New Challenge: Title Track
Tolkien's titles range from epic to lyrical to metaphorical. This month's challenge selected 125 of them as prompts for fanworks.
SWG News
Our Annual Amnesty Challenge: New Year's Resolution
Start 2026 off with creativity! If you missed a challenge or didn't get to finish or post a challenge fanwork, complete any 2025 challenge before 15 February to receive the stamp.
"The Fëanorian Zine" Available to Read and Download
We are pleased to be able to offer "The Fëanorian Zine" to read and download on the SWG for free.
Call for Artists for the 2026 Challenge Stamps
We are soliciting help from artists who want to help create the stamps we award to challenge participants.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] In Early Spring by Serinquanion
In what Maedhros was re-embodied early and was sent back to Middle Earth on his volition with Glorfindel.
This isn't about what happened right then but years after Fall of Sauron when he still refused to return to Valinor.
He found a strange sapling at the shore of what remains of…
[Writing] Umnenyalië by Serinquanion
He was going to die. The molten rocks would burn him just like the cursed gem in his palm did. Maybe less painfully but still being burnt hurt and Maedhros knew it. He intimately knew it from his time in Angband where Þauron burnt him often in frustration and to toy with him and his master…
[Writing] Winter Warmth by Serinquanion
A winter night in Himring. But inside the quarters where fire blazed in hearth was warmer, and not only from the fire or quilt.
[Writing] A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by StarSpray
“Come on.” Maedhros grabbed his hand and pulled him along down the path, both of them quickening their pace now, until the trees opened up into a wide meadow filled with flowers, bright yellow celandine and dandelions and sweet-scented pale chamomile mingling with cornflowers and irises. On…
[Writing] Who Will Hear Me? by XirinOfArvada
A lonely elf finds a flute half buried beneath the sand and wonders if its owner will hear him when he calls.
[Writing] Loyal, Faithful by Himring
Late in the Second Age, one of the Faithful reflects critically on past developments. (Free verse.)
[Writing] East Away! by Flora-lass
Aldarion storms off towards Middle-earth. For the Title Track challenge.
Current Challenge
Title Track
Create a fanwork using our collection of 125 titles from Tolkien's books, chapters, essays, poems, and fragments as inspiration. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Secret Gate
A Matryoshka challenge where prompts are based on the common plot points and tropes from mystery novels. Read more ...
New in References
Tolkien, Lunatic Physicists, and Abnegation by Cynthia (Cindy) Gates
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the parallels between the concept of abnegation in the scientific work surrounding the atomic bomb and in The Silmarillion. The relinquishment of self-interest in favor of the interests of others, abnegation was identified by Tolkien as a powerful act of spirit and reason. The legendarium has many examples of the complexities of abnegation, which parallel similar discussions held by physicists during and after World War II.
Twilight, Child Of: Comparisons Between Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel by JazTheBard
This presentation for Mereth Aderthad 2025 discusses the many similarities between Tolkien's three "twilight children," Tinúviel, Lómion, and Undómiel (Luthien, Maeglin, and Arwen) in terms of appearance, plot, and cultural background. Yet these three characters play very different roles in the text.
The Aromantic in Tolkien by daughterofshadows
Presented at Mereth Aderthad 2025, this paper makes the case thata, although the term "aromantic" had not yet been coined in Tolkien's day, many of his characters can be read as aromantic. The paper takes a closer look at Aredhel, Bilbo, and Boromir as three examples of characters who can be read as aromantic.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] here you will dwell, bound to your grief by Elrond's Library
Arwen grieves, and loves.
[Writing] Faramir's Verse by losselen
“Come, Faramir. Let us not stand in ceremony. I think words are due between you and I, and not only those between a King and his Steward.”
Faramir has speech with Gandalf and his King.
[Writing] In a Hole in the Ground... by StarSpray
“There’s a goblin hiding in the taters, Dad!” Pippin hefted the pan, which was much too big for him to carry, let alone wield.
