New Challenge: Title Track
Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution
Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
"The Fëanorian Zine" Available to Read and Download
We are pleased to be able to offer "The Fëanorian Zine" to read and download on the SWG for free.
Call for Artists for the 2026 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] One Flesh, One Soul. Part I by FellFireFan
As beautiful as he is dangerous, Aegnor, an elven prince, stands against the looming shadows of Angband. Brother to Galadriel, he commands the siege with a fierce intensity, a duty that exacts a heavy toll on him. Beneath the iron walls he has built lies a broken soul, haunted by a devastating…
[Series] 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.
[Writing] A meeting at the Trees by ethanray
Nerdanel goes to the Two Trees after Fëanor is banished and meets Indis there
For March 2026 Instadrabbling
[Writing] Grief is not the only geography I know by Himring
Indis explains how she took to wandering around Valinor.
[Writing] The Tale of Tar-Ciryatan's Daughter by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Ailinel, orphan of Numenor, is one of the poor girls dowered by Tar-Ciryatan and titled a "King's Daughter", encouraged to sail East to his colonies and find herself a husband.
It doesn't take her that long.
But even after she and Shipman Gaerondur find love, life in the colony isn…
[Writing] In Early Spring by Serinquanion
In what Maedhros was re-embodied early and was sent back to Middle Earth on his volition with Glorfindel.
This isn't about what happened right then but years after Fall of Sauron when he still refused to return to Valinor.
He found a strange sapling at the shore of what remains of…
[Writing] Umnenyalië by Serinquanion
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments 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
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.
Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel by JazTheBard
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
The Aromantic in Tolkien by daughterofshadows
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] here you will dwell, bound to your grief by Elrond's Library
Arwen grieves, and loves.
[Writing] Faramir's Verse by losselen
“Come, Faramir. Let us not stand in ceremony. I think words are due between you and I, and not only those between a King and his Steward.”
Faramir has speech with Gandalf and his King.
[Writing] In a Hole in the Ground... by StarSpray
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
New and Updated Fanworks
Include Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
A New Life in an Old Home by chrissystriped
Maedhros is one of the last of his family to return to life, welcomed joyfully by his brothers.
Now that Fingolfin has his wife back, is he still going to welcome him in his bed -- and should Maedhros even ask?
| Major Characters: Anairë, Fingolfin, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Anairë/Fingolfin, Fingolfin/Maedhros |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Het, Poly, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 10 | Word Count: 22, 821 |
| 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) |
Making Preparations by StarSpray
A moment in the forges between Melian and Mablung, before he leaves to join the Union of Maedhros.
| Major Characters: Mablung, Melian |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 296 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Tensor by Adoraincerta
A relationship in betweeness.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Elrond/Maglor |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 4, 089 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Antes de la tormenta by firstamazon
Fingon y Fingolfin tienen una conversación a las vísperas de la Batalla de la Llama Súbita.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingolfin & Fingon |
| Genres: Drama, Family, Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 726 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
all the daughters of my father's house (and all the brothers too) by Chestnut_pod
Ways of smiling at grief.
| Major Characters: Finduilas, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: In-Universe Sexism/Misogyny, Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 288 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Eggshells by Chestnut_pod
One hungry year after the first fleet of Edain landed on Númenor's shores, still wet with seawater, ships arrive in Rómenna from the west.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 926 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
and death was his reward by Himring
Once again, Fingon has leapt in to rescue somebody at personal cost.
Turgon retreats to the greater safety of the secret city of Gondolin, from which he re-emerges to try and save his brother—and fails.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
This Moment, All Your Life by Himring
On shores separated by more than mere distance, Maglor and Elwing do not encounter each other, but...
Third Age at the earliest, but probably later.
| Major Characters: Elwing, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 150 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Bells and Drum by Himring
Playing in Gondolin on the feast of Tarnin Austa (no, not that last Tarnin Austa), Salgant remembers a long-ago music lesson in Valinor.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Salgant |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 321 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
What Lies Beyond the End by Melesta
The Silmaril falls slowly, so slowly, as if taking its time to caress the weightlessness of Ulmo’s waters. Does it seek relief also, Maglor wonders, to be free at last of all the hands that lusted after its blessed shine?
