A Lost Cause

[The Perky Ent]

In Appendix A, it says

The last leaders of the Faithful, Elendil and his sons, escaped from the Downfall with nine ships, bearing a seedling of Nimloth, and the Seven Seeing-stones (gifts of the Elder to their House); and they were borne on the wind of a great storm and cast upon the shores of Middle-Earth

According to the quote, only the leaders of the faithful escaped to Middle-Earth. This brings up the question to which this thread was made: Were the rest of the Faithful lost? Nine ships left, but was it enough to take all the faithful with them. If not, it was a lost cause. And if they did in fact die, with the exception of those chosen by the leaders, the remaining Faithful would either have to have children with another species (which didn't happen), of have a really hard time building a kingdom. Since, by the time of The Last Alliance, the Kingdoms in Exile had a grand army, there must have been a great population. But with just nine ships, who's capacity isn't infinite, could they save all the Faithful, or abandon them to a death they didn't deserve?

[Tuor of Gondolin]

Remember that there were settlements and vistings from Numenor to Middle-earth for some time.
Check out this Michael Martinez essay.
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/tolkien/47755

[The Perky Ent]

True, but not as major as Numenor.

[piosenniel]

Only a remnant of the Faithful could be saved when Elendil and his sons managed to escape Numenor.

Brief history:

The Faithful were the minority of the Numenoreans who remained friendly with the Eldar and obedient to the Valar, despite their fear of Death and the Doom of Men. The Faithful arose about SA 2300 and founded Pelargir in 2350 as their chief haven in Middle-earth. They continued to sail to the northern coasts of Middle-earth and aid Gil-galad against Sauron. Beginning with the accession of Ar-Gimilzor c. 3100, the Faithful were actively persecuted, being punished for speaking Eldarin or meeting with the Eladar of Tol Eressea. The Faithful were forced to move from western Numenor to the east, where Romenna became their chief city; many emigrated to Lindon. During the captivity of Sauron in Numenor (3263 - 3319) the Faithful, now led by Amandil, Lord of Andunie, were bitterly oppressed, and some were burned as sacrifices to Melkor in the Temple built by Sauron. Yet in the end a remnant of the Faithful survived the downfall of Numenor and, led by Elendil, Isildur, and Anarion, founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor in Middle-earth.

-- Robert Foster; The Complete Guide to Middle-earth; p.169-170 - His references coming from The Return of the King & the Silmarillion

[lindil]

In addition there were many non-numenoreans in Gondor [of whom the oath breakers were an example] who keapt their fealty to the Line of Earendil, as was already mentioned Arnor had previously been settled as was Pelagir. So whilst the Exiled Numenoreans were probably only a few thousands at most, they very quickly became the leaders of the 'proto-Dunedain' and their non numenorean Allies, plus the Elven armies of Lindon, Lorien, Greenwood and Rivendell. I think Moria was in on it as well, so while Elrond paints a picture of massive resisitance, the number of those who escaped the Downfall was only a very small part of the Last Alliance.

Now what I wonder is how they built Minas Anor and Ithil so fast...

[Lhunardawen]

Necessity is the mother of invention. For them to continue thriving as the last of the Numenorean race, they need a place to call their own--and fast.

Didn't the War of the Last Alliance happen a long time (relatively) after the Akallabeth? Because if so, it's understood why the host of Men and Elves was great in number in spite of the fact that those who were saved from the Downfall were but a fraction of it.