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.
SWG News
New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Playlist] 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…
[Writing] 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…
[Writing] Changing Styles by StarSpray
“What did you do to your hair?”
[Writing] A Song Amidst His Torment by Elrond's Library
Of course it was a trap.
Maitimo has to survive. He must. But what price is too high to pay for survival?
[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] Star of Hope by Fuin
A new star shines in the sky. They claim it brings hope.
Current Challenge
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Random Challenge
End Is the Beginning
Take the ending of a story from "The Silmarillion" and use it as the beginning of a fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
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.
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.
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
Celedriel Week 2026
A Tumblr event week focusing on the relationship between Celeborn and Galadriel.
Esoteric Tolkien Week 2026
A fandom event dedicated to the strange, otherworldly, and inexplicable in Middle-earth and beyond.
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
The Forging of the Ring by Uvatha the Horseman
Sauron forges the Ring, and almost dies in the process.
| Major Characters: Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 12, 213 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (9) |
And Soon It Will Be Morning by Himring
In Himring, a night ends.
Aubade.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 448 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
Five things Celegorm fixed for Celebrimbor and the one thing he couldn't. by Urloth
Celegorm was his favourite uncle for a reason. That was why it hurt the most.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Celegorm, Curufin, Huan |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 872 |
| 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) |
Twilight’s Daughters by Rhapsody
Bereft of her guise, Thuringwethil remembers the fair Lúthien.
Written for Elleth for 2013 My Slashy Valentine
| Major Characters: Lúthien Tinúviel, Thuringwethil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Erotica, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: Gift of a Story |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 111 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Man-maiden / Learning by Adlanth
2 PWP femslash ficlets written for Porn Battle XIV.
The first one is Aredhel/Galadriel, with the prompt words: tomboys, riding, experimentation.
The second one is Melian/Galadriel, with the prompt words: power, teach, embodied.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Galadriel, Melian |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Erotica, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 2, 997 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Sketches from Beleriand by Tehta
Finrod longs to tell his absent love everything, including all he has learned of Men.
Written for Alexcat for 2013 My Slashy Valentine
| Major Characters: Bëor, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 738 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
Orcling by pandemonium_213
During a Second Age equivalent of a natural history "field trip" in the upper Vale of the Glanduin River, a young Mélamírë finds her father's penchant for turning everything into a lesson to be stifling. Taking advantage of Father's unexpected nap, she sets off on a little expedition of her own, intending to return by sunset. However, she makes a discovery that turns what she intended as an afternoon's adventure into something far more harrowing and that challenges what she has been taught.
Rated Teen/PG13 equivalent for moderate violence; heads up for Pandë!verse-centrism
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Sauron |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 4 | Word Count: 12, 917 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (30) |
Knifework by Kaz
A female!Elrond AU. Somewhere in the wilderness of Beleriand, Maedhros and Elrin talk weapons training, differences in combat-related gender roles between the Noldor and the Sindar, and mutual family history.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 788 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Refusing Every Offer. by Urloth
The stubbon pride of Celegorm endures, even after death.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Manwë, Melian, Oromë, Ulmo, Valar, Yavanna |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 434 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Five Things About Finduilas by Agelast
Five things about Finduilas, daughter of Orodreth.
| Major Characters: Finduilas, Gil-galad, Orodreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 104 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Whether Exodus by Dwimordene
Of the endings that make and break us. Elenwë comes at last to Middle-earth.
| Major Characters: Elenwë, Ents, Nessa, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 708 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Trail Ride by Erulisse
With the males of the court all away at the annual King’s Hunt, Helyanwë and her grandmother Nerdanel leave the household compound on a quest of their own. Story written for the Bechdel Challenge – two women in an action/adventure story carrying on at least one conversation that doesn’t revolve around a male.
| Major Characters: Nerdanel, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 279 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Lay Down in the Tall Grass by Agelast
Fingon and Maedhros meet in Ard-galen, early in the First Age, and talk of matters of grave importance.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 380 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Learning to Live in the Dark by Himring
After the death of Feanor, Celebrimbor confronts Maedhros about the Oath.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Maedhros, Maglor, Sons of Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 051 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (12) |
Magloriana by Himring, Elleth, Agelast
Maglor on the beach: a set of three drabbles about Maglor by three different authors.
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 297 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Brief Days by Agelast
These wild and brief days set true hearts bleeding. Túrin and Beleg, over time.
Written for Porn Battle XIV, with the prompts: worship, observance, steam.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Erotica, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 356 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Protecting you by Gwailome
One winter day Fingon and Maedhros went riding in the fields of Hithlum...
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 732 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Love Like Winter, Hands Like Ice by Himring, Agelast
Summer, winter--some things change, while others never do.
AU: Maedhros and Fingon in Mithrim.
Mild Horror.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Horror, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 343 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Candlework by Agelast
Nargothrond, afterwards. Curufin receives an unexpected visitor.
| Major Characters: Curufin, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Horror, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death, Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 974 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
The Walls Will Serve by Himring
A series of three vignettes, set beside the springs of Little Gelion below Himring Hill:
i. Maedhros decides to build a fortress on Himring Hill (Maedhros, original characters)
ii. After the Dagor Bragollach, Maedhros shows Himring to his cousin (Maedhros/Fingon)
iii. In the Second Age, Elrond visits Tol Himling (Elrond, Arminas, Erestor)
| Major Characters: Arminas, Elrond, Erestor, Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Gift of a Story |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 2, 368 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (19) |
A Ghost is Haunted by Iavalir
A ghost he was yet he was haunted.
| Major Characters: Eluréd, Elurín |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Horror | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 082 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
And After A Time The Elf-Kings by Aerlinn
A series for those of you who have always wondered how a people known to argue about things like TH vs. S pronounciation came to be known for gems like “Go not to the elves for counsel, for they will say both yes and no".
Basically, this is a saga about officious Noldorin lords, their meddling in human affairs and its unexpected results...
| Major Characters: Finrod Felagund, Noldor, Sindar |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 001 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Earth by Aerlinn
He is walking through a garden. He is walking right over someone's carefully tended crops and carrots.
Maglor, the politics of war, farming, hunger and adoption.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: B2MeM 2012 |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 041 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Starlight by Aerlinn
Some bridges can only be crossed by starlight.
She will always have to run to keep up with his strolling.
| Major Characters: Aegnor, Andreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 828 |
| 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 | Comments (1) |
Five Things That Never Happened to Caranthir's Wife by grey_gazania
Five ways Parmacundë's life could have been different.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 012 |
| 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) |