Around the World and Web
March Challenge - Tolkien Short Fanworks
Tolkien Short Fanworks is running a challenge for the month of March to create a Back to Middle-earth Month themed challenge.
Tolkien Fashion Week 2026
This two-week-long Tumblr event is dedicated to honoring the world of fashion and textiles Tolkien wrote about in his books.
Celegorm and Curufin Week 2026
Celegorm and Curufin Week is a Tumblr week celebrating the relationship between Celegorm and Curufin Feanorion
Back to Middle-earth Month 2026
Back to Middle-earth Month is returning for it's 20th year with many prompts and archival efforts.
Only A Dream by awwyeah107
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Chapter 1
I posted this a couple of weeks ago on Tumblr and I'm just now posting it here! The idea had been boggling around in my head for quite some time, and I finally got around to writing it for Celebrimbor Week on Tumblr (and, very appropriately at the time, Father's Day). This was inspired by a couple lines that I cut from chapter 3 of my fic "but for the look in his eyes"—they just didn't end up fitting in the chapter, but I kept them because I liked them and thought I might write something based off of it. The first part in italics is those cut lines, and the rest is the scene inspired by it.
He wishes that this was all just an awful dream and that he’ll wake up back in the tent he and his father share.
He tries to imagine it; he tries to picture his father’s concerned eyes and the way Curufinwë would hold him close and rub his back when he had had a nightmare back in Aman; he tries to remember the soft lullabies his father would sing that would draw him back to sleep, never in quite as beautiful a voice as Uncle Makalaurë, but it was his father’s voice, rough yet tender, and though he loved Uncle Makalaurë, Tyelpë would choose the comfort of his father singing to him any day.
Tyelpë awakens with a little gasp.
The monster had been so close, its shadowy body looming above him and fiery eyes burning as it opened its mouth to eat him whole—
He rolls over in his bed to see the soft, silvery light of Telperion glimmering through his window.
Its familiarity calms him a little. It is the same light he has seen throughout his whole life. It has always been there and always will.
He closes his eyes and breathes out.
Yet as more pieces of the dream come back to him in his fuzzy half-sleep, the fear rises again, twisting inside him and making him shiver underneath his blanket. He was being chased by the monster, which was bad enough, but he could not find his way out of the maze of halls and it had already eaten…or tried to eat?…Ammë and Atto and all his uncles and everything was so dark, with shadows everywhere…
Tyelpë curls up in a ball and holds onto the stuffed dog that Uncle Tyelko made for him, his own little Huan.
The shadows are in the corners of his room.
The monster…
It’s not real, it can’t be real.
The doubt keeps him awake, for the tiniest noises send alarm racing through his tense body. And are the shadows growing or is that just his imagination? If he closes his eyes, he can’t watch them. He can’t go back to sleep.
I need Atto.
Right now Ammë is away visiting her sister, so his first choice for a safe refuge is not here, but Atto is asleep in the room he and Ammë share.
Tyelperinquar sits up in bed.
He is very tired and Atto’s room is so far away, down the dark hallway.
But the monster…
Tears fill his eyes as he hugs Huan to his chest.
The wind blows through the branches in the tree outside his window, startling him.
Tyelpë sniffles and draws a hand across his face. He can either stay here by himself or brave the dark hallway to get to Atto, and as scary as it is, he knows what he would rather do.
Steeling himself, he slides out of bed onto the rug on the floor and opens the door.
He nearly shuts it again upon seeing the yawning darkness in front of him, but instead he gathers his strength and adjusts Huan under his arm to make sure he doesn’t drop him, because if he did then he would have to go back for him, and that would be even worse.
With Huan safely secured, he steps out into the hallway.
Naturally, Tyelpë wants to close his bedroom door so the monster can’t follow him, if it’s in there. However, if he closes it, then that would mean he would be all alone (except for Huan) in the hallway where there is no light from Telperion shining through the window and the door and he wouldn’t be able to see anything…
He can’t do that.
