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] House of Finwë by softmoonlightmelody
One drabble per Finwëan. Currently on first and second generations.
[Writing] The Mirror Crack'd by AdmirableMonster
Rescued from a brutal Angband hunt, an ex-thrall with a strange and powerful artifact embedded in his spine is brought to Himring, for it is one of the only places in Beleriand which welcomes such folk. Though he has no memories of his life before, Anniavas slowly becomes accustomed to his new…
[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…
Current Challenge
Random Challenge
In Rare Form
Try something "in rare form," using a format or genre that is rarely utilized in Tolkien fanfiction. 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
Water Music by grey_gazania
Elrond, newly arrived to Balar, has a brief conversation with Gil-galad that makes him reassess his situation.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Gil-galad |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Vintage |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 563 |
| 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 hammer and the star by Chiara Cadrich
A voluble dwarf delights the inn with a legend adulterated by his drunken elucubrations. It's up to you to disentangle the true from the false...
| Major Characters: Narvi |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Horror | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Violence (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 542 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Three Bredlik Poems by Himring
Three bredlik poems featuring an unnamed orc, Melian and Tilion.
| Major Characters: Melian, Orcs, Tilion |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Humor, Poetry | Challenges: Vintage |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 92 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Full of Gorgeous Life by StarSpray
Three of Nerdanel's sons come home: a trio of double-drabbles.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Celegorm, Curufin, Nerdanel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, Fixed-Length Ficlet, Fluff | Challenges: Vintage |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 623 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Loyalty Outtakes by grey_gazania
Short scenes that didn't make it into Loyalty.
| Major Characters: Caranthir, Maedhros, Ulfang |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 748 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
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Too Late, Cried the Gulls by grey_gazania
“Too late the ships of Círdan and Gil-galad the High King came hasting to the aid of the Elves of Sirion; and Elwing was gone, and her sons.” - The Silmarillion
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Círdan, Elwing, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Círdan & Gil-galad |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Vintage |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 311 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Darkness and Light by grey_gazania
Fingon's wife and daughter face their grief in the aftermath of the Nírnaeth Arnoediad.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 142 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
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| This fanwork is complete. |
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Half Past Ten in the Rose Garden by grey_gazania
Caranthir discovers that this romance thing is a lot harder than it looks.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Unnamed Canon Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Caranthir |
| Major Relationships: Caranthir/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: Humor, Romance | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 5, 845 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
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By Love or at Least Free Will by grey_gazania
Short scenes in the life of Fingon and Ianneth, his wife.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Unnamed Canon Character, Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration, New Year's Resolution, Season's Greetings |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 6 | Word Count: 7, 190 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
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| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (9) |
A Gift of Words by grey_gazania
In pre-Darkening Tirion, a bookish young girl receives a significant gift.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 274 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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A Stitch in Time by grey_gazania
The quilt stayed with him — first on Balar, then in Lindon, then in Rivendell. It kept his children warm at night and, later, covered the bed of a small boy named Estel. And when Sauron was finally defeated — the One Ring destroyed at the tiny hands of two brave Hobbits — and it was time for the Ringbearers to depart Middle-earth forever, Elrond took the quilt, worn and threadbare though it was, with him.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Elrond |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 694 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
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| This fanwork is complete. |
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And Every Single One of Us Still Left in Want of Mercy by grey_gazania
Parmë's voice was calm, but when she turned, Canyanis saw that her face was ashen and her hands were trembling.
"Parmë?" Something clenched in her chest, and she walked over and took hold of Parmë's shaking hands. Something was horribly, horribly wrong.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: Caranthir/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: General | Challenges: 10th Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 387 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Beneath the Willow Tree by grey_gazania
Elenwë is stressed. Luckily, Aredhel knows exactly how to help.
Written for Rhapsody the Bard for the 2013 My Slashy Valentine exchange.
| Major Characters: Aredhel, Elenwë |
| Major Relationships: Aredhel/Elenwë |
| Genres: Femslash, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 304 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Five Letters Caranthir Sent His Wife (And One Letter He Didn't) by grey_gazania
When Fëanor is exiled to Formenos, his seven sons accompany him, but Caranthir's wife stays behind in Tirion. A selection of their correspondence.
Written for the Vintage challenge prompts "epistolary" and "five things".
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Caranthir |
| Major Relationships: Caranthir/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: General | Challenges: Vintage |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 6 | Word Count: 3, 088 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
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| This fanwork is complete. |
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Nightmares by grey_gazania
A brief moment between Maedhros and ten-year-old Elrond.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Elrond & Elros & Maedhros & Maglor |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 669 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Dull My Blades by grey_gazania
A brief moment in Eglarest between Fingon and his wife.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Fingon |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 064 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
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| This fanwork is complete. |
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The Bed We Share by grey_gazania
With his first child on the way, Fingon struggles to reconcile his divided heart.
| Major Characters: Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Unnamed Canon Character, Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 051 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
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| This fanwork is complete. |
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Spiders in the Mist: An Arachnid Love Story by Maggie Honeybite
On a mission to the Valley of Dreadful Death, two giant spiders encounter adventure, tackle moral issues and find love. Inspired by Tehta's "Flawed and Fair." AU, humour, giant spider slash.
| Major Characters: Original Male Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Adventure, Drama, Erotica, Humor, Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 8, 963 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Promise of Fire by Maggie Honeybite
Fingon tries to keep a promise made long ago.
| Major Characters: Fingon, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros |
| Genres: Drama, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 501 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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As Rivers of Water in a Dry Place by Maggie Honeybite
During the siege of the Barad-dûr, Gil-galad struggles with the burden of leadership and the grim reality of war. Elrond helps.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond/Gil-galad |
| Genres: Drama, Erotica, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Mature Themes, Sexual Content (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 4, 255 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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In the Bleak Midwinter by Maggie Honeybite
On a cold winter night in Lindon, things heat up between the High King and his herald for the very first time. PWP.
| Major Characters: Elrond, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Elrond/Gil-galad |
| Genres: Erotica, Romance, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 3, 556 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Spark by grey_gazania
A brief moment between a young Curufin and his future wife.
Started for a B2MeM prompt from a few years ago, "meeting your future spouse".
| Major Characters: Original Female Character(s), Unnamed Female Canon Character(s), Curufin |
| Major Relationships: Curufin/Unnamed Canon Character |
| Genres: Ficlet, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Creator Chooses Not to Rate | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 543 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
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On Secret Looms Entwined by Lindariel
Episodes from the life Galadriel wove for herself in Middle-Earth.
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Círdan, Galadriel, Ulmo |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
Loyalty by grey_gazania
Who were Ulfang's people, and why did they betray the Elves?
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Bor, Brodda, Caranthir, Dwarves, Maedhros, Uldor, Ulfang, Ulfast, Ulwarth |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Warnings: No warnings apply | |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| View Fanwork | Comments (0) |
A Glimpse of the Harbor by Rocky41_7
Elwing watched for the return of Earendil's ship.
| Major Characters: Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing |
| Genres: Family, Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 640 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
