Every game, little or big, has a story behind it.

And on the flip side, there are stories behind how we, the players, get to experience a game. And at times, our first thoughts about it may not be quite accurate.

A month ago, Iron Quest: The First Ember first got my attention because of its adorable 3D printable tokens. It is a 3D roll-and-write, not something you get to see every day.

So in my head, the 3D tokens were running the show.

But interestingly, after playing it, I realized the game is much more than the 3D pieces everyone is talking about. They definitely play a role in the experience, as I pointed out in my blog, but that’s just one layer. There is so much more.

As a Viking captain, there is a crew to manage. Islands to reach. Settlements to build. King’s Orders to fulfill. Dice to cleverly allocate. And the whole thing has this nice little constraint of trying to do a lot before you run out of rounds.

So once my initial thought was challenged, I reached out to Zion, the creator of the game.

And my mind was riddled with questions!

Why Vikings?
Why a roll-and-write?
Why bring 3D printing into a format that usually works perfectly well with just a pencil?

And since Iron Quest is Zion’s first print-and-play game, I was even more curious about the road that led to it.

So for today’s Behind the Scenes, I asked Zion to share how the game came to life.

Here’s what he had to say:

Iron Quest: The First Ember is the first print-and-play game I’ve designed and I’m excited to share how the journey began.

Norse mythology and Viking culture have held a special place in my gaming life for the past two decades. I’ve spent countless hours in games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, God of War, A Feast for Odin and Blood Rage and I always knew I’d create my own Viking-themed game one day.

The "click" moment happened last year when I spotted a book about Norse mythology in a local bookstore. The characters, stories and illustrations really captured my imagination. After taking the book home, I decided to create my own Viking saga, not just as a one-off game, but as a trilogy blending Viking adventure with Norse myths.

I’m the type of designer who starts with the theme or story I want to tell, then finds the right mechanisms to bring the game to life. I knew from the start that Iron Quest would be a print-and-play title (for now). I’ve always had a soft spot for dice games, especially when dice are used as workers that can be modified with abilities and chained into combos. Since sea voyages are also a huge part of Viking stories, I wanted the game to feature a map where players navigate the northern seas, explore islands, build settlements and face down threats along the way.

The game went through more than 10 versions after the first prototype. During the design stage, I struggled with the "feature loop” of adding too many actions, removing them, then adding new ones again. The breakthrough finally came when I revisited my earliest concepts and playtesters’ feedback. I realised that in a roll-and-write, players tend to love simple dice choices that lead to meaningful combos and satisfying decisions. That balance became the core of Iron Quest: The First Ember.

After I settled on the game mechanism, I started researching the standard print-and-play formats other designers use for their games. At the same time, I noticed more board gamers using 3D printers to create different upgrades for their games, which made me wonder: how can I level up a roll-and-write experience with 3D printing?

I began experimenting with 3D miniatures to replace the traditional drawing actions on the map. Since the map is such a key part of the game, it felt natural to enhance it by turning symbols into physical tokens that players can actually place on the map.

I know 3D printing is still a niche hobby. While I love the idea, I’ve ensured the core game remains a pure roll-and-write that anyone can play with just 2 sheets, 3 dice and a pencil. The 3D components are simply an optional “deluxe” way to experience the game for players who have access to a 3D printer.

If you enjoy Norse mythology, Viking themes and tactical puzzles, you can learn more about Iron Quest: The First Ember on our Gamefound page. Every follow, comment and share really helps support indie board game publishers like us and brings the project one step closer to your table.

Thank you for your support!

And that pretty much answered all the questions I had.

The Vikings came from years of love for Norse mythology and games. The game started theme-first, with the world and story leading the mechanisms. Then came the dice, the map, the settlements, the combos, and TONS of iterations before the game found its shape.

And only after that came the 3D printed tokens. They were not introduced to carry the game. They came in to enhance a map that was already part of the experience.

Click here to back Iron Quest: The First Ember on Gamefound and help bring this Viking quest to life!

- Tas.

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