#fall of numenor

[thelien-art]

Ar-Pharazôn & Tar-Mairon; Zigûr

Still not over Mairon walking around calling himself "King Excellent the Wizard"

While Opals have many positive symbolisms, the Opal are also said to absorb and reflect your feelings and thoughts, then intensify them, directing them back to you. - whether that is good or not is up to you, they are also said to bring unluck to certain people.

[naarisz]

Fall of Númenor team: Ar-Pharazôn, Tar-Míriel, Elendil, Isildur and Sauron.

[serene-faerie]

Thinking about the gradual corruption of the Lay of Leithian in late-age Númenor.

The King's Men tell the story of a Beren who is "bewitched" by Lúthien's dancing. He is enamoured not by Lúthien's singing, but by her Elven beauty. They speak of a Beren who rescues Lúthien from her treehouse, stealing her away from Doriath. To the King's Men, Lúthien is a damsel in distress, oppressed by the ways of the evil Elves, and Beren is just a mortal man who "liberates" her. The King's Men erase Beren's genuine love and respect for Lúthien. They get rid of Beren's oath to Thingol. And most of all, they erase Lúthien's agency in the tale; they erase her own brave deeds like fighting Sauron and singing Morgoth to sleep. Instead, they give the credit to Beren alone. At this period, Elves aren't yet completely hated, but they are exoticized and fetishized by the King's Men. And they exoticize Lúthien so much until she is just a submissive Elven princess who is nothing more than a prize for Beren to "win".

The King's Men erase the sacrifice of Finrod Felagund and the ten brave Elves of Nargothrond. They ignore the hunting of Carcharoth, Beren protecting Thingol at the cost of his own life, and Lúthien's pleading song to Námo. To the King's Men, the Quest for the Silmaril ends when Beren takes the Silmaril from Morgoth, then brings it to Thingol and Melian. To the King's Men, Lúthien's immortality was stripped from her by her cruel parents, and she was banished from Doriath for daring to love a mortal man. They erase Lúthien's own choice, they ignore how Thingol and Melian accepted Beren in the end. And fundamentally, the King's Men misunderstand the lesson of the Leithian, that Lúthien chose mortality of her own free will for love.

Under the King's Men, the Lay of Leithian is stripped of everything that made it so beautiful and poignant. It's no longer a story of love and hope, but a story about a submissive Elven princess who runs away with a strong mortal man to escape the tyranny of the Eldar.

But thankfully, the true Lay of Leithian was well-preserved by the Faithful Númenóreans.

[lena-point]

the stone doesn't even do anything...

[rey-jake-therapist]

Of course some Redditors have adressed the idea that Galadriel could find herself in Numenor during its fall as some ridiculous idea that "would break canon so impossible" (because TROP never broke book!canon before uh), and that can only be the product of the minds of "delusional Haladriel shippers who just want Galadriel and Sauron to be together in Numenor again". Okay.

But then why

I couldn't find a gif of it, but Galadriel had the same vision of Numenor under water when she looked in the Palantir. See how the visions of them walking towards the red line are almost identical ?

Miriel thought for a long time that anyone who would look into the Palantir would have the same vision, but she was wrong. Elendil saw a vision of himself leaving Numenor :

A vision which we saw become real at the end of season 2, when he left Numenor.

And Ar-Pharazon saw Halbrand as Sauron :

Well we know that Ar Pharazon will soon meet Sauron again, don't we ?

The Palantir shows the past and the future, and what it shows is apparently personal to the person who looks into it.

So if Galadriel isn't meant to be in Numenor when the catastrophe happens, I'd really like a "not delusional stupid Haladriel shipper" to explain to me how come that Galadriel had the exact same vision of Numenor under water as Miriel had, because I'm probably too stupid and delusional to get it.

