New Challenge: Crossroads of the Fallen King
Cross "The Silmarillion" with a second text or fandom in this month's crossover challenge.
SWG News
A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta!
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
Choose a Name for Our New Column!
Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through '…
[Writing] A blip on the radar by daughterofshadows
Humanity took to the skies. Eärendil and Ilmarë adjust.
[Writing] History abandons us by AdmirableMonster
During his incarceration in Roderick Burgess' basement, Dream receives a strange, ancient visitor.
[Writing] Tengwar Acrostics by Himring
Responses to the Tengwar Challenge in which first letters spell out the name of a tengwa.
1) Early Encounter (Nerdanel, Indis)
2) Numenorean Lullaby (Almarian, Aldarion)
[Writing] Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
[Writing] If i get home before daylight by BloodwingBlackbird
a traveler meets a stranger at a crossroads.
Current Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Color of ...
Create a fanwork that is built around a color or colors. Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Mythcon 53: Fantasies of the Middle Lands
Mythcon 53 will be held 2-5 August 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the theme "Fantasies of the Middle Lands."
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
Portrait of Anairë by between_thepages
A portrait of Anairë, wife of Nolofinwë.
| Major Characters: Anairë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (6) |
Quantum Song by Lferion
Fingon attends a concert given by the Tirion Academic Symphony.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Roaring Twenties |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 204 |
| Posted on 28 January 2024 | Updated on 28 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Things Tolkien Fanfiction Readers and Writers Like to Do (Other Than Fanfiction) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Tolkien fanfiction writers and readers are involved in fandom in ways other than fanfiction. What else do they do and what patterns can we find in their preferences, using Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data?
Flames by elennalore
From an account of an enslaved Elf in Angband.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Balrogs |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 203 |
| Posted on 27 January 2024 | Updated on 27 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Olwë by LadySternchen
About Olwë, the king of the Teleri in Aman, little is known, but a series of difficult events marked his life until he fades from the pages of The Silmarillion in the First Age.
Dénouement by sallysavestheday
Amrod and Aredhel shared a common ending in being killed by people they loved. Making peace with that pain in Valinor is hard.
| Major Characters: Amrod, Aredhel |
| Major Relationships: Amrod/Aredhel |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 895 |
| Posted on 21 January 2024 | Updated on 21 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Region Cloud Hath Mask'd Him From Me Now by sallysavestheday
Maedhros and Fingon meet in the mists, again and again. Until they don't.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 176 |
| Posted on 21 January 2024 | Updated on 21 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A Bow of Burning Gold by Lferion
What bow, what arrows will serve against such a foe as Glaurung? A single drabble.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Roaring Twenties |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 103 |
| Posted on 21 January 2024 | Updated on 21 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Cocktail Party, Reprise by Lferion
The competition cocktail party was a regular event, and Fingon gradually learned to appreciate, if not always enjoy it.
A triple drabble, with images and recipes for 9 cocktails.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, Family, Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: Experimental, New Year's Resolution, Roaring Twenties |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 664 |
| Posted on 20 January 2024 | Updated on 21 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Foreboding by chrissystriped
Círdan's ship arrives in Forochel to take Arvedui south.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Arvedui |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: Experimental, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 179 |
| Posted on 20 January 2024 | Updated on 20 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
I Never Meant To Kill You by Narya
Celegorm and Dior speak. A sequel to Broken Silver. Canon divergence AU.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Dior |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 137 |
| Posted on 20 January 2024 | Updated on 20 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Broken Silver by Narya
Sometimes the history books can't be trusted. Celegorm/Lúthien; canon divergence AU in which the butterfly flaps its wings.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Eluréd, Elurín, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm/Lúthien |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 339 |
| Posted on 20 January 2024 | Updated on 20 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Nature of My Game by elennalore
Fëanáro needs Melkor's secret knowledge to create his Silmarils, but Fëanáro will also be an invaluable asset to Melkor in the Vala’s own game.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor/Melkor |
| Genres: Drama, Slash | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Turgon's Rock Opera |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 557 |
| Posted on 20 January 2024 | Updated on 20 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
What Old Tales Say by StarSpray
How oddly the old tales changed and twisted through the years!
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fluff, General | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Understory |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 267 |
| Posted on 17 January 2024 | Updated on 17 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Never Mind the Dwarves by simon
This story was penned some years back as a way of marking the Peregrin Boffin of the 1939 drafts of The Lord of the Rings. Boffin was a Hobbit who walked to Moria but vanished from the story in summer 1940, when his character, Trotter, the Ranger met in Bree, became Aragorn, heir of Elendil.
Portrait of Eärwen, Swan Maiden of Alqualondë by between_thepages
A portrait of Eärwen, created for Middle-earth is Multitudes
| Major Characters: Eärwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 17 January 2024 | Updated on 17 January 2024 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (24) |
The Watchfires Burned Low by cuarthol
There came a time of winter, when night was dark and without moon; and the wide plain of Ard-galen stretched dim beneath the cold stars, from the hill-forts of the Noldor to the feet of Thangorodrim. The watchfires burned low, and the guards were few;
The Silmarillion - JRR Tolkien
| Major Characters: Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: New Year's Resolution, Turgon's Rock Opera |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 201 |
| Posted on 14 January 2024 | Updated on 15 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
'The sea-gift well hath throve' by Himring
It is a bit nerve-wracking, courting a princess of the House of Elros.
Elatan of Andunie hopes he is up to her standards.
| Major Characters: Elatan of Andúnië, Silmarien |
| Major Relationships: Elatan of Andúnië/Silmariën |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Understory |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 101 |
| Posted on 14 January 2024 | Updated on 14 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (11) |
Devotion by Flora-lass
Beleg loves Turin. Despite everything, because of everything, forever.
| Major Characters: Beleg |
| Major Relationships: Beleg/Túrin |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: Cheesy Corn Chips, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 122 |
| Posted on 14 January 2024 | Updated on 14 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (21) |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Drawing/Painting, Landscape |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 14 January 2024 | Updated on 14 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (10) |
The Pendant by Gabriel
Curufin visits his wife in the forge with another creation in mind.
| Major Characters: Historical Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Curufin |
| Major Relationships: Curufin/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: General, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 813 |
| Posted on 13 January 2024 | Updated on 14 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Drunken Lullabies by Grundy
News of the Sudden Flame has reached Nargothrond.
| Major Characters: Finrod Felagund, Gildor |
| Major Relationships: Finrod & Gildor |
| Genres: | Challenges: Experimental, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 386 |
| Posted on 13 January 2024 | Updated on 13 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
Echoes By The Water by Grundy
Círdan has a curious guest.
| Major Characters: Círdan |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crossover | crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Challenges: Understory |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 002 |
| Posted on 13 January 2024 | Updated on 13 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
The Light of the Trees of Valinor by Varda delle Stelle
Through the Light of the glass shine the Light of Laurelin
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Craft, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: | Challenges: Experimental, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 12 January 2024 | Updated on 13 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (18) |
Organum by mairoff
When Melkor approaches him it is not necessarily out of ill intents - he thinks. As Aulë’s second he enjoys a certain reputation - one that gives him the moniker Admirable.
No, Mairon does not start evil at all.
Though, perhaps it is in his nature to ever evolve, ever iterate, he is fond of empirical processes and his surroundings feel small and smothering sometimes. But Mairon laughs, Mairon cares, Mairon even loves.
And that is his own doom.
| Major Characters: Melkor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Melkor/Sauron |
| Genres: | Challenges: Cheesy Corn Chips, New Year's Resolution |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 513 |
| Posted on 12 January 2024 | Updated on 12 January 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
