The Silmarillion is a story about heroes and antiheroes, kings and queens and gods. Yet amid these larger-than-life tales of larger-than-life people are those more ordinary: the servants, spies, mariners, soldiers, and kinfolk who go unnamed and sometimes unspoken of altogether, perceptible only through inference and assumption.
This month's challenge, Everyman, asks creators to use their fanworks to bring these ordinary people to the foreground of the story of Middle-earth. We've compiled 113 prompts about unnamed, ordinary people in The Silmarillion, and you should choose one of these prompts for your fanwork, which should place an ordinary person in a key role.
As is usual for our challenges, we welcome creative interpretations of the prompts. While you can certainly expand the scene presented in the prompt, this is not the only approach. You can use prompts partially or in their entirety to create about an entirely different scene or character(s). Some of the prompts we've left intentionally vague so that they can be used to create fanworks about people who don't appear in the story at all.
The prompts and full challenge description can be found on the Everyman challenge page. In order to receive a stamp for your fanwork, your response must be posted to the archive on or before 15 May 2026. If you're new to our challenges, the complete guidelines can be found on the Challenges page on our website.
SWG News
New Challenge: Everyman
Create a fanwork about an ordinary character in the legendarium using a quote about an unnamed character as inspiration.
Cultus Dispatches: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn and Grundy
The fan studies column Cultus Dispatches returns with a history of how Tolkien fanworks fandom has reacted and resisted generative AI by drawing strong boundaries in a way that is not typical for the fandom.
Instadrabbling Sessions for April, May, and June
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Fanworks
The Endless Years by by Elrond's Library [Writing]
Elwing reckons with the passage of time.
Read more ...dye me, nocturne by by skywardstruck [Writing]
Maglor without Maedhros, Daeron without Lúthien. Alone, they are nothing, but together, they can be something more.
Where do you turn, when you have no one else left?
Written for Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2023, featuring artwork by athlai.
Read more ...a life freely given, a favor returned by by skywardstruck [Writing]
Finrod and Bëor stop for a while on the road to Nargothrond to rest. The bodies of the Secondborn often grow weary, and Finrod laments, massaging Bëor's back and renewing his beloved's vigor with the work of his hands. But Finrod has other burdens of his own, Bëor soon discovers, returning Finrod's favor in the best way he knows how.
Read more ...Til We're on the Other Side by by StarSpray [Writing]
It was only the second time Finwë had come out foraging with them, and of course this would happen—of course the Hunter would come, the Dark Rider on his steed with its terrible, heavy footfalls, and the deep-throated laughter that held no mirth, only malice.
In the dark woods near the Waters of Awakening, Finwë's brothers are taken.
In Valinor, when the Trees wither, Finwë is slain.
In the Fourth Age, things take place long thought impossible.
Read more ...The Long Arm of the Law by by Elrond's Library [Writing]
Turgon cannot be above the law.
Read more ...Updated Fanworks
Despair and Shadows by by octopus_fool [Writing]
Haleth leaves to find her brother, even though her father does not permit her to.
Read more ...Hill and Water Under Sky by by StarSpray [Writing]
a collection of drabbles and mini ficlets in the meanwhile the world goes on 'verse that aren't long enough to stand on their own
Read more ...A Hundred Miles Through the Desert by by StarSpray [Writing]
“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 the other side of it was a larger party than Maglor had ever seen in Lórien—five figures sitting in the grass. Huan barked again, and they all looked up. “It seems everyone has come to fetch us home,” Maedhros said, laughing, as all their brothers scrambled to their feet.
After years in Lórien, Maglor and Maedhros are ready to return to their family and to make something new with their lives--but to move forward, all of Fëanor's sons must decide how, or if, they can ever reconcile with their father.
Read more ...Beyond the Silmarillion Fanworks
The Mirror of Galadriel by by skywardstruck [Artwork]
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
Read more ...Bar-en-Eladar by by Gabriel [Writing]
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.
Read more ...Around the World and Web
April/May Teitho Challenge
Teithio is running a prompt challenge around the theme of "heartbreak."
Barduil Month 2026
A month-long Tumblr events all about the relationship between Thranduil and Bard the Bowman.
Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2026
The Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang is back for another summer of collaboration between artists and writers!
Leaf & Lore: A Tolkien Writing Month
Start a story, work on a WIP, finish a fic, dabble in drabbles, pen a poem, type a tale, or otherwise wrestle with words. Set your own goal: Leaf & Lore is all up to you.
Gondor Week 2026
A Tumblr week event focusing on the history of the realm of Gondor.
Angbang Week 2026
Angbang Week is a tumblr event focusing on the relationship between Morgoth and Sauron, running from May 5-11, 2026
Crablor Day
A day dedicated to everyone's favourite warcriminal crustacean - April 26, 2026
