"Won't help Elves. They'll kill us anyway."

"If they think they have to. But they think that because of the oaths.

Not because you're orcs or because you work for Melkor. If the oaths aren't tight, they won't think that."

"Oaths aren't tight."

"Can you swear about what the oaths are?"

"No."

"Because of the oaths?"

"Helps Elves. Can't help Elves."

"How does it help Elves? Better for them than killing all orcs and not knowing if they need to?"

"They'd kill all orcs anyway, they hate orcs, they're evil. Knowing lets them guess when they could get an orc to betray orcs."

"Elves hate orcs? All Elves?"

"Yes."

"So if someone does not hate orcs, and swears it..."

"Deluded, or figured out how to fake, or not an Elf. All Elves hate orcs."

"Might not be Elves like Melkor meant, even if they look like Elves and say they are Elves? If it's that or they faked an oath..."

"Elves have tricky evil magic, speak other words, could fake an oath. Untrustworthy. Not sure their word even binds them like us."

That one was a bit of a long shot.

"Can you tell me your oaths? Would be harder to convince them there is a way out if they don't know how, but I can agree to tell no Elves."

"If you promise not to use against Melkor?"

That would probably be the right decision, since being unable to use it isn't worse than not knowing it. But, no.

"Do you want Melkor protected more than you want to get away from Elves, or is the oath making you ask that?"

"Want to live, can't betray Melkor to live, won't get to live anyway since Elves aren't trustworthy."

"When and how did you swear? What happens if you don't?"

"Nothing happens, you just - do..."

"Why, if nothing happens?"

"Everyone else is doing it?"

"Is it children swearing? How old?"

"Three?"