The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

If they don't respond Silent isn't going to risk it - he's not confident enough in his ability. He'll keep an eye on the way they respond to the sheep being drawn by Alton. 

Balassar just blinks looking at the rune. He then looks at Silent and Alton “Are y’all able to read that thing now also?”

The younger giant nods at Alton's drawing of possible sheep.  It's clearly on four legs at least, probably not a human or halfling, could easily be a horse or cow though.  In any case, he nods and grunts, and then points to a pile of bones over in one part of the cave.  They are neatly stacked, stored apart from any other trash, and clean, as though they are being kept for something.

Silent, are you holding your lute and doing nothing, or do you put it away again?

Silent has the lute held in his lap and is currently doing nothing with it, yes. He looks at Balassar with his brow furrowed. No... wait, you can read Giant runes? What's it say? 

The confused expression remains on his face when he sees the giant point to the neatly stacked bones. 

Alton makes his way back over to where everyone is sitting and takes a look at the rune, "I can't read it either, but these two don't appear to be a threat."

The two giants continue to regard you; they seem friendly or at least not hostile, but clearly expect you to take the lead in overcoming your communication problems.... :)

Silent will slowly walk over to the stack of bones with his hands raised to make it clear he's not planning anything shifty.

He points to the bones, points to the giants and then stretches his palms outwards in a "What's the deal with this?" gesture. 

The elder giant looks at the younger, then with the large branch in her hand she points at the drawing of the cow/sheep/dog that Alton made on the wall, then at the pile of bones.  She pats her stomach and smiles.  She says something in giant, which you do not understand.

Silent looks back at the others with a deadpan expression and raises a finger. Call me crazy but I reckon I know where the sheep are. 

Balassar just shrugs "Everything gotta eat I guess. Did you copy the rest of the runes? Maybe I might be able to read them."

Alton nods and pulls his journal out, opening it up to the page with the copied runes, "I copied down the runes that were on the house." He hands the journal over to Balassar. 

Balassar, you are not able to read the runes that Alton has copied.

The younger giant also peers over to look at what is in Alton's book.  Will Alton let him look?

Alton sees no issues in letting the giant look. 

The younger giant looks, sighs, and points at the writing and then at himself, making a gesture of writing.  It seems that he's telling you that he wrote the message.  He looks frustrated that he's not able to communicate with you more clearly, and grunts.  In response, the elder giant says something in a calmer, more reassuring tone, and the younger giant nods.

The elder giant begins to carve a new rune on the stone next to her.  She takes a minute or two to complete her work, and then shifts slightly to allow Balassar to get a clear view.  Balassar, the meaning of the rune comes into your mind:

Again, you are struck by the strangeness that a single rune contains so much information, and also that you are able to understand it. The elder giant reaches into a pouch on her belt, takes out a small object, and hands it to Balassar, dropping it into your hand (if you offer it) or otherwise onto the ground near you. It is a jewel, probably worth about a hundred gold pieces.

Balassar just catches, his head turning back to the newly carved rune "I'll get it to the owners then." he looks to his companions "They needed to eat the sheep for survival. I think this is suppose to be payment for them." He just looks back to the giant and draws a smiley face in the ground and follows it with a thumbs up.

Silent's eyes are as wide as dinner plates looking at the gem. You think we should tell them they're... uh... overpayin' a little for a couple sheep? 

The elder giant laughs at the drawing Balassar has made, and then says something to the younger.

The younger giant is drawing something in his book, and after a while he shows it to you all.  It appears to be some large goblin-like creatures, a small group of them in fact, sitting in a cave much like this one.  The younger giant points, not to somewhere in your cave you think, but to somewhere further east.

Alton looks to his friends, "It would be much better if we could actually speak to each other." He pulls on his topknot thinking for a moment then snaps his fingers, "I have an idea." Alton takes a good look at the drawing the giant made in his book before moving to a cleared spot near everyone. He moves his hands over the surface of the area as he talks out loud, "I think they might be saying they were forced here." As he speaks, Alton repeatedly casts Prestidigitation making a small illusion of the goblin-like drawing appear on the floor along with the giants. Like a stop motion animated film, Alton uses Prestidigitation to make the small illusions act out what he thinks happened. 

The prestidigitation images are small enough to fit in Alton's hand, which for the giants is very very small indeed.  They both take a moment to figure out what you are doing, and then peer in, trying to see the image clearly.

I would say this is a performance check to represent your intended narrative through the illusion spell.  I will give you advantage, as Wash's little pet dragon is trying to send some meaning telepathically to the giants as well, provided you explain to him as you go.

Can you also let me know exactly what Alton thinks has happened, and therefore what story he is acting out for the giants?  

Performance: 20

As Alton tries his hand at this idea he says, "I think this might be what happened. Our new friends lived farther up in the mountains but then these creatures showed up and kicked them out. Then they came down here closer to the town and had to take the farmer's livestock because it is the only food nearby. And now the invaders are living in their old cave."