New Challenge: Allusive
Literature and art constantly refer back to each other using allusions, and this month's prompts are inspired by allusions to literature, myth, art, and history.
SWG News
Cultus Dispatches: "The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far)
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data for 2025 shows that "The Rings of Power" TV series has not had the same impact on the fandom as the film trilogies did ... so far.
New Challenge: Building Middle-earth
Let global architecture be your inspiration in this challenge, where you will work with a prompts that are architectural styles, locations in Arda, or both.
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.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
Fëanor shrugged, studying the contents of his wine glass. “Something must be done about that house. It will fall down eventually.”
“It does not follow that it must be you that tears it down single-handedly. Are you sure you do not want help?”
“It’s not as though I…
[Writing] A Thousand Winds that Blow by StarSpray
When uneasy dreams bring him back into Beleriand, Daeron finds a pair of twins who have lost their home, and an enemy who has lost himself. The Shadow's reach is growing ever longer, and if they are to survive, they must do it together.
[Writing] Into the West by Grundy
Dawn does not call sailing off into the unknown with a guy they've only known a few days a great plan.
[Writing] Explain This by Elrond's Library
Melkor demands an account of Mairon’s failures.
[Writing] Message in a Bottle by StarSpray
Over the course of his very long life he had found a handful of messages in bottles, but it had been a very long time. So when he found the glass bottle on his little stretch of pebbly beach, he picked it up with the intention of tossing it into his recycling. But it wasn’t, he found, just…
[Writing] Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
[Artwork] Nerdanel/Nienna moodboard by Independence1776
A Nerdanel/Nienna moodboard.
Current Challenge
Random Challenge
Laws and Customs
Place the a law, custom, or tradition of Middle-earth as the focus of a fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
"The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to matching the impact of the films ... yet.
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Artwork] A Memento of Faery by Grundy
TRSB26 art 144 - an artifact brought back from Faerie by a Starbearer.
[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…
Around the World and Web
Sindar Week 2026
A Tolkien event week for the Sindar, the Grey-Elves, from the Years of the Trees to the Third Age.
Finwean Sibblings Prompt Fest 2026
A prompt-based fandom event aiming to focus on celebrating Finwë's children: Fëanor, Findis, Fingolfin, Lalwen, & Finarfin - ships, gen relationships, or character-centric
Tolkien Sapphic September
Tolkien Sapphic September is a month long event focusing on Sapphic relationships and characters in Tolkien and adjacent materials.
Gigolas Week 2026
Gigolas Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Legolas and Gimli
Innumerable Stars 2026
A character-based Tolkien fandom gift exchange is returning for another year of gifting.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
Shepherd Princess by Himring
A princess and her sheepdog. (Drabble featuring a young Ancalime.)
| Major Characters: Tar-Ancalimë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Epic 80s |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 102 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Yacht Rock Silmarillion by Dawn Felagund
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the characters in The Silmarillion were smoooooth like they were sippin' a Sex on the Beach on a party barge in the harbor at Alqualondë? The "Yacht Rock Silmarillion" retells The Silmarillion as though the characters all had perms and had one too many buttons open, revealing too much chest hair, but hey, no one is killing anyone! This playlist follows the events of The Silmarillion through yacht rock songs.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Music (Rock) | Challenges: Epic 80s |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Expletive Language, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (5) |
and let's be winners by mistake by atlantablack
"Move farther north," Caranthir says to her a month after the attack, gaze steady on her even as his hands continue briskly gutting fish. "There is plenty of land closer to my fortress, and my people can help protect yours if there is another attack."
Haleth looks up from her own fish, frowning a bit at the sight he makes. Even after a month, she hasn't grown used to the sight of this elvish prince so casually working with the rest of them. She opens her mouth to refuse, proud of her people and their independence, having no desire to be indebted to anyone, but the words catch in her throat as she meets his eyes. She thinks treacherously of his mouth against the inside of her wrist, and what comes out instead is, "How close to your keep are you trying to drag us? And what is the cost?"
Or: Caranthir asks and Haleth agrees. This does not mean they were prepared for what follows.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Haleth |
| Major Relationships: Caranthir/Haleth |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 245 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
it is not a sacrifice if you lose nothing in the giving by atlantablack
In which Fingolfin is tired and everyone else is just along for the ride, even if they would really rather not be.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Fingolfin, Lalwen, Findis, Finarfin, Finwë, Indis |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Fingolfin, Fëanor & Finarfin & Findis & Fingolfin & Lalwen, Fingolfin & Finwë, Fingolfin & Indis, Fëanor & Finwë |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Drama, Family, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Am I My Brother's Keeper? by atlantablack
Later, Fëanáro will look back on this moment, on finding Melkor bearing down on Ñolofinwë, and try to brush off the panic that had gone striking through him as irrelevant. It is a panic he would have felt no matter who was engaged in such a foolish fight and so, it does not matter.
