men of middle-earth ∿ misc. númenóreans ∿ headcanon disclaimer
Amandil was the penultimate Lord of Andúnië, though his people had been banished to Rómenna before his birth, and he never saw the western haven that once had been his family’s home. He and his younger brother Elentír were, in their youth, friends with Pharazôn and Míriel, children of the royal house: Amandil and Pharazôn were as close as brothers, and Elentír loved Míriel, though she did not return his feelings. But as they grew older, the friends drifted apart, and when Pharazôn returned from years of conquest in Middle-earth he betrayed Amandil’s friendship, unlawfully seizing the scepter of Númenor and forcing Míriel into a marriage with him against her will. At this Elentír was grieved, for though Míriel had not accepted his proposal she would have preferred his hand to her cousin’s, and he retreated to Rómenna in sorrow, taking no other wife. Amandil attempted to remain by Pharazôn’s side, but after he refused to bow to the king’s captive-counsellor Zigûr, he was dismissed from the Council of the Scepter and exiled to Rómenna in disgrace. As Ar-Pharazôn’s power and ambition grew, he prepared to make an assault against Aman itself, deeply troubling his once-friend Amandil. At this time, he surrendered leadership of the Faithful to his son Elendil, counseling him to prepare ships to escape Númenor when the time was right. Amandil then gathered his three closest friends, asking them to accompany him upon a hopeless mission into the Uttermost West: sailing to Aman to seek aid and forgiveness from Manwë before Pharazôn could attack. One of these companions was his brother Elentír, who accepted without question, for he was yet lost in despair at the fate of Tar-Míriel, and wished to do whatever he could to frustrate Pharazôn’s schemes. Another was Ilmandur, whose family had faithfully served the House of Andúnië for generations, and the last was Orontor, youngest of the group and the best navigator among them. Though Orontor hesitated to leave his children, especially his daughter Fíriel who was only a maiden, his loyalty to Amandil tugged at his conscience until he agreed to guide his lord into the west. Amandil made preparations for their journey in secret, not wishing for Pharazôn to discover his intentions and bring dire punishment upon his people. When at last the day of their departure arrived, Orontor steered them to the east for as long as the King’s navy could see them, only then circling back around and heading westward. The prayers of their families went with them, but though their task was noble and akin to the voyage of Eärendil, Amandil and his companions were never heard from again, and were presumed to have perished before arriving in the Blessed Lands.
