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.
SWG News
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.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] we twins of cursed fates by skywardstruck
The Shadow was always meant to claim them both. Born the twin children of Celebrimbor and Sauron, Mirruin and Mírestel reflect on their doom before the end.
Written as a pair of sonnets in the Shakespearean style, and featuring artwork from 1rabong on Tumblr.
[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] 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.”
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“It’s not as though I…
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Finarfin was always tired, but suddenly he was exhausted, just by this conversation. It would just go in circles if they let it, neither of them willing to concede to the other. He didn’t have the words for what he really wanted to say—and even if he did he wouldn’t say them. They would be a…
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Finwë received his crown from Manwë Súlimo himself, so he knows what it is to be betrayed.
Fëanor received his crown from Finwë, so he knows what it is to die.
Maedhros received his crown from Fëanor, so he knows what it is to burn.
Fingolfin…
[Writing] Jade Eyes by Elrond's Library
Nienor contemplates the ephemerality of green things.
[Writing] Found at Last by StarSpray
Sudden laughter startled Maglor out of his reverie.
Current Challenge
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
Random Challenge
End Is the Beginning
Take the ending of a story from "The Silmarillion" and use it as the beginning of a fanwork. Read more ...
New in References
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.
"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.
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Beyond the Silmarillion
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TRSB26 art 144 - an artifact brought back from Faerie by a Starbearer.
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Fingon x Finrod x Maedhros Day 2026
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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.
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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
we twins of cursed fates by skywardstruck
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Mirruin and Mírestel
MIRRUIN
S. "jewel of flaming red"
The Valar who forsook us long ago,
And all who dared defy their damned decrees,
They relished in our suffering and woe,
Delighting in our deaths 'neath tainted trees.
"The Noldor shall escape the Valar's ire!"
The people's songs resounded their paean,
Upon the birth of twin-jeweled hope and fire,
That fateful day in fair Eregion.
But one twin, they were bound for Barad-dûr,
To cleanse the wilted world through flame and flood,
A perfect world, His weapon would ensure.
And its beginning must be bought in blood.
The Shadow, all that is and e'er shall be,
'Fore red flame dies and hope yet comes for me.
MÍRESTEL
S. "jewel of hope"
A love there was that bloomed 'yond open gates
'Twixt Úmaia and heir of Fëanor.
A bond that bore them twins of curséd fates,
For darkness soon would bind them evermore.
Their joyful memories would never fade,
Their love of craft, their dreams carved in the stone.
But in the end, that love would be betray'd
By one Ring and the Dark Lord on his throne.
The fallen fire twin was made his wraith,
As hope mourned Ost-in-Edhil's fated fall.
Thus she became an instrument of faith,
With spear that slayed her father shielding all.
The Shadow, small and passing it must be,
When death in flame and hope will set us free.
Chapter End Notes
I hope you enjoyed these sonnets! It's one of my favorite kinds of poems to write, and I love the challenge that the structure presents, to capture complex emotions in limited lines. I had fun with alliteration, finding some interesting rhymes and including quotes from Tolkien in the sonnets, tying the tale of the twins to the themes in the legendarium, and the tragedy of Celebrimbor and Sauron's doomed partnership.
When I received this beautifully heartwrenching artwork of my beloved OCs from 1rabong, I wasn't sure how I was going to utilize it other than displaying it on Mirruin and Mírestel's toyhou.se page. But then I got the urge to write these sonnets and I realized this drawing would be perfect. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into Mirruin and Mírestel's story; I would love to write more of it someday!