Maglor casts his Silmaril into the Sea.
[Also available as a podfic, recorded by Anerea]
| Major Characters: Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: Drama, Family, Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death, Suicide |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 649 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Now No Way Can I Stray by losselen
The arrow shoots straight, but in the brief arc of its flight, it flexes ever this way and that, undulating in the air as if straining against the bonds of its mark. And yet what mark it finds, it finds, and strays not from its fate, and so do you, Túrin, in all your struggles, bend ever toward your doom.
Thrice would Beleg find Túrin in the wild unbidden. Beleg/Túrin.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: Beleg/Túrin |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 680 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Above Barad Eithel by StarSpray
In the early hours the half-built towers of Barad Eithel looked more like ruins than like the start of something new, ghostly in the mists that clung to the mountains and hovered in the hollows and valleys of Hithlum even under the noonday sun
| Major Characters: Lalwen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 383 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Underwater friends by daughterofshadows
Two snapshots. Osse and Uinen under the sea.
| Major Characters: Ossë, Uinen |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 204 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
Postcard by Rocky41_7
One late summer day, a postcard comes for Elrond in the mailbox. Elros intercepts.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Elros |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros |
| Genres: Family, Fluff | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 739 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
The Crow's Flight by Himring
One of the crebain drops out of the hunt for the Fellowship over Hollin.
| Major Characters: Crebain |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 705 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (14) |
All Manner of Beasts and Birds by sallysavestheday
Creatures of the Silmarillion: 6 perfect drabbles.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 617 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (16) |
The Road We Never Wanted by FactorialRabbits
There's no dragon in their lands, but the commanders of Angband are playing the Lords of Aglon like a fiddle. Celegorm would rather fight a dragon than this. When it is distinctly not a dragon, well, that's when everything goes to hell.
Alternatively: Celegorm tries to lead their people to safety as the trauma of Dagor Bragollach wears upon Curufin.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Celegorm, Curufin |
| Major Relationships: Celebrimbor & Curufin, Celegorm & Curufin |
| Genres: Family, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 10, 545 |
| 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) |
To Hold the Future in My Hand by cuarthol
Arafin seeks Elulindo's aid for a quest which will take them far to the south to waters filled with wonders he has never before seen.
| Major Characters: Elulindo, Finarfin |
| Major Relationships: Elulindo & Finarfin |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 729 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (20) |
The Paths We Tread by FactorialRabbits
The Noldor make a lot of choices, and most of the time there is no good option.
(Various missing scenes - currently just some of Sons of Feanor after the Dagor Bragollach)
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Within the Ashes by FactorialRabbits
In the face of dragon-fire and misery, Maedhros rides to the aid of his eldest younger brother. Eventually things are said but not discussed. If either is for the best is neither here nor there.
| Major Characters: Maedhros, Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: Family, Hurt/Comfort | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 7, 828 |
| 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) |
Makar and Meássë by Silver Trails
Heavily inspired by Norse mythology, Makar and Meássë were briefly Valar early in the legendarium.
Caranthir by Silver Trails
The fourth son of Fëanor, Caranthir's character leaves many questions unanswered that invite fan speculation.
Arien by Silver Trails
The story of Arien, the Maia who guides the Sun, changed as the legendarium evolved.
Maglor in the 1848 French Revolution by Aprilertuile
The Silmarillion says : "And it is told of Maglor that he could not endure the pain with which the Silmaril tormented him; and he cast it at last into the Sea, and thereafter he wandered ever upon the shores, singing in pain and regret beside the waves. For Maglor was mighty among the singers of old, named only after Daeron of Doriath; but he came never back among the people of the Elves."
So, what if Maglor had enough of the shores and just wandered the world?
Here is my take on Maglor living in France during the 1848 french revolution.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Maglor |
| Major Relationships: Maglor/Original Character |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Character Death, In-Universe Intolerance, In-Universe Queerphobia/LGBTQIA+ Intolerance, In-Universe Sexism/Misogyny, Violence (Mild) |
| Chapters: 17 | Word Count: 39, 807 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
The First Snow (illustration) by Sirielle
Maedhros. Illustration to "The First Snow", inspired by The Silmarillion.
| Major Characters: Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting, Illustration |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
