Tolkien Fanartics: Mapping Arda - The Second Age
In the third part of the Mapping Arda series, Anérea and Varda delle Stelle present a selection of fan-created maps of the lands of the Second Age.
SWG News
New Challenge: Potluck Bingo
Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
Bingo Cards Wanted for Potluck Bingo
Our November-December challenge will be Potluck Bingo, featuring cards created by you! If you'd like to create cards or prompts for cards, we are taking submissions.
Tolkien Meta Week, December 8-14
We will be hosting a Tolkien Meta Week in December, here on the archive and on our Tumblr, for nonfiction fanworks about Tolkien.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
[Writing] Collection of Potluck Drabbles by Artano
This is a collection of true drabbles completed for the 'Four Words' drabble bingo card.
[Writing] An End to All Things by Thorveig
Mairon stood in utter stillness for it seemed to him that the voice of his master mocked him from afar...
At the end of the First Age, Sauron makes a choice.
[Reference] Mapping Arda, Part III: The Second Age by Anérea, Varda delle Stelle
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
[Writing] The Reckless Hearts of Mortal Men by mouse
Two years before the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, Húrin and Huor journey from Dor-lómin to Eithel Sirion for a war council with their new allies from the East. A story about the stirring of hope and foreshadowing of woe. Well-peppered with humour.
[Artwork] Valier & colours by daughterofshadows
Semi-abstract arts representing the queens of the Valar.
[Artwork] 2024 Potluck Doodles by silmalope
Assorted prompt fills for the 2024 Potluck bingo boards, to varying degrees of completion! :)
Current Challenge
Festival of Lights Fest
This is a fun and low-key event meant to encourage works about or inspired by Hanukkah, running this year in conjunction with the Potluck Bingo challenge. Read more ...
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Book by Its Cover
Go ahead and judge a book by its cover! We'll send you a book cover as a prompt to inspire your fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
Mapping Arda, Part III: The Second Age by Anérea, Varda delle Stelle
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
Doom and Ascent: The Argument of ‘Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics’ by Simon J. Cook
Simon reads 'Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics' to conclude his account of the Anglo-Saxon tower of its allegory.
Why People Don't Comment: Data and History From the Tolkienfic Fandom by Dawn Walls-Thumma
A reworking of the 2018 article for Long Live Feedback that includes data from the 2020 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey, pointing to a lack of comments as related to skill, confidence, and community connection.
Featured Themed Collection
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Homage to the Song of Durin by Flora-lass
Legolas is inspired by Gimli's song - and by Gimli himself.
[Artwork] Long-tressed Wingildi by Anérea
"... the long-tressed Wingildi ... spirits of the foam and the surf of ocean."
~ a painted sketch for Scribbles and Drabbles 2024.
[Writing] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
Around the World and Web
Festival of Lights Fest 2024
This is a fun and low-key event meant to encourage works about or inspired by Hanukkah, running this year in conjunction with the Potluck Bingo challenge.
Fluffcember 2024
Fluffcember is a Tumblr event with daily fluffy prompts during the month of December.
Hidden Paths 2025
Hidden Paths, an event dedicated to the celebration of smaller Tolkien canons, has released their early prompts for the 2025 event.
Teitho November/December Contest: Healing
The theme for Teitho's November/December contest is healing.
Lord of the Rings Secret Santa 2024
LotR SESA has been ongoing for twenty-one years and is running again this year as a prompt meme hosted on AO3 for all genres of Tolkien-based fanfiction.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
Pillar of Stillness by PerpetuaLilium
On the slopes of Meneltarma, Tar-Míriel the Queen remembers in anger.
| Major Characters: Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 012 |
| Posted on 13 October 2013 | Updated on 13 October 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Their Uncle's Letter by Himring
Elrond receives Elros's last letter.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Gift of a Story |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 737 |
| Posted on 12 October 2013 | Updated on 12 October 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Master Swordsmith by oshun
Fëanáro wants to make swords.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Finwë, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 442 |
| Posted on 8 October 2013 | Updated on 8 October 2013 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
The Naughty Secrets of Oromë's Woods by Amaranth
The depth of the forest hides many secrets...
Set in Valinor during the Years of the Trees, thus names in Quenya. Celegorm is still young, though definitively of age.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Oromë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Erotica, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Expletive Language, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 707 |
| Posted on 8 October 2013 | Updated on 8 October 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Gymnastics by Amaranth
Little Ambarussa get in trouble playing funny gymnastics with their friends...
Set in Valinor during the Years of the Trees, thus names in Quenya.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Fëanor, Fingon, Maedhros, Nerdanel, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 507 |
| Posted on 8 October 2013 | Updated on 8 October 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Stars over Aglon by Himring
Fingon on his way to Himring--and in Himring--and on his way back.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: Gift of a Story |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 336 |
| Posted on 6 October 2013 | Updated on 6 October 2013 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Mallorn Torment by Tehta
An Elvish take on this business we call show. Also, a Third-Age Sindarin take on First-Age Noldorin history.
As a bonus, features Lorien's three named Marchwardens.
| Major Characters: Haldir, Rúmil (Valinor) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 782 |
| Posted on 1 October 2013 | Updated on 1 October 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
A Convergence by Tehta
A few weeks after the events of Flawed and Fair, Ecthelion writes a letter. Or, at least, attempts to.
