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
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
Abide with Me Amidst the Flame and Stone by heget
During the fall of Khazad-dûm, a piper unseen plays beside his king.
| Major Characters: Daeron, Durin VI, Dwarves |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 378 |
| Posted on 2 March 2017 | Updated on 21 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Song of Souls by Raiyana
On an ordinary day in SA 1697, Narvi is - as often before - losing herself in work.
On that same day, standing in a chamber of torture and looking at the battered body of the Elf he once proclaimed a friend, Annatar - better known as Sauron - realises that the Noldo is as stubborn as his grandfather, and will not reveal the location of the Three Rings.
Delirious with bloodloss, desperate to thwart the evil he naively helped create, to make the pain stop, Celebrimbor remembers a snippet of an old bedtime story, the calm voice of his uncle speaking.
He knows the Songs of Power, knows how his House could do fantastical things through song, but he never really believed in the Song of Souls... until he is standing in an unfamiliar workshop, staring at a heart-breakingly familiar face.
On an ordinary day in SA 1697, Narvi begins hearing voices... well, one voice.
Save them
Featuring Ghost!Celebrimbor, No-nonsense-Narví, Pining Glorfindel, Oblivious Erestor, and gratuitous use of Dwarf Culture.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Durin III, Erestor, Glorfindel, Narvi |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 9 | Word Count: 21, 706 |
| Posted on 17 April 2018 | Updated on 21 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
The Last Heir of Fëanor by Astrance
This is the tale of the surviving child of Celebrimbor of Eregion and how she fared through the Ages of the world. From the Fall of Ost-in-Edhil to Imladris and the vastness of Second Age Eriador, the fight against Sauron seems never ending.
Warning for slightly adjusted timeline according to the story needs, but not too noticeable as the structure stays intact. Also, poetry.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Elrond, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Gil-galad, Gil-Galad/Original Character |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 24, 022 |
| Posted on 13 February 2022 | Updated on 21 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
History, Legend, Myth, Truth by Lferion
Fingon writes a poem and thinks about truth of various kinds.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Manwë |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General, Poetry | Challenges: On a Different Page |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 412 |
| Posted on 21 April 2022 | Updated on 21 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Glorfindel by owly
Lord Nightlight in all his shiny glory. I went for Holbein/Renaissance vibes and I think that came out okay. Painted on a Huion tablet in MyPaint.
| Major Characters: Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 21 April 2022 | Updated on 21 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (7) |
Golden Fire by StarSpray
Finarfin just thought the dragon egg looked neat, so he brought it home.
Then it hatched.
| Major Characters: Eärwen, Finarfin, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fluff, General, Humor | Challenges: On a Different Page |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 690 |
| Posted on 18 April 2022 | Updated on 19 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Point of View and In-Universe Authorship of the "Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Who wrote The Silmarillion? This paper briefly discusses the evidence from Morgoth's Ring that supports the idea that that "Silmarillion" narrator is Elven.
Fair Ithil by Himring
Photo of moon in the night sky with surrounding clouds, captioned “Fair Ithil".
| Major Characters: Tilion |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Photography |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Holiday Party |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 15 April 2022 | Updated on 16 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
firelight by hanneswrites
Mairon & Melkor get married and have an overall fluffy time.
Featuring Wedding Fluff & Wedding Night Shenanigans.
| Major Characters: Melkor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Melkor/Sauron, Sauron & Original Character |
| Genres: Erotica, Fluff, Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 179 |
| Posted on 15 April 2022 | Updated on 15 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Misty Mountains Tall by StarSpray
The road of the High Pass is blocked by boulders, but an attempted negotiation with the stone giant responsible goes unexpectedly sideways.
| Major Characters: Eluréd, Elurín |
| Major Relationships: Eluréd & Elurín |
| Genres: Adventure, General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 904 |
| Posted on 15 April 2022 | Updated on 15 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Might As Well Dance by Grundy, polutropos, daughterofshadows, Anérea
Beren, Lúthien, and Huan circling each other, love, and doom.
| Major Characters: Beren, Huan, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien, Beren & Huan, Huan & Lúthien |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 4 | Word Count: 610 |
| Posted on 15 April 2022 | Updated on 15 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Breathe Again by Lferion
Breathing as an exercise of Fea and Hroa both; three drabbles.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 310 |
| Posted on 15 April 2022 | Updated on 15 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Coming home by daughterofshadows
Gondolin is finally ready to welcome its people.
