New Challenge: Epic 80s
This month's challenge features hundreds of fresh prompts from the bodacious decade of the 1980s.
SWG News
Cultus Dispatches: Communities Do Comment
Comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Instadrabbling Sessions for July, August, and September
Instadrabbling continues on the first Saturday of each month on our Discord server.
New Challenge: Scavenger Hunt
In this Matryoshka-with-a-twist, you will solve clues that point you to the challenge prompts.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Is it raining with you? by AdmirableMonster
In the last days of Númenor, two very different men meet in Umbar and fall in love.
(Please note that while this work is heavily inspired by Disco Elysium, no knowledge of the game is necessary to read the fic!)
[Writing] Nasyalossë by Lovimmy3365
Erestor lay up against a tree, brown washed to black in the wet of the snow. The black disc of the new moon sailed across the dark sky. Erestor wished it were gone. He had no need to look into dark eyes any longer.
He was dying.
(AKA Erestor unwittingly travels back in time to the…
[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] 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] Wrensong and Roses by Isilme_among_the_stars
Concerned by his responses to the paraphernalia of healing, Fingon steals Maedhros from his room for an impromptu garden excursion. Maedhros battles with dark thoughts.
[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] Bon(e)fire by Fuin
On the night before the battle, Caranthir and his ally share thoughts about their peoples' traditions:
Burning bones ward off evil.
Current Challenge
Epic 80s
Create a fanwork using on of our righteous prompts based on popular culture from the 1980s. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Scavenger Hunt
Solves clues to find your prompts for this Matryoshka challenge. Read more ...
New in References
Communities Do Comment: Expanding the 3C's of Commenting with SWG Data by Dawn Walls-Thumma
Expanding on my 2018 article "Why People Don't Comment," comment data from the SWG underscores community as an essential component to a robust commenting culture.
Fandom Draws the Line: Fanworks, AI, and Resistance by Dawn Felagund, Grundy
By definition, fanworks fandom does not draw a lot of boundaries, but community archives and events have taken a strong stance against AI-generated fanworks due to ethical considerations and member input.
Grief, Grieving, and Permission to Mourn in the "Quenta Silmarillion" by Dawn Walls-Thumma
In a book as full of death as the Quenta Silmarillion, grief and mourning are surprisingly absent. The characters who receive grief and mourning—and those who don't—appear to do so due to narrative bias. Grief and mourning (or a lack of them) serve to draw attention toward and away from objectionable actions committed by characters.
Featured Themed Collection
Beyond the Silmarillion
[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…
[Artwork] The Mirror of Galadriel by skywardstruck
Smoke rises from the Mirror, where the Lady of Lothlórien awaits to share its visions.
[Writing] Bar-en-Eladar by Gabriel
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.
Around the World and Web
Tolkien Gen Week 2026
Tolkien Gen Week will run from July 6-12, 2026 to appreciate all of the incredible characters and relationships within Tolkien’s legendarium that fall under the broad category of “gen.”
Tolkien Disability Pride 2026
This Tumblr event focuses on ALL creative works focusing on disability in Tolkien's universe.
Tolkien Native Language Appreciation Fest 2026
A Tumblr event to celebrate the linguistic diversity of the Tolkien fandom.
Scribbles and Drabbles 2026
Scribbles & Drabbles is a fic and art exchange with a minimum word count of 100 words.
Fanworks Tagged with Curufin
Musings in the Sky by Rhapsody
This is my collection of Silmarillion drabbles. Either drabbled as a present or written for a challenge. Ratings vary from General to Adult.
From Aman to Eregion by Raiyana
Combining all my Curufin/Telperína to Celebrimbor fics in one place
Maitimo and Findekáno by oshun
Stories written within the same universe and story arc. The featured characters are Fingon and Maedhros but also includes at various points most of the Finweans and their descendants. (Many, but far from all, of these stories include mature themes. Please see individual stories for ratings.)
To Give in Return by Dawn Felagund
Many times a day I realize how much my own life is built on the labors of my fellowmen, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.
Albert Einstein
This series will serve as a home for the stories that I have written for friends and peers between American Thanksgiving and the end of the year 2007.
