New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
SWG News
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
The SWG Is Featured in Two Journal Articles
In a recent special issue of "Transformative Works and Cultures" about platforms, the SWG was discussed in two articles.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
[Writing] Do you cut down down blossoming trees in the spring for firewood? by Himring
In western Numenor, there is an area famous for its trees and plants. But the Faithful have been banished to the east. And in the last days of Numenor, on the coast an army assembles...
[Writing] Family Gossip by StarSpray
“You,” Fingon pronounced, “are drunk. I am not going to give you anyone’s name just so you can make up a silly drunken ballad."
[Writing] Lost and Found by awwyeah107
In the aftermath of the second kinslaying, Maglor and Maedhros are faced with the disappearance of a pair of twins: Eluréd and Elurín.
Years later, another pair of twins—this time under the Fëanorians’ care—are missing: Elrond and Elros.
[3 chapters, posted over 3 consecutive days…
[Writing] What Comes Naturally by Rocky41_7
Two queens of the Noldor discuss motherhood.
[Writing] Emissary by Uvatha the Horseman
60 years before the War of the Ring, The Mouth of Sauron is being raised as an illegitimate son in the house of his father. More than anything, he craves security and a title of his own.
[Writing] Test of Loyalty by Uvatha the Horseman
In the Age of the Trees, Mairon-Sauron burned his bridges when he left home to become the newest member of Melkor's household. He has no idea what he's gotten himself into. (slash Sauron/Melkor)
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Secret Gate
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are based on the common plot points and tropes from mystery novels. Read more ...
New in References
[]
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.
In the House of the Fairbairns by Simon J. Cook
[]The first of some posts on the Elf-tower on the western margin of The Lord of the Rings attempts to frame the relationship between the narrative and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and an analysis of Frodo's dream-visions.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[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.
[Writing] To those that go before by Quente
[]Éomer Éadig is dead, and Aragorn meditates on losing his friends.
Around the World and Web
Tolkien Ekphrasis Week 2024
This is a Tolkien-fandom-wide event dedicated to the art of ekphrasis in Tolkien's worlds, hosted on Tumblr and Dreamwidth.
Tolkien Society Seminar: Tolkien's Romantic Resonances
This free hybrid event explores the influence of Romanticism on Tolkien's works.
Glorfindel Week 2024
Glorfindel Week is a week-long Tumblr event for creating fanworks that celebrate Glorfindel. Glorfindel Week will run April 29-May 5, 2024.
Teitho April/May Challenge: Quotes
Teitho is a monthly fanfiction contest. Our April/May prompt uses the source material directly for inspiration with quotes to choose from.
PhD Research on Writing Tolkien's Female Characters: Participants Needed
Interview participants are needed who write Tolkien-based fanfiction about female characters.
New and Updated Artwork
Fingon attacks Himring; Maedhros defends. A calligraphy piece done for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's Mailing Competition.
Major Characters: Fingon, MaedhrosMajor Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Eight emblems for the eight most powerful of the Valar. Drawn for "Scribbles and Drabbles" 2021.
Major Characters: No major characters listedMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
"This mighty beech was named Hírilorn, and it had three trunks, equal in girth, smooth in rind, and exceeding tall; no branches grew from them for a great height above the ground." - The Silmarillion, "Of Beren and Lúthien"
Major Characters: No major characters listedMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Andreth contemplates the different interpretations of her people's lore, memories handed down by word of mouth through the generations.
Major Characters: AndrethMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Meet & Greet
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Matryoshka inspired art for the Meet & Greet Challenge
Major Characters: Aredhel, Beren, Celebrimbor, Edain, Elu Thingol, Eöl, Finrod Felagund, Lúthien Tinúviel, Maeglin, Melian, Narvi, OromëMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Meet & Greet
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
For Draugluin, death was just the beginning ...
Major Characters: DraugluinMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: New Year's Resolution, Understory
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Character Death | | |
A portrait of Eärwen, created for Middle-earth is Multitudes
Major Characters: EärwenMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Middle-earth Is Multitudes, New Year's Resolution
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Through the Light of the glass shine the Light of Laurelin
Major Characters: No major characters listedMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Experimental, New Year's Resolution
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Here is a family tree of the Nandoran nobles and some Sindarin nobles that I filled out with HCs. I gave names to lots of textual ghosts (including Celeborn and Amdir's moms) and connected them to Denethor so it makes sense they are in charge of the Silvan elves in the 2nd and 3rd ages. Also so they are not in charge because they are Sindarin. I did not like that. I used FamilyEcho to make the family tree after someone in the Tolkien OCs discord mentioned using it.
Major Characters: Amdir, Amroth, Celeborn, Celebrían, Denethor (Nandor), Galadhon, Galadriel, Galathil, Lenwë, Nandor, Nimloth, NimrodelMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Nenlindalë by Anérea
A love letter between Daeron and Maglor in the form of musical notation.
(Asemic music notation and song lyrics)
Major Characters: No major characters listedMajor Relationships: Daeron/Maglor
Challenge: Experimental
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
A moodboard retelling the major events in Maedhros' life from Valinor to his death in Beleriand
Major Characters: MaedhrosMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Turgon's Rock Opera
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
A moodboard for a Celegorm/Lúthien Modern AU inspired by the song You better you bet by The Who.
Major Characters: Celegorm, Huan, Lúthien TinúvielMajor Relationships: Celegorm/Lúthien
Challenge: Turgon's Rock Opera
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Pages from a book of ancient Edain lore, including an illustration of their creation myth.
Major Characters: Legendary/Mythical Character(s), Original Character(s), Arien, Manwë, Tilion, Ulmo, YavannaMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Roaring Twenties
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Moodboard for TRSB 2023, wherein I request Maglor to be tortured. The collage is not graphic, but does contain images of torture implements or things that can be used as such.
Major Characters: Maglor, SauronMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: Adult
Warnings: Torture | | |
Stained glass nightlight created for TRSB23.
Major Characters: No major characters listedMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
A pixel artwork of a Maia of Manwë.
Major Characters: Original Character(s), EönwëMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
The gallery of my Silmarillion themed arts for Scribbles & Drabbles 2023. Featuring a myriad of characters and art types.
Major Characters: No major characters listedMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: No challenge listed
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings listed | | |
Eönwë, Maia and herald of Manwë, after the War of Wrath and after seeing Angband. He has long silver-grey wings, and his appearance is tattered and bloodied, he's exhausted after the long war and what he's seen. His hair is silver-white and long. He wears a knee-length surcoat over his armor. He wields a polearm.
Major Characters: EönwëMajor Relationships: No major relationships listed
Challenge: Heroes, Of All That Remains, Season of Change, Strangers in Strange Lands
Rating: Teens
Warnings: Violence (Mild) | | |
