In reply to the Guy from Finland: Um, hold on let me ask him. Okay, here it is: SauronTheBestest . Hey; wait a minute… ;) To quote him word for word, "I am not handing out my email at the moment since one of my minions is in some hot water about not separating personal and business messages. I am going to lay low for a while and when I can successfully destroy all evidence connecting the defective minion with my operations, I will resume communication with you little mortal fans." O.O Wow…that had some frightening implications, but he's doing all the talking, not me!

Author's Note: Today is my one-year anniversary on fanfiction! *turns on some obscure 80s song and does air guitar for a while* So, as a polite gift, ALL people reading this chapter are compelled to review. This reviewing is a custom in my culture, and you wouldn't want to offend me, would you? Anyway, today we have the privilege of getting the perspective of one who was around throughout the entirety of Númenor's existence. I hope you guys enjoy what he has to say!

Ereinion Gil-galad

Name(s): Ereinion Gil-galad; Artanáro; Rodnor

Race: Elves

Life: Gil-galad was born in Beleriand during the First Age and eventually moved to dwell with Círdan the Shipwright. He became the High King of the Noldor upon the death of his relative, Turgon, and set up a realm along the coast after the War of Wrath. He was allies with Elrond and some of the kings of Númenor. He befriended the Faithful who escaped the Downfall, and he led the Last Alliance to fight Sauron at the end of the Second Age. Immediately following the siege of Barad-dûr in 3441 S.A., Gil-galad fought with Sauron and was slain.

. . .

Just because I now have the opportunity and because I am dying to know and because it may (or may not) pertain to the interview, who are your real parents?

[At this point, Estel wishes to add a tiny bit of description. Gil-galad chuckled quietly and put his hand on his forehead, laughing to himself as if he were alone. Thalion wondered if he'd been asked this question before. Perhaps many times. He continued laughing (a wonderful sound that made Estel's spirit rise and a smile creep on her face) for almost a minute before shaking his head slowly.]

That information is not to be disclosed.

Please? Mandos told you guys to answer my questions!

[Gil-galad considered Thalion's plea for a moment, and at last he yielded, smiling so pleasantly that the memory always makes Estel's heart flutter. The only drawback was that Gil-galad only agreed to tell the secret on the condition that the truth be kept a secret. Estel wishes to convey her deep sadness at not being able to record this information for her readers, but she just had to know, and elves are difficult to negotiate with. That deal was the best she was going to get.]

Now let's get to the more relevant questions, if you would please.

What were your thoughts and hopes when the Edain first left for the island of Númenor?

I had very high hopes for them. Among the group were many valiant men, and if their deeds in battle during the War of Wrath revealed anything about their character, then they were men capable of creating a great civilization. It was my prayer that they would found a nation that remembered the glory of the Elder Days and yet still progressed forward in skill and valor.

When you first heard word from Númenor, was it of the sort you had been hoping for?

Yes. The descendants of my allies and friends from the War of Wrath exhibited many of the attributes of their fathers. They were courteous and eager to learn, they gave due respect and yet were not afraid to humbly make their voice known, and they were glad to trade in a way that would be beneficial to my people as well as their own.

What were some changes in Númenórean behavior over the years, and when did they occur?

The changes were very gradual, and some didn't really have a defining time. Arrogance and doubt began to creep into the Númenóreans about a hundred years after I first began associating. Rebellion also festered in their hearts, this becoming manifest fully in Tar-Atanamir's days. After his reign, the decline became especially pronounced. The men did not speak with reverence in my court, nor did they seek wisdom. Rather, they sought to teach us. The values of their forefathers slowly vanished, and greed ruled their actions.

They began to reject all things outside of themselves: Eru, the Valar, and even the Eldar. Man was the center of their focus, and yet this point of view served them no better. In fact, it made them more unhappy than the poor men of Middle Earth.

I know less about the progression of evil in the latter days of the nation because the Númenóreans came more and more seldom to my realm. They did much good in fighting Sauron and keeping his evil at bay, but if my reports were correct, they also dealt out a great deal of oppression themselves.

In a brief statement, compare the Númenóreans you first met and those you saw only a little while before the Downfall.

The first were noble, wise, and content. The second were rash and disrespectful, foolish, and never satisfied.

Talk about the Faithful. What did you think about them, and how did you encourage them?

They could be considered even more noble than their early forefathers, for although they did not hold to as strict a set of standards, they stuck to their beliefs despite a great deal of persecution. I welcomed them with all the care I could, instructing my people to teach them kindly and provide opportunities for them to thrive in my realm since they could not in their own. I admired their courage, and I gave them counsel and gifts as often as they needed them. It was my hope that though Númenor had declined, these men could keep the original characteristics of the country alive.

What legacy do you see in the memory of Númenor?

I see a great glory and a terrible warning. Not even the Valar could scoff at the great feats of Númenor. They developed immense skill and created many marvelous things. No one will deny it. In its youth, the country was joyful and content; a paradise for any man. Yet when the people shifted their focus from transcendent truths to their own personal interests, they fell apart. Without the foundation upon which it was founded, Númenor effectively destroyed itself. All that survived was built on that old foundation; the only one fit for anyone to build upon.

Please leave me some feedback! It is my "birthday"…