"So it would."

"I cannot achieve this without the aid of the Noldor, and I would not see the Noldor divided as a people, and I am much more concerned with practical governing autonomy than with the nature of our formal ties with home. Do you think we can come up with a diplomatic arrangement that works for that?"

"Independently governed colony, probably - not if you still want the crown here someday -"

"Yes, I know. I - want this more. I think it puts the gifts Valinor and my people have given me to better use."

"In that case I foresee no problems that won't also be foreseen by Earth's magic-workers."

"We'll probably want someone with more range than me on hand, if only because I sleep."

"I take it that's expensive."

"Yes, but not prohibitively, especially since they don't necessarily have to come along as long as they can let me know when they anticipate hearing something happened."

"Makes sense. When is all this exploratory magic - or actual exploring - planned for?"

"Hadn't gotten that far yet. In the next Earth year, probably, and we'll want a site picked in two unless there are unforeseen complications so we can get the portal and start importing infrastructure."

"Ah, to be young. All right. Have fun."

"Oh, we will."

And a whole array of new things get added to the to-do list: find and employ some people who can check out Endorë for them at range, finish construction of the port city in Araman that'll be the point of departure for ships from Valinor, take bids for precogs who can check over an actual scouting trip to Endorë -

So being thousands of years old has an effect on Elves even though it doesn't cause physical aging, huh? - Should we also have an airport, do you suppose - not before we've got infrastructure in Endorë but later -

Yeah, eventually, probably. Do we need to plan for it in initial city site selection, are there bad places for airports -

I think it's principally a matter of needing a large flat area - also it's a factor if the planes have to get over a tall mountain range to complete a trip but not a prohibitive factor.

I will add it to the list of things to have in mind, at least. Why the Valar can't just do portals everywhere, since they can do them -

This I do not know. They're not running down some limited power supply, right?

Not that I'm aware of. I know transit times in Valinor are carefully designed to be optimal for the blissfulness of Valinor - like, things that'd suffer from lots of foot traffic are hard to get to, and the Noldor and Vanyar and Teleri city sites ended up the desired distance separate - but outside that - I suppose I shouldn't complain, London-New York will mean we have the funding for the city a full decade faster than we could do it off pop singers and magic items.

Yeah, at least they're helping a little.

They're really pretty great until you compare them to what you'd be doing with that kind of power, and then they're so disappointing.

Well, most people are disappointing on that level, but it gets real conspicuous when it's Valar-level power...

Yeah. And most people are - pretty leverageable, once you know them well enough - 

That is I think a you thing.

Hmm. Maybe.