Every second he stands there, paralyzed, it seems more and more like the shadows from his room are reaching out like tendrils to grab him—
Tyelpë slams the door and then turns and sprints down the hall as fast as he can to outrun the all-encompassing darkness that threatens to swallow him.
A moment later, he bursts into his parents’ room, a sob building in the back of his throat. Atto is stirring in bed. By the time Tyelpë reaches the side of the bed, Atto has turned over to face him and is starting to sit up and blink open his eyes, looking worried. “…Tyelpë?”
A strange feeling of shyness suddenly comes over Tyelpë, and he realizes he has no idea what to say or how to explain why he is there. “Atto,” is all he can manage before he begins crying in earnest. He tries to scramble up onto the bed and then Huan falls out from under his arm and he turns to try to catch him—but before Tyelpë can lose his balance, strong hands lift him up, and he forgets all about Huan as he is enveloped in his father’s arms.
Already Tyelpë feels better as Atto settles him in his lap, even though he is still crying.
“Did you have a bad dream?” Atto asks gently, and Tyelperinquar nods against his father’s chest, feeling the heat in his cheeks and tears dampening his father’s nightshirt.
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
Tyelpë considers this for a moment as he sniffles, and it is difficult to figure out because he is so tired, but he decides he should at least try. “T-the monster, it, it ate you and Ammë and it wanted to eat me and I got lost in the palace in Tirion and couldn’t find my way out and, and…” he trails off with another sniffle.
“That sounds quite dreadful,” Atto whispers to him, rubbing his back in circles. “I am sorry, yonya. I am here now, and it was only a dream. The monster is not real. And if it were, I would slay it before it could touch you or Ammë, I promise.”
“Mhm.” The warmth of his father’s hands and his steady heartbeat are making Tyelpë feel sleepy again. This time, he doesn’t have reason to fight it; he is safe now. His father will protect him from any monster, and besides, he has Atto’s reassurance that the monster in his dream isn’t real (which he knew, but he needed the confirmation that he was right). Then he remembers—“Huan is on the floor.” He wriggles around to get down, but Atto leans over and deftly plucks the stuffed dog from the floor before sitting up again.
“I have Huan now. Do you want to go back to your room?”
“No!” Tyelpë grabs tightly to his father, suddenly afraid once more. His room is still shadowy even with Telperion’s light, and there are shadows here too but his father is here, so it's safe. “No, I want to stay with you. Please.”
“Alright,” Atto acquiesces easily, and Tyelpë relaxes his grip now that he does not have to fear being alone back in his room. His father places Huan next to them on the bed and settles back, leaning against the wall while holding Tyelpë, and begins to sing to him quietly while stroking his hair.
Atto’s voice is not as pretty and pure-sounding as Uncle Makalaurë’s, but Tyelpë prefers it because it’s Atto. He feels more than hears his father’s voice rumbling through his chest, and despite its slight roughness, it is soft and filled with love. Love for Tyelpë.
Comfort wraps around Tyelpë like a blanket, and he closes his eyes as drowsiness begins to overtake him. He feels the light touch of his father kissing his head, and faraway, he hears, “All is well, Tyelperinquar. Sleep now. I love you.”
There are no dreams of monsters this time, only the silvery light of Telperion and his father’s voice.
Chapter End Notes
If you're here from "but for the look in his eyes," I hope this was a bit of a comforting read after a lot of angst! And if you're here for tiny Celebrimbor cuteness (and/or Celebrimbor & Curufin feels), I hope you enjoyed the fluff :)
All editing done by me. If there are any typos or grammatical errors, feel free to let me know!
If you’d like to leave a comment, but you aren’t sure what to say, these posts might help you put some of your thoughts into words: Appreciation without Anxiety: Commenting 101 and 101 Comment Starters.
Thank you for reading!
