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Our May challenge will be a Matryoshka built around a scavenger hunt. If you'd like to hand out prompts (and receive comments on your work for doing so!), you can sign up to do so.
SWG News
New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
Cultus Dispatches: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn and Grundy
The fan studies column Cultus Dispatches returns with a history of how Tolkien fanworks fandom has reacted and resisted generative AI by drawing strong boundaries in a way that is not typical for the fandom.
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] A Very Fire by Deborah Judge
Feanor and Fingolfin, from their youth to their fall.
"I will do this gladly," Fingolfin said, whispering into Feanor's mouth, grasping for reasons and sense. "Gladly, if it will bring peace between us. If it will end the madness."
"The madness will not end," Feanor…
[Writing] After the Kinslaying by Deborah Judge
A Teleri fishing boat captain turns to farming on abandoned Noldor lands after her ship is stolen. A Noldor farmer returns with Finarfin to find that his land belongs to the Teleri now.
[Writing] Add Another Stone by StarSpray
The thing about forgiveness, he thought, was that it was so much easier when the object of it was far away—or dead. It was so much easier to let it all go when those responsible were far away and unable to do any more harm.
[Writing] How Tolkien Presents Ordinary People in "The Silmarillion" by Dawn Felagund
Inspired by collecting the prompts for the Everyman challenge, this essay considers how ordinary people are subsumed and silenced in The Silmarillion, which begins a three-book arc that ends with the rise of the humble and ordinary.
[Writing] Blessed are the Leave-takers by Isilme_among_the_stars
As prince Curufinwë Fëanáro makes an historical speech from the high court of the King upon Túna, those at the back of the crowd strain to hear.
A silly little scene inspired by Monty Python's "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" scene from The Life of Brian, written for …
[Writing] I Sit and Think of Times There Were Before by Erdariel
In his old age, Isildur's former esquire Ruinamacil, known to later histories only as Ohtar, writes his own account of his escape from the ambush at Gladden Fields and journey to Imladris, and the history of his friend whom Isildur ordered to flee with him.
[Writing] Until the Stars are All Alight by Dagstjarna
Reembodied in Aman, Celebrimbor decides to return to Middle earth to help heal the darkness and hurt wrought by the ring.
Current Challenge
Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Tolkien Femslash Week Bingo
A joint event with silmladylove for creating femslash fanworks using bingo cards as prompts. Read more ...
New in References
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
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.
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the parallels between the concept of abnegation in the scientific work surrounding the atomic bomb and in The Silmarillion. The relinquishment of self-interest in favor of the interests of others, abnegation was identified by Tolkien as a powerful act of spirit and reason. The legendarium has many examples of the complexities of abnegation, which parallel similar discussions held by physicists during and after World War II.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Down the Long Years by Isilme_among_the_stars
Bilbo, the strange old hobbit with the wandering feet, senses something special in young Frodo the first time he sees the lad; as they become close, they find in each other a cameraderie not well understood by other hobbits. Five poignant moments between Bilbo and Frodo Baggins over the course…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
Around the World and Web
Week of Kiliel
A Tumblr event dedicated to the relationship between Kili and Tauriel.
Aspec Arda Week 2026
This week-long event celebrates asexual and aromantic spectrum interpretations and headcanons of Tolkien’s Legendarium.
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2026
The Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang is back for another summer of collaboration between artists and writers!
Truly All Fanworks
This page includes all fanworks from the main SWG archive and the Beyond the Silmarillion section.
The Thousand Stories by herenortherenearnorfar
They're important, the myths people tell about themselves, about their histories. You can learn a lot from a tale or seven.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Easterlings, Southrons |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character |
| Genres: Experimental | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 7 | Word Count: 19, 513 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Jewellight Express by herenortherenearnorfar
Eärendil
(Embracing the SILMARIL OF AIR)
Let followers of the patroneʃs of stars
Wear the mantles of their mighty host
Whilʃt I, a sailor of beaches and bars,
Tremble before beauty that makes all else toaʃt
Princes of elves have slavered o'er light
And jealous women caʃt away their frame
But it’s I, a man of little might
Who sits in jewellight, triumphs over flame
“Yikes,” said Gil-Galad, High King of the Noldor.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Crackfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 922 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Who Never Returned by herenortherenearnorfar
"The only concrete information the old woman has, from an elven friend of the woods, is that Thingol’s daughter has taken up with a man of Bëor‘s line. Beren, son of Barahir, a lost child of Dorthonion found in Doriath’s winding embrace."
Morwen and Húrin must deal with the rumor mill in a professional capacity. Unfortunately this latest tale comes with familial entanglements.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Húrin, Morwen |
| Major Relationships: Húrin/Morwen |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 176 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling by Anne Wolfe
Two drabbles from the Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling Session.
No. 1: Spring Elanor, a drabble about spring, and flowers, and new beginnings.
No. 2: The Ants, in which a young Celegorm listens to some ants.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 204 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
regrets and remembrance by Aprilertuile
Alone, lost on the shore of the sea, Maglor remembers...
