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.
SWG News
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.
Mereth Aderthad 2025: Call for Presenters for Meta, Research, and Scholarship Open
We welcome proposals from creators of meta, research, and scholarship about Tolkien for our July 2025 hybrid Mereth Aderthad event!
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Remembering Serech by Himring
A short history of the Fen of Serech, from happier times until the bitter end.
[Writing] The Eyes and Ears of Morgoth by Chilled in Hithlum
I recently revisited my first submission called The Eyes and Ears of Melkor (still listed) and found it somewhat lacking. Obviously the outline was already set by Professor Tolkien and in this alone the idea holds up, so I decided to have another crack at telling the tale of Húrin's captivity…
[Writing] One Flesh, One Soul. Part II by FellFireFan
The fates of the lovers have been sealed. After Aegnor makes a promise to Andreth he seeks council one last time from Finrod to reveal the identity of the maiden who had stolen his heart and hopes Finrod will share in his newfound happiness. However, it does not go well between the brothers, and…
[Writing] One Flesh, One Soul. Part I by FellFireFan
Aegnor, Lord of Dorthonion, is an Elven Prince with quite a reputation. Fiery, earthy and sensual with a wrath that no one would knowingly provoke. He is beautiful, wild and playful as he is dangerous, passionate and utterly terrifying. A far cry from the noble decorum expected as an elven…
[Writing] Ransom of the Fairy Twins by Rocky41_7
Maglor and Maedhros trade Elrond and Elros to King Gil-galad in exchange for a Silmaril, but they have miscalculated.
[Writing] in all this godforsaken dark by Zdenka
On the Helcaraxë, Fingolfin invokes his family's strength and courage rather than the Valar.
[Writing] Heyr himna smiðr by Zdenka
In the wake of Nirnaeth Arnoediad, the Dwarves of Belegost mourn their dead.
Current Challenge
Potluck Bingo
As the year draws to a close, we gather with friends and share memories and gifts and, of course, a good meal. And there’s nothing like a potluck to make sure there’s something for everyone! For our last challenge of 2024, we’re offering Potluck Bingo. We hope to have a smorgasbord of bingo cards made by you prompting a delectable spread of fanworks, with something to suit all tastes. (The mods will contribute a few boards to get things started. But as with any potluck, the more, the merrier!) Read more ...
Random Challenge
Beyond the Circles of Middle-earth
Create a fanwork that places a Silmarillion character into a fictional setting from our real-world literature Read more ...
New in References
Doom and Ascent: The Argument of ‘Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics’ by Simon J. Cook
Simon reads 'Beowulf: the Monsters and the Critics' to conclude his account of the Anglo-Saxon tower of its allegory.
Why People Don't Comment: Data and History From the Tolkienfic Fandom by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
Death, Grief, and the Other in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The narrator of the Quenta Silmarillion uses death, grief, and mourning rituals to generate sympathy for or dehumanize groups of characters considered the Other.
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] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
[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.
Around the World and Web
November challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The challenge for November has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic prompt: refuge. Formal challenge: include imitation of a sound. As always, these can be filled independently and also freely combined with SWG and other challenges. New participants welcome!
November 2024 Call for Papers and Proposals
Calls for papers and proposals for conferences and publications that are open during the month of November 2024.
White Oliphaunt 2024
The White Oliphaunt is a Tolkien fanwork exchange for humorous gifts.
Tolkien Society: Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference
The Tolkien Society will be hosting the online Christopher Tolkien Centenary Conference on November 23-24, 2024.
Teitho October/November Challenge: Legacy
For October/November, the Teitho contest invites fanfiction and art around the theme of Legacy.
Fanworks Tagged with Arien
Third of January (for Larner) by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Inspired by Larner's story "Transformation". http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5312&cid=27860 Every third of January, Arda returns to its pre-transformed state. Who can see it happen? Why does it happen?
Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
"Tengwar" ficlets by chrissystriped
Fics written for the "Tengwar" challenge.
