"...fixed what?"

"The same thing that lets Elves have blessings also let us, and orcs, who have a similar thing, make promises we could not break. The orcs were all made to promise as small children that they would serve their inventor, who was evil. Now oaths don't work that way any more, and only let us swear to being honest and things like that."

She looks very unsettled. "That's much more uncomfortable than I was thinking."

"Also orcs used to be in constant pain for no reason and the first batch were made by torturing Elf parents for a couple generations."

"..."

"The other fourteen Valar have locked up that one."

"Good for them," she says firmly.

"Yes."

"The Emperor may be unpleasant but he's never done anything like that."

"Good."

"I have heard that he tortures people," she clarifies, "but - one at a time, and he doesn't bring their kids into it. Doesn't hurt kids at all, actually, that I know of."

"Better than Melkor, at any rate."

"Being better than Melkor is not very impressive."

"It's really not."

"Do you mean to go and talk to him?"

"I'm thinking about it."

"Well. Good luck. Try not to provoke him into torturing you."

"I will certainly try. I can die any time I want, there's that."

Snort. "And then I guess you'll find out whether he can bring people back to life."

"I suppose. I'd be easier than a Dwarf, and I suspect you work similarly."

"For all I know he can stop you from dying in the first place. It's usually not wise to bet on the Emperor not being able to do things."

"I might try anyway."

Shrug. "I'll not try to stop you."

"I will be very careful and see if anyone has advice before I approach."

Nod.