New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
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: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Scavenger Hunt
In this Matryoshka-with-a-twist, you will solve clues that point you to the challenge prompts.
[Writing] Is it raining with you? by AdmirableMonster
In the last days of Númenor, two very different men meet in Umbar and fall in love.
(Please note that while this work is heavily inspired by Disco Elysium, no knowledge of the game is necessary to read the fic!)
[Writing] Nasyalossë by Lovimmy3365
Erestor lay up against a tree, brown washed to black in the wet of the snow. The black disc of the new moon sailed across the dark sky. Erestor wished it were gone. He had no need to look into dark eyes any longer.
He was dying.
(AKA Erestor unwittingly travels back in time to the…
[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] Eä's Redemption by AaronAzrael
This is my new poetical attempt to add my own interpretation to Tolkien's Cosmology as to Eru's Creation and the Valar's minds and behind-the-scene providence reasons and mechanisms.. I often review Eä as part of our own world, just in another dimension, this is why I have always seriously…
[Writing] Wrensong and Roses by Isilme_among_the_stars
Concerned by his responses to the paraphernalia of healing, Fingon steals Maedhros from his room for an impromptu garden excursion. Maedhros battles with dark thoughts.
[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] Bon(e)fire by Fuin
On the night before the battle, Caranthir and his ally share thoughts about their peoples' traditions:
Burning bones ward off evil.
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
First Lines
Choose a famous first line to start your own story or inspire a non-written fanwork. Read more ...
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
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.
[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…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
Out of the shadow, light is born anew.
A Chieftain is dead. And whilst the events surrounding his death are unclear, a son tries to come to terms with his loss.
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Tolkien Native Language Appreciation Fest 2026
A Tumblr event to celebrate the linguistic diversity of the Tolkien fandom.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
!!!!!!! Oh I'm so glad you explored this!
I love how you jointly draw out the characters of both Elendil and the absent Elros through comparison
He did not say it was his self-assurance, his candour that nearly overstepped the bounds of common courtesy.
😉
his promises of pomp were the very reason Elrond had given no notice of his coming.
Love an understated Elrond <3
Elrond wore no such jewels.
Oh it feels like there is such a story hidden in this line
Without ever saying it outright I like how you show Elros as the elder with all the extra attention that often goes with that.
commissioned by Felagund for Bëor the Old and became,
Such a beautiful piece of world building, and making it all the more precious as an heirloom!!
And then Elrond's grief at the end, always to lose those around him 😢
Gorgeous! Truly gorgeous 💖
Thanks so much. Started jotting things down with a pen and what do you know the characterisations leapt out at me.
Oh it feels like there is such a story hidden in this line I think so. Of course, he ends up wearing one very significant jewel soon after this (Vilya) but I've never thought that was a role he relished.
Such a beautiful piece of world building, and making it all the more precious as an heirloom!! That Finrod, gets himself involved in every story :D
Interesting encounter with all those contrasts between Elrond and Elendil, and the implications about Elros!
I can see your point about how the uncertainty about its early history might fit a heirloom of the Edain.
I'd be interested in those women bearers, if you'd be happy to say a bit more about them!
ETA; Also the title: I see what you did there...
Thank you for the comment! I've developed a bit of an investment in Elros in the last little while and enjoy exploring ideas for his character.
I have two not-fully-formed thoughts about what happened to Narsil between Brethil and Sirion:
1 - It passed to Beren's semi-canonical sister Hiril. Since we know virtually nothing of her, the possibilities are vast. I haven't thought beyond that for her.
2 - Emeldir entrusted it to Morwen who brought it with her to Dor-lomin. Why she would not have sent it to Doriath with the Dragon-helm I do not yet know, but I'm imagining she herself wears it on the journey to Doriath and then passes it on to Nienor. Nienor wears it when she follows after Morwen disguised as an elf-man and it's still on her when she's enspelled by Glaurung. But of course when she becomes frightened and flees, she casts it off with the rest of her garments. Mablung retrieves it and brings it back to Doriath. When he at last learns of the fate of Turin and Nienor, he brings it back to Brethil for their Haladin kin to do with as they see fit. I was thinking of it maybe being placed on their tomb/memorial, but then someone taking it from there and bringing it to Sirion seemed not quite right.
ETA; Also the title: I see what you did there... 😉
I like your idea for how Narsil could have been handed down! It's a very cool idea for it to be originally made for Bëor and passed down among his descendants. I like the involvement of Emeldir, Morwen and Nienor as you explain in the comments. And I agree, it's only fair and makes sense for Elrond to have some heirlooms too. :)
and Elrond noted how securely the ring circled his finger, as though it had become a part of his hand — for so jewellery appears when seldom, if ever, removed from the wearer.
Oh no, that's ominous foreshadowing . . .
And poor Elrond, who finds himself guarding both the shards of Narsil and his brother's heirs so soon.
Thank you! I'm glad you like the idea of an Edain "origin" (even if it did start with a Dwarf and an Elf). That's an insightful observation about the ring, I hadn't even thought of it (consicously).
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Comments on Shards of a Line Unbroken
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