:Which part? Kill ten million people? Obtain ten million people in the first place?: 

Both, really. 

:Create a very large empire with good enough technology and logistics to support a population of over five million – merge it with another empire I founded fifteen hundred years ago and eventually abandoned because it turned out I could either maintain a high technological level and prevent the gods from shutting that down or I could make it a pleasant place to live and not both. I would also need several thousand mages and each of them can arrange to kill several thousand people if concentrated in a small area. There were some finer details of logistics that I intended to arrange later: 

You had several thousand volunteers to kill several thousand people for this plan?

:Yes: 

Huh. I -

- I could imagine doing it. But I'd have - four, maybe five, people who'd work with me. 

:I had a long time to find my volunteers. And to many people's eyes, at least, death is cheaper in my world. Most countries would have military leaders who have caused or ordered the deaths of thousands: Leareth isn't sure what to do with Maitimo admitting that he might do it. Whether to interpret it as some kind of offer of alliance - greater than what they already have, which is substantial...

:In any case. Other background on Vanyel. He has a limitation with Gates specifically, due to how his Gifts were awakened – he can cast them but with difficulty, and it causes him pain. Also, after the death of his partner that I mentioned much earlier, he spent many years grieving. I think he spent some of them wishing to be dead. Relatedly, he jumps very easily to plans that involve risking his own life, because - he does not see it as such a high downside. I would appreciate it if you did not let him do this, though: 

- nod. He should - if he wants to talk about it he should explain that bonds in your world can work that way. With that I don't think people will think too much of it.

:I think he probably will not wish to talk about it. I was somewhat shocked when he finally decided to speak to me of it, and that took over a decade: Leareth looks down at his hands. :That is all I can think of now, for background, unless you have questions?: 

Is there anything that we can offer him in exchange for his help -

:I am not sure, apart from the obvious – and I know that if your people survive this war, you will help our world sooner or later anyway. Though, he does love music. And beautiful things. He would consider it a great honour to hear your songs: 

Leareth thinks. :Oh – he will almost certainly arrive with an intelligent magical horse. She can Mindspeak, as I can. This is normal in his country but I imagine your people might find it startling: 

Huh. All right. Will she do all right in the caves? 

:I think so, if we have food for her and can occasionally Gate in supplies. It might be good to bring in some hay with the next logistics run to the camp: 

Certainly.

Leareth nods. Leans back against the cave wall. 

:...The discovery of other worlds is a good thing: he says eventually. :And yet... I ought not feel this way. They were there all along, I simply did not know it, and information is worth knowing. Only, I made a vow a long time ago. Not a magical one, but not one I intend to break. That I would fight for the entire world and the future of all the people in it, until it was acceptable. And - that does not only apply to my world. Or yours. There are probably more than two, and some of them may well be worse than Velgarth, and–: He looks down, lets out his breath. :I suppose I am tired, and I had hoped that someday the work would be done: 

He reaches over and hugs him. 

We're very young, still.

...Leareth has no idea what to do about this. Well, respond to it gracefully, obviously - it's not like he minds being hugged, he just had not been expecting that at all, especially when he's still remembering Maitimo being uncomfortable touching him at all ever, and he has no idea what he's thinking anymore.

:Thank you. I suppose I will not be the only person trying. That...helps: Mostly in an abstract way, because he can't figure out how to fit it into his conception of how anything works, yet. 

One imagines we will find lots of people who are trying, as we go.

:I hope so: 

A group of Quendi soldiers including one with one of the protective amulets is missing, presumed dead, a forest fire blazing at the spot where they lost contact with their commander.  

Fëanáro figures out a better endurance artifact.

Leareth works on Gate-techniques. Makes more artifacts to equip the army. Communicates with his own army in Velgarth. They are very confused. 

He gets a message back from his diplomatic party. King Randale is extremely suspicious but has not actually had his party murdered or taken prisoner or anything. He's talking to them. He's refusing to say where Vanyel went. 

He puts more shields on the cave. He's tested miniature Gates as a proof of concept, but Gating an entire person in is going to be a big power expenditure, and it's different enough that he can't make the usual permanent threshold work. So he'll be doing it himself, the hard way, unless he can get the new technique figured out before they find Vanyel. It's not going to be worth waiting for it though, though it probably is worth waiting before he tries to bring lots of his own mages and weaponry through.

–When he gets the word about Vanyel, it's sudden, a message passed from one of his agents. Found him in Jkatha. Will approach him to ask. Waiting on your word. 

He alerts Maitimo and then tells them to go ahead and ask Vanyel. Who is presumably going to be utterly baffled. He asks Fëanáro to borrow the Silmarils, and gets ready for his first major inter-world Gate. 

He can borrow the Silmarils. And Fëanáro, who will not be out of their sight. 

:He may not be very functional immediately, if the Gate hurts him worse than normal Gates: Leareth warns Maitimo. 

Five minutes later he gets a return message through the artifact. He says this had better not be a trick. On your go. 

Leareth doesn't hesitate. His agent has one of the artifacts he can use to anchor a Gate on. Gate up, Herald-Mage and Companion through, Gate down.

Vanyel collapses in a heap on the ground. He's wearing travel-worn Whites and his hair is short and almost entirely silver.

:What: Yfandes spits, broadsending to all of them. :Explain. Now: