Telling Volo to sit tight and act interested, but wary of the ettin, Hildi returns to his own head to talk to the others. "There is an ettin — a two-headed giant — in that cavern. What is curious about this particular specimen is it does not follow the definition of everything I've ever read about them. Normally, the heads never agree and constantly bicker. These heads, however, appear to be in harmony. Point of fact, they were humming a duet. They've noticed Volo and are trying to draw him in, but I didn't understand either of the languages they spoke." He snaps his fingers and pulls his spellbook and wand out of his pack. Flipping past a couple of pages, he finds the spell he's looking for. He waves his wand in a funny figure 8 and speaks an incantation. After he does so, Drusk thinks he seems something sparkly right by the halfling's ear, but when he really looks, there's nothing there. "That should help. I can understand any language I hear now." Unless someone begins asking him questions at this point, he'll re-enter Volo's head, hoping that the ettin is still talking to the owl.

Insight on their motive — do they look like they want to harm Volo?: 6 — Hildi would be +5, but Volo would be +1; I'm not sure which you'd like me to use

Quillary listens intently as Hildigrim describes the ettin. As he drifts back to Volo’s senses, she looks at the others. “Now we know whose feet these are. Should we prepare in case it comes for us?”

"Aye, better to be prepared, unusual or not, they are still dangerous."

Jorin limbers up and draws his weapons, then takes up a position at the cave entrance, off the side of the passage.  (I'm envisioning something akin to stand up against a wall next to a doorway, ready to pounce!)

Quillary will nonchalantly spin her club, and move to stand on the other side of the entrance from Jorin. 

The two ettin heads are speaking Giant (which Pascal knows) and Orcish (which Drusk knows). Hildigrim's spell allows him to understand both at the same time. (That also leave him able to translate for the rest of the group, if Pascal or Drusk wind up talking to the ettin.)

For Hildigrim only (through Volo's senses):

While still in Volo's head, Hildigrim says, "They're calling Volo to them. They appear friendly." His eyes clear, and he looks up at the others. "Should I bring Volo back, or are you as curious as I?"

Jorin lowers his weapons slightly and raises an eyebrow at Hildigrim, "Friendly giants?  That is interesting, and Volo cannot die, yes?  I would say send the brave animal in, let us see what they want."

(OOC: It has been a long time since I've seen the Looney Tunes cartoon with the Abominable Snowman, but you may want to think twice about having Volo in arm's reach of the ettin. "I'm gonna love him, and hug him, and pet him, and call him George!")

Quillary smiles and lowers her club. "I'd certainly like to meet a big, friendly giant. D'you think it's safe to go in? Should we announce ourselves? Maybe if they see Volo come to you, they won't be upset? Here, we'll follow you in, Hildigrim."

Hildigrim makes a kind of sideways smile at Jorin. "Technically, no, Volo cannot die. He is fey. If his material body on the material plane is damaged enough for him to die, he will simply cease to exist on this plane until I can cast the appropriate spell to give him another body. The spell is not cheap, and I'd rather not put my friend through the trauma of being attacked if I can help it, but he is generally willing to test the waters, as it were. He knows that it is easier for me to give him a new body than the other way around." Turning toward Quillary, he says, "So, you think we should follow him in? Perhaps I could be calling his name to give the giant warning that we're approaching? I suppose if one of you — perhaps Drusk — were to carry me, I could actually be in Volo's head as we approach so that I have a better view of how the giant reacts." He looks around to see how the other three respond.

Drusk is happy to give Hildigrim a ride. (Leaves Jorin free to go crazy with his weapons if the meeting goes bad.)

Jorin appreciates the freedom of going crazy and offers, "Yes, this is a good plan.  I will stand ready to cleave if they attempt to attack us."

(OOC: I won't worry about the language translation from this point on, unless there is a reason for mischief. I'll use different colors for the left and right head talking, although it will be mostly random.)

Hildigrim's voice calls out for Volo, and the party moves to the west cavern. Through the owl's eyes, the ettin is seen standing up and putting its hands on its morning star and battleaxe, although it hasn't lifted them for use yet. It watches as the party enters its cavern.

"I am Jibber. I am Jabber. This be my domain. You come in peace, or you want leave in pieces? (Heh, heh, good one Jabber.)"

(Jorin is inwardly appalled by the state of the ettin's crude weapons. He does recognize that the oversized weapons, swung by a giantish foe, would still do a lot of damage.)

Quillary has put her club back in her belt, and smiles widely as the group enters. She's quite aware that what was a cute owl is now five variously armed and odd-looking strangers, one of whom is a big red gator, so she's trying to be friendly.

Is there any sort of smithing service Jorin could offer with what tools and materials we have on hand?  Even a quick once over of their battle axe to true up/sharpen the edge? 

Once the party is in view of the ettin, Volo flies over and lands on Drusk's head. "You can put me down now," Hildi whispers to the cleric. Even before the half-orc can react, Hildigrim calls, "Greetings, Jibber and Jabber. I am Hildigrim Goodbody, and these are my friends. Volo," he says, indicating the owl first, "Drusk, Jorin, Quillary, and the red one is Pascal. We're on our way to the surface. Would you happen to know which way we should take?"

When the party is initially silent after the ettin's greeting, both heads became more serious, and the hands gripped the weapons tighter. (This was not helped by Jorin staring at the two weapons, like he was planning on taking/stealing them from the ettin.) Fortunately, Hildigrim speaks up at this time with a friendly introduction. You can see the ettin start to relax again (although both heads are still a bit suspicious of the way Jorin was staring).

"We don't know way to surface. Staying in this cave good for JibberJabber. Food, mead, and neighbors to talk to. Only thing we miss is pile of shiny shiny. Not need a lot of coins, but enough to hear clinking, like music. Anyway, we not know way to surface."

Quillary steps forward right away, pulling out her coin pouch. "Oh, I have little need for these, you can have them," she says, offering the now open pouch, so they can see the contents. 10 gold, 10 silver, 10 copper.

OOC > Imma say she left some stashed at the inn, after long conversations with Hildi where he convinced her it would be good to have a nest egg of sorts.

Quote from Mingofaust >>

Quillary steps forward right away, pulling out her coin pouch. "Oh, I have little need for these, you can have them," she says, offering the now open pouch, so they can see the contents. 10 gold, 10 silver, 10 copper.

OOC > Imma say she left some stashed at the inn, after long conversations with Hildi where he convinced her it would be good to have a nest egg of sorts.

(OOC - Quillary doesn't need to pull out her purse. I've been having Drusk take care of the general funds, since the rest of the party is not so concerned. He does have a couple hundred GP from the last module.

I assume you don't want to give the ettin more gold than you have to... Let me know how much you'd like Drusk to parcel out.)

OOC -  Sorry if i was unclear, I was going to have Jorin offer to clean up their weapons but was asking the DM if that was something he could do.  Rather than just stare at them longingly, lol