Tolkien Meta Week Starts December 8!
Join us December 8-14, here and on Tumblr, as we share our thoughts, musings, rants, and headcanons about all aspects of Tolkien's world.
SWG News
We are currently accepting proposals to present your meta, research, and scholarship! Learn more about presenting your meta, research, and scholarship here.
Artists Needed to Create 2025 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
Tolkien Fanartics: Mapping Arda - The Second Age
In the third part of the Mapping Arda series, Anérea and Varda delle Stelle present a selection of fan-created maps of the lands of the Second Age.
New Challenge: Potluck Bingo
Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Silhouettes of Doom by Ecthelion
"At least we have learned that the sons of Fëanor can die too."
Nine POVs on the kinslaying at Doriath.
[Writing] Stream of Clashing Ice by Himring
Maglor and his companion almost drown in the River Lune.
[Writing] Kiss the ground / then turn from it by Elleth
After the attack on the Havens of Sirion, a figure from Maedhros' past comes face-to-face with him one last time.
[Writing] Mercy, Love by Elleth
Maedhros' rescue from Thangorodrim left him deeply scarred. But how did it impact Fingon as his rescuer? A drabble sequence from Thangorodrim to the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
[Artwork] Aredhel at Eithel Ivrin by Anérea
Painting of Aredhel at the Pools of Ivrin
[Writing] Many Journeys by Elleth
A gathering place for ficlets of varying length written in response to prompts, prods and as gift ficlets.
New (added December 2024):
Instadrabbling fics from the SWG server event on February 17, which I never uploaded here, as well as a couple of shorter ficlets…
[Writing] Merry Midwinter by Aprilertuile
Snippets of life of a midwinter in Fëanáro and Nerdanel's household in Valinor, during the Age of the Trees.
Prompts will be as follow, taken from the Midwinter Bingo card (board by AdmirableMonster) :
Family ; Carols and Singing ; Death and rebirth ; Candles ; Sledding
…
Current Challenge
Festival of Lights Fest
This is a fun and low-key event meant to encourage works about or inspired by Hanukkah, running this year in conjunction with the Potluck Bingo challenge. Read more ...
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Of All That Remains
Create a fanwork that features a memory from a character's childhood. Read more ...
New in References
Libraries at the Edge of Middle-earth: Fanworks, Archives, and Communities as Heritage by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Tolkien fanfiction archives both preserve the "libraries of Middle-earth" in the form of keeping Tolkien's original words alive and promote conversations around heritage as community and fan identity that keeps those central texts relevant to diverse fans in a rapidly changing world.
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.
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] Entwined {text + podfic} by Anérea
First Age 116: in the foothills of the Orocani Mountains, west of Hildórien and far, far east of Beleriand.
Woman meets Maia in four perfect drabbles.
[Writing] Homage to the Song of Durin by Flora-lass
Legolas is inspired by Gimli's song - and by Gimli himself.
[Writing] Partners in Craft by elennalore
Annatar realises that he might like Celebrimbor too much.
Around the World and Web
Thorin's Spring Forge 2025
Sign-ups are open for Thorin's Spring Forge, a minibang-style event where writers and artists come together to create fanworks centred on Thorin Oakenshield.
Tolkien Pinup Calendar: Dead Dove December
Tolkien Pinup Calendar is hosting a December event for non-con smut fanworks.
Tolkien Pinup Calendar: 8 Nights of Smut
Tolkien Pinup Calendar and Hanukkah Bingo are teaming up for eight nights of naughty prompts.
Festival of Lights Fest 2024
This is a fun and low-key event meant to encourage works about or inspired by Hanukkah, running this year in conjunction with the Potluck Bingo challenge.
Fluffcember 2024
Fluffcember is a Tumblr event with daily fluffy prompts during the month of December.
polutropos's Favorites
Favorite Fanworks
Cry the color of love by firstamazon
Fanwork Information
Míriel Þerindë was one of a kind.
| Major Characters: Míriel Serindë |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 28 March 2023 | Updated on 28 March 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
For One Year, One Day, of the Flame by cuarthol
Fanwork Information
Andreth prepares for the approach of midwinter, while Aegnor seeks to right a choice from long ago, before it is too late.
| Major Characters: Aegnor, Andreth |
| Major Relationships: Aegnor/Andreth |
| Genres: Het | Challenges: Middle-earth Is Multitudes |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 24 March 2023 | Updated on 24 March 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Monty Python and the Athrabeth by cuarthol
Fanwork Information
Bëor: Halt! Who goes there?
Finrod: It is I, Felagund, son of Finarfin of Valinor. King of Nargothrond, builder of Minas Tirith, sovereign of all Dorthonion!
Bëor: Pull the other one!
Finrod: I am! And this is my trusty servant, Edrahil.
| Major Characters: Andreth, Finrod Felagund, Morwen |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Crossover | Challenges: Crossroads of the Fallen King, Funky 70s |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 15 June 2024 | Updated on 16 June 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Nenlindalë by Anérea
Fanwork Information
A love letter between Daeron and Maglor in the form of musical notation.
(Asemic music notation and song lyrics)
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: Daeron/Maglor |
| Artwork Type: Abstract/Pattern, Calligraphy, Word Art |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: Experimental |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 14 November 2023 | Updated on 14 November 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
One More Song by Rocky41_7
Fanwork Information
As Luthien prepares to surrender to old age, she is visited by a long-lost friend.
| Major Characters: Daeron, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Daeron & Lúthien |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Posted on 17 March 2023 | Updated on 17 March 2023 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
Pengolodh by Dawn Felagund
Fanwork Information
A biography of Pengolodh, emphasizing what he would have known of the history he wrote about and how that impacts interpreting The Silmarillion for fanfiction.
| Major Characters: Pengolodh |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 1 March 2016 | Updated on 24 March 2021 |
| This fanwork is |
Republic of Tirion by Dawn Felagund
Fanwork Information
It is Aman. It is the Fifth Age. Finally left to his own devices, Finarfin has decided to show his own radical streak, unkinged himself, and established representative democracy in Tirion against the will of the Valar. Adding to the crazy, all his exiled, slain relatives are beginning to return from Mandos ...
| Major Characters: Amarië, Anairë, Caranthir, Finarfin, Fingon, Finrod Felagund, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 7 March 2021 | Updated on 19 July 2021 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
Runes by StarSpray
Fanwork Information
“I think,” Lúthien said, “that the Naugrim would like to see your writings.”
This made Daeron pause, and blink. “My Cirth?” he asked. “Why?”
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Daeron, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Fluff, General | Challenges: Breaking Boundaries, Jubilee |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 20 January 2023 | Updated on 20 January 2023 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
Fanwork Information
For the Tengwar prompt challenge.
All 36 prompts plus bonus chapter
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Aegnor, Andreth, Angrod, Avari, Celeborn, Celebrimbor, Celegorm, Círdan, Curufin, Daeron, Eagles, Edain, Eldalótë, Elwing, Ents, Fëanor, Finduilas, Finrod Felagund, Finwë, Gil-galad, Gwindor, Húrin, Ilwen, Indis, Mahtan, Mîm, Nellas, Nerdanel, Nuin, Telchar, Thorondor, Tilion, Zimrahin |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Experimental, Fixed-Length Ficlet, In-Universe Artifact, Poetry | Challenges: Tengwar |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Posted on 15 April 2024 | Updated on 19 May 2024 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