Snarking tone aside, it's not even the Haladriel in me who wants Galadriel to be in Numenor. I don't have any hope that anything romantic happens between her and Sauron if they're indeed in Numenor at the same time lol Sauron should be at the peak of his evilness at this point, so my guess is that she'll follow him there because she'll want to prevent the catastrophe she witnessed from happening. And of course, as we know, she'll fail.

[tanoraqui]

[kicks open your door fully 2 years after my original post about it] ALRIGHT, TIME FOR THE "CELEBRIMBOR & ANNATAR DESTROY NÚMENOR AS A COUPLE" AU!

The Rise and Fall of Empires

A key lesson of the First Age was: Do NOT, under any circumstances, let a bunch of grief-enraged Noldor onto your continent, particularly not led by the House of Fëanor. The Númenorean Empire has failed to learn from history. (Also the Noldor, particularly the House of Fëanor, have acquired a notable Maia who is...mostly no longer evil. Officially speaking.)

Chapter 1. Pivot Point (A Prologue)

Mairon went to Mount Doom to forge his One Ring and he found that it was…lonely. Control, yes, he needed control, and power, yes, he needed power, because without these he couldn’t create the perfect, orderly world of which he dreamed (his orders, obviously). But it was just…

It had been pleasant, working with the Gwaith-i-Mírdain these last 400 years. It had been a reprise of the glorious company-in-creation that he’d had once upon a time in Aulë’s forges, before he found greater purpose with a greater master. It was disordered, yes, but now and then the hammers struck in time and the ideas shouted across trestle tables clicked together, and a metaphorical butterfly flapped its wings and the world changed.  

And at the center of it was Celebrimbor Curufinion, who was… who was…

[keep reading on ao3]

[galliaestomnis]

[ ... ]"if any mortals have claim to the Ring, it is the men of Numenor, and not Halflings"

Boromir to Frodo, The Fellowship of the Ring, JRR Tolkien

[eri-pl]

...because Denethor turned out to be too good. :D

[tar-thelien]

For science.

[dalliansss]

Glorfindel ducks his head. “Yes. Sauron is growing strong again upon the Eastern shores, and the Valar sitting in Mahánaxar have decided to…send help.”

Something crosses Finrod’s blue eyes. “Have you fought Sauron , Laurë?”

“No,” says Glorfindel, and he stiffens where he sits. “But I have held my own ground against a Balrog , Ingoldo, and while I also lost, I… ”

“Yes, but you have never fought with the primordial weapon of the Ainur. You never fought with Song.”

“Ingoldo,” says Glorfindel, matter-of-factly. “Ever I have been your friend, and I did not choose to be the one accompanying the maiar back to Endorë. I do not have your wisdom, your beauty, nor your power, and I am not privy to the mind of the Valar, but I promise you this was not my choice to make, and if I could, I–.”

“You would what, Laurë?”

“I would take you with us. I know how much you hate Aman. I know how much you despise your status here. I know how much you despair waiting for Angaráto and Aikanáro, and I know–”

Finrod pinches his lips. It is a sour expression. “What do you have that I do not, and why is it that you are the one being sent back, not me ? Am I not Finrod the Beloved? ”

[Drift @ Ao3]

[thelien-art]

Tar-Miriel & the Fall of Numenor

This took way too long to finish... (began in October...)

The Ibizan hound is a hunting hound, known for its speed, agility, and adaptability, representing power and resilience, making it an emblem of determination and perseverance. Here it´s lying down with its tail tugged under it and glances up.

The Pharaoh hound is also a hunting hound, used more for small game and hard terrain, it symbolizes a trustworthy companion and shows that justice will fall on those who deserve it. Here it´s looking oblivious to the side joining Miriel in her naivety.

Dogs in ancient Egypt were often associated with the afterlife through Anubis and were thought to act as companions and guides to humans in the afterlife. Both the Ibizan and Pharaoh hounds are rare breeds.

White chrysanthemums sorrow, and Iris for hope.

The scarab on the dagger for the circle of life and rebirth

[silmarillionwritersguild-art]

This lovely series depicting scenes from Númenor with a South East Asian flair are by @ayaosguqin.

