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.
Queen of Hearts by Cirdan
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Chapter 1: Elennar: Star-fire
Celebrian could hardly sleep the night before her birthday party, and so she was awake when a bird rapped softly on her window. She went to the window quickly lest her parents be awakened. Galadriel, in particular, was a light sleeper. Celebrian parted her curtains and felt her heart soared when she saw the finely chiseled features of Celebrimbor's pale face pleading with her to open the window. Gladly did she oblige him.
"Celebrimbor, what are you doing here?" Celebrian whispered. She was overjoyed to see him, but she knew that her father, though fond of Celebrimbor, was also weary of him, for he was the last of the House of Feanor. If Celeborn caught Celebrimbor coming to his daughter so, he would throw a fit.
"I couldn't wait until tomorrow, Lady Celebrian," Celebrimbor said.
It would've been improper for him to enter her room after dark, but Celebrian would have been willing if he had only asked. Her heart was racing. She'd long known that those bright-eyed looks had hidden deeper feelings and that his gifts to her were not only because she was the daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel. Now that she was about to reach her majority, at last they could be able to speak openly of their mutual affection. Celeborn would object to their relationship, of course, but she knew how to soften her father's stubborn disposition.
Celebrian shared a secret smile with Celebrimbor. "And what was it, Lord Celebrimbor, that could not wait until tomorrow?"
"My birthday gift to you." Celebrimbor's eyes were like brilliant stars, and though he was older than her by many years, she thought he looked scarcely older than her. His face was so earnest.
"And what might be your gift to me?" Celebrian leaned over her windowsill in case he was planning to kiss her, but what she really wanted was an engagement ring.
He gave her neither. Instead, Celebrimbor presented to her a brilliant green stone set in silver in the shape of an eagle with spread wings.
"This is the Elennar, the Star-fire," Celebrimbor said.
The Elennar was a fiery red stone set in gold in the likeness of an eagle rising upon outspread wings. Celebrian put her hands over the magnificent gift, and her heart fluttered as their hands met.
"It is a mighty gift, Lord Celebrimbor," Celebrian said softly. "But why not wait to present it to me tomorrow?"
Even in the faint light, Celebrian could see the light blush upon Celebrimbor's fair cheeks. Though he was Lord of Eregion, he was boyish in his mannerisms. At last, she understood the delight that Galadriel had taken in pursuing Celeborn rather than awaiting his pursuit of her.
"Well, others may misconstrue my intentions in giving you such a fine gift." Celebrimbor averted his eyes from hers.
"Oh?" she purred. "And what are your intentions?"
"To kindle your heart to light and joy in a world that grows chill. The Elennar will bring warmth and healing to the land around you so that your dwelling will be the fairest place in Middle-earth." His words stirred her heart.
"Thank you, Celebrimbor." She kissed him on the cheek and watched with mischievous pleasure as he blushed to the tips of his pointed ears.
When he recovered, Celebrimbor said, "It is I who must thank you, Lady Celebrian, for without this joyous heart of mine, such a work of loveliness and magic could not be."
---
Nenya, Ring of Water
Celebrimbor and Celebrian met under the mallorn trees, and he held her in his strong arms and kissed her ardently. His long, slender fingers stroked her silver hair, and she traced his ear as their embrace lengthened. At last, they stopped for air, but they did not break their hold upon one another.
"It has been too long, Mirdan," Celebrian chided Celebrimbor.
"I'm sorry."
"I only tease." Celebrian kissed him repeatedly.
"What may I do to make amends, my Lady?" Celebrimbor asked.
"Nay, your work takes precedent."
Celebrimbor shook his head. "I felt as if something was missing in my life, and so I sought to fill that emptiness with my craft. Now that my eyes behold you again, I know that my heart was missing you."
Celebrian rewarded him with a kiss for his kind words. "Though I love the mallorn trees of Lothlorien, I miss the holly trees of Eregion. I don't understand why Mother wishes to dwell here apart from her husband." She kissed Celebrimbor more deeply so that there was no doubt of who she wished to be her husband. "How is my father?" she asked.
"Celeborn is as well as can be," Celebrimbor said, and it seemed that he became tense all at once.
"I know that he still disapproves of our love, but surely he cannot deny us forever," Celebrian said gently. She caressed Celebrimbor's face.
"It's not that," he said. "There is something more sinister abound."
"Let us not speak of it now then, for I do not wish for our rare reunion to be spoiled." Celebrian took his hand and put her face to his palm. "What of the ring you promised me, Mirdan?"
Celebrimbor flinched and drew away. "I'm sorry, Miriel. It cannot be so."
"Celebrimbor?" Celebrian's heart became filled with foreboding. "What is the matter? If it is Father, then take comfort in knowing that I have at last prevailed upon my mother to approve of our relationship."
"No, it's not that." Celebrimbor kept his distance from her, almost as if he feared that he would not have the strength to resist her should she embrace him again. "The ring I made for you, the White Ring, oh, it is lovely to behold, wrought of mithril and set with a stone of adamant, but though I made it as your engagement ring, the engagement will never now occur."
"Why not?" Celebrian demanded. "I have waited years for this moment."
Unshed tears filled Celebrimbor's eyes, and he passed a hand over them. "I... I'm sorry, Celebrian. I should not have misled you, but so overjoyed was I to see you again that I forgot myself. We cannot be wed."
"But--"
"I must speak with Galadriel. I need her counsel."
---
Celebrimbor
They had received no news of Eregion since hearing that Gil-galad had dispatched a force under Elrond's command to aid in the War against Sauron. But Celebrian had returned to her room to find the Elennar cracked and the fiery red of the jewel clear. She cradled the broken Elennar to her breast and gazed up at the stars as she wept, for she knew then that Celebrimbor was slain.
Chapter End Notes
Birthday here is really a celebration of Celebrian's conception. She's turning 50.
Elennar (Elen+nar) is "Star-fire" and manages to preserve a similarity in spelling to the Elessar. The original Elennar was a match for the Elessar and was made by Feanor for Maedhros. Here, Celebrimbor has made a second one. (This is not an object from canon.)
Celebrimbor's original intention of giving Nenya to Celebrian as an engagement ring might, in some small way, explain why this ring was so significant to Celebrimbor and why he might have entrusted it to Galadriel rather than send all Three Rings to Gil-galad.
Mirdan is "Jewel-wright" and is Celebrimbor's nickname and title (like Cirdan the Shipwright). Miriel is "Jewel-woman" and is a nickname used only by Celebrimbor for Celebrian.
