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SWG News
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Anca'
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros' horror at the burning of the ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[Reference] Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[Writing] Words of Wisdom by AdmirableMonster
One or more drabbles about Pengolodh and his babysitter Salgant.
[Writing] Les Mots de Sagesse by AdmirableMonster
Plusieurs petites histoires qui parle de Pengolodh et Salgant pendant des moments differents.
[Writing] "Tengwar" ficlets by chrissystriped
Fics written for the "Tengwar" challenge.
[Writing] Upon Cirith Thoronath by StarSpray
A horrid cacophony of cries erupts ahead of them, as orcs appear—up the cliff on hidden ledges, on the path, with bows and swords. And behind them rises a figure of darkness and flame. The heat rolls down the path over them, bringing the smell of burning flesh and bitter fear with it. Someone…
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Solve a Problem
Create a fanwork that solves a canon problem using your own favorite (or most frustrating!) canon problem to solve or by choosing one of the member-submitted canon problems. Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
[]In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
May 2024 Calls for Papers
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers in May 2024.
Angbang Week 2024
All new, unpublished fanworks about the Angbang (Melron) ship are welcome during this Tumblr event, running 6-12 May 2024.
Fanworks Tagged with Samwise Gamgee
If Time Run True and Away by Anne Wolfe
In Tol Eressëa, Celebrían and Galadriel talk about Arwen. Written for the "It Comes in Threes" challenge, inspired by Maiden, Mother and Crone.
Western Lands Beneath the Sun by StarSpray
“Well, Sam,” said Frodo one sunny afternoon as they sat together in the garden, “what do you think of Elves, now that you have seen Elvenhome?” He spoke with a smile, and both of them remembered the times before that he had asked the question—after first meeting Gildor and his party and spending the night with them at Woody End, and later at Rivendell, and later still as their sojourn in Lothlórien came to an end. It was practically tradition.
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.
West, West Away by Arveldis
It was the Elvenking. He gazed at the disappearing haven and the encircling hills with a strange, sorrowful expression upon his face, as if he felt the same uncomfortable tug of uprooting that Sam did, feeling as if he had been removed from his familiar soil and planted somewhere he didn’t belong, at least not yet.
Sam watched him, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment, but he couldn’t look away. It was strange to think that a king of the Elves might feel as displaced and torn as he did, but Sam felt suddenly in that moment that he understood the Elvenking, high and lordly though he was.
Sam meets an unlikely kindred spirit on the journey West.
Many Paths to Tread by Arveldis
Frodo had always been meant to leave the Shire.
Wonder Ere the Waking Dawn by StarSpray
Eärendil invites Bilbo aboard Vingilot to sail the skies.
Story-Telling Wanderer by JazTheBard
Aragorn doesn't meet the hobbits in Bree. Maglor, however, does.
With Daisies in Her Hair by StarSpray
Sam has just settled himself on Tol Eressea when Galadriel comes to call.
Chance Meeting by StarSpray
Sam encounters one of the Big People for the first time.
Meadow Flowers & Butterflies by StarSpray
A collection of non-Silm-based drabbles and ficlets.
The wee small hours by firstamazon
Rosie Cotton enjoys the little things.
Based on this moodboard made by Narya.
Olympics 2021 Instadrabbling by Lindariel
Instadrabbles from the SWG Discord server sessions on 31 July-1 August 2021, with Olympics-flavored prompts.
What Brings Us Together by Aipilosse
crossposted on AO3
Life in Fourth Age Valinor is good for Celebrimbor. He has his students, he has his projects, and if life is a little less exciting than it was in Middle-earth, that’s probably for the best, right? So when a series of events conspires to bring Sauron the Dark Lord back into all of their lives, he must decide if he will help him regain his memories or if some things are better left in the past.
Midwinter 2020 Instadrabbling by Lindariel
From the Discord server sessions on 27 December 2020.
Revelator by Lilith
The War of the Ring has ended and nothing has turned out exactly as anyone expected. Sauron, who is in this version female and known originally as Mairen and now as Thû, has survived, remained corporeal and been captured. As such, she will be sent to Valinor to stand trial.
Posted in a very different form. Heavily revised. Completed and being posted gradually as final revisions are made.
Samwise Gardner's Birthday by Lindariel
A two-part series about holidays celebrated on April 6, these articles discuss canonical foods that might have been used to celebrate Sam's birthday, investigates their history, and offers recipes to try at home.
Yule 1420. by hennethgalad
Pippin writes a song to woo Diamond and his friends help him sing it.
The Mirror of Belegost. by hennethgalad
Eowyn visits the Museum of Middle-Earth in Minas Tirith after the wedding of Aragorn and Arwen, where she meets Galadriel.
Yule 1419. by hennethgalad
Farmer Maggot dines at Bag End before Yule.
Dance on the Thunder by Cirth
In the woods, Sam encounters a very old elf. He's not sure how he feels about it.
Morning Mist and Silver Sun by StarSpray
A place to store drabbles and ficlets, mostly written for various prompts.
The Havens by MaedhrosFeanorian
Maglor makes a rare venture out of his solitude to bid a private farewell to Elrond, but ends up finding an unexpected connection with a certain halfling...
