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
Canon with a Twist
Choose a single moment in Tolkien's canon, have a character make a different choice, and create a fanwork about how the history changes. 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.
[Writing] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
[Writing] Staging a Battle by StarSpray
He and Diamond were visiting, though Pippin had been disappearing every afternoon, and taking Frodo and Elanor and most other lads and lasses in the neighborhood with him—though why they couldn’t use Pippin’s own pony, Sam couldn’t imagine.
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
Elwing's Soliloquy. by hennethgalad
Elwing confronts Maedhros and Maglor stand over her sleeping children.
day 15: "an important moment"
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Elwing, Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 622 |
| Posted on 15 March 2020 | Updated on 15 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Second Childhood by HannaGoldworthy
Because Feanor could not make anything easy on anyone, and that included his own second life.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Family, General, Humor, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 6 | Word Count: 11, 105 |
| Posted on 11 March 2020 | Updated on 15 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Faithless Ship. by hennethgalad
Nimrodel when the balrog wakes.
14: "Ophelia" b2mem2020
| Major Characters: Mithrellas, Nimrodel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 741 |
| Posted on 14 March 2020 | Updated on 14 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Kingdom. by hennethgalad
Family life at the Havens of Sirion.
13: "Your kingdom is gone. If it is to be restore, which I doubt, it must be from small beginnings". Unfinished Tales
| Major Characters: Elwing, Eärendil, Idril, Tuor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 732 |
| Posted on 13 March 2020 | Updated on 13 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Nothing Collapses by StarSpray
Dor Firn-i-Guinar did not sink with the rest of Beleriand, and it is a place heavy with memory.
| Major Characters: Elrond |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 310 |
| Posted on 13 March 2020 | Updated on 13 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The Straight Path. by hennethgalad
The Eldar become aware of the reshaping of the world after the fall of Númenor.
11: 'The Milky Way'
| Major Characters: Círdan, Elrond, Galadriel, Gil-galad, Lindir |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 715 |
| Posted on 11 March 2020 | Updated on 11 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Shield-House by Lferion
The House of Shields is more than a bar. A double drabble.
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 201 |
| Posted on 11 March 2020 | Updated on 11 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Considering Cards by Lferion
A three-card spread that changes everything.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 251 |
| Posted on 11 March 2020 | Updated on 11 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Casting Omens, Reading Cards by Lferion
Maglor read the cards too well
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 302 |
| Posted on 11 March 2020 | Updated on 11 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Modern solutions by Lyra
Fingon's rescue of Maedhros, Red Bull commercial style. I apologise for everything.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros, Thorondor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Comic Strip, Crackfic | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1 |
| Posted on 10 March 2020 | Updated on 10 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
None might restrain him by Lyra
One fine morning, Fëanor wakes up in Fingolfin's body. It goes exactly as well as you'd expect. Not actually featuring Fingolfin.
Implied (canon) character death.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Mandos, Manwë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 079 |
| Posted on 10 March 2020 | Updated on 10 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Diplomacy. by hennethgalad
Gimli and Glóin after the Council of Elrond.
9: "They had begun to forget: forget their own beginnings and legends, forget what little they had known about the greatness of the world.” (Unfinished Tales, Part Three, III, The Quest of Erebor)
| Major Characters: Gimli |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 995 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Nights Your Heart Shivers by StarSpray
"All right, hunting down Daeron the Minstrel: that sounds like fun. But where would we even begin to look for him?"
| Major Characters: Daeron, Eluréd, Elurín, Ents, Nellas |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, General, Hurt/Comfort, Suspense | Challenges: B-Movie, Crackuary |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 7, 845 |
| Posted on 23 October 2018 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Family, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 101 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Pollen and Honey by Lferion
Nerdanel contemplates names for her new-born twins.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Family, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 304 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 102 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Sky-Sailors by Lferion
Elves took to sailing sky as readily as they did sea
| Major Characters: Eärendil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 102 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Regency Drama by Lferion
Boodle’s Gentleman's Club was not normally a place of drama and excitement.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Crackfic | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Conversation Overheard in an Avallonë Cafe by Lferion
Laurësirya had been in that competition performance. She'd been in the battle as well.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Family, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 201 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Light Defiant by Lferion
"See us!" shouted the lamps, the candles.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Other Physics by Lferion
One could fall up forever, did not the ground hold fast.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 9 March 2020 | Updated on 9 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Fell Winter. by hennethgalad
Bilbo tells Frodo of the heroics of hobbits in the Fell Winter.
8: the aftermath of a disaster.
| Major Characters: Bilbo Baggins, Frodo |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: B2MeM 2020 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 404 |
| Posted on 8 March 2020 | Updated on 8 March 2020 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Irmo's Children by Lferion
They had come here as in a dream, to the far North of the world.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Drama, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 300 |
| Posted on 8 March 2020 | Updated on 8 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Slippage by Lferion
Fingon, recently Returned, an old head on young shoulders, is not having an easy time.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 202 |
| Posted on 8 March 2020 | Updated on 8 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Free Space by Lferion
Whither away to the stars, my love
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Poetry | Challenges: Crackuary |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 8 March 2020 | Updated on 8 March 2020 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
