PROMPT NOTES: Being, a not-entirely-objective account of Tyelcano's first appearance in Turgon's council.

POV: Rog-centric, but... good question! You'll see. Do not take it too seriously, though! :D (Also, sorry, but apparently FFnet doesn't allow upper indexes).

A List of Observations Made on the Feanorean Spy Upon His Initiation to the Council

Penned by Great Master Rog(I) in the 467th Year of the Sun

[the Editor's Footnotes go as stated below]

First: Too courteous for his own good. Is a constant target of suspicion and scrutiny, which he endures with appalling[sic!] patience and grace. I certainly do not believe the tales the townsfolk spread of him having beaten Salgant with – a shovel, was it? Or a flower-stake? It matters not: the story is clearly untrue. Look at him, he could not hurt a fly!(1)

Second: Tries to compensate his Not Being Able to Hurt a Fly by carrying a weapon with himself at all times. Likewise: he routinely wears a hauberk under his garments. Could also be a matter of unbreakable habit – after all, one that comes from a fortress cramped with kinslayers must surely expect themselves to be knifed from time to time. (II)

Third: Still wears his old master's colours (unadorned black, and a red cloak). Hardly a sign of unwavering loyalty to King Turukáno, if you ask me.(III)

Fourth: Clearly less of an idiot than counsellors usually are, which is worrying. He is far too good at holding his tongue to be trustworthy, or even worth a good quarrel. You shan't quarrel with him: either he will appease you with a honeyed tongue, or conquer you with such an argument that you come to wish the smiths would devise some chain-mail that deflects reasoning.(2)

Fifth: Is CLEARLY not a quend. Must belong to some previously unknown race of greater power, for he managed to sort out the City's tax regulations in less than an hour.(3)

Sixth: Friendship appears to be growing between him, Ecthelion and Laurefindil, which is truly suspicious, especially considering the fact that Ecthelion insists that Salgant had been defeated with the Great Wooden Pike, as the popular verse goes; and Laurefindil says it was with the Shovel. One of them is lying, and we shall never know whom!(4)

Seventh: Never takes notes, which is – again – suspicious. Counsellors usually shield themselves against accusations on their Not Listening To What Is Being Said (capitalized as a recognized common trait – the Scribe) by constant (apparent) note-taking.(IV) Do they have no paper in Himlad?(5)

Eighth: Constantly melancholic, distant and quiet. His ability or non-ability to laugh is still to be witnessed. Upon questioning, however, both Laurefindil and Ecthelion state that he is occasionally able to appear less stoic (albeit not much less).

Overall impression: It could have been worse, still, I trust him not. The rest, only time will tell.(V)

FOOTNOTES

(1) For the sake of accuracy, it must be said that the nature of the weapon in question remains unclear to this day. The most probable answer is a training sword; however, the Editor would like to attract the Reader's attention to their personal favourite, the Wooden Spoone, Thieved Straight from the Kichene, as the popular musical rendition goes.

(2) The Editor would like to draw the attention of non-believers to the fact how excessively kind Counsellor Tyelcano appears to be to Lord Salgant at council meetings, and how exquisitely red Lord Salgant becomes each and every time abovementioned courtesies are offered. The Editor is not well-versed in the ways of these things, still: that particular shade of red is hardly a sign of affection.

(3) With all due respect, the Editor does not believe that.

(4) I told you, it was the Wooden Spoone.

(5) They have probably burned all of it already. You do not need to be a Great Master to figure that one out.

OTHER RENDITIONS

(I) corr.: authored by Great Master Rog; penned by Pengolodh, council scribe when Great Master Rog thought no one was listening.

corr.2.: …and edited by Anardil of Gondolin when Pengolodh was not looking.

(II) The Scribe interprets this as the poetic hyperbole of the Author.

(III) The Scribe offers the simpler, albeit equally logical explanation that Counsellor Tyelcano knows black looks good on him.

(IV) The practice had, incidentally, resulted in the development of stylized floral ornaments over the Years of the Trees.

(V) For the sake of accuracy, the Scribe must mention that Great Master Rog is not known to trust anyone or anything apart from his own assumptions.