I expect this story will appeal only to rare fans of my interpretation of this couple. Oh well. Sorry, rest of the world.
| Major Characters: Ecthelion of the Fountain, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 900 |
| Posted on 1 October 2013 | Updated on 1 October 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Bombarded by Luxa
"Why are you so sad?" Maedhros was shaken out of his reverie by a timid voice coming from around his knees. He looked down and found his legs bombarded by two wide-eyed, dark-haired boys with unbearably cute twin expressions of wonder. Maedhros looked back up.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 454 |
| Posted on 29 September 2013 | Updated on 29 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Leaving For Good by Luxa
Turgon, leaving for Gondolin soon, decides to make a trip to Himring to say a lukewarm goodbye to his eldest cousin, but ends up feeling more emotion than he bargained for.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 241 |
| Posted on 29 September 2013 | Updated on 29 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Show Us by Luxa
"Don't you have any curiosity?" asked Maitimo, throwing his packed saddlebag at him. "I'd have thought you, of all people, would want to come and meet the Secondborn." "Whatever for?" asked Macalaurë, pleasantly exasperated. "To write a song about it, of course."
| Major Characters: Amrod, Bor, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 179 |
| Posted on 29 September 2013 | Updated on 29 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The Scion of Kings by Tehta
Gil-galad was the scion of kings,
Of him the flighty Tehta sings.
Tolkien seems to have found figuring out Gil-Galad's paternity particularly difficult. Who was Gil-Galad's father, really? Was it Fingon? Finrod? Orodreth? (Which Orodreth?) Cirdan? It is an interesting question, and one this fic completely fails to answer. It does, however, answer the question of who his mother was. Anyway. Warning for, um, authorial self-insertion.
| Major Characters: Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 300 |
| Posted on 29 September 2013 | Updated on 29 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Ash and Water by Astris
Nimrodel and Mithrellas as darkness grows in the shadow of the mountains. Written for the 2013 Sultry in September fic swap for Elleth.
| Major Characters: Mithrellas, Nimrodel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 008 |
| Posted on 28 September 2013 | Updated on 28 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
The Legacy of Love by Rhapsody
After having found his shelter on the isle of Balar, a messenger delivers a memory from the past.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Family Matters |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 270 |
| Posted on 28 September 2013 | Updated on 28 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
In the Darkness by Independence1776
While visiting Dale five years after Smaug's death, Maglor encounters two very different groups of people: Men-- and Elves.
| Major Characters: Legolas Greenleaf, Maglor, Original Character(s), Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Horror | Challenges: B2MeM 2013 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 3, 534 |
| Posted on 20 September 2013 | Updated on 28 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
The Eagle Silmarillion by Tehta
An attempt to make sense of the mystery surrounding Glorfindel's reappearance in Middle-earth, presented using a rarely-seen perspective.
| Major Characters: Glorfindel, Thorondor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 048 |
| Posted on 25 September 2013 | Updated on 25 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
On Writing Tolkien's Elves by oshun
I took the opportunity of the August 2012 Non-fiction challenge at the LotR Community Live Journal to write up some very personal thoughts of my own. I spend a part of every month, trying to write a character biography for the Silmarillion Writers Guild. Those are certainly not free of opinion, but are hopefully written in a more objective and overall more scholarly tone than this one. Anyway, for your kind perusal is this piece, halfway between a rant and a whine, but filled with not only with heart, but references to the texts.
| Major Characters: Elves, Men |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: Differing Perspectives |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 753 |
| Posted on 24 September 2013 | Updated on 24 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (11) |
A Scrap of Parchment by Uvatha the Horseman
Sauron returns to Mordor and openly declares himself, and Umbar declares its allegiance to him. Told by Urzahil of Umbar, who later becomes the Mouth of Sauron.
| Major Characters: Melkor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 177 |
| Posted on 24 September 2013 | Updated on 24 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Ai Elbereth by Tehta
A Glorfindel/Ecthelion PWP, full of dodgy humour, neurosis, and blasphemy.
This fic is a relatively plotless gap-filler set between my fics "Flawed and Fair" and "Strange Fortunes," and will probably make most sense to people familiar with these characters. Although, who knows? It probably makes as much sense as any PWP.
| Major Characters: Ecthelion of the Fountain, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 106 |
| Posted on 22 September 2013 | Updated on 22 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 547 |
| Posted on 22 September 2013 | Updated on 22 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
What I Dread Befalls Me by StarSpray
Elwing and the Sack of Sirion.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Elrond, Elros, Elwing, Erellont, Eärendil, Falathar, Galadriel, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 187 |
| Posted on 21 September 2013 | Updated on 21 September 2013 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
One's Own by Urloth
Fëanáro, eldest son of Míriel Þerindë and Finwë Ñoldóran, attempts to be the best brother he can be to his little siblings despite being perplexed, bothered, and bewildered by them almost constantly.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Findis, Fingolfin, Finwë, Míriel Serindë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 4, 782 |
| Posted on 20 September 2013 | Updated on 20 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Artistic Temperament by Tehta
Maedhros and Maglor discuss the Noldolantë.
This ficlet à clef is dedicated to everyone who has ever given me beta--no, wait, to everyone who has ever had cause to identify with this version of Maedhros.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 555 |
| Posted on 20 September 2013 | Updated on 20 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
Many Happy Returns by Tehta
(Or, One Flew Over the Halls of Mandos)
The Silmarillion is so full of heartbreaking, wasteful, tragic deaths that it sometimes seems as if the not-tragically-deadly parts of the narrative are there only to give the readers a little breather.
I expect that everyone has a death or two that they find particularly distressing. Amarië certainly does. But at least she can do something about it...
| Major Characters: Amarië, Finrod Felagund, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 191 |
| Posted on 20 September 2013 | Updated on 20 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
The Lady in the Mirror by Iavalir
She felt her other half’s presence since before her first breath, and she was her most ancient friend.
| Major Characters: Lúthien Tinúviel, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Mystery, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 319 |
| Posted on 20 September 2013 | Updated on 20 September 2013 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
