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
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.
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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 ...
Storyteller
Storytelling is an interactive art, using words and actions to bring a story to life while encouraging the listener’s imagination. This challenge is all about storytellers in the Silmarillion tapestry. 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.
I'm going to write a stream of consciousness review as I read. :)
Firstly, I love the opening song. It fits the story and now I shall never hear this song without thinking of Fingolfin! :)
This sentence:
"Opening his eyes, he once more sought for his son, so like himself – driven by duty and responsibility. He smiled slightly to himself. There were some things Findekáno had inherited from his mother rather than himself: the compassion, the love and the humility that he and his own elder brother both lacked."
I was a bit confused by this sentence; I had to read it a few times. There are lot of pronouns that make it hard for me to follow who the "he" and "him" are. I'd suggest putting proper names in their places, something like:
"Opening his eyes, he once more sought for his son, so like himself – driven by duty and responsibility. Fingolfin smiled slightly to himself. There were some things Findekáno had inherited from his mother rather than his father: the compassion, the love and the humility that Fingolfin and his elder brother both lacked."
Fingon's musings about the world Ereinion will inherit--and Fingolfin's reply--is heartbreaking. So is the way that Fingolfin folds his rings into his son's hand. One can only imagine Fingon's awakening (and you mention this too, later! What a sad moment.)
In the fight scene, the word "dance" is used a lot. It's a great word, but I'd suggest being a little more sparing so that it doesn't become redundant.
But in all, a beautiful and heartbreaking story about a time in the history of the Noldor that receives surprisingly little attention. (I am among the guilty. :) You effectively bring these characters down from their places as epic figures, princes, and kings and show the personal impact that this must have had on the Noldor.
Hi Dawn, and thank you for a lovely piece of feedback. :)
There were severeal elves fighting for the use of the starting song but Fingolfin won ;) He pointed out how badly I had negelcted him until that point.
Thank you regarding the constructive critism regarding the pronouns in the particular sentance and also regarding the overuse of the word 'dance' I will take both suggestions under consideration and edit the story accordingly. (Probably it will take a few days dueto more pressing commitments though)
I am glad that you enjoyed the story and found it both heartbreaking and that I managed to bring the characters down to a personal level. I struggled a lot in writing this story and it is always ncie to hear that I managed to in the end post a successful story.
Thanks again!
*hugs*
Uli
Very powerful. I very much like the characterization of Fingolfin and Fingon in this piece. Extremely plausible scenario of why and how Fingolfin chose to act as he did. I've often asked myself what kind of man would do what Fingon did to rescue Maedhros--a similarly suicidal stunt, but with a purpose that is, despite that, life-affirming. Well, the one answer could be: the kind of man who had a father who would act as Fingolfin did when he called out Morgoth.
Thank you for another lovely review and once again sorry to take so long to respond. I had been trying to get into Fingolfin;s head for some time when I started writing this, deciding to start from the end of why he decided to take on a battle he must have known he could never win.
I had also seen/heard to many interprentions of FIngolfin as a harsh possibly abusive father and I go stubborn :) A lot of the reason behind wriitng it was a backlash agaisnt that and writing a loving father instead. I am very glad you enjoyed the story, in many ways it was the hardest one I have written so far (I do not do fightscenes well and lost count of the amount of times I was told by my betas that it didn;t work and needed rewritten again :D)
Thanks for the review.
*hugs*
Uli
I think this is a very vivid retelling of Fingolfin's death. You were able to convey the dark hopelessness of the Quendi at that hour so well.
Thank you. I love the Noldor, they are all flawed but at the same time so increadibly heroic.
Really glad to find this. Fingolfin has to be one of the most unfairly underappreciated characters in the Silm (I really want to write something for him but haven't managed it yet). I've often wondered what was going through his mind at the end and this is a fine take on it.
Thank you for the lovely feedback. You are right, I read far too many stories with Fingolfin as a bad or even abusive father and I wanted to write him as someone who, in the end, sacrifices himself to give his children a chance to escape and survive. :)
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Comments on Ascendancy
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