Publishing

Iron Lantern

Adventures forged by firelight — Shadowdark & OSR content for the bold.

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I.

Our Philosophy

We believe the best adventures are dangerous, concise, and ready to run. No filler encounters. No pages of backstory your players will never hear. Just the stuff that makes the table go quiet.

Iron Lantern publishes for Shadowdark RPG and the broader OSR community — old-school rules, new-school design. Every module is built to hit the table fast and leave a mark.

I

Table-Ready

Open the book. Run the dungeon. No prep required.

II

Danger First

Real stakes. Real consequences. Torches burn out.

III

No Bloat

Every room earns its page count. Every word pulls weight.

II.

Coming Soon

First titles arriving 2026. Sign up below to get early access and playtest invitations.

⚔️
Shadowdark RPG

The Crimson Vault

A blood-soaked dungeon beneath a forgotten abbey. Three levels of creeping dread, factional undead, and a secret that should have stayed buried.

💀
OSR Compatible

Tomb of the Hollow King

The barrow mounds whisper of a king who refused to die. A classic dungeon crawl with rival delving parties, cursed relics, and a throne that demands a sitter.

📜
System Neutral

Relics & Ruin

100 magical items with history, personality, and a cost. No +1 swords here — just artifacts worth arguing over and curses worth catching.

"The best modules feel like someone left a door open to a place you shouldn't go — and dared you to walk through it."
— Iron Lantern Design Principle
III.

Forged by Firelight

Design notes, playtesting dispatches, and opinions about what makes OSR content worth running. Read the full archive on our Substack.

Why Every Room Needs a Reason to Leave
Designing the Crimson Vault: Lessons from Playtest One
The OSR Doesn't Need More Pages
Follow on Substack
IV.

Stay in the Light

First access to new releases, playtest invitations, and the occasional dispatch from the dungeon. No spam — we're too busy writing adventures.

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