Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
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 Challenge: Orctober Orcs on a quest for freedom seek a place sheltered and safe from the Dark Lord. Fulfill prompts to gather the clues needed to bring them to freedom.
The majority of the Silmarillion was penned by a single Elf--an Elf who was so thoroughly written out as to appear only through the ways in which their perspective shaped the stories we see. This is their story, the historian's history, the Pennas Pengolodh.
The Exiles of Gondolin come to Sirion. The residents of Sirion welcome them, and friendship blossoms between the last remaining loremaster of Gondolin and a young poet of Sirion.
Fingon returns to Barad Eithel after a late-autumn hunt, finding someone unexpected with his wife. The night takes an even more unexpected turn for all three of them.
Current Challenge
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kiliel Week 2024
Kiliel Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about the Kili/Tauriel pairing.
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Comments
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
Oh poor Maglor. What a wonderful short story and those last lines about him living a hard life in Lorien once he has to leave. That makes his wandering on the shores of Middle Earth quite reasonable.
Wow, this was chilling, in a good way. Poor Maglor! I love how , even though he did the "right thing" this time, his predicament hasn't truly changed. Very nicely done!
Aww, thank you! No, his predicament didn\'t, for he had to live with his actions and the reactions of everyone around him. He may have a chance at healing sooner in Valinor than Middle-earth, but it still wouldn\'t be easy.
I like this piece a lot. You do a good job here of showing that repentence wouldn't automatically equate to forgiveness; Maglor can't undo his past harms, even if he's sorry for having committed them, and likewise those he's harmed can't simply purge their own memories of the past and start fresh with him. It may be a 'better' outcome in the long run than the one Tolkien shows us in the Silm, but it's still going to be a difficult and painful one for for everyone involved.
*blinks* You picked up on something I hadn\'t consciously (I was more focused on the immediate reactions, the little \"judgements.\") You\'re absolutely correct-- forgiveness isn\'t automatic. And it will be painful.
Very interesting AU. Of course, I wish it had been longer. I would have loved to have read the prequel and the sequel. If you ever have the inpsiration...
Thank you! I don\'t have any plans on writing a prequel. (Though even mentioning you\'d like one has given me an idea…) A sequel, well, the closest you\'ll come is a novel that Pandë\'s betaing in which Maglor does return to Valinor and the consequences of it.
I'll echo Ithilwen because I was struck by exactly the same theme: forgiveness is not a given when one repents of one's wrongs. You've articulated this concept very well; Elrond's perspective -- and Elros' turning away from his foster father -- drive the point home.
Although it's heartbreaking to watch Maglor suffer alone and in pain albeit in the peaceful setting of Lorien, still, he comes across with the element of strength which suggests that in time, he will pull through.
*squees* Thank you! As I told Ithilwen, I hadn\'t consciously put that in. And yes, Maglor will pull through-- you know I can\'t let him suffer forever. :P
*happy sigh* Another good Maglor AU. I can see this happening. I'm glad that the Valar tried to be merciful, but of course, Maglor had to face what he'd done. But with the kindness of the Valar, it'd be easier to find healing rather than wandering alone.
*grins* I\'m glad you liked it!\r\n\r\nWell, as merciful as the Valar can be. Their giving Maglor the Silmaril was just another way of defusing the Oath, and since they couldn\'t kill him, they did what they could to contain him. Of course, it *is* also a time for reflection and such, but in my mind, he\'s pretty much imprisoned for a good long time. (Wandering alone, I believe, has the same purpose, and I think it may have been easier on him, but that\'s obviously just my opinion. :))
A tale that is both heart-breaking and comforting. It seems that whatever choice he makes would lead to misery but at least there is hope of redemption for the last Feanorian. I think having him throw the last Silmaril into the sea is a nice touch. Very nicely done.
Comments
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.