Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Dawn Felagund by Shadow
In our series of interviews of creators for Mereth Aderthad, Shadow spoke with Dawn about her story, written for Savannah Horrell's "By Guile Committed: Comparing Tolkien’s Thieves to Beowulf" presentation, the balance of planning an event and creating for it at the same time, and the intersection of Tolkien and Beowulf.
SWG News
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Cindy Gates by Grundy
Cindy Gates' upcoming Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation" considers the ethics of science in the legendarium. Grundy spoke with Cindy about her research, her own experience as a professional scientist, and her long-running fascination with the Manhattan Project.
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Actually Presenting!
Part of our ongoing series to support fans who want to present at Mereth Aderthad and other Tolkien conferences, this session will share strategies for delivering a presentation at a conference.
Mereth Aderthad Interview: Interview with Azh, Admirable Monster by Shadow
As a physicist themself, Azh confronts the issues around the ethical use of science in both the professional and creative realms. Shadow spoke with Azh about their story "Lightborn," written to accompany Cindy Gates' Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation “Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation,” its real-life inspirations, and the importance of fallibility in Tolkien's world.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Reference] Interview with reese by Dawn by halethleia, Dawn Felagund
Reese is the featured author for polutropos's presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Dawn spoke with reese about the silences storytellers leave, mythology, and the appeal of alternate universe fanfiction.
[Writing] One In the Fires of the Heart of the World by Isilme_among_the_stars
Maedhros finds that regret and pain do not end with death. But it does at last bring release from the oath and he can at last embark upon the long, hard road toward redemption.
[Artwork] A Bedu Hobbit tent-hole by Anérea
A Hobbit home in the desert of Harad
[Writing] High in the Clean Blue Air by StarSpray
They passed out of Lhûn and the wider coastline of Middle-earth opened up before his eyes. He had wandered those shores for centuries, and even now he felt the pull of that same wanderlust, and knew he would miss them for the rest of his life. Their wildness, the untamed waves, the rocky…
[Writing] The Root of Light by Anérea
In the years before Arien bore the fruit of Laurelin aloft, just how did Yavanna's olvar grow?
[Reference] Interview with Kai by Shadow by Kai, daughterofshadows
Kai is the featured artist for Maglor's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the last High King of the Noldor." Shadow spoke with Kai about his wide range of interests and inspirations in the legendarium and why Maglor's presentation so…
[Writing] Athrabeth Eönwë ah Elros by Hiranya
Melkor was once the mightiest of the Ainur. Why then was he unable to mar the stars of Varda, whom he hated most? Eönwë explains.
Current Challenge
Period Drama
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are inspired by common tropes found in period dramas and historical fiction. 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
Interview with reese by Dawn by halethleia, Dawn Felagund
Reese is the featured author for polutropos's presentation "'Kidnap Fam' and the Living Legendarium" at Mereth Aderthad 2025. Dawn spoke with reese about the silences storytellers leave, mythology, and the appeal of alternate universe fanfiction.
Interview with Kai by Shadow by Kai, daughterofshadows
Kai is the featured artist for Maglor's Mereth Aderthad 2025 presentation, "Gil-galad was an Elven King: Kingship and Personhood in the last High King of the Noldor." Shadow spoke with Kai about his wide range of interests and inspirations in the legendarium and why Maglor's presentation so intrigued him that he finished the art for it the first night.
Interview with Cynthia Gates, a.k.a. pandemonium_213 by Grundy by pandemonium_213, Grundy
Cindy Gates' presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025, "Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation," explores the ethics of refusal in the (mis)use of science and technology. A retired scientist herself, Cindy spoke to Grundy about her upcoming presentation and its inspiration in Cindy's fascination with the Manhattan Project.
Featured Themed Collection
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
Alliterative Verse for Arda by Rhunedhel
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features alliterative poems about Middle-earth.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Artwork] Floating through the Forest River by Varda delle Stelle
Bilbo and Thorin's Company are arriving to Lake Town floating through the Forest River with the barrels
[Writing] The Wondrous Tale of the Bee-wolf by bunn
Once upon a time, JRR Tolkien wrote a fairy-tale retelling, an attempt to reconstruct an alternative version of the ancient poem called Beowulf, and he called it Sellic Spell: 'strange tale' or 'wondrous tale'.
Once upon a time, on the long road home from the Lonely…
[Writing] Dáin's Saga by bunn
The tale of Dáin Ironfoot, told loosely in the style of a saga of Iceland (in English translation).
Around the World and Web
Celebrimbor Week 2025
A Tumblr event celebrating Celebrimbor as he is depicted in all books and media.
June challenge at tolkienshortfanworks on Dreamwidth
The June challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth: thematic prompt: reward - regard; formal challenge: alliteration. As always, these prompts can be filled separately or combined freely with other challenges that allow it.
Joyful June 2025
Joyful June is a fanworks event on Tumblr and AO3 where the goal is to let our favourite characters be happy.
Teitho May/June Challenge: Weddings
The theme for Teitho's May/June contest is "weddings."
