Italian local history reborn as dark fantasy OSR
Of Iron
& Thorns
A dark fantasy OSR ecosystem where the chronicles of medieval Italy become playable myth, war, sanctity and damnation.
Enter Aemilia, the First Scenario
A corrupted medieval land of saints, tyrants and ancient peoples
Saeculum Obscurum
IN CASTRUM FRANCUM, MMXXVI.
What Is Of Iron & Thorns?
Of Iron & Thorns is a dark fantasy OSR ecosystem set in an alternate medieval Regnum Italiae. It transforms Italian local history — communal wars, papal politics, noble ambition, saintly miracles and ancient peoples twisted by judgement — into a playable world of old-school adventure.
Start HereThe Fourth Era
The default age of play: the age of the Sacrum Imperium, the wounded Church, city factions, holy violence, ancient peoples and local chronicles turned into adventure. Aemilia is the First Scenario.
Explore the Fourth EraThe Corona Hack
The Corona Hack is an OSE Advanced Fantasy hack for bringing old-school procedures into a realistic, grim and sacramental world. It keeps the bones of old-school play and binds them to humors, wounds, sanctity, damnation, relics, careers and local history.
Read About The Corona HackPublications
Adventures, gazetteers, supplements, solo gamebooks and future Corona Hack editions. The world of Of Iron & Thorns has been growing since its first published chronicle.
View PublicationsFree Downloads
Maps, guides, start material and future Legacy Conversion Notes — free resources for referees and players of Of Iron & Thorns.
Get Free DownloadsDevelopment Status
Future crowdfunding campaigns are paused while previous obligations are brought to completion. Follow the current state of funded material, planned updates and Corona Hack development.
Read Development StatusLatest Chronicles
VI January MMXXV
Free downloadable content for campaigns in the world of Of Iron & Thorns is now available.
XVII February MMXXIV
A new chronicle in the crumbling courts of the Third Era, where blindness is a gift and seeing is a curse.
X January MMXXIV
Kickstarter: a megadungeon in Bologna
The most ambitious scenario yet — a sprawling dungeon beneath the towers of medieval Bononia.