You're assuming the terms have anything to do with the Silmaril; they may not.

It's what she's here for, isn't it? If she doesn't suggest it as the stakes she's planning to kill Melian and take it afterward.

That's what I'd do. If I were a demon.

I'd go for the goal and do the unnecessary killing separately. But okay. Might not involve the Silmaril. Does that change the plan?

Might make it harder for her to do a defense with fire even just to buy time.

Why do the stakes affect that?

Can't light her whole kingdom on fire, can trivially enough put something around the Silmaril.

Right. A ring of light...around the Silmaril.

On second thought there might be a light source that isn't also a destructive symbol, if you want to tell us how to turn it up.

I asked my father, he's talking to them via palantir, don't know how it's going.

Okay. It'll work or not and I don't think we're hugely necessary...

They haven't been issuing challenges since they lost the interrupted one. Is Ungoliant negotiating with Melian yet?

She's at the border; powerful magic isn't flying around yet.

If Melian doesn't take our offer, we can't interfere. Or could but it'd be really unlikely to help. Maybe we could help cover people's retreat if she loses...

I can't imagine - they're all in a cave -

That'd make it hard. At the very least we can get Ungoliant chasing people who can run–

Optimistically. 

Optimistically.

And a few minutes later the Silmaril light from Doriath - 

- brightens, and brightens, and brightens, blinding to look at - 

Blinding even to look away from, this is good. Amber laughs.

Fëanáro decided to be reasonable!

Miraculous, that. ...I didn't even know it could do that.

Oh, that part's less surprising.

I can't see anywhere near there, but I bet Ungoliant's not enjoying that.

It's hard to tell even if you can get a look. She's - bleeding - or something - but she's also drinking it. And growing in size even as the shiny skin blisters and slags off.

No. Well, maybe yes, but— it's not driving her off is it? Time's on the wrong side here–

Not driving her off. What's the rule if it's a standstill -

Depends on what they agreed, if it was just to fight then eventually Ungoliant gets bored, but it's not one; she's getting bigger.

...didn't see that.

He squints. You're right. They'll presumably have noticed too -