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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] 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] 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] 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.
[Writing] a riot of shadow and shine by Elrond's Library
These were simply flashes, a hint of a wider, greater world. A tantalizing glimpse of more, always at the edge of awareness, never within reach. Míriel would grasp it, if something as intangible as the concept of color could overflow in bounteous wonder over her hands.
But…
[Writing] The Exchange by Elrond's Library
An exchange is made during the Great Journey
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
Forbidden Lore
Create a fanwork about knowledge that is considered forbidden or taboo. 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 Suffering of Maedhros by Annatar_Targaryen
Maedhros, eldest son of Feanor, is captured by Morgoth and chained to the cliffs of Thargorodrim by his order. There is no hope of rescue until his dearest friend appears. (one-shot)
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor, Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros, Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 8, 366 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
At the end of the path by ohboromir
A reunion on the eve of Dagor Dagorath.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Beleg, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: Beleg/Túrin |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 376 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
In the waters of Nargothrond by ohboromir
Orodreth watches Adanedhel bathe.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Orodreth, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: Orodreth/Túrin |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 371 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Jealous Kiss by ohboromir
Annatar was settling in well with the Gwaith-i-Mírdain. Too well, in Celebrimbor's opinion.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Sauron |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 382 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A kiss in a moment of adrenaline by ohboromir
Círdan watches Lalwen surf.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Círdan, Lalwen |
| Major Relationships: Círdan/Lalwen |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 135 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A Happier Ending by ohboromir
A drabble for @dorcuarthol week.
A reunion between Beleg and Túrin.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Beleg, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: Beleg/Túrin |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 104 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Interview with Maglor by Shadow by maglor-my-beloved, daughterofshadows
Maglor spoke with Shadow about his upcoming presentation for Mereth Aderthad, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the Last High King of the Noldor," and what makes Gil-galad such an intriguing—and mysterious—character.
Clear Pebbles of the Rain by StarSpray
But at the very end of the letter she spoke of one more prisoner that Elladan and Elrohir had discovered in one of the deepest dungeons of Dol Guldur, locked away behind a door unopened in so long that the hinges had rusted.
Maglor has been rescued from Dol Guldur, and now faces a long road of healing.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maglor, Elrond, Elladan, Elrohir, Arwen, Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Maglor, Galadriel & Maglor, Elladan & Elrohir & Elrond |
| Genres: Family, General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: Jubilee, Potluck Bingo |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Mature Themes, Torture, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 22 | Word Count: 56, 301 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (15) |
The Message is Me by StarSpray
Eärendil comes to the Ring of Doom to plead before the Valar.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Eärendil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 303 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
A Grief Ever-Worsening by Flora-lass
Maeglin writes to Idril.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maeglin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Dark Matter |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 572 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Return to the Sea by daughterofshadows
Cúrandil knows the stories, knows how their people first awoke in the water. How they came to walk the land and how the sea has called them back ever since.
It is their turn to follow the call now.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Nonbinary Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Alternate Universe | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 1, 194 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Andreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: | Challenges: Dark Matter |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (10) |
Drabbles by Grundy
Any and all Silmarillion drabbles I have written will be posted in this story. May or may not fit in with anything else I've written.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Dark Matter, Soundtrack |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 9 | Word Count: 4, 097 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Torchsong by Dawn Felagund, Elleth
Maglor performs the Noldolantë and the room reacts.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maglor, Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 898 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Lacuna by AdmirableMonster
In the wake of his ravishing by Morgoth, Mairon, who was Arien, falls.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Sauron, Arien |
| Major Relationships: Melkor/Sauron |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Experimental | Challenges: Dark Matter |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 465 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Without the Counsel of Any by Artano
Fingon leaves a note for his family before attempting to rescue Maedhros
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros, Fingon & Turgon, Aredhel & Fingon, Fingolfin & Fingon |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: Dark Matter |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 294 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Tolkien through an Aromantic Lens by daughterofshadows
A collection of my Meta on Tolkien and aromanticism
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
The Stewards of Gondor & their heirs by daughterofshadows
A meta work that looks into trends and correlations about the ages the Ruling Stewards of Gondor had their heirs.
Initially started to see whether the maths supports aromantic Boromir readings for my Mereth Aderthad presentation, but it got out of hand XD
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (8) |
Tolkien through an Aromantic Lens by daughterofshadows
Let's look at some aromantic headcanons for Meta week!
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: Tolkien Meta Week |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 979 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
The Fishes Advise Cirdan in the Matter of the Elven Rings by Himring
Adaptation of a concrete poem by Christian Morgenstern for the Dark Matter Challenge.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Pastiche |
| Genres: Experimental, Humor, Poetry | Challenges: Dark Matter |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (7) |
The Absence of Song by Elrond's Library
For the Dark Matter Challenge, a double drabble on the nature of Creation.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Eru Ilúvatar, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: Eru Ilúvatar & Melkor |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: Dark Matter |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 201 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
Interview with Shadow by Himring by daughterofshadows, Himring
Aromanticism is a topic not often covered in Tolkien scholarship, but many Tolkien characters can be read as aromantic. In this interview, Himring talks with Shadow about their upcoming Mereth Aderthad presentation "The Aromantic in Tolkien."
Geese and a Violet by Himring
Two survivors finally get together, with a bit of help from Elrond.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Elrond |
| Major Relationships: Female/Female |
| Genres: Femslash, Hurt/Comfort, Romance | Challenges: Hero's Journey, Jubilee |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 4 | Word Count: 3, 202 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
how almost unbreakable by queerofthedagger
It is not, Maedhros thinks, that Fingon is no longer angry. It is just that Fingon has never let anything as clean-cut as betrayal stop him from loving Maedhros in despite.
After everything, they are just a little insane about each other.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 720 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Between Ruinous Dusk and Restless Dawn by queerofthedagger
His gaze, inevitably, is drawn back to Finrod, the marred beauty of him. It has not been Curufin who ruined him so—had not been Curufin who had dragged him out of Nargothrond and into the wolf’s den, who had let Finrod protect him with his life. And yet.
And yet it feels oddly fitting, that such a ruined thing should be Curufin’s.
Through careful manoeuvring and a few lucky coincidences, Curufin saves Finrod's life without having to admit to anything so humiliating as having emotions. Contrary to what one would expect, this does not make things all that much easier.
Alternatively: Curufin lies, Finrod lives, and somehow they do still manage to figure it out, for better or for worse.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Curufin, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Curufin/Finrod |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 34, 427 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
