Author's Note: Here's another interview! This king lived during a time that had some pretty important changes; do you see any ways that these alterations are like those occurring in our own time? Please give me some feedback; I would really appreciate it!

Tar-Telemmaitë

Name(s): Tar-Telemmaitë

Race: Men

Life: He was born in 2136 S.A., and he ruled for 140 years as the fifteen king until his death in 2526 (from his time on, all kings kept the scepter until they died of old age).

. . .

Tar-Telemmaitë, your very name means "silver-handed", and you are most famous for your desire for mithril. Could you talk about this a little? Why did you want mithril, and how much did it take for you to be satisfied?

How could one not want mithril after seeing it? It shines like no other object in all of Arda, and it is light and strong. You can use it to make things of both beauty and practical use; I simply could not resist getting as much as was possible.

As to satisfaction, that's hard to define. Of course I was always pleased when I received more mithril or when I used the mithril to make wonderful things, but I never reached a point in my life when I was finished trying to get more mithril. And that's perfectly okay: I was the king of the greatest country in the world, and I deserved what I desired.

Could you describe the way you buried the dead during your days and the way you viewed death in general?

We gave the dead great honor, more so than any generation before us had. We began to build great houses and tombs for those who died, making them larger and more grand as time went on. We wanted to give them a burial worthy of their life, and I suppose we were also trying to mock death. Death was a terrible blight to us, taking us from the world we loved far too soon. It was viewed as a thief in the night; an enemy.

What did you do because of your fear of death?

We sought out any method of delaying it or reversing it that was to be found in all of Arda. Some men even specialized in these sciences, and they tried a variety of spells or lifestyles to try to extend life.

Were these attempts successful?

No.

Was it true that the days of the line of Elros became diminished during your time?

I do not understand the reason, but it seems that there was indeed a decline of the average lifespan in the line of kings, even though those of the generations preceding mine refused to give in to death without a fight. As I said, I do not know why this evil plagued us; perhaps it was some blight of the Valar. Despite this sad fact, the kings still had very long spans of life in comparison with other men; our majesty was not diminished.

Did your views about the Eldar and the Valar differ from those of your father?

Not really. I was opposed to the pride of both peoples, though my anger at the unjust restraints of the Valar was greater than my dislike of the Eldar. But despite the fact that the elves were no longer higher or more skilled than the men of Númenor, I decided not to demand that they stay away.

After your father's time, the offering of the first fruits to Eru was neglected. Why did this occur?

Because I can hardly think of a greater way to waste resources than to simply set our best products on the top of a mountain and hope that they please a deity that never does anything for us. If Eru actually exists, then He doesn't need our food to be satisfied, does He? If He's so powerful, then why would He ask us, mere men, to give up our limited supplies to quench His hunger?

Did anyone go up to the sacred mountain during your reign?

Some of the Faithful did occasionally, but it neither bothered me nor made me pleased. If they wanted to squander their resources and time, that was their affair. As long as they didn't try to force their views on me and my men, I let them do what they wanted. I was once told by one of the Faithful that I was being foolish by refusing to "give Eru what was due Him", and sometimes I would see the desire to reprimand my "disrespect" in some of the Faithful's eyes, but no open movements ever came against me. Their intolerant attitude just goes to show how it was the Faithful, not me, who were foolish.

Please review! What change do you consider the most fundamental?