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 ...
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.
Heh, others have said that... I've really had fun playing with Thuringwethil here! It's been a nice (if a shade grisly) change from my usual Elves. Thank you for reading. :)
Thanks so much! To be honest, this sort of non-Tolkien-specific challenge is quite straightforward - but I skipped the one before it, which was a 'dangerous beasts' challenge: you'd think it might be easier, but working in dragons and wargs before they're meant to have been bred was more of a challenge than I was up for just then...
This was very evocative. Actually, I felt as if I was there (which probably isn't too good, I think, since it was such a dark, horrible place ;)). Very skillfully written, and the last line's contrast was very efffective. Well done!
Thank you! I am about to flood your inbox with replies, I think, so sorry for that - but thanks for all your lovely reviews! They have cheered me remarkably. ;)
I have been having fun playing with a distinct change of tone from the usual stuff with this set. At some point I realised I'd been spending too much time lately writing Elves being nostalgic and wistful, so thought I'd try the same thing with a different group of characters. So this descent into a dark, horrible place...
Thank you! I'm very glad it worked. There's plenty of nasty things down there - and Thuringwethil still waiting for when they come up - so I think they're going to have to run...
Thank you! I do like pulling back to this distant, impersonal perspective - it's a rather odd tone and you can't get away with too much of it, but it's nice to play.
This is an awesome set of most impressive and vividly written drabbles! It must have been both a challenge and a kind of blessing to gain freedom from Melkor (for a time, though) and still with all those beasts lurking around.
Thank you so much! That combination of a challenge and a blessing was really what I wanted here - I'm so glad it came across. And so glad you've enjoyed the set! I do appreciate it and am definitely spurred to get on with it as soon as I can (you are an awesome cheerleader, really! <3).
Yep, that's what I think a vampire might have thought, felt, and imagined. Poor beast, though. Loved the descriptive language of these pieces. Excellent!
Comments on Beneath the Sickle's Swing
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.