Sign-Up to Hand Out Scavenger Hunt Prompts
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
Archetypes
Prompts for this Matryoshka challenge are based on the archetypes that pepper myths, legends, and literature found around the world. 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.
Angbang Week 2026
Angbang Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Morgoth and Sauron, running from May 5-11, 2026
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!
New and Updated Nonfiction and Meta
Biblical Motifs in Tolkien’s Silmarillion by Fiondil
The Silmarillion sometimes reads like something from the Bible. That was deliberate on Tolkien's part. This essay explores three biblical motifs — Creation, the Fall, and what can be called the Saving of the Remnant — and how Tolkien uses them to weave his own unique story of Middle-earth.
Major Characters: No major characters listed Major Relationships: No major relationships listed
Topic:
Challenges:
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings apply
Posted on
Updated on
This fanwork is complete. Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters
| | |
Biblical Motifs in Tolkien’s Silmarillion by Fiondil
The Silmarillion sometimes reads like something from the Bible. That was deliberate on Tolkien's part. This essay explores three biblical motifs — Creation, the Fall, and what can be called the Saving of the Remnant — and how Tolkien uses them to weave his own unique story of Middle-earth.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Topic: | Challenges: |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
| | |
The Colors of Elvish: A Linguistic Exploration by Fiondil
Color is a basic category of language. Every culture has terminology denoting color, but they do not all 'see' the same colors. This is a look at the color terms that Tolkien translated into Quenya and Sindarin and what might be the sociolinguistic implications for these.
Major Characters: No major characters listed Major Relationships: No major relationships listed
Topic:
Challenges: Color of ...
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings apply
Posted on
Updated on
This fanwork is complete. Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters
| | |
The Colors of Elvish: A Linguistic Exploration by Fiondil
Color is a basic category of language. Every culture has terminology denoting color, but they do not all 'see' the same colors. This is a look at the color terms that Tolkien translated into Quenya and Sindarin and what might be the sociolinguistic implications for these.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Topic: | Challenges: Color of ... |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
| | |
Seven in '07 Character Biographies by Dawn Felagund
In July 2007, the Seven in '07 event honored the House of Fëanor and the inspiration it has given to the Tolkien fandom. Each character's page included a brief biography, archived here for ease of reference. Please see the Table of Contents for a listing of all available characters.
Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Caranthir, Celebrimbor, Celegorm, Curufin, Fëanor, Maedhros, Maglor, Nerdanel Major Relationships: No major relationships listed
Topic:
Challenges:
Rating: General
Warnings: No warnings apply
Posted on
Updated on
This fanwork is complete. Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters
| | |
Seven in '07 Character Biographies by Dawn Felagund
In July 2007, the Seven in '07 event honored the House of Fëanor and the inspiration it has given to the Tolkien fandom. Each character's page included a brief biography, archived here for ease of reference. Please see the Table of Contents for a listing of all available characters.
| Major Characters: Amras, Amrod, Caranthir, Celebrimbor, Celegorm, Curufin, Fëanor, Maedhros, Maglor, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Topic: | Challenges: |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
| | |
