The Fall of Numenor *Discussion Thread*

[Valandil]

No... this is NOT about autumn in Numenor! So rid yourselves of visions of the Numenorean children going 'back to school', leaves turning bright colors and falling from the trees, brisk fall air and Numenorean-rules football. As Rosie said at the start of the game thread:

This is about the Faithful at the time of the Fall of Numenor. We are persecuted by Sauron, and his puppet the King. We hear of the plan to sail to Valinor, and also of Elendil's plan to make a dash for Middle Earth before it's too late. We need plenty of Men (guys and girls)

This all occurs late in the Second Age - over 3,000 years before the events covered in 'The Lord of the Rings'. For good background from Tolkien, read the story; Akallabeth in The Silmarillion. It's also handy to refer to a map of Numenor - as shown in Unfinished Tales and some recent editions of LotR. Other good information on the Numenoreans can be found in UT as well: A Description of Numenor, the story of Aldarion and Erendis, The List of Kings - and The Disaster of the Gladden Fields. For a recounting of key dates, these come from Appendix B in The Lord of the Rings:

3175 Repentance of Tar-Palantir, civil war in Numenor
3255 Ar-Pharazon the Golden seizes the scepter (upon Tar-Palantir's death - he was Tar-Palantir's nephew)
3261 Ar-Pharazon sets sail and lands at Umbar
3262 Sauron is taken as prisoner to Numenor
3262-3310 Sauron seduces the King and corrupts the Numenoreans
3310 Ar-Pharazon begins the building of the Great Armament (in order to attack Valinor - sailing east which breaks the 'ban' - the one rule of the Valar that Numenoreans were to keep)
3319 Ar-Pharazon assails Valinor. Downfall of Numenor. Elendil and his sons escape.
3320 Foundations of the Realms in Exile: Arnor and Gondor

The action of this thread takes place in 3319, beginning shortly before Ar-Pharazon sets sail.