It comes in Threes by cílil
Three triple drabbles written for the It comes in Threes challenge, featuring various Ainur.
M&G drabbles collection by mairoff
Drabbles Content:
- Something never seen before: Arien
- A wrong interpretation: Tilion / Arien
- Being delayed: Eönwë
- Lost in memory: Nienna
- Reading a good book: Celeborn / Galadriel
- “Wait…that can’t be right…”: Melian
- Group - Follow: Eönwë
- Running - Distance - Breathless - Limits: Fingon
- Contempt: Varda
- A sentient object: the One Ring
- A fresh start: Maeglin
- Unusual weather: Cirdan
- A favourite place: Celebrian
- A minor catastrophe: Ossë
Drabble Collection: Experimental Challenge by mairoff
11 Drabbles for the Experimental Challenge.
- Melkor x Fluithuin
- Maglor x Daeron
- Mairon & Melian
- Eönwë x Arien
- Galadriel x Luthien
- Mairon x Arien
- Sons of Fëanor
- Maedhros x Mairon
- Fëanor & Nolofinwë
- Maiar of Ulmo
- Aulë & Tevildo
Book of Lore by Anérea
Pages from a book of ancient Edain lore, including an illustration of their creation myth.
to sail the shoreless skies by Arveldis
“We only have a few moments,” Arien whispers, her eyes sparkling like sunlight dancing upon water as she allows him to pull her closer.
“We need no more than that,” Tilion answers, dipping his head to meet hers and cradling her face in his hands, heedless of how the crackling heat of her scorches him.
They steal what moments they can.
An eye in a blue face by Himring
Arien looks down on Middle-earth and, thanks to Yavanna, she sees...
Can you guess?
(Gollum once guessed it long ago.)
Scattering of Shadows. by hennethgalad
Arien and Tilion, before and after the Darkening of Valinor.
Hunger by The Wavesinger
Ungoliant hurts, and watches the sky.
Arien the Sun Maiden by feanorusrex
Drawn as a companion to my story: Burning. Acrylic paints.
The Guides by Hrymfaxe
Arien of Anar and Tilion of Isil. (Artwork)
Burning by feanorusrex
Arien's experience following the death of the Trees.
Young Gods by Fernstrike
It began in Almaren - when the world was new, and the gods were young, and the World seemed full of possibilities. It began beneath the earth, under great halls, inside a dark mirror.
To Voyage in Their Courses by Vulgarweed
The choosing of Arien and Tilion. (Ficlet)
Sunset to Sunrise by Tyelca
A quiet night at home for Arien, Bearer of the Sun.
A Handful of Light by Zdenka
If Míriel never married Finwë or had a child, if she put all her energy into her craft instead of giving birth to Fëanor . . . what might have happened?
Drabbles: The Third Age by Zdenka
Tolkien drabbles set in the Third Age, with sufficient content from the Silmarillion/LOTR appendices/HOME/etc. that it seems reasonable to post them here. (Exactly 100 words as counted by MS Word. Please see table of contents for individual summaries.)
Nox est Perpetua by Zdenka
Morgoth's victory approaches, but Arien will still choose her own fate. (Arien/Ungoliant)
Arien by SWG Newsletter Staff
The story of Arien, the Maia who guides the Sun, changed as the legendarium evolved.
Morning Mist and Silver Sun by StarSpray
A place to store drabbles and ficlets, mostly written for various prompts.
Daytracer by Dawn Felagund
After the Darkening of Valinor, the Aulendur struggle to find a way to bear aloft the final fruit and flower of the Two Trees. Nerdanel finds a unexpected ally in Arien, who helps her discover the secret knowledge that will return the world to light. Written for Wheelrider for the MPTT Yule Fic Exchange.
Súlimëo Quentar: March Stories by Elleth
A collection of Elleth's 2012 B2MeM Bingo fics. Individual summaries (and warnings, if necessary) are provided in the chapter notes.
