Cultus Dispatches: Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey
Ten years of demographic data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey show consistencies in who reads and writes fanfiction, as well as a few key demographic shifts.
SWG News
New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Shepherd Princess by Himring
A princess and her sheepdog. (Drabble featuring a young Ancalime.)
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
Fëanor shrugged, studying the contents of his wine glass. “Something must be done about that house. It will fall down eventually.”
“It does not follow that it must be you that tears it down single-handedly. Are you sure you do not want help?”
“It’s not as though I…
[Writing] A Song Amidst His Torment by Elrond's Library
Of course it was a trap.
Maitimo has to survive. He must. But what price is too high to pay for survival?
[Writing] Nasyalossë by Lovimmy3365
Erestor lay up against a tree, brown washed to black in the wet of the snow. The black disc of the new moon sailed across the dark sky. Erestor wished it were gone. He had no need to look into dark eyes any longer.
He was dying.
(AKA Erestor unwittingly travels back in time to the…
[Playlist] Yacht Rock Silmarillion by Dawn Felagund
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the characters in The Silmarillion were smoooooth like they were sippin' a Sex on the Beach on a party barge in the harbor at Alqualondë? The "Yacht Rock Silmarillion" retells The Silmarillion as though the characters all had perms…
[Writing] and let's be winners by mistake by atlantablack
"Move farther north," Caranthir says to her a month after the attack, gaze steady on her even as his hands continue briskly gutting fish. "There is plenty of land closer to my fortress, and my people can help protect yours if there is another attack."
Haleth looks up from her…
[Writing] Changing Styles by StarSpray
“What did you do to your hair?”
Current Challenge
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Random Challenge
All Good Beasts
Create a fanwork featuring an animal. Show how important a beloved animal is to a character or tell a story through the eyes of an animal. Read more ...
New in References
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
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.
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
Celedriel Week 2026
A Tumblr event week focusing on the relationship between Celeborn and Galadriel.
Esoteric Tolkien Week 2026
A fandom event dedicated to the strange, otherworldly, and inexplicable in Middle-earth and beyond.
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Truly All Fanworks
This page includes all fanworks from the main SWG archive and the Beyond the Silmarillion section.
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) |
At the end of days, again by Himring
Sometime, somewhere, in the Seventh Age, another distant descendant of Elendil dreams of Numenor.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Back To The Future |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Windows by Keiliss
A long way from Balar, Erestor and Gildor share some bittersweet midwinter memories. Sometimes the window opens a crack and then it closes, allowing just a glimpse of the road less travelled.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Erestor, Gildor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 961 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
[podfic] Cold Comfort by Chestnut_pod, Elwin Fortuna
Nerdanel, early in the Second Age, ponders the wisdom of her choices.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Nerdanel, Nienna |
| Major Relationships: Nerdanel/Nienna |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
[podfic] Away to the Waters by Chestnut_pod, Elleth
After the Five Armies, Tauriel travels East.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Other Fictional Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, In-Universe Racism/Ethnocentrism |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
A Restless Night in Armenelos by Himring
Tar-Palantir, king of Numenor, at some point in the later part of his reign: night thoughts and a dream.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Tar-Palantir |
| Major Relationships: Inzilbeth & Tar-Palantir |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Book by Its Cover |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 254 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
