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] The Last of the Old Gods by AdmirableMonster
Two members of the crew of the starship Vérië land on the planet Andúnië, investigating a location of interest called The Sleeping Garden.
(Introducing: a Space Opera Númenor AU. Let's be real, it was only a matter of time.)
[Writing] Amid the Wrack by Isilme_among_the_stars
After Ancalagon is cast down Eärendil seeks out his sons and Elrond grapples with the feelings the meeting brings.
Written for Tolkien Sea Week 2026: Day 5 - family
[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] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“Come on.” Maedhros grabbed his hand and pulled him along down the path, both of them quickening their pace now, until the trees opened up into a wide meadow filled with flowers, bright yellow celandine and dandelions and sweet-scented pale chamomile mingling with cornflowers and irises. On…
[Writing] A Gift by Elrond's Library
Findekáno sets out to retrieve Maitimo.
[Reference] Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and…
[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.
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
Rise Above
Create a fanwork using a quote from a woman who made contributions in science. Read more ...
New in References
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
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.
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
Feanorian Week 2026
A week dedicated to celebrating to the Sons of Feanor (and their parents) on Tumblr
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
Laughing Water by Himring
A glimpse of Rian after Lalaith, the little daughter of her cousin Morwen, died from a plague sent by the Enemy.
| Major Characters: Rían |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: B2MeM 2019 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 420 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
In crafts of making he had less skill by Himring
Two lessons for Turin: one with Sador, and one with Beleg.
He learns not as much as he might.
| Major Characters: Beleg, Sador Labadal, Túrin |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: B2MeM 2019 |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 202 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
For who, finding themselves imprisoned, would not wish to escape? by Himring
Miriel and a book.
| Major Characters: Tar-Míriel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 203 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Only Half-Related by chrissystriped
He should have seen it coming, Nolofinwe thought while Maitimo’s lips descended on his, hot and demanding. His nephew had stolen away to talk with him almost every time he visited Findekáno and it hadn’t escaped Nolofinwe how he looked at him – and he couldn’t deny that Maitimo was proving a hard trial for his self-control.
After Maitimo recognises Nolofinwe at a place for people of special tastes, they share a common secret. But is this a chance to have this kind of relationship with someone they care about or should they forget about it because of their close kinship?
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingolfin/Maedhros |
| Genres: Erotica, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic) |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 6, 438 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Piecing our Lives back together by chrissystriped
Findekáno brings Maitimo home, but nothing is like it was between Nolofinwe and Maedhros after his imprisonment in Angband. Maedhros feels tainted and unworthy, but Nolofinwe is not going to give up on him.
| Major Characters: Fingolfin, Maedhros |
| Major Relationships: Fingolfin/Maedhros |
| Genres: Erotica, Hurt/Comfort, Slash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Incest, Sexual Content (Graphic), Torture |
| Chapters: 8 | Word Count: 17, 463 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
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Golden Flower by Raiyana
What is left behind to linger in time.
| Major Characters: Legendary/Mythical Character(s) |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Character Death |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 295 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (5) |
We were never meant to survive by lightofthetrees
An eagle arrives in Gondolin, bearing news of a great battle to come. Maeglin and Rog discuss their decision to march to war alongside the King.
| Major Characters: Maeglin, Rog |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Ficlet | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 065 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (4) |
Five Things That Never Happened to Sauron by Russandol
Five short scenes with a twist, in five different locations. Each of them harder to write than the previous one!
1st Place, Ficlet: Elder Days & Smaug's Treasure, MEFA 2011
| Major Characters: Ar-Pharazôn, Celebrimbor, Eönwë, Sauron, Thranduil |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Experimental | Challenges: Fifth Birthday Celebration |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Character Death, Sexual Content (Mild) |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 674 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
This fanwork belongs to the series
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (10) |
| Major Characters: Arwen, Celeborn, Celebrían |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 704 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Rain Washes Off All the Other Colors by Tethys Resort
“He has led us in here against our fears, but he will lead us out again, at whatever cost to himself. He is surer to find his home in a blind night than the cats of Berúthiel.” Aragorn, Moria.
The story of a woman and her cats.
| Major Characters: Berúthiel |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Drama | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Creator Chooses Not to Warn |
| Chapters: 3 | Word Count: 7, 108 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
To Drain a Lake by Himring
Who would dream to drain a lake?
An attempt to answer this question, posed by my prompt, for Middle-earth.
A few short reflections.
| Major Characters: No major characters listed |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Poetry | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 236 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (8) |
Ashes by Anne Wolfe
A box of ashes, and its journey back to the beginning. Featuring ithildin, Smaug, and a surprising number of dwarves.
