Gondor or Arnor?

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by R.R.J Tolkien

Good stuff, TY

It's Akallabeth:

Nine ships there were: four for Elendil, and for Isildur three, and for Anárion two; and they fled before the black gale out of the twilight of doom into the darkness of the world.

One other thing that might point to Gondor being stronger is the fate of the Palantiri, from "Of the Rings of Power":

Three Elendil took, and his sons each two. Those of Elendil were set in towers upon Emyn Beraid, and upon Amon Sûl, and in the city of Annúminas. But those of his sons were at Minas Ithil and Minas Anor, and at Orthanc and in Osgiliath.

Gondor managed to put three of the stones in cities, while Arnor only had one. Granted, Elendil might have come at the question the other way - "I need one to look back West, and one to watch the east from Weathertop, and I guess I'll pop the last one in the palace", but it's still suggestive - as is the fact that Gondor got more of them in the first place!

(Maybe they were intended mostly to watch Mordor? With the Osgiliath-stone in control, and the other three potentially roving about as needed? Battlefield palantiri is an amusing notion. ^_^)

hS