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The full title of this chapters is “c1500 – The Elven Smiths Instructed By Sauron Reach The Height Of Their Skill. They Begin The Forging of the Rings of Power.”
n this episode, we discuss the nature of Sauron’s “gifts” to the Noldor, and how their nature and past makes them particularly prone to Sauron’s malevolent plot.
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0345 » The Fall of Númenor Pt 20 » SA1200 » Sauron Seduces The Eldar (But Not Gil-galad Or Elrond)
In this chapter, we find rumors of Sauron beginning to unveil his plot. In fact, it’s even debatable what Sauron’s “plot” was from the beginning!
Even so, Gil-galad and Elrond refuse to treat with him, though the Elven-smiths of Eregion are won over. All the while, the Númenoreans begin to make permanent havens in Middle-earth (and that’s a bad thing).
Join us as we discuss!

0344 » The Fall of Númenor Pt 19 » SA1075 » The Reign of Tar-Ancalimë
In this episode, we’re continuing our journey through the Fall of Númenor by exploring the chapter 1075 – TAR-ANCALIMË BECOMES THE FIRST RULING QUEEN OF NÚMENOR. Having covered the life and significance of one of Númenor’s most important rulers, Tar-Aldarion, we now turn to a rather brief description of the reign of his daughter: Tar-Ancalimë, the first Ruling Queen of Númenor.

0343 » The Fall of Númenor Pt 18 » SA1000 » Sauron Founds Mordor
In this episode, we’re continuing our journey through the Fall of Númenor by exploring the chapter c1000 SAURON CHOOSES MORDER. After our deep dive in to the story of Númenor’s pivotal 6th king, Tar-Aldarion, we return now to Sauron, and take a look at the founding of Mordor and the building of Barad-dûr.

0342 » The Fall of Númenor Pt 17 » SA883 » The Accession of Tar-Aldarion
This chapter concludes the era of Aldarion, one of the most important kings in the history of Númenor. As we learned in the last episode, his father, Tar-Meneldur, chose to turn the rule of Númenor over to Aldarion earlier than was normal, due to a letter from the Elven High-King Gil-galad. asking for Númenor’s aid amidst the increasingly dire situation in Middle-earth. In this chapter, we’ll explore Aldarion’s reign, as well as what becomes of his wife Erendis and daughter Ancalimë.

0341 » The Fall of Númenor Pt 16 » SA870 » The Wedding of Aldarion & Erendis » Gil-galad, Tar-Meneldur
This chapter continues the story of Aldarion, destined to be Númenor’s 6th King. While it begins with the wedding, long-expected, of Aldarion and Erendis, it concludes with many events unexpected, including word from Gil-galad to the King of Númenor regarding “ a new shadow arising in the East”.
This is a long chapter dense with nuance and character development, perhaps the richest glimpse we get into the various psyches of Númenoreans as individuals, and while I’d love to give it a much more in depth reading, I’m only going to hit the high points as regards this history of Númenor.
However, if you’d like a more in-depth discussion of this story between me and Greta, please check out the notes, or just go back and find episodes 183, 185, 186, and 187.

0340 » The Fall of Númenor Pt 15 » Aldarion & Erendis » Uinen, Ossë, Tar-Meneldur
Over the next 3 episodes in our Fall of Númenor series, we’ll return to the story of Aldarion, whom we met 2 episodes ago.
Aldarion is the son of Tar-Meneldur and the expectant heir to Númenor’s throne. But as we will learn, he is a man torn between a deep longing for the sea and his destiny as Númenor’s king.
We have in fact covered this story before, in great detail, in episodes 183, 185, 186, and 187. For a more detailed discussion of the story itself, I’ll refer you to to those episodes. Check the show notes for more info.
However, in this episode, I’d like to touch on some of the prevailing themes in this story that relate to the larger story of Númenor, and unpack some key passages from this chapter.