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.
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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.
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution
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[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…
[Writing] Winter Warmth by Serinquanion
A winter night in Himring. But inside the quarters where fire blazed in hearth was warmer, and not only from the fire or quilt.
[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] Who Will Hear Me? by XirinOfArvada
A lonely elf finds a flute half buried beneath the sand and wonders if its owner will hear him when he calls.
[Writing] Loyal, Faithful by Himring
Late in the Second Age, one of the Faithful reflects critically on past developments. (Free verse.)
[Writing] East Away! by Flora-lass
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track 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 ...
Discovery
In this challenge inspired by the Polynesian wayfinders, choose a video, song, or historical fact as inspiration to create a fanwork. Read more ...
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.
[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.
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.
Oh, this was so beautiful! Not only that, so utterly romantic as well. Itare just brief touches upon her life and yet they tell so much. Even though this piece mainly breathes Haleth and her decisions, I love the way how Caranthir show through here as well:
Writing a letter to his brother that contained all that he wanted to say, then rewriting the letter with what he was permitted to say and burning the first.
or
Neither looked at the other: He gazed at the stars and she upon his black-clad shoulder.
No longer did anything stand between them and the stars.
Okay, I shall stop here, I loved this a lot! Btw, the ë's in Fëanorians are not displayed correctly, just fyi.
Hi, Rhapsy!
Thank you, thank you! I\'m glad that it worked. It was an eensy bit experimental, going backward in the story, but I do like ficlet series; they\'re fun to write and usually seem to work for me. Of course, what works in my head could seem completely crazy to someone else. ;)
I\'m glad that you noted those lines; they were some of my favorites as I was writing this, but it often seems that what I like best in stories, no one else does! :)
On the umlauts ... I\'m at work and working through a circumventor (since Websense has out site blocked as ... web hosting? >_<) and special characters sometimes don\'t display correctly through the circumventor. But the umlauts are showing up fine in your review, and I checked Doc Bushwell\'s story, and they\'re working there too. Do you recall where particularly you noticed the problem?
Anyway, enough business talk! Thank you again for the review. *hugs*
I like your idea very much. It most certainly works, and I like the way you've brought the series full circle as the first and the last one present a young girl and an old, wise woman. This way, I think, you've given the story more significance.
I like Caranthir here too. He speaks when it's necessary, and as many words as he thinks are needed, and I'm yet again contemplating the fate of the Eldar and Edain. Ah well... :)
Thank you for sharing. Lovely series.
You ripped my heart out with this one. The moving backwards certainly did work. When I got to the end and read the line, "Those are not our sort, girl," you had really finished the job. You made me fall in love with Caranthir too. I agree with Rhapsody's remark that one of the best lines is about Caranthir writing a letter and burning it. Hooray, for fanfic! I loved your segment that included Maedhros (of course, he isn't cursed to me, only doomed or fated, but that is my craziness and has nothing to do with Haleth's opinion or this story).
In two of those odd coincidences that seem to happen to me in relationship to youi, I was reading about Haleth for my upcoming bio, when I took a break to read this, and only a short while earlier had written a segment in my Maitimo/Findekano saga, in which Maitimo asks Findekano, "Am I cursed?"
Wonderful story. I enjoyed it so much.
I'm a horrible person. I actually read this as soon as you posted it, but didn't so much as leave a *squee* or a thank you. But you can believe me, I did squee. When I found it, and several time while reading through it. This story works soo well on soo many levels. I especially love the "circular" structure because that's something I particularly enjoy, be it in writing or in movies (I just recently realized that the Fiery Chasm scene with Sam and Frodo in LotR is edited in the very same way as the one with Elrond and Isildur - that made me squee, too - yes, I'm strange). Also, the idea to tell the story backwards is GREAT!
But I'm telling you, this right here...
Sleeping in his vast bed, naked under furs
... is highly unfair. I'm supposed to write 100 pages of scientific work here and you tempt me with naked Noldor! I'm not so sure if I want to be friends with you anymore. ;-P
Also, I've especially liked drabble IV. It's funny, but I've written quite a similar scene (a conversation of Maedros with Haleth) that was planned as some kind of AU to WRU. I've thought of putting it into the revised version, but then WRU is characterised by the fact that somehow no one talks to each other, so I will have to think about that... (damn, I wish I had the time to write fanfic right now... I miss that).
This is truly wonderful. This story made my day and will make many more yet, I guess. I simply love those two. Thank you soo much!
P.S.: "I would love a pony," Haha, this is so Haleth! :)
I've always preferred elf-to-elf pairings in the stories I read but Caranthir and Haleth's had always been too interesting for me to pass up. I especially liked how you describe the Feanorions, thanks to AMC I've always pictured Caranthir/Carnistir as a cherubic, pink-faced baby who bounced on his family member's knees--a picture of innocence. But here I'm treated to a very different Caranthir/Carnistir--a grown-up and utterly irresistable image of physical attractivness and power.
In my opinion, he is the most mysterious and probably the least developed Feanorion and having him fall in love with one of the Second-born adds to his "appeal". I liked how you compared the color of his eyes to the setting sun--I thought it was romantic. The first and last scenes served their purpose well; I think they "united" the whole story. I wish I could give more technical comments but I'm afraid I'm only limited to writing about how your story moved me. I'm hoping to read a few more stories about Haleth and Carnistir/Caranthir from you in the future, maybe lighter, happier ones too. Thanks for sharing this.
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Comments on Light of the Westering Sun
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