June's Challenges
Family Matters
The Silmarillion is full of big, complicated families, and even though we don't often hear what happened within the bounds of such families, given the history recounted in the stories, the discussions and dilemmas must have often been profound.
This month, step inside of one of the families of The Silmarillion and tell their tale. The purpose of this challenge is to illustrate conflicts and relationships that occur within a family, from the simple to the profound. Whether it's a dinner gone disastrously wrong or a discussion that influences a family's choice to go to war, your challenge is to make your readers part of your characters' family, to laugh and lament right alongside them and to better understand the choices and history of their family.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- What arguments might have erupted between Bereg and his family--loyal followers of the House of Finarfin--when he decided that he no longer trusted and wished to follow the Eldar?
- How did the sons of Finarfin react to the birth of their little sister Galadriel?
- Journey across Ered Luin with Haldad's family: What experiences and conflicts did he and his children Haleth and Haldar face that made them so brave and loyal to each other?
- What was said during Elwë's last conversation with his brother Olwë before he disappeared into Nan Elmoth?
Sibling Rivalry
Because the month of June falls partly under the sign of Gemini, this lighter challenge poses an AU question: If you could "fall" into Middle-earth, who would you choose as your sibling? Write an AU story where an original character--you!--tries to influence his or her canon sibling in some way or in which you choose a sibling to influence you. For example:
- You choose to be a younger sister of Celegorm because you want to learn to speak the languages of the beasts.
- You chose Fingon to be your brother because you're always getting into bad situations like being caught in a giant spider's web, and you think he can get you out of them.
- You chose Maeglin as your brother because you think you can save him from his own dark soul.
The Quote of the Month Challenge
The Quote of the Month challenge asks you to write based on the themes and thoughts the quote inspires or about the event in which the quote occurred. You may write in any format--poem, story, essay, or drabble--with any characters, genre, or rating.
"But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar."
-The Silmarillion, “Of Beren and Lúthien”
News and Announcements
Progress Continues on Our Website
I continue to work on building our website and will be purchasing webspace and a domain name for us within the next month! Please feel free to visit our beta-site in the meantime!