introduce the Cost of Living mechanics, which will drain their coin and create opportunities for roleplay around how they cover their expenses. The campaign’s core conflict revolves around the reincarnation cycle of the Immortal King, coinciding with the arrival of a prophesied messiah. I’m thinking the messiah will be a child placed in the group’s care —giving off strong Grogu/Alphie vibes. The prep checklist includes:

Iron Port: A City of Secrets and StrugglesIron Port is a gritty coastal city nestled on the southern edge of a wide bay. Known for its bustling docks, labyrinthine alleys, and crumbling stone towers, the city is a melting pot of seafarers, merchants, mystics, and scoundrels. It teems with life, ambition, and intrigue, where the clash of Law and Chaos is as common as the rolling tides.

Session Zero Recap:This group took a slower, more exploratory approach. Their task was to protect Gawne, an elder monk of the Order of the Fulcrum, from the mysterious Dream Thief, who steals memories and leaves confusion in her wake. The group immersed themselves in the political and mystical undercurrents of Nazara, the City of Thieves, building connections and uncovering secrets.

Session One Highlights:The session leaned heavily into investigative play, setting the stage for a climactic confrontation:

GM Thoughts:This session showcased the flexibility of the system and the need to adapt on the fly. I leaned heavily on donjon.bin generators to fill in gaps as players pursued leads. Saying “yes” to their questions and exploring the results of their actions created an engaging session:

This session also highlighted my desire for a more structured subsystem for social encounters. I’m adapting the Audience Rules from The One Ring 1E to add depth to these moments with hidden Tolerance thresholds, multi-step interactions, and success/failure tracks. I’m excited to test this in upcoming sessions.

Aris, Dream fenceSybil, Merchant of enlightenment (high quality)Paula, Lede, and Uncle Telo - Dream Thief victims.Dura, High Administrator monk.

Prepping Session Two:The next session begins with the dream-world confrontation. I’m hacking some alt-mechanics for dream interactions, especially since the players are on the Dream Thief’s home turf. I expect this adventure to wrap by the session’s end, at which point I’ll introduce the next set of challenges in Nazara. The prep checklist includes: