Mereth Aderthad 2025: Program Posted
Check out our schedule of presentations and fanworks, as well as featured artists for Mereth Aderthad 2025! Registration for in-person and virtual attendance is now open.
SWG News
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Paul D. Deane by Himring
Before the Norman Invasion brought rhymed poetry with it, English poetry was alliterative, and this early poetic form held deep appeal for Tolkien. Himring spoke to Paul D. Deane about his upcoming Mereth Aderthad paper "Love, Grief, and Alliterative Verse in Tolkien’s Legendarium" and his work with alliterative verse, Tolkien, and alliterative verse about Tolkien.
New Challenge: Musicals
Prompts this month come from musicals.
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Putting Together the Presentation
The video and materials from our latest session of "So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference?" are now available. This session covers crafting a paper intended for presentation and designing helpful, accessible visuals to accompany your talk.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] First Age 503: First Semifinal - Nogrod vs Doriath by myrtaceaae
Nogrod vs Doriath, in the first match of the F. A. 503 finals season. Will Doriath at the top of the ladder beat Nogrod, currently at third on the ladder, or will Nogrod's strong side be victorious?
[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…
[Writing] Let Him Find Honey by StarSpray
Grief awaits you outside these halls, Fëanáro, Nienna told him, her voice like the gentlest fall of rain upon spring leaves.
Grief haunts me inside them, Fëanor replied.
[Series] I made loving you a blood sport by atlantablack
In which Fëanor & Fingolfin are re-embodied in 4th age Aman, are nowhere near as healed as everyone believes them to be, and decide to pretend that sleeping together will fix their relationship instead of causing more problems.
[Writing] a hunger still unraveling like silk by atlantablack
Fingolfin does not look up from his book when he hears footsteps approaching and pays no attention to Fëanor walking into the room. What he emphatically does pay attention to is Fëanor going to his knees in front of the chair he is sprawled sideways…
[Writing] A Songbird in a Cage of His Own Making by Elrond's Library
Uinen and Ossë have lost track of the Noldor's Songbird, his laments gone silent. When they do, Uinen nurses him back to health, and then some.
[Writing] The Writhen Pool by pandemonium_213
When the Istyari of Second Age Ost-in-Edhil deny her a place in an important new initiative to be taken up by the Gwaith-i-Mírdain, a young master smith struggles to make her mark in the man's realm of the forges. An opportunity arrives when the smith is offered a commission that will present…
Current Challenge
Musicals
Craft a fanwork inspired by songs from musicals. Read more ...
Random Challenge
New in References
Interview with Paul D. Deane by Himring by Rhunedhel
Himring spoke to Paul about his upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "Love, Grief, and Alliterative Verse in Tolkien’s Legendarium," his deep study of alliterative verse, and how that entwines with his understanding of Tolkien and creation of his own Tolkien-based alliterative poems.
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Putting Together the Presentation by SWG Newsletter Staff
Video and materials from our session on how to put together a paper and presentation for a Tolkien conference. The session covers how to structure a paper for a presentation, assembling a presentation to support your paper, and accessibility and other tools for ensuring everyone can access your work.
Interview with cloudyhymns by Shadow by cloudyhymns, daughterofshadows
Shadow spoke with cloudyhymns about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "The Design of Dragons and the Doom of the Dwarves," where he shares his theory about how Dwarves and dragons are connected in the legendarium, a topic full of implications for fanworks.
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
[Multimedia] Rosemary for Remembrance by Himring
Three years after Arathorn's death, Gilraen receives a letter.
It contains a short poem and a sprig of rosemary.
[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.
Around the World and Web
Angbang Week 2025
Angbang Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about the Melkor/Sauron pairing.
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang (TRSB) Sign-Ups Open!
The Tolkien Reserve Summer Bang is a collaborative fan event celebrating the works and adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien. Writers and artists will team up to bring new stories to life—from the Shire to the far reaches of Valinor (and everything in between).
April Challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The tolkienshortfanworks challenge for April has been posted to the Dreamwidth community. The thematic prompt is: wood. The formal challenge is: linnod (Gilraen's canonical verse form). These can be filled separately and freely combined with other challenges and prompts that allow this.
