UNDERISLES: Roleplaying with Sign Language

Update #5
29 days ago – Tue, Jun 09, 2026 at 04:05:58 AM

Hello backers,

Underisles is now fully written and we're moving through the art at a good pace. We had to find a new Deaf ASL consultant after Katy had to withdraw, so we're just waiting on the signs to be confirmed before WillowsQuest begins adapting the templates, which you can see below.

Helia is on the final stages of completing their character commissions and Lucille will be finished by the end of the month (again, see below). Kev (Eldritch Smite) has also joined the team to add some creatures and monsters to the game. These will sit alongside Fernando's map designs throughout the 2nd half of the book.

Finally, Josh is designing the back cover and page borders for the interior. 

I know the project has passed its estimated delivery date, but we really want to ensure it's finished with the same care as the others in the series. We will update the Kickstarter again when the art is complete and we're ready to begin layout.

Thank you for your patience! 
Team Hatchlings

Update #4
3 months ago – Mon, Apr 06, 2026 at 10:05:46 AM

Hi,

Just a little progress update. After recently finishing the rules and sign language sections of the game, throughout April we'll be working on the dungeon exploration portion of the book. While we write these hex maps, Lucille will continue working on the character designs (see below). Helia and Fernando will now start on the additional NPCs and world map respectively.

We'll have another update at the end of the month and the first sign language material reveals.

Many thanks,
Team Hatchlings

Update #3
5 months ago – Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 03:19:03 PM

Dear backers,

Just a quick progress update. The main rules are now written and Lucille is currently illustrating the 4 Glimmer leaders of our hub location. We have our sign language material planned for the book, and Ashley will soon begin work on the new spelunking Pendragon templates. We've also planned out the Underisles hex tiles, which we'll send over to Fernando before the end of the month so he can begin work on the dungeon map.

In March, we'll be introducing Rogan Shannon to the writing team and Helia Santo will begin illustrating characters. Josh Arklin will complete the back cover and add a few pieces to the interior. And Steph Campbell of TTRPGKids will come aboard as our project manager, to ensure the development goes smoothly.

All-in-all, we're really pleased with the state of the project!

Many thanks,
Team Hatchlings 

Digital PDFs
6 months ago – Sat, Jan 10, 2026 at 05:38:12 AM

Dear backers,

We've just sent emails out with itch.io keys for the games currently available (Argo-0 and Underisles still to come).

You're not required to set up an account to download your files, but if you appreciate our games and enjoy playing them, at any point we'd really appreciate a positive rating or review, which you can find here.

Many thanks,
Team Hatchlings

Update #3: Happy Holidays!
6 months ago – Fri, Dec 26, 2025 at 05:09:34 AM

Dear backers,

The team at Hatchlings hope your holidays have been fulfilling! This is quite a lengthy update so please read to the bottom.

Everything is moving along nicely with Underisles. Kathryn has drafted the first half of the book and we're now moving onto the dungeon design, which will populate isometric maps drawn by Fernando Salvaterrawith dozens of Belief Barriers and Disbelief Battles (the tests of the game). We'll end up with a grand spelunking adventure through a vast cave network in search of the missing miners!

Lucille has now finished rendering the 'teens at the table' piece, and we also wanted to show another illustration we're including in the book that evokes the cooperative vibe of the game (see both below).

WillowsQuest has taken Lucille's Pendragon designs from the last update and is now transforming them into templates for our sign language material, which we have fully planned out. This involves her illustrating the teens in their caving outfits, and then adding the arms and hands signing while keeping them seamless with the background (as shown below with the ASL for BIRD from Overisles).

Before the New Year we'll be sending out itch.io keys for Inspirisles, Overisles, and Shapes of Adventure to any digital PDF backers, so you can begin playing, and learning sign language from the very start of 2026.

It was always our hope to introduce the educational elements of Inspirisles to a wider audience, and next summer we're adapting our work for Daggerheart, a popular TTRPG from Darrington Press (the publisher behind Critical Role). 

This will be our first crowdfund of 2026 to ensure any outstanding projects are fulfilled and we have the time to complete the design and writing before heading to Kickstarter!

Dragon Dowers is the multiplayer version of a solo journaling game we published a few years ago. In this setting guide we'll explore the solarpunk kingdom of Praelar, its poisonous spore fields, long-buried machines of war, dragons and their ecology, tyrannical rulers hellbent on stealing their precious eggs, and the rebel Dowsers risking life-and-limb to stop them!

Alongside the sandbox campaign, expect new domains, classes, ancestries, environments, communities, equipment, NPCs, adversaries, and unique mechanics for downtime including dragon rearing using sign language.

If the Daggerheart system is something that appeals to you, follow the link HERE.

If not, then please consider following us on Discord or BlueSky.

Best wishes for now,
Team Hatchlings