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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
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.
[podfic] Of Perfect Make by Chestnut_pod, StarSpray
A letter comes to the Lonely Mountain from Bag End, requesting a large number of birthday gifts for Bilbo's upcoming eleventy-first birthday. The Mountain gets to work immediately.
| Canon Source: Hobbit, Lord of the Rings |
| Major Characters: Glóin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 398 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Love in Spades by Rocky41_7
Maedhros considers the role of sex and romance in his life and receives support from unexpected quarters.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Lalwen, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Lalwen & Maedhros |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 381 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
when the cold wind rolls in from the north by Arveldis
As the Bragollach rages, Andreth waits.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Andreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 013 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Círdan Falben by Anérea
After living for hundreds, never mind thousands, of years by the sea there's no way that Círdan wasn't a) as brown as a berry, and b) didn't invent surfing.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Círdan, Elves, Falathrim |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: Adventure | Challenges: Opposites Attract |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (28) |
[podfic] Bookkeeper by Chestnut_pod, StarSpray
Elanor sits down to make a copy of the Red Book.
| Canon Source: Lord of the Rings |
| Major Characters: Elanor Gardner |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Carnimírië by Himring
Photograph of a tree in autumn (lightly edited) with two lines of accompanying text.
Originally submitted (without the title) for the Manwe's Mailbag challenge for a postcard prompt.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Photography |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (8) |
an ecstatic accident by void and fire by Chestnut_pod
Follow the blue roads of Arda.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 524 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Isle of the Golden King by Chiara Cadrich
The specter of Numenor reappears from under the waves, for the time of a tale...
| Canon Source: Unfinished Tales |
| Major Characters: Ar-Pharazôn, Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Mystery | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 112 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
[podfic] With What a Glory by Chestnut_pod, StarSpray
Goldberry has a song for each season.
| Canon Source: Lord of the Rings |
| Major Characters: Goldberry |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Fandom Voices: Filmverse Fans by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Fans who joined the Tolkien fandom because of the films report that the films inspired them to read the books, encouraged them to join fandom communities, and often resulted in forming lifelong friendships.
Tolkien Fandom | Animated illustration with music (English subtitles) by Sirielle
My illustrations with a bit of life and music by DTH. English subtitles added for the lyrics in Polish. (More details in description.)
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Unnamed Male Canon Character(s), Aragorn, Balrogs, Dwarves, Edain, Elves, Éowyn, Fëanor, Fellowship, Fingon, Gandalf, Hobbits, Legolas Greenleaf, Maiar, Men, Orcs, Rangers of the North, Real Person(s), Sauron, Smaug, Treebeard |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Maedhros - Fëanor | Silmarillion | animated illustration by Sirielle
My Maedhros & Fëanor portraits morphing with "Let the Havens Burn" illustration in motion.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Nerdanel by Sirielle
Illustration to The House of Fëanor by Deborah Judge, inspired by The Silmarillion.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Drawing/Painting, Illustration |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (8) |
[podfic] As Though At Sea by Chestnut_pod
Lothíriel finds many things in Rohan unsettling, but none so much as her future sister-in-law.
| Canon Source: Lord of the Rings |
| Major Characters: Éowyn, Lothíriel |
| Major Relationships: Éowyn/Lothíriel |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Finarfin, Idril Celebrindal and Anairë by Sirielle
Illustration to The House of Fëanor by Deborah Judge, inspired by The Silmarillion.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Anairë, Finarfin, Idril |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting, Illustration |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (4) |
Pearl Diving by StarSpray
Daeron, Beleg, and Mablung go to the Falas for pearls to take back to Thingol.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Beleg, Daeron, Mablung |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fluff, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 403 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Wonder of the Neighborhood by StarSpray
"The little silver nut [Sam] planted in the Party Field where the tree had once been; and he wondered what would come of it...
"Spring surpassed his wildest hopes...In the Party Field a beautiful young sapling leaped up: it had silver bark and long leaves and burst into golden flowers in April. it was indeed a mallorn, and it was the wonder of the neighborhood. in after years, as it grew in grace and beauty, it was known far and wide and people would come long journeys to see it: the only mallorn west of the Mountains and east of the Sea, and one of the finest in the world."
- The Return of the King, "The Grey Havens"
| Canon Source: Lord of the Rings |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Fiber/Textile Art |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
What Might Gnaw by Lferion
A riddle-sonnet contemplating the nature of that which, desperate, devours.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Poetry | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 145 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (16) |
[podfic] Standing Together by Chestnut_pod
Nori's not really a protest sort of person. Dwalin, apparently, is.
| Canon Source: Hobbit |
| Major Characters: Dwalin, Nori |
| Major Relationships: Dwalin/Nori |
| 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] Haven by Chestnut_pod
The ship diminishes against the horizon, the sun rising to brighten the waves, the curve of Eärendil’s arm falling as his figure becomes smaller, turning away.
Uinen’s mercy, Elwing thinks, and bites her tongue rather than pray.
A podfic of a story by Simaetha.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elwing |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| 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] Ink and Steel by Chestnut_pod
Dwalin has the mountains under her skin.
| Canon Source: Hobbit |
| Major Characters: Dwalin, Nori |
| Major Relationships: Dwalin & Nori |
| 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] waving flares in the air by Chestnut_pod
The light enters the room before Éowyn does, a rolling dry heat with it; just enough warning for Faramir to close one book and open another. She enters hard on its heels. 'Hail, Steward, from the south fair tidings,' she says, pulling off her helm halfway through, so the words are muffled. 'I can’t stay long. I came to give you word of Harad and your brother.' (A Galadriel-accepts-the-ring AU.)
| Canon Source: Lord of the Rings |
| Major Characters: Éowyn, Faramir (Fellowship) |
| Major Relationships: Éowyn/Faramir |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Clouds by Grundy
Young Elladan and Elrohir are at odds over something they read in a book. Glorfindel is called on to settle the matter.
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Rejects |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 477 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Song of the Numenoreans by Himring
It is the middle of the Second Age.
The Numenoreans, who always tended to think a little more highly of themselves than perhaps they deserved, have turned oppressive and grasping.
Inhabitants of coastal towns are always happy to see Numenorean ships approaching (not).
| Canon Source: The Silmarillion and Related Works |
| Major Characters: Men, Númenóreans |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 121 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
