A Sense of History: Straight Road
The next in a series of articles about ships passing to and from the West, Simon uses "The Fall of Númenor" to attempt to arrive at Tolkien's reading of the exordium to "Beowulf."
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Fandom Voices: Comments and Feedback
Our Fandom Voices project tackles the fraught questions of feedback: what it is like to leave and receive feedback in the world of Tolkien fanworks.
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New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Meeting the In-Laws by awwyeah107
Caranthir is nervous about meeting Haleth’s father and brother for the first time. Haleth is sure everything will go well.
[Reference] Straight Road by Simon J. Cook
The Fall of Númenor offers the evidence used to arrive at Tolkien's reading of the exordium to Beowulf.
[Artwork] Morgoth's prisoner by elennalore
Maedhros in Angband
[Reference] Fandom Voices: Comments and Feedback by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Over thirty people contributed their thoughts on the experience of leaving and receiving feedback on fanworks. Emotions run high on all sides, but community and connections emerge as factors that promote feedback while easing its difficulties for readers and viewers.
[Writing] Coincidences of Fate by cílil
Sometimes Eönwë wonders if his life is just like Manwë's romance novels. Sometimes he even thinks the One may be laughing at him from above.
A story told in exactly 4 1/3 drabbles.
[Writing] Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
Current Challenge
Bollywood
Prompts this month are films, songs, and tropes from India's dazzling film industry, Bollywood. Read more ...
Random Challenge
It's Magic!
Incorporate elements of fantasy or magic into a fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
Straight Road by Simon J. Cook
The Fall of Númenor offers the evidence used to arrive at Tolkien's reading of the exordium to Beowulf.
Fandom Voices: Comments and Feedback by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Over thirty people contributed their thoughts on the experience of leaving and receiving feedback on fanworks. Emotions run high on all sides, but community and connections emerge as factors that promote feedback while easing its difficulties for readers and viewers.
Fandom Voices: Using Fanon in Fanworks by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Sixteen Tolkien fans contributed their definitions of and experiences with fanon or fan-generated theories about the legendarium.
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
Eönwë Week 2024
Eönwë Week is a Tumblr event for creating fanworks about Eönwë.
Teitho August/September Contest: Do you remember ...?
For the contest theme for August and September, characters will look back to the past.
August challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The August challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. The thematic challenge is: magic trees. The formal challenge is: call and response. New participants welcome.
August 2024 Call for Papers and Proposals
Calls for papers and proposals for conferences and publications that are open during the month of August 2024.
Innumerable Stars 2024
Innumerable Stars is a Tolkien fandom gift exchange for all works by Tolkien or associated with Middle-earth.
The Dark by Ivare
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Chapter 1
[Verse 1]
See the crimson flames curl higher
And if there’s anything to claim
By the time it all burns down
Till it’s ashes on the ground
You must know this is trust’s pyre
But you’ll say: ‘It’s all the same’
Whether seagulls sink or swim
Hands full of blood to the brim
[Chorus]
How can you play this game?
Are we so free of blame?
Are you blind to the state we’re in?
Our name stained in the pages
The dark will haunt us through the ages
Nothing can forgive this sin
[Verse 2]
We keep losing our own
To the flash of blades and fire
Will you never learn
Whatever’s left of us will burn
Reap the evil that we’ve sown
With vengeful, bleak desire
No matter what you say
We don’t get to throw their lives away
[Bridge]
I know your faith was broken
And the gods have all but spoken
Against your needs
But can’t you see
You gave your creation your whole
But it doesn’t govern your soul
It’s never too late
Can't be too late to change
[Chorus]
How can you play this game?
Are we so free of blame?
Are you blind to the state we’re in?
Our name stained in the pages
The dark will haunt us through the ages
Nothing can forgive this sin
[Verse 3]
We don’t have to kill to live
Take my hand and walk away
I’ve no right to be praying
But I’m so sick of slaying
We’ve given all we can give
Doesn’t have to be this way
Does it have to be this way?
[Chorus]
How could you play this game?
No one’s free from blame
I can’t find a blank slate to re-begin
Our name stained in the pages
The dark will haunt me through the ages
Nothing can forgive this sin
