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] On a night of stars, a bird by Quente
Nimloth and Dior meet, and he is naked.
Alternatively,
Melian travels south to visit her daughter, and meets a familiar looking bird.
Written for the Tengwar prompt, Quessë (feather).
[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!
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
Postcards from Middle-earth
Receive a postcard from an unnamed character and create a fanwork using the image, the message, or both. 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 Slash/Femslash
A Promise of Lightning by The Wavesinger
The story of Ilmarë and Thuringwethil, from the beginning to the beginning, again.
Written for Elleth for the 2016 RarePair Fest.
What Happens After by The Wavesinger
Finduilas and Nienor find each other again, but that is only the beginning.
Written for preplexingly for EveryWoman 2016.
To Build a House from the Ground Up by Nibeneth
After six thousand years in Mandos, Fingon and Maedhros rejoin the world. Nothing will ever be the same as it was, but a remote plot of land, a cabin, a garden, and a few animals are all they need.
Spring After Winter by StarSpray
Amarie visits Elwing in her tower by the sea.
Drabbles: The Silmarillion, part 2 by Zdenka
Tolkien drabbles set in the First and Second Ages of Middle-earth. (Exactly 100 words as counted by MS Word.) Please see table of contents for individual summaries and warnings.
Saying Goodbye by The Wavesinger
Fíriel spends one last night with her lady.
The Doom of Choice by Zdenka
As Ar-Pharazôn’s fleet nears completion, two childhood friends must decide what to do. (Double drabble.)
Under Unclouded Stars by Zdenka
Samwise Gamgee's granddaughter Fíriel dreams of Cuiviénen under the stars.
Tanka by The Wavesinger
A sequence of tanka in which Nerdanel contemplates Varda..
Like the River Wandering by Zdenka
Aredhel escapes from Nan Dungortheb and is aided by a daughter of the river.
The Holy Stanzas by The Wavesinger
Snapshots from a visit to the ocean.
The Seagull and the Wind by The Wavesinger
A seagull and the wind dance at the edge of the sea.
Song for Two Voices by Zdenka
Írimë goes into exile and Elemmírë stays behind, but their thoughts are with each other, on the Ice or in the darkness. (A sequence of five drabbles.)
Love Song Eternal by The Wavesinger
A song (or, more properly, a poem) from Elemmírë to Írimë.
Confidence Restored by Scribe of Mirrormere
When Haleth feels hope fades she reaches for light within and seeks her out.
Sing You Home by The Wavesinger
The stream echoes Mithrellas' desperate search for Nimrodel.
Haiku by The Wavesinger
I live under your/domain. You rule with gentle/kisses, golden smiles.
From Indis to Nerdanel.
A Grant for Tindómiel by Scribe of Mirrormere
"My problem is Meril, father,” Tindómiel said and took another deep breath, her heart pounding with the confession reaching her lips. “I love her deeply, and that is the source of my pain."
Long Years Numberless by The Wavesinger
In the Third Age, Varda and Galadriel reflect on change and love.
Dance, Oh Lover by The Wavesinger
A poem from Aredhel to Goldberry.
To an absent lover by Himring
Two (female) Sindar before the return of Morgoth from Valinor--one of them looking back on that time.
A Chain of Daisies by The Wavesinger
A moment with Finduilas and Níniel.
Contrapunto by The Wavesinger
Ilmarë and her lover, before and after.
Lessons in Clay by The Wavesinger
Nerdanel fails to finish a sculpture, and admits to a defeat.
