New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Scavenger Hunt
In this Matryoshka-with-a-twist, you will solve clues that point you to the challenge prompts.
[Writing] Is it raining with you? by AdmirableMonster
In the last days of Númenor, two very different men meet in Umbar and fall in love.
(Please note that while this work is heavily inspired by Disco Elysium, no knowledge of the game is necessary to read the fic!)
[Writing] Nasyalossë by Lovimmy3365
Erestor lay up against a tree, brown washed to black in the wet of the snow. The black disc of the new moon sailed across the dark sky. Erestor wished it were gone. He had no need to look into dark eyes any longer.
He was dying.
(AKA Erestor unwittingly travels back in time to the…
[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] Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
[Writing] Wrensong and Roses by Isilme_among_the_stars
Concerned by his responses to the paraphernalia of healing, Fingon steals Maedhros from his room for an impromptu garden excursion. Maedhros battles with dark thoughts.
[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] Bon(e)fire by Fuin
On the night before the battle, Caranthir and his ally share thoughts about their peoples' traditions:
Burning bones ward off evil.
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
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.
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
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.
[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…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Tolkien Native Language Appreciation Fest 2026
A Tumblr event to celebrate the linguistic diversity of the Tolkien fandom.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Hi,
me again. If you are thinking that I'm reading only you for the past couple of days, you are very right. All your stories are very good, but I must admitt that this one (along with the Melkian dialogues and the Sundry) has impressed me greatly.
The cruelty of this is genuine, especially of the conversation between Sauron and Gelmir after they had blinded him (but probably the effect of this would not be so strong if there hadn't been any preparations for it (I mean, there is a harmony of tone over the whole story - the torch, Varda's light, his eyes, Sauron's bet - very nice)). Sauron in this story has one of the best portraits I have ever come across to. Gelmir's fate is one of the rare really disturbing accounts of what is men reduced to when he abandons his highest hope. To cite Nietzsche: 'Please, don't kill the hero inside yourself. Regard your highest hope to be holy.' I think this quotation relates quite well with your story.
When I was reading this (your story) for the first time, I haven't noticed that you have mentioned a story of Camus as the 'template'. I'm a great admirerer of Camus, but I haven't read 'The Renegade'. However, I recognize some elements in your story that certainly have something of his greatness, especially the indifference of things ('the gentle indifference' as Camus would put it - the torch), the whole account of Gelmir's thoughts before his execution, the theme of execution (Camus obssesion, certainly), and the cruelty that actually gets a 'thank you' after her dirty work has been done. Of course, I don't think that the understanding and use of these were the right of Camus alone - out of the idea of incorporation of these in your story lurks also a greatness that is your own.
Easily the best story on this site.
Hi Belegur,
Thanks very much. I'm glad you enjoyed the story so much! I would heartily recommend Camus' short story 'The Renegade,' as I was definitely going for a similar style and theme with this piece (and rereading it now, I find it almost too blatant an homage in some ways).
I'm pleased you liked Sauron's portrayal here. I enjoy writing him a bit too much, I think. He likes to try and steal any story I place him in. Re: Nietzsche quote, that's an interpretation I would not have thought of. To my mind, Gelmir's highest hope is what lands him in so much trouble to begin with, but I'm rather a cynic. In your third paragraph, you do pick up on a lot of the things I was trying to accomplish with this story, and I'm delighted you got so much out of it.
And that is a most flattering closing remark, but have you read every single story on this site before making it? ;) There is a plethora of impressive work by many authors here on the SWG; that's why I like to archive here! =D
Eeps! How can do that to me? (I am quite surprised I had not reviewed this before. Scanned the archive and saw it again and saw I had not--probably hurt too much.)
Devastating story. Painful and heartbreaking and all too believable. Masterful. You're such a good writer.
Oh hey, thanks so much, Oshun! Coincidentally, I recently reread this one after not looking at it in a long time. I'm glad to hear (if glad is the right word) that it evokes the sentiments its subject matter ought.
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Comments on The muddled last thoughts of one Gelmir of Nargothrond
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