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
True Leader
Create a fanwork using one of our quotes from a woman in leadership. 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
Muindyr Duirr i Edhellen Sinnern În by herenortherenearnorfar
“... The brave Goldilocks didn’t cower before the Great Slug! He took up his sword once more and held the vicious beast at bay as Princess Silverfoot led all the people out of the Flower Kingdom."
Bilbo updates and localizes the Fall of Gondolin for a small and hobbitish audience.
Hopefully Glorfindel, a good chap if there ever was one, won't mind the tactful translation.
| Major Characters: Bilbo Baggins |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 081 |
| Posted on 25 March 2020 | Updated on 12 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Thousand Stories by herenortherenearnorfar
They're important, the myths people tell about themselves, about their histories. You can learn a lot from a tale or seven.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Easterlings, Southrons |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 7 | Word Count: 19, 513 |
| Posted on 28 January 2020 | Updated on 12 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Jewellight Express by herenortherenearnorfar
Eärendil
(Embracing the SILMARIL OF AIR)
Let followers of the patroneʃs of stars
Wear the mantles of their mighty host
Whilʃt I, a sailor of beaches and bars,
Tremble before beauty that makes all else toaʃt
Princes of elves have slavered o'er light
And jealous women caʃt away their frame
But it’s I, a man of little might
Who sits in jewellight, triumphs over flame
“Yikes,” said Gil-Galad, High King of the Noldor.
| Major Characters: Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Crackfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 922 |
| Posted on 26 May 2020 | Updated on 12 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Who Never Returned by herenortherenearnorfar
"The only concrete information the old woman has, from an elven friend of the woods, is that Thingol’s daughter has taken up with a man of Bëor‘s line. Beren, son of Barahir, a lost child of Dorthonion found in Doriath’s winding embrace."
Morwen and Húrin must deal with the rumor mill in a professional capacity. Unfortunately this latest tale comes with familial entanglements.
| Major Characters: Húrin, Morwen |
| Major Relationships: Húrin/Morwen |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 176 |
| Posted on 23 March 2020 | Updated on 12 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling by Anne Wolfe
Two drabbles from the Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling Session.
No. 1: Spring Elanor, a drabble about spring, and flowers, and new beginnings.
No. 2: The Ants, in which a young Celegorm listens to some ants.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 204 |
| Posted on 11 July 2021 | Updated on 11 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
regrets and remembrance by Aprilertuile
Alone, lost on the shore of the sea, Maglor remembers...
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 435 |
| Posted on 11 July 2021 | Updated on 11 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Swear Me No Oaths But One by lushthemagicdragon
On their last day in Aman, Findekáno and Maitimo disappear into the Garden of Lorien for a moment of private devotion before the trials ahead. A handfasting is had, in private.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Incest |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 110 |
| Posted on 10 July 2021 | Updated on 10 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Tevildo's Hunting Party by Elfhild
By Angmar and Elfhild. Craving new fare for his feasts, Tevildo, Prince of Cats, devises a scheme to hunt down one of the Great Eagles by using a child of the Noldoli as bait. Inspired by The Book of Lost Tales.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Tevildo |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Humor, Script/Play/Screenplay | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 987 |
| Posted on 10 July 2021 | Updated on 10 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Something Old, Something New by Grundy
A young woman who is more than she seems joins Starfleet. (Silmarillion - ST:TNG crossover.)
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crossover | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 369 |
| Posted on 10 July 2021 | Updated on 10 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
The Sky, the Sea, the Birds Between by herenortherenearnorfar
"Hail Earendel, brightest of angels
Sent over Middle-earth to men."
Eönwë plays messenger as Elwing and Eärendil begin to adjust to their new lives as a lighthouse keeper and a star respectively.
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Elwing, Eönwë |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing/Eönwë |
| Genres: Poly | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 17, 625 |
| Posted on 9 June 2019 | Updated on 8 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Idril Celebrindal by Lindariel
Idril Celebrindal's footprint in the canon is light and hard to discern beyond the bare bones given in The Silmarillion and The Fall of Gondolin, yet she exists at the epicenter of the most ancient and shifting ground of Tolkien's entire legendarium.
Suitable Foster by herenortherenearnorfar
"“Children?” Felagund sounded uncharacteristically distressed."
