Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with polutropos by Dawn
"And love grew after between them"—those words have fascinated a fandom intent on revealing the how and why of the "kidnap fam" plot point in "The Silmarillion." In this interview, polutropos discusses her upcoming Mereth Aderthad paper on the topic, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium."
SWG News
Fanwork sign-ups are open!
Register for Mereth Aderthad!
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Maglor by Shadow
Who is Gil-galad? That might seem a silly question, but we know very little of his character beyond his kingship. In this interview, Shadow talks with Maglor about his upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the Last High King of the Noldor" that explores who Gil-galad might have been, beyond the last king of the Noldor.
Mereth Aderthad Registration Is Open!
Registration for attending Mereth Aderthad is open for both in-person and virtual attendees and will remain open through the day of the event.
New Challenge: Birthday Bash
In honor of our twentieth birthday, we look back at twenty years of SWG history with a new poetry, image, and word prompt each day.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] The Longed For That Cometh Beyond Hope by Grundy
Eärendil has to find his way in this unfamiliar land. Luckily (or unluckily, depending on your point of view) for him, it's a time of festival in Valimar...
[Writing] High in the Clean Blue Air by StarSpray
They passed out of Lhûn and the wider coastline of Middle-earth opened up before his eyes. He had wandered those shores for centuries, and even now he felt the pull of that same wanderlust, and knew he would miss them for the rest of his life. Their wildness, the untamed waves, the rocky…
[Reference] Interview with polutropos by Dawn by polutropos, Dawn Felagund
Dawn spoke with polutropos about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium," including the appeal of kidnap fam, the appeal of Maglor's character, and how The Silmarillion as an incomplete, complex word makes it ripe for both fanworks and…
[Writing] A Common Blue by Himring
Maglor, having little will to live left in sinking Beleriand, is saved by tiny things.
[Artwork] 2025 Birthday Bash Prompt Fills by silmalope
Sketches inspired by the 2025 Birthday Bash challenge prompts!
[Reference] Maglor by polutropos
As one of the most beloved Silmarillion characters, Maglor is a bundle of contradictions undergirded by a complex textual history. Warrior, musician, wanderer, and survivor, Maglor brings to the fore key themes in Tolkien's early legendarium, such as the role of music, oaths, and exile…
Current Challenge
Birthday Bash
Daily word, image, and poetry prompts are loosely structured around events and milestones leading up to our 20th birthday. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song
Use a popular love song as a prompt to inspire a fanwork about romantic or sexual love. Read more ...
New in References
Interview with polutropos by Dawn by polutropos, Dawn Felagund
Dawn spoke with polutropos about her upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, “'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium," including the appeal of kidnap fam, the appeal of Maglor's character, and how The Silmarillion as an incomplete, complex word makes it ripe for both fanworks and scholarship.
Maglor by polutropos
As one of the most beloved Silmarillion characters, Maglor is a bundle of contradictions undergirded by a complex textual history. Warrior, musician, wanderer, and survivor, Maglor brings to the fore key themes in Tolkien's early legendarium, such as the role of music, oaths, and exile.
Interview with Maglor by Shadow by maglor-my-beloved, daughterofshadows
Maglor spoke with Shadow about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the Last High King of the Noldor," and what makes Gil-galad such an intriguing—and mysterious—character.
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] Paradox of the Fourth Age by Alassante
One wrong decision can make a world of difference. When one of the Fellowship makes the mistake, the consequences are so severe that only the Valar can repair it. But will they?
Glorfindel daughter's life is in Elrohir's hands and only she remembers th eir love for each other. The fate of…
[Writing] By Mirrormere by bunn
A new Age dawns, and Moria is retaken at last.
[Writing] Beneath the Bitter Rain by bunn
The Gardens of the Entwives are fallen, but two Entwives remain.
Around the World and Web
Celedriel Week 2025
Celedriel Week is a Tumblr events for fanworks about Galadriel and Celeborn.
Neurodivergent Arda Week 2025
Neurodivergent Arda Week is a Tumblr event to celebrate neurodiversity in Tolkien's works.
Tolkien at UVM Registration Open
The theme for this hybrid conference is Tolkien and War with John Garth as the keynote speaker.
Tolkien Ekphrasis Week 2025
This is a Tolkien-fandom-wide event dedicated to the art of ekphrasis in Tolkien's worlds. Its goal is to illuminate the artistic surroundings of the places, people, and stories we love, in as many media as possible.
Feanorian Week 2025
Feanorian Week is a Tumblr event offering optional prompts for fanworks about the sons of Feanor and their parents.
Fanworks Tagged with Drawing/Painting
Gorthaur by elennalore
Artwork created for Mairon 30-Day Character Study
The Great Journey by Anérea
An instadrawble painting
Portrait of Indis by between_thepages
A portrait of Indis in her wedding dress
Nienor and the Golden Fish by Anérea
An illustration for a very loose crossover concept with Nienor and the magic golden fish from the Chinese fairytale of Ye Xian, a Cindarella tale predating the European version by over 1000 years.
Mîm: 30-Day Character Study - Artwork by Artano
Artwork created for prompts for the 30-Day Character Study Challenge.
Forest of Brethil by Anérea
Created for the Storied Places bingo board
Aredhel at Eithel Ivrin by Anérea
Painting of Aredhel at the Pools of Ivrin
Places and Spaces - Potluck Bingo Art by Zara BalrogBalls
Artwork for Elleth’s Potluck Bingo board: starting off appropriately with Piecemeal Palace in Himring — Maedhros’ potlucky manor house, aka where Elrond & Elros grew up ✨
2024 Potluck Doodles by silmalope
Assorted prompt fills for the 2024 Potluck bingo boards, to varying degrees of completion! :)
Long-tressed Wingildi by Anérea
"... the long-tressed Wingildi ... spirits of the foam and the surf of ocean."
~ a painted sketch for Scribbles and Drabbles 2024.
On the Way Home by silmalope
Doriath Family Reunion AU: Túrin twisted his ankle in the woods, and big sister Lúthien is giving him a ride home. :)
Behind God’s Back by silmalope
A short comic for the Sept-Oct 2024 Idiomatic challenge. The stifling environment of Eöl’s “dim halls, silent and secret” contrasts with young Maeglin’s idealized vision of Gondolin as a divine, sunlit paradise, home to the godlike Noldor.
Celegorm - Treelight in his eyes by Gabriel
Character portrait of Celegorm Feanorian
Telperion by wisteria53
A quote from the Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 1 for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (artwork number 45 for TRSB 2024).
Sun flowering by wisteria53
A quote from the Quenta Silmarillion, Chapter 13 for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (artwork number 19 for TRSB 2024).
Summer Celebration by between_thepages
Amarië and Finrod are dancing together during a celebration of summer.
Morgoth's prisoner by elennalore
Maedhros in Angband
Map of Valinor by Aprilertuile
My newly drawn map of Aman, as complete as I could make it.
The Light and the Sea Cover Art by AdmirableMonster
Cover page for my Steampunk Númenor series, The Light and the Sea. Nimruzimir gazes out at Númenor from Andúnië.
Meet & Greet by cuarthol
Matryoshka inspired art for the Meet & Greet Challenge
Portraits of Elves by between_thepages
A collection of my portraits of various elves and the headcanons that lead to their depictions
Portrait of Anairë by between_thepages
A portrait of Anairë, wife of Nolofinwë.
