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
Notion Club Revival
Select any (or several) of the "mysterious documents" from our prompt set and let them feature in your fanwork. 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.
Melaka Rae's Favorites
Favorite Fanworks
Eöl by oshun
Fanwork Information
Eöl is one of many First Age characters who walks the line between complexity and villainy.
| Major Characters: Eöl |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 1 June 2011 | Updated on 21 March 2021 |
| This fanwork is |
Not Wholly Unwilling by Ecthelion
Fanwork Information
For the marriage of the Eldar, what is "not wholly unwilling"?
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Eöl |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Posted on 28 March 2016 | Updated on 28 March 2016 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
Of Eol & Aredhel by gamil-zirak
Fanwork Information
This is the tale of Eol and Aredhel as told from a different perspective. Some may like it and others not so much. As the author I can only hope that many will read it. I hope you all enjoy the story.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Ecthelion of the Fountain, Eöl, Idril, Maeglin, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 13 March 2017 | Updated on 6 June 2018 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
Quietus by UnnamedElement
Fanwork Information
Chroniclers will claim--above all else--that Maeglin left Nan Elmoth for desire of lordship alone. While we all know how the story ends, before that there was more: a mother and her son and a dark dark wood; three lives and three deaths, and the dazzling sunlight in between. This story is a portrait of the why behind the flight: family violence and a woman under siege, a child grown to adulthood in lonely darkness, learning to fight with only the tools provided him. It is a tale of childhood nightmares maturing into something more--manipulated by heart-darkened fathers and gently used by desperate mothers--until living becomes surviving and reality is a dream...
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Eöl, Maeglin |
| Major Relationships: Aredhel/Eöl, Aredhel & Eöl & Maeglin, Aredhel & Maeglin, Eöl & Maeglin |
| Genres: Drama, Family, General, Suspense | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Check Notes for Warnings, Child Abuse, Domestic and Partner Violence, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, In-Universe Sexism/Misogyny, Rape/Nonconsensual Sex, Violence (Mild) |
| Posted on 24 September 2021 | Updated on 1 October 2021 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
The trails of Nan Elmoth by Chiara Cadrich
Fanwork Information
The tale of Aredhel and Eöl.
Part 5 - Dark deeds
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Eöl |
| Major Relationships: No major characters listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Drama, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Posted on 4 March 2017 | Updated on 20 May 2017 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
