New Challenge: Bollywood
This month's challenge offers songs, films, and tropes from Bollywood, the world's largest film industry based out of India, as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Cultus Dispatches: Fandom Chocolate … or Authors Love Comments
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data provides insight into how comments benefit authors and which authors are most impacted by a lack of comments, with a digression on authors' perspectives one-click feedback like kudos.
A Sense of History: Passing Ships
As Tolkien's characters in various texts gaze out to the sea, what do they see? What is brought by the ships coming out of the West?
Beta-Reader List Now Available
The beta-reader list and profiles have been moved into our new system and are available again.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] No Time Have I by Flora-lass
A Silmarillion acrostic.
[Writing] I called it Fate that I should fail by AdmirableMonster
Nimruzimir, a natural philosopher recently out of his apprenticeship, hardly considers himself very important to anyone, least of all his colleagues. When his strange, prophetic fits bring him to the attention of the High Priest, however, he may find that his existence is less superfluous than…
[Writing] All of you by chrissystriped
Elrond and Celebrían celebrate their anniversary with their family.
[Writing] Lament for the Singer by daughterofshadows
A short thing about Maglor, death and grieving.
[Writing] Cosmological Poems of Arda by AaronAzrael
I would like to share my revelations of Tolkien's Universe in the form of narrative and emotional poems.
[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…
[Artwork] Map of Valinor by Aprilertuile
My newly drawn map of Aman, as complete as I could make it.
Current Challenge
Bollywood
Prompts this month are films, songs, and tropes from India's dazzling film industry, Bollywood. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Holiday Party
No matter if you're in the Northern or Southern hemisphere, it's a time of year to think about holidays. Whether you're bundling up in blankets or slipping a swimsuit into your suitcase, we invite you to an SWG holiday party! Read more ...
New in References
Fandom Chocolate … or Authors Love Comments by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that authors view comments as driving their motivation to create fanfiction. However, perception of comments by authors is part of a larger shift in fandom around how and how often fans interact with each other.
Passing Ships by Simon J. Cook
[]The arrival and departure of ships across the Great Sea carries mythic significance for the peoples of Middle-earth. The image of ships crossing out of and back into a mysterious West appears as well in Beowulf and is alluded to in Tolkien's tower analogy in his lecture "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics," where the tower allows those who climb it to observe the passage of the ships.
Fanfiction and the Serious Business of Writer's Craft by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data shows that while most authors self-identify as taking their craft seriously, a growing subset of authors may be pushing that norm.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[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.
[Writing] From whose bourn no traveller returns by losselen
[]So gathered they were to Bree, what lieutenants who could be spared, from their scattered watches west and east, for their chieftain had returned from his long sojourn in lands godless and mountains strange.
Aragorn returns from the South to tells his tales. Halbarad listens.
[Writing] Sand Sorcery by StarSpray
[]It is well known that Psamathos does not leave his cove. He does not like to get his feet wet, and prefers to spend his days dozing under the sun.
Around the World and Web
Fellowship of the Fics: Summer Stories 2024
Fellowship of the Fics offers four weeks of summer-themed prompts during the month of July.
Elrond Week 2024
Elrond Week is a fandom event dedicated to Elrond Peredhel that will run from July 10th to July 16th on Tumblr.
July challenge at tolkienshortfanworks posted
The tolkienshortfanworks challenge for July has been posted to the Dreamwidth community. The thematic challenge is: original character or unnamed canon character; the formal challenge: fixed length of multiple of 50 words. New participants welcome.
July 2024 Call for Papers and Proposals
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers and proposals in July 2024.
Teitho June/July Challenge: Mentor
The June/July prompt for the Teitho challenge is "mentor" and invites fanworks about this relationship in Tolkien's works.
Curumo, slices of vice. by Chiara Cadrich
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Doubtful shadows
TA 2848 - Gandalf and his ward - a Tuck - are pursued by dark brigands. Saruman pulls them out of trouble with the help of his dunlending allies.
... Saruman the White walked in majesty, still inhabited by the wrath of battle. Approaching Gandalf, he held out his hand. The gray wizard bowed respectfully:
- "Saruman ..."
The white wizard, who had masterfully restored a difficult situation, savored this deference for a few seconds before raising Gandalf with a noble gesture.
- "Please, my friend.", Saruman whispered with a serious and compassionate tone. Shall I be entrusted how you ran down the countryside, with a band of brigands at your heels? ". The conniving and jocular voice called for a confidence.
As Gandalf brought some care to the hobbit who lay nearby, this lack of deference antagonized the great Saruman:
- "Your compassion honors our order, Mithrandir, but have you nothing more useful to do than mothering one of these rascals? Are you sure you choose your priorities with sufficient discernment? "The voice was that of an eminent strategist trying to raise the debate before a board of promising but turbulent young captains.