Lies, even to oneself, work best when they are shrouded in truth. This does not make them less of a lie.
Or: Loop 4 & a glimpse into Fëanáro's thoughts at the start.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Fingolfin |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 535 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
turning back from the wrong north by atlantablack
With any luck, he will simply be able to keep Finrod alive until Beren gets himself killed as he is destined to do, and then he can drag Finrod back to Nargothrond alive and well. It will not be an end that leaves Finrod once more in Curufin’s bed, but it will be an end that he can live with. Curufin needs Finrod to live, every other ending leaving him with bile on his tongue and nausea haunting him. He knows this is foolish. He knows he is ruining the carefully crafted plans he’s been building for years, cutting all the strings he’d been ready to carefully pull, but when he closes his eyes—
When he closes his eyes, he sees blood caught in the dulled yellow of Finrod’s hair, blood on his mouth, his cheeks, blood weeping from his throat. Curufin closes his eyes and cannot bear to keep them closed.
“We are going with you,” he says simply, the words like ash in his mouth.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Curufin/Finrod |
| Genres: Drama, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Mild), Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 250 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
we like our arms in our brothers' arms by atlantablack
“When we get out of this bedamned frozen wasteland,” he murmurs, pleasure pooling in his stomach and leaving everything glowing golden, “I am going to strip you bare and fuck you until you stop having ambitions higher than you should.”
“And if I do not stop,” Ñolofinwë returns, voice rough and cracking across the words, “if I keep trying to take the crown you do not even enjoy having, what will you do then, brother?”
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor/Fingolfin |
| Genres: Erotica, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 163 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
i miss you like a knife by atlantablack
He burnt himself to ashes, Makalaurë had told them, voice remarkably steady for one who clearly did not want to speak of it. It had taken several back-and-forths of clarification for Ñolofinwë to realize this was meant in the most literal manner possible. His brother had managed to outshine everyone else even on the matter of death itself, and he had been forced to close his eyes for a long minute for fear that he would start crying or laughing, or worse, both.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Fingolfin |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 475 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Changing Styles by StarSpray
“What did you do to your hair?”
| Major Characters: Daeron, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Daeron/Maglor |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, Fluff, Humor, Slash | Challenges: Epic 80s |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 309 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Contempt by Fuin
The crown on Melkor's head is slanted without the stolen Silmaril, and the only thing Sauron feels is contempt.
| Major Characters: Sauron, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: Melkor & Sauron |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 443 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Star of Hope by Fuin
A new star shines in the sky. They claim it brings hope.
| Major Characters: Nerdanel, Eärwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 266 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Message by Flora-lass
Borondir carries Steward Cirion's urgent request to Eorl the Young, with the help of his horse but at great personal cost.
| Major Characters: Borondir, Eorl the Young |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: Epic 80s |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 392 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
Instadrabbling, 2026-Present by SWG Moderators
We get together from time to time on the SWG Discord and produce spontaneous fanworks based on randomly chosen prompts. This collection includes drabbles, ficlets, and other flash fanworks produced as part of our instadrabbling sessions beginning in 2026.
| 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) |
Down to the River to Pray by annarobots
It occurred to Elwing that she had made a mistake, coming along with these strange, fair folk, when Eärendil asked her, in a voice of such heartfelt earnestness that she nearly pushed him down and rubbed his face in the mud, if she wanted to meet Ulmo.
“Er,” she said, instead of enacting violence, “I don’t know. I’m not wild about strangers.”
Eärendil, who was not so easily dissuaded once he had set his course, did not laugh. “But he knows you already. It is only your heart that is estranged.”
Elwing, Eärendil, and the gifts of the River.
| Major Characters: Elwing, Eärendil |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil & Elwing |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 755 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Fire of Life by StarSpray
“What if,” said Manwë, regarding Maedhros with star-bright eyes, blue as sapphires and piercing as blades, “you were sent from these Halls for a purpose, son of Fëanáro?”
“I suppose, my lord,” Maedhros said slowly, “that would depend upon the purpose.”
