Mortal stowaway on elven ships

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Rhun charioteer

And if by some grace or fate they did reach the shores of Aman and the mortal person entered would the Valar be aware of this immediately or would the person have to be discovered?

I would think their presence would be known immediately.
Valinor was the home of the Powers, Ilúvatar's governors of Arda. He had changed the world in order to safeguard the Blessed Realm from any incursion by any other then the Elves after the disastrous assault of Ar-Pharazôn from Númenor, so I would think after that the Valar would certainly have the ability to detect anyone who got even within sight of it.

Actually, the Akallabêth, as written in The Silmarillion, has this beautiful passage which I'd nearly forgotten, about a belief among the Númenórean survivors exiled in Middle-earth:

And tales and rumours arose along the shores of the sea concerning mariners and men forlorn upon the water who, by some fate or grace or favour of the Valar, had entered in upon the Straight Way and seen the face of the world sink below them, and so had come to the lamplit quays of Avallonë, or verily to the last beaches on the margins of Aman and there had looked upon the White Mountain, dreadful and beautiful, before they died.

Now, the practical part of me says that if that happened, how would anyone in Middle-earth possibly ever have known? But I still love the imagery. And hopefully that answers your question.