He's already moving at a run - the Silmarils - he's wagering that whatever just happened to upset the Valar enough that they blocked all magic including communication, is also enough that they're going to want them out of Fëanáro's hands. 

We are about to have a very serious problem, I think. We believe Maitimo was faking the prophetic dreams of Fëanáro using the Silmarils to destroy cities. Stupid, they should have recognized it sooner, they knew it had to be him and this is obviously a lot more feasible to pull off than either guessing or controlling the timing of Sauron's move. I contacted Jisa because Maitimo was feeling very smug about something, she told me the Valar had called Fëanáro up to testify, now I cannot reach any of them and I suspect something went badly out of control. In which case the Valar are likely on their way to take possession of the Silmarils and I am not sure what to do. 

Wow. 

Do we need the Silmarils.

It depends on exact conditions. We have the humans in Velgarth who the Shadowgod can bring back, but only with Mandos on our side. We may or may not have the Heartstones. What would be your current estimates for the number of volunteers we could obtain on short notice - give a range - we could perhaps improve it by putting out word since I assume Maitimo is not going to be allowed any outside communications after this. 

Maybe fifty thousand to two hundred thousand. If we need Mandos to use humans then we can't alienate the Valar - we should maybe be assuming just out of maximum pessimism that Maitimo did have a way to time this with Sauron and he's moving now -

I mean. We could use humans anyway, it is just much less certain we could get them back afterward. He's trying to think. Two hundred thousand is not enough; maybe we should be making the announcement that we may need volunteers at any time. The plans for transport are in place. I...do think it is possible, right now, that we need Mandos more than we need the Silmarils. He might also refuse to reembody Quendi on anything like a timely basis, if he were not pleased with how it was done. 

Telumë reaches the place where the Silmarils are being guarded. Stops. Obviously it would be better to have both, the Silmarils have uses other than mass murder. I will try to talk to the Valar if they come here, but - I will not escalate to the point of losing their cooperation. 

(Fëanáro is going to be so angry with him, he thinks, flinching internally, but that doesn't make it not the right decision.) 

If we can reach more cities we can get more people - if we give them time to think - what other barriers are there to doing the first stage now -

Risk of spooking Sauron into moving, if we do it in Velgarth. A small risk of losing or destroying it in transit, if we do it here and Gate across when the comes, but - we could begin over again, it would only cost an additional hundred lives, and we would have learned from the first time. 

He is not generally an expressive person but he looks - distinctly unhappy, at this point. I'll come see if I can reason with the Valar too. 

I was pretty frustrated with you for having wrung through his head so thoroughly but I admit it is looking better as we get a clearer view of the alternatives.

Telumë doesn't have anything to say to that, really, so he stays silent. Waits, mage-senses extended, waiting for a god to show up that he can maybe argue with. 

A god shows up. Specifically, a Maia in the form of a tall Vanya man, riding an eagle. 

He alights atop the tower where the Silmarils sit and begins frowning at the magic protecting them against theft.

"May we speak with you?" Telumë calls out, taking a step closer. "Regarding the Silmarils and - ensuring they will not be used against Arda." Even if he has to promise that, as a condition of taking them to Velgarth, it's better than not having them at all. 

YOU MAY SPEAK TO ME BUT PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT THIS WORK, WHICH HAS BEEN ORDERED BY THE VALAR.

Fighting a Maia is a stupid idea - it'd be stupid even for Vanyel and he isn't Vanyel. If all he cared about were winning this dispute, he could Gate in fifty more mages. But this isn't the battle they actually need to win.

"We understand the Valar are concerned the Silmarils are dangerous," he says. "I would happily take them out of Arda and secure them in Velgarth, where they would not threaten this world. I would swear not to bring them back, ever." 

OUR FEAR IS THAT THEY WILL BE USED FOR SLAUGHTER.

Can he make a promise that Fëanáro won't use them for slaughter - can he even make that for himself... Findekáno, I am probably not the person who ought to be leading this argument, right now. Considering the part where I was banned from Valinor for Gating orcs in. 

The Silmarils were created to enable Quendi to live independently outside Valinor. It was never our desire to use them for war. It is our dearest hope we will not need to.

THE VISIONS ARE NOT OF WAR. THEY ARE OF SLAUGHTER.

God, what side is he even on here, the people who've promised to stop him and his father if they object to the mass slaughter of innocents or the people who let Melkor go and are doing nothing to stop Sauron -

- evil Maitimo wanted this to happen -

- Maitimo is not a good person to steer by but evil Maitimo is probably a pretty good person to steer against - 

We think they're not real visions. We think Prince Nelyafinwë sent them for the same reason he blew up a dam, to kill people and harm the war effort. 

WE SUSPECTED THIS ALSO. WE IMAGINED INITIALLY THAT TESTIMONY COULD BE PROVIDED THAT NO SUCH USE WAS POSSIBLE, OR AT LEAST THAT IT WAS NOT PLANNED.

If we have any alternatives less terrible, we will use them, and we have some candidates. Mandos is working with us on some alternatives that might be less terrible. Only if the alternative is total destruction by Melkor would a plan like this be considered. I do not know if it should be considered. I think I would not decide to use it, whatever was at stake, were it my choice alone. But there are many hundreds of millions of people on Velgarth and I will not decide for them how their war for freedom against Melkor and Sauron should be conducted.

THE LIGHT OF THE TREES SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR UNIMAGINABLE CRIMES.

I'm pretty opposed to all unimaginable crimes Tree-based or not, he almost snaps back.

Let us take them to Velgarth where this can be considered by the people who will be affected. 

THAT IS AN INTERESTING ARGUMENT. YOU CAN MAKE IT BEFORE THE VALAR, IF YOU LIKE. I AM RETURNING THERE NOW. 

He takes the Silmarils.

I guess I'll try? he says wearily to Telumë. Explain to my father -

Telumë nods. Would it help to have representatives of Velgarth? We have the Valdemaran and Karsite governments in exile. It's kind of a relief that he's banned from Valinor, or at least he assumes he still is, and so doesn't need to make the choice whether to talk to the Valar himself even though it's terrifying and somewhat likely to backfire.