Maedhros is sent back to Middle-earth, in the company of the Maia Olórin.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Gandalf, Elrond, Erestor, Lindir |
| Major Relationships: Maedhros & Maglor, Elrond & Maedhros, Gandalf & Maedhros, Elrond & Erestor, Elrond & Gandalf |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Drama, Family, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 34, 496 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Women's Work by Deborah Judge
When Finwë's wife Miriel died, leaving behind their young daughter Fëanor, Finwë petitioned the Valar for permission to remarry. Although he loved his daughter dearly, he said, he needed a son who could be his heir.
Or: Genderswapped Noldor politics, from Fëanor daughter of Finwë to Gil-galad daughter of Orodreth.
| Major Characters: Finwë, Fëanor, Finarfin, Fingon, Finrod Felagund, Galadriel, Orodreth, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: Epic 80s |
| Rating: General | Warnings: In-Universe Sexism/Misogyny |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 300 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Into Oblivion by LadySternchen
This is basically the background smut for ‘Yet We’re It’s Making Good, For This’ 😅
During the great journey, there was a lot of trying out amongst the Quendi. And from some trying out, there came more…
(Written for Silmsmutweek 2023)
| Major Characters: Mablung, Elu Thingol, Beleg |
| Major Relationships: Mablung/Thingol, Beleg/Mablung |
| Genres: Erotica, Poly, Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 345 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Line Of The Peredhil for Silmsmutweek 2025 by LadySternchen
I made a project out of this year’s Silmsmutweek, to accompany the line of the Peredhel through the Ages.
1) Spring; prompts: ritual sex, bathing and washing. Melian and Elu beget their daughters.
2) Summer; prompts: sport and competition. Finally allowed to live their love makes Arwen and Aragorn light-headed with bliss. That, and a little too much wine for the newly crowned King of Gondor. (Not explicit)
3) Autumn; prompts: canon ships, blanket; my first drabble. On a chill afternoon in autumn, Celebrían finds her husband dozing, and finds that something has to be done about it (Not explicit)
4)Fading; prompts: water sports. Elwing can’t have what she wants, and Eärendil has to suffer for it. (He loves every moment of it, though)
5) Winter; prompts: throne sex. Dior has doubts whether he will ever see himself as the King of Doriath. Nimloth finds that it is time for him to truly claim the throne.
6) Stirring; prompts: erotic dance and acrobatics. Ficlet. Beren watches Lúthien dance, and feels life stir in him again. And other things.
7) Dark; prompts borrowed from another day: rare-pair. This one is weird. No more needs to be said
| Major Characters: Mablung |
| Major Relationships: Beren/Luthien |
| Genres: Drama, Erotica, Experimental, Family, Ficlet, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate), Suicide |
| Chapters: 7 | Word Count: 10, 946 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Crablorandom by StarSpray
Roverandom and the Sea Rover find a crab on the beach--not unusual in itself, except this one smells like magic.
| Major Characters: Roverandom, Psamathos Psamathides, Maglor, Daeron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Crossover, Fluff, General, Humor | crossed with Roverandom | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 278 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Inhalation by gaydhros
But how could they ever think to sleep on a night such as this? Their hours together are already so short, and in these days of encroaching darkness they only grow shorter. Tonight Fingon’s bed is warm, and Fingon is also, and Maedhros is loath to close his eyes even long enough to blink.
***
Maedhros, Fingon, and their final night together before the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Drama, Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 678 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
A private audience by skywardstruck
After wandering through the forests of Oromë, Maitimo and Makalaurë discover a quiet clearing, stopping to rest. With lyre in hand, the private audience begins— for this song, Makalaurë will only allow his brother to hear.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Maedhros & Maglor |
| Artwork Type: Cosplay, Photography |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (6) |
The Light and the Sea (Steampunk Númenor) by AdmirableMonster
Largely focused on Númenor, its fall, and the aftermath, as seen from the perspective of two Mannish scientists, bit players in some ways, but who nonetheless cast their shadows across the history of Middle Earth.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Unnamed Canon Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character, Unnamed Canon Character/Original Character, Other Fictional Character/Other Fictional Character |
| Genres: Science Fiction | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Is it raining with you? by AdmirableMonster
In the last days of Númenor, two very different men meet in Umbar and fall in love.
(Please note that while this work is heavily inspired by Disco Elysium, no knowledge of the game is necessary to read the fic!)
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Other Fictional Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Original Character/Original Character, Other Fictional Character/Other Fictional Character |
| Genres: Crossover, Hurt/Comfort, Slash | Challenges: Epic 80s |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 506 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Wrensong and Roses by Isilme_among_the_stars
Concerned by his responses to the paraphernalia of healing, Fingon steals Maedhros from his room for an impromptu garden excursion. Maedhros battles with dark thoughts.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Maedhros |
| Genres: General, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Animal Abuse |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 147 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
