Of Pharazon and Miriel

[Urwen]

If someone assassinated Pharazon, what would happen to the leadership of Numenor? Miriel is his only living relative, so I imagine the throne would go to her. Or maybe one of Pharazon's men would step up and take the throne for himself.


Thoughts?

[Huinesoron]

When and who?

Isildur is probably most likely to go off half-cocked and kill Pharazon for the Faithful, but there is another possibility: Sauron. The Isildur situation varies dramatically depending on what Sauron's current status is, too.

Define your question, then we can have fun thinking of the answer.

hS

[Urwen]

Well, the rule is that kings and queens must wed someone from the Line of Elros. So there is a possibility that Anarion, who descended from Silmarien, would have loved Zimraphel in secret, and thus, if he were to dispatch Pharazon, he and Zimraphel could have a happy ending. She would get the throne and they would marry for love.


I even wrote a story about this

[Huinesoron]

Okay, in the absence of an answer of who kills him and when, I'll present three scenarios.

1. Numenor Redeemed

In his youth, Pharazon was great friends with Amandil (a generation older than him). When he returns to Numenor and seizes the Sceptre, Amandil is careful to renew that friendship. He is accepted into the closest circles. After a few years, Ar-Pharazon is about to set sail to the overthrow of Sauron - his armies have already set off - when Amandil suddenly sticks a knife in his back.

With the army - the King's Men - off in Middle-earth, Amandil is able to restore the Sceptre to Tar-Miriel without overly much trouble. A fuss gets kicked up over her lack of husband, but this is somewhat quieted when she marries Elentir, brother of Amandil. (This character exists in early versions of her story as her betrothed, before she turns to Pharazon - it's a different telling, but we can adopt the character.)

Tar-Miriel, now in a firm alliance with the Faithful, institutes a Ban on the return of the King's Men. There is a sizeable, semi-voluntary exodus of King's Men sympathisers from Numenor, heading off to join their armies. Umbar and Pelargir become major settlements and ports of the King's Men, who are hostile to both Numenor and Sauron. They may well repeat Pharazon's capture of Sauron and over time fall fully under the Shadow.

They war against Numenor, trying to reclaim the island, but Tar-Miriel implements a massive armament plan. The defence of the island is helped by a sudden storm that sinks a good chunk of the King's Men's fleet, and things settle into an uneasy ceasefire.

Whether the redemption lasts depends entirely on whether Miriel has a child; if not, the Line of Elros is probably fractured enough that you end up with a Faithful Kinstrife for the throne, and the King's Men get their chance to return.

2. The Second Civil War

Numenor already had one Civil War, when Tar-Palantir began his efforts to return to the old ways. When Miriel sees her husband beginning to listen to the whisperings of the prisoner Sauron, she knows that taking any action against him could lead to a return to such strife.

She does it anyway. She tries to disguise her hand by using poison, but the King's Men don't really fall for it. They immediately demand that the Sceptre pass to a cousin of Pharazon's, probably along with Miriel as a wife. When she refuses, they move to take her prisoner.

Miriel flees to Romenna, where the Faithful are living these days, but with the bulk of the army firmly on the side of the King's Men, staying 50 miles from the capital is untenable. Amandil urges her to flee to Middle-earth - Pelargir and Belfalas are in Faithful hands - but she refuses. She is Queen of Numenor, and will not leave the island.

The Faithful seize the navy and sail around the island to Andunie. The King's Men have to come overland, which gives Tar-Miriel just enough time to prepare. Their first attack, intended to be a hammer-blow to destroy the Faithful, is rebuffed - just.

It's hard to see how the Faithful can win this war, but perhaps they can inflict enough damage to force a peace treaty. Tar-Miriel retains the Sceptre, but is saddled with a Council that has control over many of her policies. Ultimately, the darkness is held off for a while, but her eventual successor immediately returns to the ways of the shadow.

(Meanwhile, Sauron sits in his cell, patiently waiting, chatting amiably with Miriel's advisors. He has time...)

3. The Darkened Sceptre

Sauron has been freed and made advisor to Ar-Pharazon. He has built a grand Temple to Melkor in Armenelos, and the King has begun to talk about waging war on the Valar themselves.

Isildur, grandson of the Lord of Andunie, sneaks into the palace. He intends to rescue a fruit of the White Tree, rumoured to be in danger of burning - but along the way, he finds Ar-Pharazon, drunk out of his mind, slumbering on a bench.

He takes his opportunity, but doesn't make it out alive. Taken captive by the King's Guards, he is dragged before Tar-Miriel - or rather, before Sauron, who immediately takes control of the audience. Miriel is powerless to stop the High Priest of Numenor, and a week later, the tortured Isildur is burned in the Temple, atop a pyre of wood from the White Tree.

Sauron's persecution of the Faithful is terrible to behold. The family of Isildur are the first to go, and before long Romenna is practically depopulated. Over in Middle-earth, Pelargir is razed. The King's Men grow ever more fanatical in their support of their Priest - or, soon enough, their God. Tar-Miriel is a prisoner in the palace; no-one knows if she even still lives. All her proclamations are delivered by Sauron, and all of them support his plans.

The Great Armament still occurs, 'in memory of our King, slain by the lackeys of the West'. Numenor still falls - but this time, there are no Realms in Exile established. When Sauron returns to Mordor, there is no Last Alliance to stand against him, because there are no armies strong enough to forge one.

hS

[Urwen]

Absence of the answer who kills him and when? Did you even read my post? I said Anarion would kill him. :c


There, I even highlighted this so you can see it.

[Urwen]

Also, I guess you won't be responding to 'Tidbits of Curiosity' thread or my parody thread anymore.