On the Table: The Black Sword Hack

Pre-playing The Black Sword Hack Session Zero

GM Prepping for The Black Sword Hack

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.