Response to the Guy from Finland: Have you been going through my documents?! ;) Yes, Sauron is among the coming interviewees, and he will definitely give us some a, um, new perspective on Númenor. Thanks so much for reviewing!
Author's Note: Now we are definitely in villain territory. *dramatic music plays* Please remember to leave me some feedback; I would really appreciate it! And stay tuned, because after Ar-Gimilzôr we come to one of my favorite characters in the history of Arda!
Ar-Gimilzôr
Name(s): Ar-Gimilzôr; Tar-Telemnar
Race: Men
Life: He was born in 2960 S.A., and he ruled as the twenty-third king of Númenor for 75 years until his death in 3177.
. . .
You outlawed any speaking of the Elven tongues during your reign. Why?
Because the Elven languages were a tribute to the Valar and to bondage. I wanted my people to be fully confident in their identity as Númenóreans, not as subjects of the Valar or even as allies with the Eldar. We didn't need anything or anyone else, and the sooner my countrymen understood that, the better off the nation would be.
I considered myself a progressive sort. Quenya and Sindarin were of the old world, which we had finally left behind. Why cling to something that isn't even worth saving? To the days of the elves and the Valar, and to the times when Man was accountable to others, we gladly say "good riddance"!
Was this connected with the reason you forbade any of the Eldar to land on the coasts of Númenor?
Yes; the elves themselves were even more dangerous than their languages. They were spies of the Valar, always trying to find out what Númenor was doing to "disobey" traditional rules in order to stir up Manwë's wrath against us. They'd go back to the Undying Lands (which we deserved) and spout off nonsense to the Valar about how terrible we were. What kind of foolish king would allow spies to just roam around his country? I was doing the most sensible thing for my nation's security.
In addition to being spies, the elves also tried to create rebellion by turning the people against me and the other Númenórean authorities. They sowed seeds of fear and doubt into the minds of all who heard them, talking about how the Valar would not take kindly to Númenor's newfound independence. And hey; a house divided cannot stand, right? So by keeping the Eldar out, I was uniting my people under one banner and one idea: mine.
How and why did you punish those of the Faithful who welcomed the elves?
Welcoming the elves was the exact same thing as harboring fugitives and criminals. They were not only bringing in spies to their homes, but they were allowing these brainwashers to spread their poisonous lies to others, hurting the whole society. Once again, I found it a part of my responsibility as king to punish such crimes.
The discipline itself varied according to the case. I was not cruel, and everything I did was justified, let me say that now before anyone tries to condemn my actions. The most common punishment for aiding spies was a good flogging and steep fine. There were some times when a person would commit multiple offenses, and then they would be imprisoned.
What were your thoughts when the elves never returned to Númenor?
I was overjoyed because my tactics had proven successful! Never once for the rest of my reign did I wish to see a sail coming in from the West; I never regretted my actions.
Why did you force the Faithful to live in the eastern part of Númenor?
For several reasons. First of all, it kept them from even being tempted to harbor and aid spies since the elves only sailed to the western portion of Númenor. Secondly, it gave me the ability to watch their doings closely. Rebellion was in their hearts and eyes, and if I wanted to keep my country peaceful, I needed to always maintain a steady eye on those most likely to commit some sort of crime against the state.
How did you feel about the mass exodus of the Faithful to Middle Earth?
I was glad of it; they could go off and bother Gil-galad and leave Númenor alone. I wanted no more friendship with the Eldar, and since the Faithful were the only ones who still revered the elves, their absence meant that Númenor's vision of an independent future could be free of internal opposition.
Why didn't you tend to the White Tree, allowing it to fall into decline?
It's was a tree that stood as a reminder of an old alliance with the Eldar and the Valar. I would be failing to live out my own principles if I gave honor to such a memorial. Indeed, I wish I had been able to just get rid of it, but it did have some traditional value, and anyway the Faithful, however weak they were, would definitely create a stir if I were to cut down their precious White Tree.
Why was it that you never went up to the sacred mountain of Eru?
Because I didn't want to waste my time. To any reasonable person, it is obvious that there is no true distinction between what is sacred and what is normal. What is just is, and to adore or worship something more than something else is foolish. All things have the same worth.
Besides, there is no Eru; that much became obvious in my days. If He were somewhere, He wouldn't let bad things happen, and He wouldn't give us so many rules to follow. We didn't need a god anyway; we were the true power of the world.
Why did you marry someone with inclinations of the Faithful?
Unfortunately for both of us, I didn't know she had such stupid ideas when we got married. I wed her for her beauty, which was indeed divine. But it was soon obvious that we didn't agree on anything, though of course as king, her opinion couldn't stop me.
The main problem wasn't even her arguing; it was the fact that she handed down her lies to our oldest son. This caused the whole family to be in derision all the time, and I'm sure it affected the way that my son was able to rule. He probably ruined the whole country.
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