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
Family Matters
Step inside of one of the families of "The Silmarillion" and tell their tale with a fanwork that illustrates the conflicts and relationships that occur within a family. 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
Tar-Míriel by Sirielle
Tar-Míriel, traditional media, A5, 2020.
| Major Characters: Tar-Míriel |
| 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 (4) |
The little lighthouse keeper by Chiara Cadrich
Caught in a storm, Minastir and his brother take refuge on an island. There, a young lighthouse keeper lives alone. She shares room and board and much more...
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 8, 120 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 398 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Love in Spades by Rocky41_7
Maedhros considers the role of sex and romance in his life and receives support from unexpected quarters.
| Major Characters: Lalwen, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Lalwen & Maedhros |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 5, 381 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
when the cold wind rolls in from the north by Arveldis
As the Bragollach rages, Andreth waits.
| Major Characters: Andreth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 013 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Círdan Falben by Anérea
After living for hundreds, never mind thousands, of years by the sea there's no way that Círdan wasn't a) as brown as a berry, and b) didn't invent surfing.
| Major Characters: Círdan, Elves, Falathrim |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Character/Portrait, Drawing/Painting |
| Genres: Adventure | Challenges: Opposites Attract |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (28) |
Carnimírië by Himring
Photograph of a tree in autumn (lightly edited) with two lines of accompanying text.
Originally submitted (without the title) for the Manwe's Mailbag challenge for a postcard prompt.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Photography |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (8) |
an ecstatic accident by void and fire by Chestnut_pod
Follow the blue roads of Arda.
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 524 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Fandom Voices: Filmverse Fans by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Fans who joined the Tolkien fandom because of the films report that the films inspired them to read the books, encouraged them to join fandom communities, and often resulted in forming lifelong friendships.
Tolkien Fandom | Animated illustration with music (English subtitles) by Sirielle
My illustrations with a bit of life and music by DTH. English subtitles added for the lyrics in Polish. (More details in description.)
| Major Characters: Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Unnamed Male Canon Character(s), Aragorn, Balrogs, Dwarves, Edain, Elves, Éowyn, Fëanor, Fellowship, Fingon, Gandalf, Hobbits, Legolas Greenleaf, Maiar, Men, Orcs, Rangers of the North, Real Person(s), Sauron, Smaug, Treebeard |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Humor | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Maedhros - Fëanor | Silmarillion | animated illustration by Sirielle
My Maedhros & Fëanor portraits morphing with "Let the Havens Burn" illustration in motion.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Nerdanel by Sirielle
Illustration to The House of Fëanor by Deborah Judge, inspired by The Silmarillion.
| Major Characters: Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: 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 (8) |
Finarfin, Idril Celebrindal and Anairë by Sirielle
Illustration to The House of Fëanor by Deborah Judge, inspired by The Silmarillion.
| Major Characters: Anairë, Finarfin, Idril |
| 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 (4) |
Pearl Diving by StarSpray
Daeron, Beleg, and Mablung go to the Falas for pearls to take back to Thingol.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Daeron, Mablung |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet, Fluff, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 403 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
What Might Gnaw by Lferion
A riddle-sonnet contemplating the nature of that which, desperate, devours.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General, Poetry | Challenges: Bestiary of Arda |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 145 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (16) |
[podfic] Haven by Chestnut_pod
The ship diminishes against the horizon, the sun rising to brighten the waves, the curve of Eärendil’s arm falling as his figure becomes smaller, turning away.
Uinen’s mercy, Elwing thinks, and bites her tongue rather than pray.
A podfic of a story by Simaetha.
| Major Characters: Elwing |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Clouds by Grundy
Young Elladan and Elrohir are at odds over something they read in a book. Glorfindel is called on to settle the matter.
| Major Characters: Elladan, Elrohir, Glorfindel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Rejects |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 477 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (3) |
Song of the Numenoreans by Himring
It is the middle of the Second Age.
The Numenoreans, who always tended to think a little more highly of themselves than perhaps they deserved, have turned oppressive and grasping.
Inhabitants of coastal towns are always happy to see Numenorean ships approaching (not).
| Major Characters: Men, Númenóreans |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 121 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Eyes In The Dark by LadySternchen
-Arda is filled with "brownies, fays, pixies, leprawns, and what else are they not called, for their number is very great"-
Little Denethor is playing by the river, when he happens to look up into the trees. And the trees look back.
| Major Characters: Denethor (Nandor), Lenwë |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Rejects |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 517 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
what was lost on the ice by skywardstruck
If I sing now, will you answer me?
Once childhood friends, now king and captain, Finrod and Edrahil mourn for what they lost in each other on the Helcaraxë.
| Major Characters: Edrahil, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Edrahil/Finrod |
| Genres: Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 437 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
[podfic] Luminous by Chestnut_pod, StarSpray
Nerdanel crafts her first sculpture of strange but beautiful shape.
| Major Characters: Mahtan, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: Mahtan & Nerdanel |
| Genres: Podfic | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
Laurelin & Telperion by StarSpray
“Under her song the saplings grew and became fair and tall, and came to flower; and thus there awoke in the world the Two Trees of Valinor. Of all things which Yavanna made they have the most renown, and about their fate all the tales of the Elder Days are woven.”
~ The Silmarillion, “Of The Beginning of Days”
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Artwork Type: Fiber/Textile Art |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (6) |
You Are My Sunshine by Rocky41_7
Amarie and Finrod, from paradise through tragedy to rebirth
| Major Characters: Amarië, Finrod Felagund |
| Major Relationships: Amarië/Finrod |
| Genres: Music (Pop) | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Nan Elmoth by cuarthol
A sonnet for Thingol and Melian
| Major Characters: Elu Thingol, Melian |
| Major Relationships: Melian/Thingol |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 88 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
Wandering in the Gloaming by Rocky41_7
Playlist for the king and queen of Mirkwood.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: Thranduil/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: Music (Folk, Instrumental, Soundtrack, Vocal) | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (2) |