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 435 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Swear Me No Oaths But One by lushthemagicdragon
On their last day in Aman, Findekáno and Maitimo disappear into the Garden of Lorien for a moment of private devotion before the trials ahead. A handfasting is had, in private.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Incest |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 110 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Tevildo's Hunting Party by Elfhild
By Angmar and Elfhild. Craving new fare for his feasts, Tevildo, Prince of Cats, devises a scheme to hunt down one of the Great Eagles by using a child of the Noldoli as bait. Inspired by The Book of Lost Tales.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Tevildo |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, Humor, Script/Play/Screenplay | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 987 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Something Old, Something New by Grundy
A young woman who is more than she seems joins Starfleet. (Silmarillion - ST:TNG crossover.)
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crossover | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 369 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (7) |
The Sky, the Sea, the Birds Between by herenortherenearnorfar
"Hail Earendel, brightest of angels
Sent over Middle-earth to men."
Eönwë plays messenger as Elwing and Eärendil begin to adjust to their new lives as a lighthouse keeper and a star respectively.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Elwing, Eönwë |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing/Eönwë |
| Genres: Poly | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 17, 625 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Idril Celebrindal by Lindariel
Idril Celebrindal's footprint in the canon is light and hard to discern beyond the bare bones given in The Silmarillion and The Fall of Gondolin, yet she exists at the epicenter of the most ancient and shifting ground of Tolkien's entire legendarium.
Suitable Foster by herenortherenearnorfar
"“Children?” Felagund sounded uncharacteristically distressed."
Bëor strongly discourages his friend from adopting.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Bëor, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Bëor & Finrod |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 783 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Five Golden Rings by herenortherenearnorfar
Barad-dûr has fallen. Celebrimbor does some light metalworking for the sake of sentiment (and maybe something more)
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Sauron |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Torture, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 824 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Our Lady of Perpetual Compassion, She of Sorrows and Succor by herenortherenearnorfar
"Few stories were told of Nienna, not because she was not loved, but because she was loved too much. Those elves who dwelled in Valinor knew her sorrows and did not pry at them. Her part in the stories of others was glossed over, her name whispered gently, her tale left unspoken and unrecorded. Such was the respect given to her, for all people might need pity some day.
If an exile from over the sea needed to learn, or a new child asked, they were shared only snippets of thought, memories, echoes of what was told perhaps only once long ago.
These were the things that were not said."
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Nienna |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 10, 137 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Lost at Sea by StarSpray
An Avarin elf accidentally gets lost at sea and gets stuck halfway onto the Straight Road. Uinen helps out.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Avari, Uinen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 436 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Show your pride by daughterofshadows
In which Celegorm receives a strange message from his brother and talks to Aredhel.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Celegorm, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet, Humor | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 530 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Fragment: In the long days of Darkness by losselen
Found in the personal collections of Barahir II, transcribed and translated into Westron from its original High Adûnaic. A fragment of a poem for Ancalimë, from a poetess who loved her.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Tar-Ancalimë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 269 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Sylvan. by hennethgalad
Maglor writes to Thranduil and Celeborn in their castle in Transylvania, asking for help when an early archaeologist tries to dig up The Shire.
(Thranduil and Celeborn canonically 'meet up' in the middle of Mirkwood after Sauron is defeated.)
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Maglor, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 983 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
[podfic] Please, let's go home (I love you, they said, I love you) by Chestnut_pod
In Treelight, he and Artanis had walked the beaches of Elendë, the white sand soft beneath bare toes as she splashed in the shallows and demanded he name every sea star. Upon the ragged new shores of this eastern land, they wore stout boots, for they were all torn rock and silt, and the waters colder than the Bay of Eldamar. And Artanis was Galadriel now, and if her name was softer, it was all of her that was.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Finarfin, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: Finarfin & Galadriel |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] The Impatience of Youth by Chestnut_pod
Irissë looked pained. “I’ve bruised myself. On – oh Eru, a bust of Uncle Fëanáro. Talk about a mood killer…”
“This isn’t working,” said Elenwë. “We need to go somewhere else or I’ll have nightmares for the rest of my life about your entire extended family watching us while we – ”
“Agreed,” said Irissë, looking rather ill.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Elenwë |
| Major Relationships: Aredhel/Elenwë |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] A Promise of Lightning by Chestnut_pod, The Wavesinger
The story of Ilmarë and Thuringwethil, from the beginning to the beginning, again.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Ilmarë, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: Ilmarë/Thuringwethil |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate), Violence (Mild) |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (3) |
[podfic] How far can you carry this? by Chestnut_pod
They make mountains upon the beach from sand and pebbles, because all Eärendil’s memories are of cold and pale walls of stone and walking for ever and ever.
When Elwing thinks of home it is dark forests and damp loam beneath her feet and running and stopping and hiding and running again, like rabbits.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil & Elwing |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] all they had to lend by Chestnut_pod
From a few hundred feet up, the swan ships could be seen to hesitate.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Winter Solstice by Narya
Maglor in Avebury, at the turning of the year.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 50 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Fire Like Ice by Lferion
Fingon would not have anticipated that he would ever find himself thinking of heat the same way he thought of extreme cold, and yet, here he was.
Takes place in a version of Arda with Beleriand Risen on the Aman side of the Straight Road, as in Bunn's Return to Aman and Undying Lands.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Back To The Future, Pride |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 231 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
For All Elvenkind by elennalore
An interstellar spaceship is ready to go. Its all-Elven crew and passengers will become the first explorers and settlers of an exoplanet orbiting the star Vega, or Luinil as the Elves call it. But only Mairon knows that the captain of the starship, Celebrimbor, has a hidden agenda.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Sauron |
| Genres: Science Fiction | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 400 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