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Dwarves, Fëanor, Gimli, Legolas Greenleaf |
| Major Relationships: Gimli & Legolas |
| Genres: Crackfic, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 344 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (2) |
Jail-Crow by lonelyvisitor
Fëanor tells Melkor to get off his lawn. An imagined passage from the Noldolantë of Maglor.
| Major Characters: Fëanor, Maglor, Melkor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Experimental, General, Poetry | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 351 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (9) |
On Behalf of the Band by lonelyvisitor
There’s an Elf climbing through the garage window.
Worse than an Elf: a Mod.
(a Maglor-in-History)
| Major Characters: Historical Character(s), Maglor |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Crackfic, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 813 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (1) |
Ceven i Nesta by Chestnut_pod
It happened in the days of the First Age--
Or, how Elwing got those ships.
| Major Characters: Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Elwing & Olwë |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Teens | Warnings: Check Notes for Warnings |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 686 |
| 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) |
nothing but time and a face that you lose by Chestnut_pod
It always hurts to lose a might-have-been. But here Amarië is.
| Major Characters: Amarië, Findis |
| Major Relationships: Amarië & Findis |
| Genres: Family, General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 519 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Upon the Branching Years by IgnobleBard
Legolas is tasked by Ulmo to travel to Gondolin to make sure history does not again deviate from Eru's plan.
This is a time travel AU wherein Legolas Greenleaf and Legolas of Gondolin are the same person.
Written for the My Slashy Valentine Swap 2021.
| Major Characters: Original Character(s), Ecthelion of the Fountain, Erestor, Galdor of the Tree, Glorfindel, Legolas Greenleaf, Legolas of Gondolin, Turgon |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Alternate Universe, Drama, Romance, Slash/Femslash | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: Adult | Warnings: Character Death, Sexual Content (Moderate), Violence (Moderate) |
| Chapters: 14 | Word Count: 22, 301 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (26) |
Ox Bones and Silver Ladles: The Construction of the Ainulindalë by Dawn Walls-Thumma
The deus faber and demiurgic motifs of creation mythology are used in the Ainulindalë, selected and manipulated by Tolkien to advance ideas that rest at the foundation of the legendarium.
The Divine Hour by jamcake_muses
An unseasonably large snowstorm causes Gil-galad to fret about their upcoming March to Mordor.
| Major Characters: Celebrían, Elrond, Gil-galad |
| Major Relationships: Celebrían/Elrond/Gil-galad |
| Genres: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Poly | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 1, 300 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Clearer than Clear Water by StarSpray
The world begins with starlight and clear water. The River-daughter opens her eyes to see the stars as shimmering streaks blurring together. It is such a delightful sight that she reaches for them, and gasps when her hand breaks out of the water into cool air.
The River-daughter, from her awakening to the sun's first rising.
| Major Characters: Goldberry |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: General | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 2, 282 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is complete. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (0) |
Tar-Minastir by oshun
A man of his times, Tar-Minastir perpetuated Númenórean policies of the past and foreshadowed those that would follow.
Instadrabbling at the Ribbon-Cutting Event by elennalore
Two drabbles (100 words) I wrote during the Ribbon-cutting event instadrabbling 25.04.2021.
The first is Silvergifting, prompt words daisy, riddle, sunlit, lawns
The second is Russingon, prompt words warmth, smile, memory, river
| Major Characters: Celebrimbor, Fingon, Sauron |
| Major Relationships: Fingon/Maedhros, Celebrimbor/Sauron |
| Genres: | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 214 |
| 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) |
An eye in a blue face by Himring
Arien looks down on Middle-earth and, thanks to Yavanna, she sees...
Can you guess?
(Gollum once guessed it long ago.)
| Major Characters: Arien, Yavanna |
| Major Relationships: No major relationships listed |
| Genres: Fixed-Length Ficlet | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 1 | Word Count: 100 |
| 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) |
Ribbon-Cutting Instadrabbling by Lindariel
Instadrabbles from the ribbon-cutting event on the SWG Discord server, 24-25 April 2021, on the theme of renewal
| Major Characters: Celeborn, Fingolfin, Fingon, Galadriel, Huan, Lúthien Tinúviel |
| Major Relationships: Celeborn/Galadriel |
| Genres: Adventure, Family | Challenges: No challenge listed |
| Rating: General | Warnings: No warnings apply |
| Chapters: 5 | Word Count: 510 |
| 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) |
Tattered and Split by StarSpray
The sea is huge, and grey, and loud, and Elwing hates it. She hates it and she fears it, and so once she is old enough to slip away from her nurses and her guardians, she goes down to the beach.
| Major Characters: Elwing |
| Major Relationships: Eärendil/Elwing |
| Genres: Family, General, Het | Challenges: Queens of the Quill |
| Rating: General | Warnings: Suicide |
| Chapters: 2 | Word Count: 1, 903 |
| Posted on | Updated on |
| This fanwork is a work in progress. |
| Table of Contents and Single Chapters | Show All Chapters | Comments (6) |