Gandalf, concerned about his companion’s health, was paying little attention to Saruman, who approached, looking vaguely anxious:
- "Your ward needs the oblivion of sleep. Let me do it! ". A tone of a healer in the fullness of his art, left no alternative. Gandalf parted with gratitude and hope.
"Look into my eyes, my young friend. Fear dissolves into sleep! "Enunciated the white wizard with a bass voice, softly authoritarian and soothing. Then he ran his hand through the blond curls of the hobbit, who relaxed, laid down and fell asleep.
"He will keep no memory of his trouble. And now will you explain to me?", Saruman ended with a tip of annoyance which required a report.
- "I have to open myself to you... about disturbing events" began the gray wizard softly.
- "When Gandalf comes, so follows the storm! You are often the heart of the turmoil! ", quipped the soft voice of a General speaking confidently to a proven aide-de-camp. I am listening, my friend. "
- "Eriador is no longer guarded. The rangers of Arnor have evacuated the southern parts. They have deserted the country from Sarn Ford up to Tharbad, and my messages have remained unanswered.
- Indeed this deficiency and silence are of concern. But I have long stopped relying on a single ally. There is nothing to expect from the scattered remnants and ruins of Arnor, I'm afraid. Their lineage has failed a long time ago...
- Yet they are reliable, and this is much nowadays.
- Your naivety would be touching if that was not a fatal error! What is our use for such a strength, continuously declining or defeated at the first alarm? "
Gandalf, lowering his head, continued his speech:
- I fear that winged spies assist our enemies, and our movements are crossed.
- Gandalf, your route is written in letters of fire. For those who can read signs, you leave a blazing trail throughout your journey. No wonder your whereabouts are known! ". This time the mocking tone was tempered with no shade of kindness. Upset Gandalf persisted:
- "I may explain the rangers’ failure, only by a major offensive! Many men, well equipped and provided with gold, are spying around Tharbad. They terrorize the weak and bribe the others. But beyond river Gwathló, I know no force able to sustain them. Where do they come from? "
The strong voice cut in stark terms:
- You finally get to right conclusions! I spotted these brigands several months ago. They obviously come from the east, gathered and trained by a master that I know now. And I am taking care to stop this threat personally, as you have noticed. When I'm done with them, their corporation will be driven out of Eriador. You do not seem to understand that a power is about to raise, Mithrandir. "
The tone of Armies’ Grand Commander brooked no reply. "A power struggle has just begun, we must keep control of the western regions at all costs, otherwise we shall fall. I shall deal with this war. "
Yet Gandalf objected:
- "I still do not understand who they are and why they followed us!
- You are boasting about a reputation of yours, that deserves us, Gandalf!", The voice had lost its sweet tone, animated only by annoyance and a strand of jealousy. Then Saruman resumed as an angry but just father, in pain for being forced to severity:
- "I do not think your young friend has any interest, neither for you, nor for your attackers. These brigands sought after you. You are always at the heart of the storm because you provoke it! "
Gandalf was going to protest, but Saruman sternly interrupted his subordinate:
- "You draw too much attention on yourself. Your vow of humility seems to wane in pipe-weed smoke... Or do you wish to shine in the eyes of the White Council?"
The white wizard was careful not to reveal anything about the power he had unmasked. Noticing Gandalf’s livid face and compressed lips, Saruman took on a more conciliatory tone, as for a reprimanded, but very much liked student:
- "I urge you, from now, to apply your faculties to perseverance and effectiveness, by showing you more circumspect. Promise me to deploy your talents to good use, only without witness! "
The dunlending clan, which had pledged allegiance to Saruman, now held the brigands as prisoners, kneeling and bound to each other in front of a lying trunk. Their weary and resigned heads bowed over their chest. They seemed to have no illusion about their conquerors’ clemency. With a triumphant grin, the clan leader went forth under the cheers of his warriors in tartan. Suddenly brandishing his great battle ax, he beheaded one by one the few survivors, without further ado.
Gandalf rushed, but was stayed in his tracks:
- "No, Mithrandir! This people makes war his own way. What right do you have to judge them, since you have not been expelled from your ancestral lands? Besides, you are indebted to them by the law of blood - without them, you would weep for your young protege... For this is a merciless war, which stake is the balance of power in the North and the opportunity for each people to shape their own destiny. Indeed I tell you again: I cannot, no more than you can, leave a witness behind us... "
Appalled Gandalf bowed, sick at heart. His superior had called him out in many respects.
Saruman walked away, satisfied with his firmer influence on his subordinate. It was necessary to neutralize him, whereas keeping his goodwill: he could prove useful later...
.oOo.
