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
Bestiary of Arda
Choose a prompt from our "bestiary" of music and images of animals found in Arda. 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
Fish Tickling by sallysavestheday
Newlywed Beleg contemplates the changes in his life.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Mablung |
| Major Relationships: Beleg/Mablung |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 370 |
| Posted on 14 June 2023 | Updated on 14 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Like New Flowers on Ancient Hills by StarSpray
Elves were not infrequent visitors; just a few weeks before Elanor had entertained Legolas and one of his sisters, and occasionally some of the Wandering Companies stopped for a chat on an evening. But usually they came around twilight, and almost never did one come that Elanor had never met before.
| Major Characters: Daeron, Elanor Gardner |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fluff, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 333 |
| Posted on 14 June 2023 | Updated on 14 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Bits and Pieces Under 300 Words by sallysavestheday
An evolving collection of little bits and drabbles, too short to publish on their own.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Ancestors, Block Party, Holiday Party, Jubilee, Love Actually, Opposites Attract, Restoration and Rebuilding |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 1, 568 |
| Posted on 8 January 2023 | Updated on 13 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Garden Song by StarSpray
A wandering Elf comes to the Shire to see the Mallorn Tree, and is invited to dinner with the Gardner family.
| Major Characters: Hobbits, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fluff, General | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 659 |
| Posted on 13 June 2023 | Updated on 13 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Was Dancing There by StarSpray
Elrond loved most the scene painted behind their mother’s seat, a green forest glade decked with hemlock umbels and delicate niphredil, and Lúthien dancing in the center, her skirts blue as the morning sky and her hair like a dark shadow swirling around her as she spun, hands uplifted.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Elwing |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 389 |
| Posted on 12 June 2023 | Updated on 12 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
high in the halls of the kings who are gone by Arveldis
Gildor returns to Nargothrond for the last time.
| Major Characters: Gildor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 891 |
| Posted on 11 June 2023 | Updated on 11 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Maker's Mark by StarSpray
Beleg teaches Daeron to make his own instrument. Later, Daeron makes is own improvements.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Daeron |
| Major Relationships: Beleg & Daeron |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, Fluff, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 200 |
| Posted on 11 June 2023 | Updated on 11 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
[podfic] après moi, le déluge by Chestnut_pod, herenortherenearnorfar
Elwing weaves for her children.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Elwing |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Posted on 10 June 2023 | Updated on 10 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Woven with Joy by StarSpray
The weavers workshops in Tirion are merry places, filled with Treelight spilling through wide open windows, and with laughter drifting over the steady clack of the looms like a melody over a steady beat.
| Major Characters: Míriel Serindë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 389 |
| Posted on 10 June 2023 | Updated on 10 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A New Life in an Old Home by chrissystriped
Maedhros is one of the last of his family to return to life, welcomed joyfully by his brothers.
Now that Fingolfin has his wife back, is he still going to welcome him in his bed -- and should Maedhros even ask?
| Major Characters: Anairë, Fingolfin, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Anairë/Fingolfin, Fingolfin/Maedhros |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Het, Poly, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 10 | Word Count: 22, 821 |
| Posted on 7 November 2022 | Updated on 9 June 2023 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Making Preparations by StarSpray
A moment in the forges between Melian and Mablung, before he leaves to join the Union of Maedhros.
| Major Characters: Mablung, Melian |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 296 |
| Posted on 8 June 2023 | Updated on 8 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Tensor by Adoraincerta
A relationship in betweeness.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elrond/Maglor |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 4, 089 |
| Posted on 7 June 2023 | Updated on 7 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Antes de la tormenta by firstamazon
Fingon y Fingolfin tienen una conversación a las vísperas de la Batalla de la Llama Súbita.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingolfin & Fingon |
| Genres: Drama, Family, Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 726 |
| Posted on 7 June 2023 | Updated on 7 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
all the daughters of my father's house (and all the brothers too) by Chestnut_pod
Ways of smiling at grief.
| Major Characters: Finduilas, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: In-Universe Sexism/Misogyny, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 288 |
| Posted on 4 June 2023 | Updated on 4 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Eggshells by Chestnut_pod
One hungry year after the first fleet of Edain landed on Númenor's shores, still wet with seawater, ships arrive in Rómenna from the west.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 926 |
| Posted on 4 June 2023 | Updated on 4 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
and death was his reward by Himring
Once again, Fingon has leapt in to rescue somebody at personal cost.
Turgon retreats to the greater safety of the secret city of Gondolin, from which he re-emerges to try and save his brother—and fails.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 3 June 2023 | Updated on 3 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
This Moment, All Your Life by Himring
On shores separated by more than mere distance, Maglor and Elwing do not encounter each other, but...
Third Age at the earliest, but probably later.
| Major Characters: Elwing, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 150 |
| Posted on 3 June 2023 | Updated on 3 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Bells and Drum by Himring
Playing in Gondolin on the feast of Tarnin Austa (no, not that last Tarnin Austa), Salgant remembers a long-ago music lesson in Valinor.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Salgant |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 321 |
| Posted on 2 June 2023 | Updated on 2 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
What Lies Beyond the End by Melesta
The Silmaril falls slowly, so slowly, as if taking its time to caress the weightlessness of Ulmo’s waters. Does it seek relief also, Maglor wonders, to be free at last of all the hands that lusted after its blessed shine?
Maglor casts his Silmaril into the Sea.
[Also available as a podfic, recorded by Anerea]
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: Drama, Family, Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death, Suicide |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 649 |
| Posted on 2 June 2023 | Updated on 2 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Now No Way Can I Stray by losselen
The arrow shoots straight, but in the brief arc of its flight, it flexes ever this way and that, undulating in the air as if straining against the bonds of its mark. And yet what mark it finds, it finds, and strays not from its fate, and so do you, Túrin, in all your struggles, bend ever toward your doom.
Thrice would Beleg find Túrin in the wild unbidden. Beleg/Túrin.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: Beleg/Túrin |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 680 |
| Posted on 23 May 2023 | Updated on 2 June 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Above Barad Eithel by StarSpray
In the early hours the half-built towers of Barad Eithel looked more like ruins than like the start of something new, ghostly in the mists that clung to the mountains and hovered in the hollows and valleys of Hithlum even under the noonday sun
| Major Characters: Lalwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 383 |
| Posted on 31 May 2023 | Updated on 31 May 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Underwater friends by daughterofshadows
Two snapshots. Osse and Uinen under the sea.
| Major Characters: Ossë, Uinen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 204 |
| Posted on 30 May 2023 | Updated on 30 May 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
Postcard by Rocky41_7
One late summer day, a postcard comes for Elrond in the mailbox. Elros intercepts.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros |
| Genres: Family, Fluff | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 739 |
| Posted on 30 May 2023 | Updated on 30 May 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Crow's Flight by Himring
One of the crebain drops out of the hunt for the Fellowship over Hollin.
| Major Characters: Crebain |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 705 |
| Posted on 29 May 2023 | Updated on 29 May 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
All Manner of Beasts and Birds by sallysavestheday
Creatures of the Silmarillion: 6 perfect drabbles.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 617 |
| Posted on 29 May 2023 | Updated on 29 May 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (16) |
