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: 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…
When uneasy dreams bring him back into Beleriand, Daeron finds a pair of twins who have lost their home, and an enemy who has lost himself. The Shadow's reach is growing ever longer, and if they are to survive, they must do it together.
Over the course of his very long life he had found a handful of messages in bottles, but it had been a very long time. So when he found the glass bottle on his little stretch of pebbly beach, he picked it up with the intention of tossing it into his recycling. But it wasn’t, he found, just…
The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit film trilogies mark perhaps the most influential events in the history of the Tolkien fanfiction fandom. As the Rings of Power show approaches its third season, data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows that it is not even close to matching the impact of the films ... yet.
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
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.
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…
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Sindar Week 2026
A Tolkien event week for the Sindar, the Grey-Elves, from the Years of the Trees to the Third Age.
Finwean Sibblings Prompt Fest 2026
A prompt-based fandom event aiming to focus on celebrating Finwë's children: Fëanor, Findis, Fingolfin, Lalwen, & Finarfin - ships, gen relationships, or character-centric
Tolkien Sapphic September
Tolkien Sapphic September is a month long event focusing on Sapphic relationships and characters in Tolkien and adjacent materials.
Gigolas Week 2026
Gigolas Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Legolas and Gimli
Innumerable Stars 2026
A character-based Tolkien fandom gift exchange is returning for another year of gifting.
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.
Anérea has requested the following types of constructive criticism on this fanwork: Anatomy, Background, Color/Tone, Composition, Flow, Proportion, Shape/Line, Style, Technique, Texture. All constructive criticism must follow our diplomacy guidelines.
This is just stunning: the light on the water, the sense of motion in the figure and in the sea, and the wildness of that wave that you convey. My jaw is on the floor!
Thanks Dawn ? I'm so happy you feel energy of it. This was really fun to paint, and I have to admit that I'm rather happy with how the water turned out.
Thank you! This is actually surf!Círdan version 2, because the first one looked more like a cross between Ossë, Ulmo, and an older Billy Ocean (ironically!), but some of that wild energy remained. Now you mention it, I think some of this is also inspired by In the Heart of the Storm by IgnobleBard.
This is perfect! I love his expression, and how you have drawn the wave! I'm sure Ossë is watching him somewhere. I could look at this for a long time.
What a delightful comment, thank you! I'm glad you like his expression, I was wondering whether it was a bit intense. (His anatomy could do with a bit of work, but since this is the oddest pose I've painted yet by far, I've decided to just enjoy the rest!)
Hmm, Ossë could well be watching, especially if it's it the Ossë from Ignoble Bard's fic I've linked to in my reply to Himring above... (A lovely story that I now I think about it went some way to inspiring this.)
I just remembered yesterday that surfer!Cirdan was sparked by a comment by Gabriel-seven at the TSFW, and wanted to share with you in case there's any ideas lurking there, and also in the "Movie Stand-in" comments lower down here ↓
Círdan's pose is so dynamic! And I love the light on the water and Círdan's shadow. (And I agree, of course the Teleri would not wear clothes when they go into the water!)
Thank you! It was very fun to paint. (Definitely the oddest pose I've ever attempted and, despite having a photo reference, I owe huge thanks to my mom for her artistic sight and correcting my initial attempts.) Painting this wasn't quite as good as actually surfing, but since I was never able to surf such gnarley waves anyway, (naked or otherwise!) it was definitely the next best thing!
I have this scene in my head of Cirdan acting as everyone expects, being old and the lord of the Falas and yet in secret he surfs under the light of the full moon.
Yes, I'm starting to believe there are pieces to Cirdan's life we can't even begin to imagine.
Oh yes! I love this idea. Making people think he's too old and noble (and dull!) so they don't invite him in the first place is so much easier than making excuses all the time to avoid all the boring events someone in his position would otherwise be expected to take part in. I'm falling in love with him more and more!
(ETA: Oh! To surf under the full moon! I'd be there with him in a shot. In the buff, of course; got to follow protocol.)
Comments on Círdan Falben
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.
Anérea has requested the following types of constructive criticism on this fanwork: Anatomy, Background, Color/Tone, Composition, Flow, Proportion, Shape/Line, Style, Technique, Texture. All constructive criticism must follow our diplomacy guidelines.