This week, I’ve been knee-deep in prepping for sessions of The Black Sword Hack (BSH), a gritty sword-and-sorcery RPG published by The Merry MushMen. If you’re not familiar, BSH is built on the framework of The Black Hack but cranks up the narrative by drawing heavily from Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series. Think tragic antiheroes locked in the cosmic tug-of-war between Law and Chaos, often wielding cursed weapons or dealing with grim moral dilemmas. The system is straightforward—roll-under D20—but pairs that simplicity with evocative tools for world-building and emergent gaming.I had enough interest to fill two tables, so two tables I will run! I’ve got my prep hat on and thoughts swirling about VTT options, world-building approaches, how to kick things off, and other assorted pre-session zero GM prep thoughts.

These days, I run most of my games online, so picking the right virtual tabletop (VTT) is crucial. Unfortunately, Foundry doesn’t have a system for The Black Sword Hack or anything close. I looked at Let’s Role because it actually has a free plugin specifically for BSH, which seemed promising. At first glance, the interface looked sharp, but then I hit the dreaded “design your scenes” page. My cranky GM instincts kicked in, and I immediately closed the tab. Listen, I’m not here for a full-blown video game design suite. Just give me dice, tables, notes, maps, and a way to share some pictures. That’s all I need. I'll circle back to Let’s Role when I’m feeling more patient, it’ll proly be fine🤷🏾‍♂️ My plan B: the whiteboard feature in Zoom and Notion for game data. This combo worked fine for my Miseries & Misfortunes game.

The Black Sword Hack has open-ended world-building as part of setup. The core book gives you enough to establish a compelling sword-and-sorcery setting, complete with an Antagonist but encourages collaborative creation at the table. So the big question is: do I walk into Session Zero with a fully fleshed-out setting, or do I let the players help build the world as we go?Right now, I’m leaning toward a hybrid approach. I’ll start with a "Mad Vandel" map template as a loose structure—a blank slate with just enough anchor points to give us direction. I’ll prep some major locations, factions, and themes that interest me, but I’ll leave plenty of gaps for the players to fill in during character creation and later play. This feels true to BSH’s tone, where the world constantly evolves based on the characters’ actions and the ever-shifting balance of Law and Chaos. Plus, it keeps things flexible and saves me some prep time.🤘🏾

To kick things off, I’m planning a cold open. Nothing pulls players into a world faster than starting in media res, with action already in motion. My goal is to run a mini-adventure in Session Zero that wraps up in Session One. It’ll be short and punchy, giving players a chance to learn the mechanics, develop their characters, and set the tone for the campaign.This approach also lets us engage the advancement cycle early. In BSH, you level up when the number of completed adventures matches your current level. So the cold open will serve as a quick first adventure, giving everyone a chance to level up before diving into the main arc in Session Two.I’ve also been debating how to handle running for two groups. Initially, I thought about linking both groups in the same world, but I’m leaning toward keeping them independent. Mostly because I haven't run BSH before and two sets of experiences > one. This way, each group can develop their own organic stories and experiences without the pressure of cross-group continuity. I’ll use the same starting map for both because, hey, efficiency is key!

I’m amped to finally get The Black Sword Hack to the table, I wanna see it cook. As I prep, I’m thinking hard about how to set the right tone, create meaningful challenges, and give players the freedom to shape the world as we play. Whether it’s delving into cursed ruins, navigating the machinations of Chaos, or just surviving another day in a harsh, unforgiving world, I’m here for all of it.

If you’ve run The Black Sword Hack, I’d love to hear your thoughts. How did you handle world-building? Which VTT worked best for you? What challenges or surprises came up during play? Let’s trade notes—I’m always looking for ways to improve and steal (with love) from fellow GMs.