Notes on the Care and Keeping of the Peredhel, by Maglor Feanorian:
- Need to eat three times a day, more if they can be persuaded (they do not seem to have the refined palettes elves do, and do not like my attempts at Valinorean fine dining)
- They are very fond of maple syrup
- One of the human healers told me they were "growing boys," unsure of the significance of this– a reference to their shapeshifting abilities, perhaps?
- It does not appear that they will reach a full elvish height, though that may change
- They can hear high tones that elves can, but humans can't
- This bodes very well for their education in music theory
- They do not appear to have the venom that some humans do, as evidenced by the fact that both Mae and I have been bitten several times with no ill effect
- Still, I am thankful that Finrod warned me of this human feature, as it has served me well in many battles
- They have not bitten anyone in months, which I appreciate, especially given how sharp their teeth are
- Boys said that they could talk to shadows– unsure whether or not they were just attempting to scare me (ask later? Bribe with maple syrup??)
- They like having their hair brushed, but do not like any of the scented hair oils we have at the fortress
- They refuse to eat bird meat; unsure of why but I won't push
- Elros prefers wooden toys, Elrond fabric ones, and neither of them is fond of metal
- They grow faster than elves, but are still too young to begin intensive battle training, Maedhros
- They are very sensitive to the cold, ensure that they have ample blankets and cloaks, especially in winter
- Feel much better after spending time with them– those who spent time around Luthien reported similar effects
- They appear to appreciate being pat on the head
- Based on information by uncle Arfin (regarding Eonwe), this is common amongst Maiar
- I've only had them two years, an incredibly small time in the face of the centuries I've lived, but if anything happened to them I would kill everyone in this fortress and then myself
You may be asking how Finrod knows that some humans are venomous. You see, it was actually very simple. When Balan first kissed Finrod's hand (as a very proper show of fealty) the hand felt warm and tingly for hours afterwards– a clear sign of some sort of venom! Just like one of Finrod's pet snakes!!
Now, obviously, Finrod had to test this further. So he had Balan kiss his cheek (Balan seemed rather enthusiastic about the idea, frankly), and what would you know!! The spot on Finrod's cheek felt warm and tingly, and his whole face flushed red. Clearly, more evidence of the venom.
And so Finrod asked Balan to kiss him on the lips– for science, of course. The strange warm feeling and the blush returned, and Finrod found himself feeling rather giddy and lightheaded for the rest of the day– in fact, he almost fainted into Balan's arms. Naturally, he shared his very important conclusions about human venom with his the rest of the Eldar.
Edrahil, who witnessed the entire incident, did *try* to convince Finrod to look at possible alternative explanations for his "symptoms," but Finrod was too busy planning rooms for Balan in Nargathrond to do that.