Tolkien Ekphrasis Week 2025
This is a Tolkien-fandom-wide event dedicated to the art of ekphrasis in Tolkien's worlds. Its goal is to illuminate the artistic surroundings of the places, people, and stories we love, in as many media as possible.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
Teaching a cousin by Aprilertuile
Written for art 154 Archery Practice by ethanray for Scribbles & Drabbles 2024.
Tyelkormo comes to Aredhel's house to teach her archery.
| Major Characters: Celegorm, Aredhel |
| Major Relationships: Aredhel & Celegorm |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 703 |
| Posted on 21 April 2025 | Updated on 21 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
He knew by Aprilertuile
Celegorm suddenly felt like he was suffocating.
In a moment in Himring, Celegorm felt that Huan was dead.
| Major Characters: Celegorm |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm & Huan |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 215 |
| Posted on 21 April 2025 | Updated on 21 April 2025 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Missing them by Aprilertuile
Celebrimbor broke the tools his father gave him.
It was the last thing he had of his family.
For B2MEM, day 1 : The prompt was: Coming home / Reunion / Missing somebody.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Narvi |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor & Narvi, Celebrimbor & Curufin |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 239 |
| Posted on 21 April 2025 | Updated on 21 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
An Essay on the Sons of Fëanor by clotho123
An overview of the Sons of Fëanor and their role in Tolkien's Silmarillion writings
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor, Celegorm, Curufin, Caranthir, Amrod, Amras |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Nonfiction/Meta | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 6 | Word Count: 27, 916 |
| Posted on 3 November 2024 | Updated on 20 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Sketch of Maglor by the sea by randomhamster
A simple sketch of Maglor playing his harp by the sea, uploaded to use as my new profile picture
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Illustration |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 19 April 2025 | Updated on 19 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (4) |
The Last Maker by Ecthelion
In the end, the master of lies made the mistake of underestimating him.
A story of Celebrimbor, the last of the House of Fëanor in Middle-erath.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor & Sauron |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Check Notes for Warnings, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 12 | Word Count: 14, 267 |
| Posted on 18 April 2025 | Updated on 19 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Gloredhel, in Brethil, to Galdor of Dor-lomin. F.A. 458 by Himring
Gloredhel writes to her brother, after his sons have gone missing.
We know that Hurin and Huor were rescued by Eagles and carried to Gondolin, but their relatives, at this point, don't.
| Major Characters: Glóredhel, Edain |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 365 |
| Posted on 18 April 2025 | Updated on 18 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
On the Nature of Time by Elrond's Library
A series of half-drabbles using the one word prompts for the March/April 2025 Birthday Bash Challenge, looking at the perception of time through the eyes of Maiar (in general) and Maedhros (specifically).
| Major Characters: Eru Ilúvatar, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Suicide |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 005 |
| Posted on 14 April 2025 | Updated on 17 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Scion of Kings by silmalope
Drawing my favorite Gil-galad origin headcanon, wherein Fingon stumbles across a stray war orphan in the battlefield.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Fingon & Gil-galad |
| Artwork Type: Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: Musicals |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on 17 April 2025 | Updated on 17 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (9) |
Shadows of Us by Artano
Finrod is truamatized from the sudden responsibility thrust upon him and from crossing the Helcaraxë. When he receives a message stating the Petty-dwarves of Nargothrond plan to murder his people, he exiles them. Mîm decides to assassinate Finrod to stop him. What could go wrong?
| Major Characters: Finrod Felagund, Mîm, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Finrod & Mîm |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General, Suspense | Challenges: Jubilee, Song of Exile |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 981 |
| Posted on 15 February 2025 | Updated on 16 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Sorrow Beyond Song by AndrethS@elind3791
The fall of Fingolfin from Fingon's perspective
| Major Characters: Fingon, Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 474 |
| Posted on 15 April 2025 | Updated on 15 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Dugbúrz's Story by Artano
Written for Orctober, this work contains the fanworks created in response to the prompts, centering around Dugbúrz, an orc who attempts to escape from Thangorodrim.
| Major Characters: Orcs, Original Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Orctober |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 1, 749 |
| Posted on 21 October 2024 | Updated on 13 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Voice from the Sea by Himring
Mithrellas has arrived too late at Belfalas to meet Amroth alive, but she hears his voice on the wind.
| Major Characters: Mithrellas |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 102 |
| Posted on 13 April 2025 | Updated on 13 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
A Day for Revelry by Himring
An old spring festival is revived in Lindon.
| Major Characters: Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 104 |
| Posted on 13 April 2025 | Updated on 13 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Guard You in Sleep by Zdenka
Níniel comforts Finduilas after a nightmare.
| Major Characters: Nienor, Finduilas |
| Major Relationships: Finduilas/Nienor |
| Genres: Femslash, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 424 |
| Posted on 12 April 2025 | Updated on 12 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
So You Want to Present at a Tolkien Conference? Putting Together the Presentation by SWG Newsletter Staff
Video and materials from our session on how to put together a paper and presentation for a Tolkien conference. The session covers how to structure a paper for a presentation, assembling a presentation to support your paper, and accessibility and other tools for ensuring everyone can access your work.