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.
Teitho March/April Challenge: Mothers
The Teitho Contest theme for the months of March and April is mothers.
Fanworks Tagged with General
Feanorion Nightlight by Grundy
Stained glass nightlight created for TRSB23.
Let There Be Light by StarSpray
When the Valar descended from the Timeless Halls into Eä, they found all in darkness, with nothing there of the world they had seen and sung.
Iron of Death by ohboromir
No, it is not.” Eöl clearly did not agree. Beleg had never seen him looking so miserable,
The comet-ore was so precious; Thingol knew it, that was why he had named it as his prize.
“It is not ready yet, Cúthalion. Return in a moon’s turn, and I will have it for you.”
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Beleg, Mablung and Eöl - and Anglachel.
For @sindarweek 2023 - Day 1: Heroes & Villains
Shadow's Scribbles 2022 by daughterofshadows
Artwork for Scribbles & Drabbles 2022
Maia of Manwë by emma_racandil
A pixel artwork of a Maia of Manwë.
Adventures of Pixel Tuor by emma_racandil
Pixel-style artwork of Tuor's journey.
The Round Sun is Falling by StarSpray
My piece for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2023! This is my first year participating as an artist and I'm very excited.
The title comes from Legolas' song in ROTK; Zhie wrote the accompanying fic Never and Forever, featuring Legolas and Thranduil!
Risk of the Day by Independence1776
My second moodboard for TRSB 2023: a rule 63 Maglor in space AU.
Reckoning by sallysavestheday
Turgon confronts Maeglin in Mandos.
Mist Haunting by polutropos
“Fëanáro, please, listen to me. She does not wish to return, not ever."
Fëanor refuses to let hatred consume him at Finwë's news. Written for the challenge 'Dip the Ladle'.
Murmuration by Himring
In Nevrast, Idril and her aunt Aredhel explore a reported natural phenomenon at Lake Linaewen together.
Shadow's Scribbles 2023 - Hobbit & LotR Edition by daughterofshadows
The gallery for my Lord of the Rings and Hobbit inspired Scribbles & Drabbles 2023 art.
Some cracky, some serious, mostly dwarves and hobbits.
Shadow's Scribbles 2023 - Silmarillion Edition by daughterofshadows
The gallery of my Silmarillion themed arts for Scribbles & Drabbles 2023. Featuring a myriad of characters and art types.
So We Rise by sallysavestheday
Elenwë dances, in Valinor and on the Ice. A prequel to Come Round Right.
Bringing News by StarSpray
Celebrimbor's mother comes to visit him, bringing important news.
I Sang by sallysavestheday
Caranthir remembers Haleth.
Red by Melesta
Love. He must love enough, and Maedhros will be granted to him. Fingon can do that easily enough, he thinks to himself. He had returned Maedhros from the dead before, had he not?
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The world is aging, and Fingon entreats for Maedhros in the Halls of Mandos. It is simpler than he believed, but somehow it makes nothing easier.
On the Borders of Mirkwood by Himring
One of the Woodmen has a recurring problem with the wall between their apple orchard and the Forest.
A hidden lane, a secret gate by Himring
Schoolmaster Atkins, at the end of his life, doesn't go the same way Niggle did, but he still finds Niggle's Tree.
Wreath and Leaf by Himring
Atkins (the schoolmaster who had the painting of a leaf by Niggle framed) had a wreath issue that year.
The Wind Whispers by NiennaWept
A drabble about the fate of Maglor.
Willingness for the Fire by sallysavestheday
Tirion thinks Curufin is Fëanor's favorite son. Tirion is wrong.
Fault Lines by Lferion
A Dwarf tries to come to terms with the cataclysm that was the end of the First Age. A four-drabble sequence.
Still There Is Much That Is Fair by Arveldis
“My father says he will sail West one day, and I hope to follow him, if I can. I want more than anything to see what lies in the West,” she said. The longing for it flared in her heart, as it had ever since her father had first read to her from the Red Book of Mr. Frodo’s sailing.
“There are few ships now that can take that road,” Arwen said softly.
Elanor travels to Minas Tirith and enters the queen's service.
