New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
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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.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Oooh, awesome, awesome, awesome, Wesley! This chapter moves along at a very good pace with a nice balance of description and dialog. Love the imagery of the Temple of Silver and the contentitious audience, especially the discussion around the comparison of Dwarvish lenses vs. those from Aman and the thermodynamic unliklihood of transmutation. Aulendil is in his element here, and I loved how he fields the questions and challenges. Spot on. I also deeply appreciate the fact that you give sutble, outward signs of age to the Elves (and the Wolf in Half-Maia/Half-Vanya Clothing) here. Very believable in my book.
The emissary continued, "…Curumo, the Cunning, begat me upon a noblewoman of Ingwë’s house. It was no happy union as Thingol and Melian’s was… after strife between them, my birth was a gift that brought no joy to either.
The Dark Muse™ is running around in a tight circle, alternately screaming with glee and horror. :^D
"He knows more than god, then! There is going to be a king’s ransom of diamonds lost through the floorboards if so much as sneezes! His beard has probably swept up more wealth than—" There was a clank of metal and a flood of blue cursing. “Oh mother of spiders! That hurt!
This was a hilarious scene, esp. the subsequent ribbing on Tyelpo's (sorry force of habit :^D) Tyelpë's part. "Disorganized." Heh. "Mother of spiders!" Love it! Might I poach it?
But this...this is my very favorite bit from this chapter:
So when, in the pursuit of a new method he miscalculated the necessary heat for the coals, it took him by surprise that his error elicited no biting remark on his intelligence or moral fiber.
“Ah!” Aulendil put his hand over Tyelpe’s in guidance. “Close. A few degrees more, it’s a whiter heat for mithril. There you have it. Perfect. Now, hold it there.”
“I’m sorry, I should have—“
“Eh?” the Vanya smith blinked in confusion. “No need for an apology, Tyelpe. Goodness, this is your forge after all. You’re doing fine.” He laughed, and returned to work.
Man, oh, man, does that ring true at a deeply personal level. Throughout my education and career, I have received plenty of compliments but with qualifications. And even if I didn't say "I'm sorry, I should have" (although I am sure I must have said this literally at times), I know I was thinking it. [As an aside, I told one of my former supervisors, when he asked for feedback from me, that he should praise his direct reports.] So unqualified praise is really uplifting and certainly engenders good will. I can truly get why this means so much to Tyelpë. This - and the combination of authentic knowledge that Aulendil offers - nicely sets up the dynamic between Tyelpë and Aulendil and how the latter knows exactly which chimes to ring in this regard. I'm guessing that Aulendil likely has experienced the same.
And I love the artwork!
OH HO HO you and the DM are absolutely more than welcome to pilfer Annatar's curses! XD he is honored.
Again, nicely paced, very cool world-building and interesting characters. Man, do I love your Dwarves!
"Not bad by half…" he panted. "…for one so elderly."
"And you neither, for a savage, uncouth Fëanorian."
Tyelpe breathed a laugh. "We had brave, fiery dances. You’d never keep up."
That snippet of dialog represents what I liked overall in BS&S - A & T have an engaging banter with what feels like authentic good-natured ribbing. It shows (vs. tells) that these fellows are both colleagues and friends. Also got a kick out-of-the-drunken-dance-scene-making-a-fool-of-oneself-in-front-of-one's-mentor. I've been there. Although I didn't go to bed with him afterwards. Speaking of which...
The erotic scene really worked well! Again, you achieve a good balance of erotic imagery and sensation along with emotion and dialog. Actually reminds me of Oshun's treatments of Fingon and Maedhros (that's high praise, btw. :^)) Full disclaimer: if an erotic scene is too prolonged and with just pokes and prods, I get bored as hell and skip ahead. Yours is not like that at all. There's something to be said about Tyelpë's character here, notably:
The only words that came easy now were short, and filthy, and he could hear them echoed by Aulendil’s stunning voice, rumbling and deep—telling him how good he was, how perfect, how much he was taking— the same voice he’d heard in the lecture hall, in the forge, and the thought of it was so deliciously sinful.
Great tie-in to the previous chapter and Tyelpë's hunger for praise.
Also liked the descriptions and process of the forging of the Three and how Tyelpë's infused them with the essence of his friends...and their revulsion thereof. The use of blood magic in the crafting of the Rings was neat.
And finally the end:
“But I do understand. I know you craved kinship, and affection, as much as I did. You say that Aulendil was not real, but that is also a lie.” Tyelpe choked. “That he was not the whole truth of you does not make him fiction. And whatever you are in your entirety, I will love that part of you that was kind, and earnest, and brilliant, forever. And I am sorry, my friend, that you cannot pull back from this path you have taken, I am sorry that you have chosen the most useless and destructive consolation of all to salve your grief. I cannot bring back what you lost, nor be the downfall you wish to avenge. I am only Tyelpe. And I love you."
Red coals sprayed over the ground as Sauron yanked the hot iron from the forge and drove it upwards through Tyelperinquar's ribs. "Silence! Still your idiot tongue, you disgusting child! I hate you, I hate all your kind, your family, your breed, your species! I will eradicate you from this earth and piss on the wreckage, useless whelp of Eru! Don't you dare speak another word to me!"
Tyelpë drives the hammer home. And the characterization of Sauron here? The raw anger at Tyelpë's strike at the heart of the matter? Oh, yes. Feels right to me.
*Applauds* Very well done, Wes!
I am and continue to be overwhelmed by joy at your commentary. I literally keep a hoard of your responses that I sit atop purring and scratching my scales with. Forgive me if my head swells just a little bit from knowing that my bits of science-magic and erotica have met with your approval. ;) You have also provided me with some wonderfully visual silliness that you know I can't resist. Art will be forthecoming.
This is terrific work. The detail of smithing gives it authenticity but the depth of thinking behind it admirable- it's the story I have wanted to read!!
eloquent indeed, vivid and visceral.
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