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!
Character of the Month: Marach There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
New Challenge: Allusive Literature and art constantly refer back to each other using allusions, and this month's prompts are inspired by allusions to literature, myth, art, and history.
New Challenge: Building Middle-earth Let global architecture be your inspiration in this challenge, where you will work with a prompts that are architectural styles, locations in Arda, or both.
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…
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…
Of course, she knew that in the Blessed Land, true harm was unlikely to come to him. The Valar watched over them all, and the lesser spirits were everywhere. It was a great hound of Oromë who had found him happily splashing in the creek, in fact. But anyone could drown in mere…
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
Current Challenge
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Competition
Create a fanwork about competitions using a song from the Eurovision Song Contest as a prompt. Read more ...
Across three surveys and ten years, the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey has document when authors began writing. These data reveal trends in how film promotions, the films themselves, the books, and other historical contexts have influenced not only who writes but how long they stay.
There are few details in the texts about Marach, but he is noteworthy for his allegiances and his descendants, who would become pivotal to the history of Middle-earth and the eventual defeat of Morgoth and Sauron.
A dissenting voice in Marach's alliance with the Elves of Beleriand, Amlach experiences a change of mind after a mysterious twist in the story reorients his priorities toward enmity with Morgoth.
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…
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
And you've reduced me to a fit of incoherent squeeing with those verses taken from one of my favorite passages in PL! Those verses are so bloody appropriate.
Thanks so much! This ficlet was spawned this morning over my second cuppa Tanzanian medium-roast. It may very well become the centerpiece of a chapter in Eregion (if I still have the energy and guts to tackle that). If that chapter ever materializes, I can see it titled "Into This Wild Abyss." :^) *Shiver* Milton has a way with words.
Wah! Very powerful. At the start it feels as if he's teethering on the egde and then he takes the plunge with so much confidence. And somewhere in the outer voids, Melkor is screaming. :)
Thanks muchly, Rhapsy! Glad to know that you noted that moment of hesitation followed by that supremely arrogant confidence which indicates (my version of) Sauron is in character.\r\n\r\nIn my \'verse, Melkor can scream all he wants. No sound\'s going to get past that accretion disk. ;^)
Very good indeed - if such an adjective can be applied here!
The two bits I really, really like are the phrase 'the temptation of beautiful minds...' and also the blisters on his hand. But every word in there counts!
And, of course, there is only one possible answer...
I can see the B2MeM project is really contagious, hmmm? :D And I will only say YAY (what a rhyme...) for the themes that inspire such great ficlets as this one. Both poetic and vivid, scary (in a good way), mysetiorus, and simply a splendid work of art. Thank you.
Thanks, Binka! You know, I actually have a picture painted in my head of this scene, but executing it is another matter. Maybe once I complete my "legendarium" I should take a class or two to reactivate my art n' design sensibilities and illustrate my own work! :^D But for now, I'll just "paint" with words.
A pivotal scene in Annatar's "existence" and you managed to paint it in a few words. Your Annatar just makes my skin crawl when you place him in scenes like these.
Thanks muchly, Raksha! Given the plethora of Tolkien fic out there, I'm sure this has been addressed somewhere, but this is how I see it fitting into the Pandë!verse.
I have goosebumps! This is just wonderful, not happy-skipping-tra-la-lally wonderful, but dark and evocative and definitely thought-provoking wonderful. :^D That brief moment in the middle where Sauron shows that he has doubts somehow make the physicality of it worse in the end; it's so much easier when he's not sympathetic.
Thanks so much, Dawn! Although writing a villain with a conscience and self-doubt presents its own challenge, I think it poses a greater hurdle for many -- but thankfully not all - readers.
Pssst..have a look at Binka's illustration of the fic. It's fantastic!
Comments on Till Fire Purge All Things New
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.