Numenoreans had the gift of dying when they wished. When they felt the onsetting of old age, and knew that in a few years they would become senile, that was when they gave up their lives, calmly. When the Darkness overcame Numenor, Men began to cling to life, and senility overcame them quickly. From the time of the first onset of old age, and complete senility, was a period of about ten years. The usual thing for a Numenorean was to give up his life with the first onset of old age.
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But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.
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