@cycas opens her review of The Fall of Númenor with the observation that "Tolkien's literary legacy truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Whenever you think that your collection is finally complete, a new publication is announced." The question is, though, is The Fall of Númenor a worthwhile addition to your already groaning Tolkien bookshelf?

In our latest Read & Review column, Lyra reviews The Fall of Númenor, touching on its contents (and what it leaves out), its structure, and the artwork it contains by Alan Lee, concluding that "it is ... an immensely useful publication." You can read Lyra's complete "Review of The Fall of Númenor" here.

Published by @silmarillionwritersguild

[cilil]

But the Temple itself was unshaken, and Sauron stood there upon the pinnacle and defied the lightning and was unharmed; and in that hour men called him a god and did all that he would. (The Silmarillion)

The temple was under gay protection.

[source]

[straynoahide]

am i about to go on an ao3 dive of sauron/pharazon? yes. as a treat

[rey-jake-therapist]

Hi, do you know if it's confirmed that s3 will feature the fall of numeanor?

I don't think they confirmed anything regarding the plot of season 3 yet.

As for the fall of Numenor, I very much doubt that we will see it before season 4. Sauron's first got to find the kings of men and distribute them the Nine, to attack Lindon as foreshadowed at the end of season 2 (it's possible he starts with that), and to forge the One Ring.

Considering that there are only 8 episodes per season, and other characters' storylines to write, there's no way the Fall of Numenor can happen before season 4 imho.

[tanoraqui]

I'm really just so glad I finally got to the part of this fic where I can reveal that for the last several chapters, unseen in the background there's been conversations like,

Random Ost-in-Edhil Elf: Psst. Psst. Do you want to fake your death and escape slavery? I know a guy. Random Elf from coastal Lindon or something: What? How do you 'know a guy'? No, I'm too busy being in despair - my homeland is lost to me, the Men are CLEARLY corrupted beyond all hope, and the world is generally going to shit. OiEE: No, seriously! My lords have an elaborate scheme that will save everyone! In fact, the whole 'worship of Morgoth' thing is just a ruse that's part of it! RE: ...Really? Okay, so how do we fake our deaths? OiEE: You just have to wholly entrust your defenseless fëa to the power of the former Lieutenant of Angband - no wait, it's okay! He's cool, now! RE: He's 'cool, now'? OiEE: He's reformed! He's not evil anymore! He thinks we're all a pleasure to have in class, and he's been redeemed by the power of love! That is, if he gets evil again, Lord Celebrimbor will be Not Angry, Just Disappointed at him - which is bad enough when you're not married to him, trust me. [shudders] RE: So a kinslayer is holding the new Dark Lord's leash?! OiEE: No! ...I mean, technically yes, I think. But it's like... We're working with a morality on par with Himring during the Long Peace, okay? RE: Also! Notably! Slayers! Of Kin!! OiEE: Yeah but not really. Everyone except literally the Amanyar Teleri agree that Alqualondë was more a total mutual cock-up than a real Kinslaying, right? So it's like, yes, some people here have done terrible deeds in the past, and we all know that the possibility exists - which is why we're all very alert against that possibility. Nobody WANTS to do more kin-slaying. Nobody is even THINKING about it. The only death anyone has ANY intention of dealing is to the enemy - Pharazón, here - and his forces. I won't say the potential for evil isn't there, but it literally WILL NOT happen unless everyone is pushed to a point of total desperation by, like, a literal localized apocalypse on par with the entire land catching fire at once and then losing all hope of victory in the field forever. RE: Okay...okay. I do hear what you're saying. I do. ...And I do really want out of here... RE: What's the end goal of the whole 'elaborate scheme' that will save everyone? How does it work? OiEE: Oh, we're going to start a localized apocalypse that basically involves setting the whole land on fire! Wait, no, come back! It'll be okay, I swear!