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
Middle-earth Museum
Stroll the halls of an imaginary Middle-earth Museum and choose one (or more!) objects from our prompt list to inspire the creation of 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…
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LotR Week 2026
A week-long event for The Lord of the Rings
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.
It captures the feeling of intense relief that the war is finally over perfectly (I imagine it's a bit like I feel when the anxiety inducing thing I had to do is finally done)
Thank you! I'm glad you think it captures the feeling!
I was having to imagine it, too (well, fortunately for me!), and I agree that, whatever else, the War of the Last Alliance must have been the most anxiety-inducing thing...
Yes, elves would have a slightly different perspective, given that they've already experienced that relief of the war being over once, only to find out it was more like a pause before the next round. At least the Men will get to have (mostly) peaceful lives!
I think so (I tried to have a look). In the Appendices, there is a hint that Gondor was seldom at peace for long, but when you look at the recorded wars the next one actually seems to be several generations later!
My Sinda is partly echoing Elrond at the Council of Elrond with her observation (if she is indeed my OFC Huntress, they know each other), but it was important to me that this ends on a note of hope!
As usual with your ficlets, there are so many things tucked in here.
I really love where you took the prompt, and I have to admit that my eyes waters while I was reading.
The homecoming of all those men (ex-adolescents) to the outlying regions of Gondor is quite a thought — and must have been quite a sight. The camaraderie that would have formed runs deep, but adjusting to life beyond the war, with people who can never fully comprehend what you've experienced, is something else entirely.
And Huntress' companion's thought that they may well experience peace for the remainder of their time in Arda hearkens back to that line that even the Powers will come to envy the Gift of Men. I can't wrap my mind around how life must be for the Elves if Middle-earth, although I feel for Huntress here. (And it's nice to glimpse her again.)
After some thought, I realized it was going to be important for this that these are not the kind of combatants that are major names in history. I was partly thinking of the kind of soldiers Aragorn is concerned about in ROTK on the march to the Black Gate. And I only hinted at the problems they might have at fitting back in afterward after these experiences, but we know from history that that would be an issue.
I'm glad that you liked the idea of this being Huntress! I wasn't more definite, because I hadn't really thought before about what she was doing in this period before, so there was no backstory in place. Of course, she is older than Elrond, by this point, even though she was quite young when she joined the Noldor in Mithrim.
I watched the video just before reading this, and I think that you have found the essence of that scene in your beautiful, thoughtful writing. There's this sense of relief and happiness, but bittersweet because not everyone had come back.
I appreciate the perspective of Elves: Men do indeed live at a quicker pace. Perhaps Elves feel the same way we do when we witness our pets be young, adults and old.
Comments on And better, and better is peace
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.