Author's Note: And now we start the interviews! Like I said before, if I don't adequately explain something, whether it's a fact about Númenor or just some other part of the interview, please don't hesitate to let me know. I hope you enjoy this first chapter, and don't forget to review!

Tar- Minyatur

Name(s): Tar- Minyatur; Elros

Race: Men

Life: He was born in F.A. 532. He ruled as the first king of Númenor from the year 32 until his death in S.A. 442.

. . .

What were some basic assumptions of your people when Númenor was founded?

Númenor was given as a gift to the men who fought alongside the Valar against Morgoth. Therefore, we already had a strong respect for the Valar, and we trusted their wisdom and guidance in addition to being grateful for their gift of our land. Obviously since we revered the Valar, we even more greatly adored their (and our) Master: Eru. His decrees, whether given directly or indirectly through His servants, were considered an absolute standard. He gave us our worth and meaning. We also had close friendship with the Eldar, and we trusted them just as much as our own people.

Could you be more specific about your people's relationship with Eru?

To display our dedication to Eru, we held three corporate prayers a year on His sacred mountain top, Meneltarma, and individuals traveled there often to lift up their own prayers. The group prayers were very solemn rituals, and everyone showed the greatest respect.

Were there any people who denied the existence of Eru or the Valar?

No. Every now and then I would hear about someone who was teaching some erroneous nonsense about the Valar and their Master, but it never amounted to much, and no one ever denied their being. Eru's existence was common knowledge. After all, we had seen His servants with our own eyes!

Because of the diversity of the people in Númenor, due to the different ancestral houses coming together, did you have a lack of unity?

No, and in fact the diversity almost made us more unified. We were allies, all united under one banner. Many of us had served in the war together, and that produced quite a close society. Sure there were some differences in appearance among us, but nobody minded those much.

What was this one banner under which you were united?

I guess you could call it "good". We stood for what was right, and we were willing to die for it.

What were some of your goals at the beginning of Númenor?

Well, many were just practical. We wanted to build cities, explore the land, and make the island our home. It was not hard to do so, as the place was so beautiful and inviting, but it still took a lot of time and effort to make Númenor the land which is remembered in songs.

What was your relationship with the men of Middle Earth? What about the elves of Valinor?

We gave no heed to Middle Earth. The men dwelling there were evil, and they would not listen to us while we dwelt still on those shores. Therefore, we let them be. The only allies we had in Middle Earth were Gil-galad, my brother, and a few others among the high elves, but they needed nothing from us, and during my reign we did not send ships that way.

The elves of Valinor were often our honored guests. They gave us much wisdom and skill, and we greatly enjoyed their company. Without them, Númenor would not have been nearly as great as it was.

What was your people's views regarding death?

Death was the gift of Eru to Men. It did not always feel like a gift, but most everyone accepted it, and many gave themselves to it voluntarily. It was not to be feared or shunned: it simply led to a place outside the circles of the world.

Because death is not always pleasant, were your people jealous of the Eldar's unending days?

I heard a few grumbles in my day, but most of us were so content with our land that we did not complain about what the Valar had not given us. Besides, the elves were our close friends and allies, and I know that nearly everyone had the utmost respect and admiration for them.

Did your people respect the Ban?

Oh, yes. There was no question about that. The Valar were the great Lords of the West, and even if anyone had any thought of breaking the Ban, fear would have kept him in line. Most people were more than content to remain in the given boundaries, especially since the whole island was a gift in the first place. Why should anyone want to rebel against the Lords who had been so kind and just to our people? Death was our lot, and Eru's plan for us was not questioned.

I hope you liked this first interview! Please review to let me know what you thought. I know that without the subsequent interviews, this one doesn't seem to contain much of importance. Never fear! I promise that as the interviews keep coming, you will start to find the story as a whole much more interesting.