featured project underisles (shows book cover and art of a character rapelling into a cavern)

Featured Project: Underisles, the final piece in the Isles trilogy

Underisles, by Hatchlings Games, is currently on funding on Kickstarter! Check out here to find out how this game series teaches sign language as you play… and what’s new in this final chapter.

*As a note, the intro is written by Steph from TTRPGkids, and the article was written by the project’s creator since content is in pre-release/crowdfunding. The article has been reviewed by TTRPGkids before posting to the site. As a quick additional disclaimer, Steph from TTRPGkids is the project manager on this game, provided the game hits its funding target!

Underisles

UNDERISLES is the final tabletop RPG in a groundbreaking trilogy that teaches players American and British sign language! The games were created in collaboration with the Deaf community and are accessible to beginners and players of any age. Building on the success of our previous games, UNDERISLES continues to promote empathy, cooperation and Deaf awareness.

a character casting a plant spell to wrap up another character.  below the illustration, there is another illstruation showing sign language for spelling out EARTH

In the games, you play Pendragons, the teen descendants of Arthur and Guinevere. To fulfil an ancient pact with the fey, you must travel to the Isles, a mythical version of Great Britain and Ireland. You will work together to earn Belief, prevent the spread of Disbelief, and learn the elemental art of Shaping, which teaches sign language!

an explorer spelunking down into a cave by descending from a rope
and
an explorer riding around on what looks like a giant naked molerat like creature

The games use an intuitive and fun dice system for Pendragons to explore our vibrant settings, solve puzzles, and overcome dangerous adversaries. Adventures – called Questing Days – have been written to be accessible for teens to run and even create themselves. As Pendragons grow as characters, so will their progress as signers!

two characters casting fire spells with sign language for FIRE below them

The trilogy includes enough sign language material to provide a healthy introduction to ASL and BSL. Add to this our comprehensive online video tutorials produced by friends Rajnie Kaur and Katy White and you have the perfect games to encourage players to seek out a professional course.

18 illstrations of characters signing various words like egg, calm, apple, excited, tired, rest, and proud

UNDERISLES is the final game in a trilogy of educational RPGs, and the second campaign setting exploring our fantasy world. This time around we’re focusing on the Glimmer and their attempts to rescue a party of miners who go missing after inadvertently releasing a dormant threat.

Donning their spelunking gear, Pendragons will swap the giant herons of OVERISLES for salamanders as they explore a labyrinth of caverns and submerged lakes. Guided by the Inspired Athelyn, they will once again work together to overcome obstacles and battle dangerous creatures on their passage to the miners. While they search, the surface far above is becoming unstable, with tremors and landslides becoming a frequent occurrence. It’s almost like something is trying to break free!

Visit here to reserve your copy of Underisles!


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