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.
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.
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.
Cultus Dispatches: Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey
Ten years of demographic data from the Tolkien Fanfiction Survey show consistencies in who reads and writes fanfiction, as well as a few key demographic shifts.
[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] Explain This by Elrond's Library
Melkor demands an account of Mairon’s failures.
[Writing] Message in a Bottle by StarSpray
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…
[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] A Thousand Winds that Blow by StarSpray
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.
[Artwork] Nerdanel/Nienna moodboard by Independence1776
A Nerdanel/Nienna moodboard.
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Elrohir has been found after his long abduction by the Black Númenóreans of Umbar. He comes home to Rivendell, but all is not well: the Elf-child that was taken is now a Man grown. War and darkness have left Elrohir deeply scarred, and even at home there is danger...
An alternate universe…
Promises Made/Promises Broken
Create a fanwork focusing on a promise. Read more ...
"The Rings of Power" Is a Ripple (So Far) by Dawn Walls-Thumma
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.
Six Demographic Takeaways from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Data from the 2025 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey shows demographic changes in participant gender, age, and education and new revelations about neurodiversity.
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.
[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.
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.
!!!!!!! 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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