Among the buzz of moving in, a long awaited reunion takes place.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Original Nonbinary Character(s), Rog |
| Major Relationships: Original Character & Rog, Original Character/Rog |
| Genres: Family, Fluff | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 762 |
| Posted on 14 April 2022 | Updated on 14 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Gravity Is a Harsh Mistress by Grundy
Three drabbles on a theme for Arda On Ice.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Finrod Felagund, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: Curufin & Finrod & Turgon |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 309 |
| Posted on 14 April 2022 | Updated on 14 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (11) |
Arda on Ice stamp art by Lyra
You've heard of Lay of Leithian, the rock opera - now get ready for Lay of Leithian, the ice skating show. Well, not really. But when we were setting up the challenges for 2022, I couldn't help envisioning characters from the Lay of Leithian as skaters for the Arda on Ice challenge.
| Major Characters: Beren, Finrod Felagund, Lúthien Tinúviel, Orcs, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien |
| Artwork Type: Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: Crossover, Humor | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 14 April 2022 | Updated on 14 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (14) |
Four times the Tirion Assistant Civil Registrar sighed at a name, and one time she nodded in approval by Chestnut_pod
Contrary to Luimiel’s nemesis, public opinion, it was not illegal to reuse names. How anyone ever thought a policy of strict non-repetition could work was beyond her. Sheer coincidence essentially guaranteed that there were multiple Sea Lovers or Green Jewels or Happy Women striding about Arda, blissfully unaware of their nominal compatriots across the continent, in the Halls, up a mountain retreat somewhere, or even, in these recently troubled times, beyond the Sea.
One very much could give one’s child a name that had been used before, and, frankly, Luimiel thought, looking across her desk at the unfortunate infant first in line to be registered today, she wished more people would.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 925 |
| Posted on 13 April 2022 | Updated on 13 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Reverse Death Spiral by Himring
Beren and Luthien.
| Major Characters: Beren, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: Arda on Ice |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 44 |
| Posted on 13 April 2022 | Updated on 13 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
Whims of Time and Fate by QuillAndInkWrites
Towards the middle of the Second Age, a young Dwarf of the Longbeard royal line seeks out answers to the mysterious visions and memories she has begun to see over her waking sight — the answer may be right in front of her, written plainly in the histories of Durin I and his reincarnation, Durin II, but does she have the strength to follow the thread and accept the truth?
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Durin I, Durin III, Dwarves |
| Major Relationships: Durin III & Original Male Character, Durin III & Original Female Character |
| Genres: Family, General, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 10, 610 |
| Posted on 19 March 2022 | Updated on 10 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
A Web of Stars by Idrils Scribe
Thranduil never forgave Elrond for Oropher's death at the Last Alliance, and a thousand years of diplomacy have failed to repair the rift between Rivendell and the Greenwood.
For his final, desperate attempt to seal the breach, Celeborn brings an unlikely ambassador: Arwen Undómiel.
Tauriel doesn't care for this foreign lady. Legolas begs to differ, and Arwen ... Arwen just wants an Adventure.
| Major Characters: Arwen, Legolas Greenleaf |
| Major Relationships: Arwen/Legolas |
| Genres: Adventure, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 12 | Word Count: 24, 005 |
| Posted on 13 February 2022 | Updated on 10 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Maedhros by oshun
Maedhros is one of the most popular—and controversial—characters in The Silmarillion. The first part of this two-part biography considers his early years, before his capture and torment by Melkor, and how he was shaped by his years in Aman, his impetuous father, and the mediating influence of Nerdanel.
Go On As Three by Elwin Fortuna
Beren falls down a ravine and breaks his leg, but that's just the start of his good fortune.
| Major Characters: Beren, Celegorm, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Celegorm/Luthien |
| Genres: Adventure, Poly, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 903 |
| Posted on 5 April 2022 | Updated on 5 April 2022 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
I Choose a Mortal Life by Uvatha the Horseman
Elrond and Elros, who are Half-Elven and therefore able to choose whether to be mortal or immortal, choose very different fates.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 10 | Word Count: 4, 419 |
| Posted on 5 April 2022 | Updated on 5 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
The Loss of Tol Sirion by Uvatha the Horseman
Sauron battles Luthien the great hound Huan for Tol Sirion and loses everything but the shirt on his back. No, make that everything.
| Major Characters: Huan, Lúthien Tinúviel, Melkor, Sauron, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Rape/Nonconsensual Sex |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 999 |
| Posted on 1 April 2015 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Battle of Sarn Ford by Uvatha the Horseman
In SA 1700, Sauron swept across Middle Earth on a mission to take the three Elven Rings from Gil-Galad. He was just as quickly swept back.
| Major Characters: Gil-galad, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 835 |
| Posted on 1 April 2016 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Sofa City by Uvatha the Horseman
After losing Isengard, Saruman has to sleep on a relative's couch.
| Major Characters: Saruman, Sauron, Witch-king of Angmar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 609 |
| Posted on 1 April 2016 | Updated on 4 April 2022 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