Washed away by the rains and the snows by Himring
Much is said in the tales of Turin and of Tuor about the severity of the Fell Winter.
But what would it be like when such a long winter was finally over?
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on 8 April 2025 | Updated on 9 April 2025 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Further than all other eyes, more clearly than all other ears by Himring
Usually, the Elves appreciate being heard by Varda and call on her.
Galadriel finds herself making an exception.
| Major Characters: Galadriel |
| Major Relationships: Celeborn/Galadriel |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, Humor | Challenges: Birthday Bash |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 104 |
| Posted on 8 April 2025 | Updated on 8 April 2025 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
let's jump ahead to the moment of epiphany by atlantablack
But Fëanor was not held guiltless, for he it was that had broken the peace of Valinor and drawn his sword upon his kinsman; and Mandos said to him: “Thou speakest of thraldom. If thraldom it be, thou canst not escape it; for Manwë is King of Arda, and not of Aman only. And this deed was unlawful, whether in Aman or not in Aman. Therefore this doom is now made: for twelve years thou shalt leave Tirion where this threat was uttered. In that time take counsel with thyself, and remember who and what thou art. But after that time this matter shall be set in peace and held redressed, if others will release thee.”
“Well that’s rather stupid,” Fingolfin says.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Fingolfin |
| Genres: Alternate Universe | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 594 |
| Posted on 18 March 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
this is the last dream i ever want to have by atlantablack
Fingolfin would like to say that it was an accident. And perhaps if it had started and ended with a kiss he could have lied to himself and said that. As it is, it’s rather hard to say it was an accident when it has gone well past a kiss.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor/Fingolfin |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 729 |
| Posted on 1 April 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
evidence of a love that transcends hunger by atlantablack
Fëanor does not even get a chance to finish being annoying before Fingolfin’s eyes flash with something far too dark to be only fury and his hand snaps out to grab a handful of Fëanor’s hair. He wrenches Fëanor’s head back in a move that is so surprisingly painful it throws him off balance. In the same moment he kicks Fëanor’s feet out from under him and slams him to his knees. He forgets sometimes he thinks, feeling a bit dazed, that Fingolfin had not only fought Morgoth, but lasted an impressive amount of time against him.
Fingolfin pulls his head back until they lock eyes, says, “Why must you be so—” his voice cracks, anger seeping out of every fracture line cracking through his body. He studies the ice in Fingolfin’s eyes and thinks, we never talked about the boats. Not in truth.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Fingolfin |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor/Fingolfin |
| Genres: Romance | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 450 |
| Posted on 6 April 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
one time salt / the next honey / each disguised to cover poison by atlantablack
In which Celegorm tries to do some reconnaissance on Doriath, finds some children in the woods, does his good deed for the century, and promptly gets taken prisoner for it.
Dior's bitter he can't just murder Celegorm. After all, he's not one of the eldar, it doesn't count as kinslaying if he does it.
Nimloth's impressed no one is dead yet and plans on keeping it that way for as long as possible.
| Major Characters: Dior, Nimloth, Celegorm |
| Major Relationships: Celegorm/Dior/Nimloth, Dior/Nimloth |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 6, 351 |
| Posted on 1 April 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
our souls real enough to burn by atlantablack
“Dior, son of Luthien,” Námo intones, “you do not belong in these halls. I will show you the way to where your path is meant to lead.”
Celegorm looks to Dior and tilts his head in curiosity at the defiant look being directed at Námo. “No,” Dior says, voice hard. “I feel no call to follow the path of men. I will stay in the halls with my kin.”
“I was not presenting it as a choice,” Námo says severely and Celegorm frowns. Sees Curufin across the room shaking his head and gesturing for Celegorm to join him. He thinks to but then looks at Dior again and gets distracted by the look on his face.
An animal backed into a corner, his mind supplies, glancing down at the way Dior’s fingers are beginning to press into Celegorm’s fëa from how hard he is gripping Celegorm’s wrist.
Dior bares his teeth. “I was not either."
| Major Characters: Dior, Celegorm, Nimloth |
| Major Relationships: Dior/Nimloth, Celegorm/Dior/Nimloth |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 397 |
| Posted on 28 March 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
hold onto me / i'm a little unsteady by atlantablack
The whispers that circulate through Tirion afterwards, throughout all of Aman, will be cruel. She had gotten overconfident, they say, she should have known that Finwë’s line was cursed. She should have been content with three children! The whispers never stop circulating but everyone learns very quickly that no matter how Prince Fëanáro had felt about Queen Indis to say such a thing within earshot of him was to earn his everlasting ire.
It goes like this —
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Findis, Indis, Finwë |
| Major Relationships: Fëanor & Finarfin & Findis & Fingolfin & Lalwen, Fëanor & Findis |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 933 |
| Posted on 23 March 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
i keep surviving the night - stillness the same as dreaming by atlantablack
Maedhros dies and opens his eyes to Losgar, to ships unburnt, and a heart like a mad thing. It depends on who you ask if this is a good thing or not.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Fingon, Fëanor |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros, Fëanor & Maedhros |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on 8 February 2025 | Updated on 6 April 2025 |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
