Elros, brother of Elrond, was the first king of Númenor who lived to be 500 years old and ruled Númenor for 410 years. His descendants were all known as the Dúnedain. And while Middle-earth fell back into a period called the Dark Years, Númenor grew in wisdom and power. They had the
Eventually Númenor was split into to groups: those who opposed the ban, and those who embraced it. The latter were called the Faithful and were persecuted by many Númenórean kings for their beliefs. Althought the bliss o-f Númenor was diminished as unrest grew among the people, its glory and power increased.
Tar-Palantir was a member of the Faithful and repented from many of the evil deeds of the previous kings. He also began to give offerings to Ilúvatar, a ritual that was often neglected by the other Númenórean kings. When he died, his daughter Miriel should have ruled, but her cousin, Pharazôn usurped the throne by forcing her to marry him. He seized the sceptre and took the title Ar-Pharazôn, and became the proudest and mightiest of all the kings and queens of Númenor.
When he heard that Sauron claimed the title King of Men and wished to destroy Númenor, Ar- Pharazôn attacked Sauron in Mordor. At the splendor and glory of the Númenóreans, Sauron surrendered and humbled himself before them. The king then took him hostage and brought him to Númenor. There he grew more and more in the favor of the king, until he became his cheif advisor. Sauron planned to use his power to gradually destroy Númenor. He had temples built to worship Morgoth and the darkness. The Faithful were outraged and spereated themselves from the rest of the Númenóreans.
As Ar-Pharazôn became old, he feared his death. He now listened to Sauron's councils to attack Valinor and dwell there as an immortal. Therefore, the king summonded the largest army ever seen upon the face of the earth. The Valar in fear called upon Ilúvatar, and he changed the shape of the world so that the Númenórean army was destroyed by a great wave from the sea. And the island of Númenor sunk into a black abyss. The world was reshaped into a sphere, and Valinor lay beyond the circles of the world.
When the Faithful heard that Ar- Pharazôn had sent the armada to conquer Valinor, they realized it was time to leave Númenor, the Land of the Star. Elendil was their leader and they fled to Middle-earth on nine ships. Before they left, Isildur, the son of Elendil had rescued a fruit from the white tree of Númenor. From the ruin they fled, yet they did not sink into the abyss with the island. Elendil's ships landed in the North near Gil-Galad. He established the realm of Arnor. Isildur's ships and his brother Anarion's ships landed in the south and they established the country of Gondor. And the white fruit that Isildur had saved from ruin grew and flourished in Gondor.
