New Challenge: Crossroads of the Fallen King
Cross "The Silmarillion" with a second text or fandom in this month's crossover challenge.
SWG News
A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta!
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.
Choose a Name for Our New Column!
Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Apprentice by Quente
Dior is in Menegroth learning to be his grandfather's heir -- but his grandmother decides to take him as apprentice too.
Written for the Tengwar Challenge, May 15: Súlë (spirit).
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge.
All 36 prompts plus bonus chapter
[Writing] A blip on the radar by daughterofshadows
Humanity took to the skies. Eärendil and Ilmarë adjust.
[Writing] History abandons us by AdmirableMonster
During his incarceration in Roderick Burgess' basement, Dream receives a strange, ancient visitor.
[Writing] Tengwar Acrostics by Himring
Responses to the Tengwar Challenge in which first letters spell out the name of a tengwa.
1) Early Encounter (Nerdanel, Indis)
2) Numenorean Lullaby (Almarian, Aldarion)
[Writing] Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
[Writing] If i get home before daylight by BloodwingBlackbird
a traveler meets a stranger at a crossroads.
Current Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Songs of Arda
Create a fanwork about music. 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
Mythcon 53: Fantasies of the Middle Lands
Mythcon 53 will be held 2-5 August 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the theme "Fantasies of the Middle Lands."
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
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!
Fanworks Tagged with Mystery
The Voice of Rage and Ruin by IgnobleBard
A slashy AU horror story set in the Fourth Age. Maglor is living in a small settlement in the woods when a set of mysterious murders threatens to expose his secrets.
The Talisman by Keiliss
Gil-galad rides to Forlond on an important errand which may not turn out quite as he, Elrond or Erestor expect.
Revels in Silence by Elleth
Níniel meets a wraith at night. Written for the Hearts in Council fic fest.
The Lady in the Mirror by Iavalir
She felt her other half’s presence since before her first breath, and she was her most ancient friend.
Peonies bloom and the world is full of liars. by Urloth
Summer has come to Sirion, bringing heat and the unhoused. Baradui, a refugee from Doriath, finds her life threatened and that her only source of help might be a pitiously ill patient who can barely care of themself.
The Tale of Melilaurë and Mélaurel by Iavalir
Under the roof of misfortune, an elven lord and a servant unite in their love, against the customs of the Eldar. But their bond is entangled in the curse of the once-respected family, and the slightest move out of line could cost them both.
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.
The Intruder by wind rider
How if Melkor got another undesired visitor aside from Beren and Luthien? How if the strange “creature” was even more undesirable than the former lord of Dorthonion and the daughter of pitiful Melyanna?
Strange Apparition by wind rider
Maedhros built his fortress in Himring very well, and he was proud of it. But he had never considered to shield it against magic… Fortunately – or not? – the intruder was just a strange, benevolent-looking old man.
In Dreams, To Whom I Never Have by wind rider
Sometimes the dream that comes true is more horrifying than the dream itself, and living the said dream is even worse. A seven-year-old Ginny Weasley experiences that first-hand. But perhaps, there will still be a silver-lining even in the worst situation?
We of Far Lands by wind rider
Black hair, grey eyes, but not a Noldo? Finrod could not choose between disbelief, denial, and curiosity when a time-traveller with “magic” came for an unexpected visit to his unfinished underground city. Balan and his people were not the first Secondborn he met, after all…
Gryffindor Traits by wind rider
“Don’t trust any talking something if you don’t know where it keeps its mind.” – But Harry had indeed been more Gryffindorish than most . . . . Routing around his family vault after the victory against Voldemort, he found a talking metal shard and chatted with it. He got too cozy, in fact, that he did not realise where the sneaky shard was bringing him. And in another place and another era, Túrin son of Húrin got harassed mercilessly by a particular green-eyed, black-hired young man.
To Save Family by wind rider
An elusive pale-eyed, pale-haired anomaly intruded his stronghold one day, and Makalaurë could never let go of him. Sadly, the day they talked was the day they parted. Their goals were the same, and yet it was what separated them in the end.
Trust and Secrets by wind rider
What might be hidden in a set of caves? What might be hidden in one’s mind? And what did a young escort get to do with it all? – Finrod went to the caves of Narog to explore and map out the area, and Elu Thingol only gave him one single escort who was just barely the age of majority. But perhaps, there was something deeper than even the deepest cave there?
Sanctuary by wind rider
Huan just wants to guard his mistress and guide her to his master. Sirius just wants to see his godson again and probably catch some particular rat. But how if they meet somewhere in the middle?
In a High Place by wind rider
Everything is relative in the world, including superiority, purity of blood and safety. Too bad the Malfoy patriarch does not realise it sooner. Being thrown down from high places – literally or figuratively – hurts, much.
Isles of sleep by Aerlinn
And in the twilight a great weariness came upon mariners and a loathing of the sea.
Some will sleep until the very end of the world. Not every Valinorean explorer returns.
Veils by wind rider
A Ñoldorin youth from the recently-sacked Eregion, reared to fear and loathe the Valar and Maiar and look down upon people other than Ñoldor, finds himself injured and under the mercy of the very peoples he despises and looks down upon. How will he survive? Until when? But perhaps, a miracle might happen…?
For Big Bang Challenge 2011. Thanks for Vanimë for the beta-reading and Elleth for the art!
King Thingol's Codpiece by elfscribe
Oropher, a healer and son of the Lord of Nivrim, assists Finrod Felagund in a hunt for a saboteur who has prevented spring from coming to Doriath. In the process, Oropher finds himself increasingly attracted to his clever friend.
A Sherlock Holmes style mystery with a twist.
MEFA 2011 winner First Place in Mystery: General and also a winner of a Smaug's Treasure award.
The Dancers by Elleth
A ghostly night long after the fall of Gondolin. 'Poetry'.
