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.
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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] 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.
[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.
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
Within the Pages of Lore
Get your Silmarillion off of the shelf. Close your eyes, let your book fall open at random, and put your finger down on the page. Your challenge is to create a fanwork using that quote. 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
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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.
Well, I am working a character bio for Arwen for next month and doing a lot of research on different ways in which she has been discussed over the years by fan and scholars as well and also the disputes between textual hardliners and movie fans. So, there was no way I could let your story pass without reading and commenting.
I like the question she poses to the Vala--if you are your brethern are so strong, why cannot you do more to help us? The answer is vague and philosophical enough to be convincing.
I liked the ending when she comes back to herself and is uncertain whether she just had a discussion with Varda or whether she had a dream. One could say even that they are not mutually exclusive options.
I like the ending lines, "The moon had vanished behind a cloud, but the stars lit up the night sky, thousands upon thousands. She was but a speck amongst the stars, but she was Undómiel and she was strong."
I think that canon Arwen is indeed a symbol of strength yet also one of waning influence. The Evenstar of her people to me symbolizes the departure of the Elves from direct intervention and interaction with the fate of Middle-earth and the coming of the Age of Men. But her role is not a weak or passive one, for she had the strength of Lúthien to chose to not only stay with her beloved, but to play a double role as the symbol of the twilight of the Eldar and then the Queen of the Reunited Kingdoms who will help usher in a new world.
Thank you so much for this very detailed and thoughtful review. I shall look forward to your bio of Arwen.
I'm delighted you enjoyed my story. I also for this year;s BTMEM wrote a short story about Arwen and Galadriel discussing their respective choices. Arwen fascinates me as a character.
I also for this year's BTMEM wrote a short story about Arwen and Galadriel discussing their respective choices.
I'll makes sure I track it down!
Here's the Link.
http://lindahoyland.livejournal.com/847307.html
It's nice to see Arwen get an interaction with one of the Valar, even if only briefly. And how appropriate that it's Varda!
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Comments on She walks in Beauty
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