Bëor strongly discourages his friend from adopting.
| Major Characters: Bëor, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Bëor & Finrod |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 783 |
| Posted on 7 December 2019 | Updated on 7 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Five Golden Rings by herenortherenearnorfar
Barad-dûr has fallen. Celebrimbor does some light metalworking for the sake of sentiment (and maybe something more)
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Sauron |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Torture, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 824 |
| Posted on 17 August 2019 | Updated on 7 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Our Lady of Perpetual Compassion, She of Sorrows and Succor by herenortherenearnorfar
"Few stories were told of Nienna, not because she was not loved, but because she was loved too much. Those elves who dwelled in Valinor knew her sorrows and did not pry at them. Her part in the stories of others was glossed over, her name whispered gently, her tale left unspoken and unrecorded. Such was the respect given to her, for all people might need pity some day.
If an exile from over the sea needed to learn, or a new child asked, they were shared only snippets of thought, memories, echoes of what was told perhaps only once long ago.
These were the things that were not said."
| Major Characters: Nienna |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 10, 137 |
| Posted on 31 January 2019 | Updated on 7 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Lost at Sea by StarSpray
An Avarin elf accidentally gets lost at sea and gets stuck halfway onto the Straight Road. Uinen helps out.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Avari, Uinen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 436 |
| Posted on 6 July 2021 | Updated on 6 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Show your pride by daughterofshadows
In which Celegorm receives a strange message from his brother and talks to Aredhel.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Celegorm, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet, Humor | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 530 |
| Posted on 6 July 2021 | Updated on 6 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Fragment: In the long days of Darkness by losselen
Found in the personal collections of Barahir II, transcribed and translated into Westron from its original High Adûnaic. A fragment of a poem for Ancalimë, from a poetess who loved her.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Tar-Ancalimë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 269 |
| Posted on 17 April 2015 | Updated on 4 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Sylvan. by hennethgalad
Maglor writes to Thranduil and Celeborn in their castle in Transylvania, asking for help when an early archaeologist tries to dig up The Shire.
(Thranduil and Celeborn canonically 'meet up' in the middle of Mirkwood after Sauron is defeated.)
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Maglor, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 983 |
| Posted on 3 July 2021 | Updated on 3 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
[podfic] Please, let's go home (I love you, they said, I love you) by Chestnut_pod
In Treelight, he and Artanis had walked the beaches of Elendë, the white sand soft beneath bare toes as she splashed in the shallows and demanded he name every sea star. Upon the ragged new shores of this eastern land, they wore stout boots, for they were all torn rock and silt, and the waters colder than the Bay of Eldamar. And Artanis was Galadriel now, and if her name was softer, it was all of her that was.
| Major Characters: Finarfin, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: Finarfin & Galadriel |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 1 July 2021 | Updated on 1 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] The Impatience of Youth by Chestnut_pod
Irissë looked pained. “I’ve bruised myself. On – oh Eru, a bust of Uncle Fëanáro. Talk about a mood killer…”
“This isn’t working,” said Elenwë. “We need to go somewhere else or I’ll have nightmares for the rest of my life about your entire extended family watching us while we – ”
“Agreed,” said Irissë, looking rather ill.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Elenwë |
| Major Relationships: Aredhel/Elenwë |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Posted on 30 June 2021 | Updated on 30 June 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] A Promise of Lightning by Chestnut_pod, The Wavesinger
The story of Ilmarë and Thuringwethil, from the beginning to the beginning, again.
| Major Characters: Ilmarë, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: Ilmarë/Thuringwethil |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate), Violence (Mild) |
| Posted on 27 June 2021 | Updated on 30 June 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] How far can you carry this? by Chestnut_pod
They make mountains upon the beach from sand and pebbles, because all Eärendil’s memories are of cold and pale walls of stone and walking for ever and ever.
When Elwing thinks of home it is dark forests and damp loam beneath her feet and running and stopping and hiding and running again, like rabbits.
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil & Elwing |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 29 June 2021 | Updated on 30 June 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] all they had to lend by Chestnut_pod
From a few hundred feet up, the swan ships could be seen to hesitate.
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 28 June 2021 | Updated on 28 June 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Winter Solstice by Narya
Maglor in Avebury, at the turning of the year.
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 50 |
| Posted on 27 June 2021 | Updated on 27 June 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Fire Like Ice by Lferion
Fingon would not have anticipated that he would ever find himself thinking of heat the same way he thought of extreme cold, and yet, here he was.
Takes place in a version of Arda with Beleriand Risen on the Aman side of the Straight Road, as in Bunn's Return to Aman and Undying Lands.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Back To The Future, Pride |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 231 |
| Posted on 21 June 2021 | Updated on 21 June 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
