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.
Gil-galad is released from the Halls of Mandos in the Fourth Age, but settling into Tirion is not as easy as she would hope.
Written for Tolkien Gen Week on Tumblr.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Anairë, Círdan, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Círdan & Gil-galad, Gil-galad & Unnamed Canon Character, Anairë & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 4, 706 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Fëanor takes a momentary interest in a youthful Fingolfin.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Fingolfin |
| Genres: No genre listed | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 616 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
After his death, Fingolfin does not go to the Halls of Mandos.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Rochallor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 101 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
In Numenor, Mairon contemplates a sacrifice.
| Major Characters: Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor/Sauron, Melkor/Sauron |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Dip the Ladle |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 646 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Fingon records a selection of details about his life from the Fourth Age onwards.
| Major Characters: Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 658 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
In Valinor, Cîr Imladris built, Elrond takes the opportunity to properly catalogue, categorize, and annotate one of the slowly diminishing collection of uncatalogued, uncategorized "miscellaneous objects with words attached" that had been part of the library and archive at Imladris from the beginning.
| Major Characters: Original Agender Character(s), Original Nonbinary Character(s), Elrond |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Mystery, Poetry | Challenges: Pride, Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 224 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
The Grinding Ice proves a deadly trap for Elenwë and her daughter. Turukáno is willing to give his own life to save that of his wife and child, and almost succeeds.
| Major Characters: Turgon |
| Major Relationships: Elenwë/Turgon |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 268 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Erestor and Gil-galad are not friends, to say the least, barely tolerating each other for Elrond's sake.
Their comfortable enmity, however, is interrupted one night, when Erestor finds Gil-galad at his door, hurt and terrified.
| Major Characters: Erestor, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Erestor & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 588 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Definition: An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.
| Major Characters: Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 861 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
‘And that is the device of the house of Bëor,’ Elwing adds. ‘My house.’
‘Mine too,’ Tuor says. ‘In part.’
-
Tuor, a young Elwing, and the remnants of the Edain in the havens of Sirion.
| Major Characters: Elwing, Tuor |
| Major Relationships: Elwing & Tuor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 328 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
When Tuor can't find Eärendil, he sends for Maeglin to help.
| Major Characters: Eärendil, Maeglin, Tuor |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil & Maeglin |
| Genres: No genre listed | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 171 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
They sat in silence for a little while, until Maglor finished his cup of water and sighed. “There is something on your mind,” he said. “Out with it.”
To his vague surprise, Elros did not look up. He carefully plucked another flower and added it to his growing chain. “Why did you do it?”
“Why did I do what?”
“Not—just you. You and—everyone. Why did you come to Sirion?”
| Major Characters: Elros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elros & Maglor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 188 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Who were Ulfang's people, and why did they betray the Elves? The truth as seen by Uldor, Caranthir, and Ulfang's granddaughter.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Bor, Brodda, Caranthir, Dwarves, Maedhros, Thuringwethil, Uldor, Ulfang, Ulfast, Ulwarth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 9 | Word Count: 10, 389 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Quirky Tom is stumped in his investigation; his partner delivers the goods. (Deliberately misleading summary inspired by the challenge prompts! See Story Notes for more reliable information.)
| Major Characters: Goldberry, Tom Bombadil |
| Major Relationships: Goldberry/Tom Bombadil |
| Genres: Crossover | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 576 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
In the aftermath of the Sack of the Falas, Fingon's daughter learns how to use the Elessar.
Written for Tolkien Gen Week on Tumblr (prompt: objects).
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 917 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Celegorm took the javelin from the beast, examining it. He ran his finger over the blade, where the poison glistened in the sunlight, then sniffed his finger. His gaze flicked up to Eöl’s. Eöl thought to see anger or triumph flicker in the Elf-lord’s eyes, but they were cold and impassive, and when he spoke, his voice was deadly quiet. “I wonder: Who was this meant for—your wife, or your son?”
Eöl felt the blood drain from his face, and he reached for the hilt of his sword.
Curufin is not the only son of Fëanor Eöl meets upon the plains of Himlad.
Or, Eöl meets Celegorm while pursuing Aredhel and Maeglin, and things go very badly for him.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Eöl |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm & Eöl |
| Genres: General, Suspense | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 869 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
In the aftermath of the Dagor Bragollach, a follower of Amras contemplates the future. Written for Tolkien Gen Week on Tumblr.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Amras, Caranthir |
| Major Relationships: Amras & Caranthir |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 877 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Gil-galad confronts her growing feelings for Elrond. Part of my Woman King AU.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Erestor, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond/Gil-galad, Erestor & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Het, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 629 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
The tide played around the horizon, only beginning to consider its daily sweep up the beach to the toes of Alqualondë. Eärwen waved to the far-off breakers and slid down to the wet sand, then turned and lifted Anaïre down. Anaïre pecked her on the cheek in thanks, and they started up the beach to the strand and the woman lying there sobbing for breath.
She did look young, close-up. That is, she looked like an Elf who had just reached full maturity, except where she did not. Around the eyes she bore little crinkles like the seafarers did, on her heaving belly the lightning-marks of pregnancy, and two fascinating rivers of silver ran into the light-gulping blackness of her hair from the temples. And, of course, there were the feathers
| Major Characters: Anairë, Eärwen, Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing, Eärwen/Elwing, Anairë & Elwing, Anairë/Eärwen/Elwing |
| Genres: Drama, Femslash, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 21 | Word Count: 75, 527 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Conflicted, Aegnor seeks Angrod's counsel.
| Major Characters: Aegnor, Angrod |
| Major Relationships: Aegnor & Angrod |
| Genres: Family, General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 078 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Indis tries to mend the rift within the House of Finwë. Fëanáro does not take kindly to it.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Indis |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Indis |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 898 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |
Three characters, three moments. Three stages of the same journey. The road of self-acceptance is never smooth.
| Major Characters: Arwen, Círdan, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Secret Gate |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 280 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters |