New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
SWG News
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
The SWG Is Featured in Two Journal Articles
In a recent special issue of "Transformative Works and Cultures" about platforms, the SWG was discussed in two articles.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Do you cut down down blossoming trees in the spring for firewood? by Himring
In western Numenor, there is an area famous for its trees and plants. But the Faithful have been banished to the east. And in the last days of Numenor, on the coast an army assembles...
[Writing] Family Gossip by StarSpray
“You,” Fingon pronounced, “are drunk. I am not going to give you anyone’s name just so you can make up a silly drunken ballad."
[Writing] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
[Writing] Lost and Found by awwyeah107
In the aftermath of the second kinslaying, Maglor and Maedhros are faced with the disappearance of a pair of twins: Eluréd and Elurín.
Years later, another pair of twins—this time under the Fëanorians’ care—are missing: Elrond and Elros.
[3 chapters, posted over 3 consecutive days…
[Writing] What Comes Naturally by Rocky41_7
Two queens of the Noldor discuss motherhood.
[Writing] Emissary by Uvatha the Horseman
60 years before the War of the Ring, The Mouth of Sauron is being raised as an illegitimate son in the house of his father. More than anything, he craves security and a title of his own.
[Writing] Test of Loyalty by Uvatha the Horseman
In the Age of the Trees, Mairon-Sauron burned his bridges when he left home to become the newest member of Melkor's household. He has no idea what he's gotten himself into. (slash Sauron/Melkor)
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Elf Falls into Modern-earth
Create a fanwork in which a Silmarillion character ends up in the modern world. Read more ...
New in References
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
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.
In the House of the Fairbairns by Simon J. Cook
[]The first of some posts on the Elf-tower on the western margin of The Lord of the Rings attempts to frame the relationship between the narrative and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and an analysis of Frodo's dream-visions.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
[Writing] To those that go before by Quente
[]Éomer Éadig is dead, and Aragorn meditates on losing his friends.
Around the World and Web
Glorfindel Week 2024
Glorfindel Week is a week-long Tumblr event for creating fanworks that celebrate Glorfindel. Glorfindel Week will run April 29-May 5, 2024.
Teitho April/May Challenge: Quotes
Teitho is a monthly fanfiction contest. Our April/May prompt uses the source material directly for inspiration with quotes to choose from.
PhD Research on Writing Tolkien's Female Characters: Participants Needed
Interview participants are needed who write Tolkien-based fanfiction about female characters.
Forgotten Ground Regained: Call for Submissions
Forgotten Ground Regained is looking for alliterative poetry on the themes of love, devotion, and desire for their upcoming fall issue.
WIP Big Bang 2024
The WIP Big Bang has one goal in mind: to clean out your fanfic drafts folder. Complete a story and receive art to go with it.
W by Himring
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Chapter 2: The Walrus That Went South
An unlikely explanation for the unprecedented appearance of a walrus in Tenby, South Wales.
What does a walrus have to do with Tolkien? More than perhaps you think.
For the prompt "walrus", obviously.
General, no warnings (except a tiny bit of language, I guess)
The walrus is a real one, although zoologically inaccurate ("Wally the Walrus"); the Maiar are by Tolkien.
Now with related art!
See Whimsical Walrus Works for two charming drawings of Wally, one on the trip south and one enjoying that nice slipway at Tenby! Thank you so much, Bunn!
‘Bugger this,’ grumbled the walrus and slithered off his ice floe.
Osse, lounging among icebergs, saw him swim away and shouted after him: ‘Where are you going?’
‘I am going south for Tolkien Reading Day!’ said the walrus.
‘But you cannot read, can you?’ Osse laughed.
‘I can still be read to,’ said the walrus and went on swimming.
He travelled steadily, stopping for a few snacks here and there, but always continuing south.
‘You are very far south,’ observed Salmar, off Shetland. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I’m going south for Tolkien Reading Day,’ said the walrus.
‘I did not know walruses were interested in Tolkien,’ said Salmar astonished.
‘Why shouldn’t we be?’ asked the walrus. ‘After all, by all accounts he was very interested in us and in our name, at one time!’
He swam on past the Hebrides and arrived in the Irish Sea.
‘You are far from home,’ whispered Uinen. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I am going for the Tolkien Reading Day,’ the walrus confided. ‘I have heard rumours of Sam Gamgee’s fish and chips and I wanted to investigate.’
‘I am not sure that I would recommend the chips, for you,’ murmured Uinen. ‘But have fun!’
‘Thank you,’ said the walrus and went on until he came to Tenby.
‘Have I arrived in time for Tolkien Reading Day?’ he asked, but nobody seemed to understand him.
‘Maybe I came too late,’ he thought. ‘And nobody is offering me fish and chips. But this is a nice and convenient slipway and the humans all seem very happy to see me! I think I will stay a while.’
Chapter End Notes
Tolkien Reading Day is on 25 March.
