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.
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.
Cultus Dispatches: "The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far)
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data for 2025 shows that "The Rings of Power" TV series has not had the same impact on the fandom as the film trilogies did ... so far.
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.
[Writing] An Alluring Offer by octopus_fool
Tata is offered a solution to a grave problem, at a very low price...
[Writing] The Mirror Crack'd by AdmirableMonster
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…
[Writing] From That Rubble by StarSpray
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…
[Writing] most days I don't recognize me by annarobots
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…
[Series] Eat, Pray, Love by AdmirableMonster
The Darkest Timeline AU for my Steampunk Númenor series.
In which the Mouth of Sauron is originally a Númenorean chemister rescued from Ar-Pharazôn's intimate attentions by Sauron himself.
[Writing] Rise from the Ashes by AdmirableMonster
In the wake of Sauron's death, his Mouth remembers Númenor.
[Reference] Speak Friend and Enter: Trends in Fandom Entry Year by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
With a Bit of Fairy Dust
Unleash your imagination by looking at fairy tales of old and mix them with Tolkien's own Mythopoeia or make up your own fairy tales featuring your own characters or such stories told by your characters. Read more ...
Speak Friend and Enter: Trends in Fandom Entry Year by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
[Artwork] A Memento of Faery by Grundy
TRSB26 art 144 - an artifact brought back from Faerie by a Starbearer.
[Writing] Down the Long Years by Isilme_among_the_stars
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…
LotR Week 2026
A week-long event for The Lord of the Rings
Finwëan Ladies Week 2026
Finwëan Ladies Week will run from September 21-27, 2026!
Fingon x Finrod x Maedhros Day 2026
A day to celebrate the relationship of the three eldest princes.
Forgotten Ground Regained Features Tolkien-Inspired Alliterative Poetry
The quarterly journal "Forgotten Ground Regained" publishes alliterative poetry and, in Issue 11, turns to focus on poems written about Tolkien's world, including several pieces by SWG poets.
Sindar Week 2026
A Tolkien event week for the Sindar, the Grey-Elves, from the Years of the Trees to the Third Age.
(I hope you don't mind me C&P my review from AO3!)
I know I'm biased, but this is exactly why I love fandom so much. You take a character and a culture who were allotted a few sentences in canon, and bring them to life. I know you were a bit anxious about how you wrote Haleth, but I really, really like how some of her worries come through, but she soldiers on nontheless. Haleth is damn great role-model for me (because insecurities make us human, but you have go on anyway, even if there isn't an army of orcs breathing down your neck!) just as Elwar was for her. HALETH. ♥
And Argant! Elleth, you are so great with making original characters who are characters in their own right. I love the camaraderie between her and Haleth, their easy intimacy...
Just all around great work! I hope more people give it a chance and read it (and be blown away!)
(I don't mind at all, thank you. ♥ And I'm going to c/p my own answer because it would be much the same again either way.)
Those are some of my favourite stories as well, and while I'm kind of hesitant to put this fic into the same category ("a bit anxious" is very kindly put), I am happy that this is how it's being read, and I'm glad she and Argant work as characters in their own right with their own dynamics. :) You're too kind! ♥ Thank you so much for such a lovely review.
First of all: eeeeeeeeeeeee. Also, dsknfakengfkdnfkdnf. And, UH. UM. WOW.
...Sorry. I had to get the flail out of my system before attempting coherence. ♥♥♥
Haleth's companionship with her warriors, and their banter, and how they believe in her, are very gorgeous, especially "We have known each other since childhood. We grew into women fighting together. How do you not expect me to?". I also adore the moment with the torc, and how much everyone believe in Haleth, because she's shown she can, that she's capable, and she won't abuse that capability.
Haleth herself I adore! She's such an interesting character, and I know I'm using the word capable too much, but capable is what she is. And that's a compliment! Capable of so many things, of leadership and inspiration and capable of being a warrior, and just all round capable. Not flashy, not one for 'heroic' gestures, but capable of getting the job done.
And the relationship she has with Argant is lovely! Companionship and banter and how familiar they are with each other, warriors together, and sharing, and just...♥♥♥
I love the connection between the Drúedain and the Haladin. It wasn't something I was very familiar with, and it's interesting, to say the least. *files away information in back of head*
And Elwar's story! Women playing main roles in a culture's mythology is one of my favourite things, and Elwar is such a fascinating, legendary character, and her story—whether it's true or not (though I hope it is, because she'd be a very interesting character!)—is gorgeous.
All-round, a beautiful, well written story, and one I lovelovelove! Although that's not a surprise.
I have the biggest grin on my face right now - thank you so much for all the love! ♥♥♥ I'm so, so happy that there is such a ton you enjoyed about this story. It was tricky to write, but I had such fun puzzling everything out into a coherent whole, and Haleth - writing her gave me the biggest crush. Which is also not surprising. ;)
And as for Elwar - as far as I'm concerned, and this is Word of God Subcreator, she was real. Her story as Haleth tells it is heavily mythologized, but she was a living, breathing woman and really did lead a legendary defense that led to the establishment of women fighters in the Haladin culture. :D
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