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!
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.
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.
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…
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…
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.
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.
Current Challenge
Allusive
Choose from our list of allusions to history, literature, mythology, and art to create a fanwork. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Kings & Kink
Throughout history, wherever there is writing, there is erotica. This challenge pulls its prompts from "vintage" works of romance and erotica. (Nonromantic and nonsexual options are also available.) Read more ...
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.
A dissenting voice in Marach's alliance with the Elves of Beleriand, Amlach experiences a change of mind after a mysterious twist in the story reorients his priorities toward enmity with Morgoth.
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…
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
Oh! I love the point of view in this one. Interesting to ponder the shift from captive to something more.
Favorite lines:
"A pursuit suitable for a lady of Numenor," he had written on the note he'd included with needle, thread and material.
She'd laughed. The only stitches she knew were the careful lines of rivets binding sheets of armor, whether on man, beast or machine.
So she is careful to devote her full attention to each problem, aware that proof of the trust she does not possess earns her hours outside her rooms and additional freedoms. Pharazon may not trust her. He may never trust her. But she may yet prove herself to be indispensable.
Good stuff. Hope that you will be inspired to give us a little more.
There is this Thing in fandom, where you click on something out of curiosity just before bed and find the fic you didn't know you were looking for. This is -- I don't have the right words, but god I can see him and the settings, and I can see and feel her. I even hear her voice.
I know this is never a comfortable request/demand, but honestyly I would love to read more. Like maybe a novel? Anyhow, thank you for sharing.
Hi! I've been trying to respond to both of these lovely comments, but it's been a very long time and I must be forgotting something I need to do for it to work. Thank you both for reading and commenting. I do hope there's more of these two playing games with the universe.
Thank you. They're terrific fun to write. I think Pharazon isn't a fool by any stretch, but he must've felt very isolated and afraid, afraid enough to turn to someone he can't find trustworthy.
It is possible his vision was a warning. I would say that she is very comfortable with night (and day) terrors. At this point, she lives in nightmares. But I would also say that she is an extraordinarily unreliable narrator and confidant.
Author's Response:
It is possible his vision was a warning. I would say that she is very comfortable with night (and day) terrors. At this point, she lives in nightmares. But I would also say that she is an extraordinarily unreliable narrator and confidant.
“But she came to save him, and I was bested by a lovestuck girl and a hound.”
She settled back into her chair and frowned, and then she moved her castle forward. “That still smarts, and I cannot say I agreed with her decisions.”
I do love this. Almost she is laughing at herself, though it will never not bother her. I read the chapter on DW but it was late and I wanted to come back and read it a second time. The look at life, destiny, predestiny, free choice... nice. That two-sided duel, on the board and in the way they felt out each other's soft points with words, built so well. I kept waiting for one of them to get careless - no, I was waiting for her to get careless, say one word too many, but she counts her words, doesn't she? And the dream made me shiver because - well, we know.
She is most definitely laughing at herself but she isn't about to let that defeat go, even if it would be wise to do so.
Yes, almost everything she says is very intentional; her one tender area, that ill-fated relationship (partnership/friendship/haven't yet found the correct term) with Celebrimbor, might be the one place she might slip, but it seems to be that she might have learned that displays of vulnerability can be very tactical. Show the limp, exaggerate it even and your opponent might underestimate your strength and resolve. Pharazôn could very well be susceptible to a display of humanity, after all.
Comments on A Game of Chess
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.