Every year, I like to write something for the friends and people who have helped me as an author that year. I love writing these stories. As a writer, I look forward to December more than any other time of the year. It is otherwise impossible for me to put into words the joy and gratitude that these people bring into my life every day. The only way I have found is to wile away an afternoon with no thought but crafting a story where they will love each and every word ...
And this series is the fruits of that.
That said, I\'ve asked for requests on LJ, and am always happy to take more. Check out this entry here for more information. Also, all of my stories--including non-Silmarillion pieces--can be read here.
Many, many thanks for another fantastic year.
Dark Prince ~ The Darkness Has Its Own Light by Spiced Wine
Vanimórë, son of Sauron, was born in the shadows of Tol-in-Gaurhoth. A plaything, a slave, a warrior, he was bound to his father\'s mind, and tempered as a weapon of the Dark over thousands of years.
They forged better than they knew.
Trained in the pits of Angband, Vanimórë could command armies, kill without conscience, and he could hate those he served. But he would not break for them. The blood of the Eldar ran strong in him. His path was inextricably linked to some of the most famed and tragic of the Elves, and lead to a destiny he could never have imagined.
The Darkness –
– has its own Light.
Paper by Dawn Felagund
Curufin escapes to the realms of fantasy to escape the pressures of his family and discovers the thrill of first love.
Laughter as light as a feather by firstamazon
Every summer, Macalaurë’s entire family takes a trip to the woods and sets up camp for a few days, enjoying the nice weather and each other’s companies.
Shining Black by SkyEventide
The forest of Nan Elmoth is warded by magic and, apparently, inhabited. Celegorm and Curufin head into the woods, discovering who exactly lives in it. A "dark elf", who is a blacksmith. And is friends of the dwarves, and speaks Khuzdul. Curufin camps outside of the forest, to check that trade with the dwarves isn't disrupted by the encounter -- and to see if perhaps he could learn more about the enchantments that protect this land, and about its dweller.
The gifted one by Harnatano - Lithenna
I received a prompt on Tumblr : How would Curufin show his love to someone... in this case, to his father.
Broken promises by firstamazon
In Nargothrond, Celegorm thinks about Finrod.
To Build The Bonds That Tie by ThatFeanorian
A modern AU centering around the house of finwë: who they are how they grow, and in the end, how they love. Mostly Russingon centric, but definitely involving other characters pretty liberally, especially the other feanorians.
The Watchers. by hennethgalad
Nerdanel shares a vision with the wife of Curufin and they travel to the Halls of Nienna with questions.
for finweanladiesweek and Namotober(lite)
Crystal Clear. by hennethgalad
tolkien crack week day 3: ridiculous detail.
a young wood elf learns the ways of the wider world
Revelator by Lilith
The War of the Ring has ended and nothing has turned out exactly as anyone expected. Sauron, who is in this version female and known originally as Mairen and now as Thû, has survived, remained corporeal and been captured. As such, she will be sent to Valinor to stand trial.
Posted in a very different form. Heavily revised. Completed and being posted gradually as final revisions are made.
Yonya by Harnatano - Lithenna
Just a short thing I needed to write, about post-Nargothrond Curufin and his painful hesitations regarding celebrimbor's decision.
Lockdown Image Instadrabbling by Lindariel
From the Discord server session on 10 May 2020.
Promise you will come back by Calendille
At the Feast of Reuniting, Maedhros tells Fingolfin of Fëanor's end.
All Hues and Honeys by Dawn Felagund
This is my latest collection of pieces too small to stand alone, often written for events on the SWG Discord.
The Latest:
"Fly." Fingon's faith in his friendship with Maedhros leads him to the decision to rescue him.
"Salt." Uinen discovers the kinslaying.
"Sunship." Nerdanel places the final cog in the sunship as an act of resistance.
"No One Heard That." The histories withheld some details of Fëanor's muster of the Noldor.
"Cracked." Námo explains death to a young Fëanor.
"Sunship, Reprise." The sunship's launching, from the perspective of the other side of the sea.
"Shadows beyond a Campfire." The sons of Fëanor build a campfire after the Nirnaeth.
"The Neologist." Pengolodh on language and history at three points in Gondolin's history.
From the radiance of stars to mundane flames by Calendille
Fëanaro Curufinwë was the most radiant part of my soul, and I longed to relieve his happiest memories. Or: A Tale of how reality does not work that way.
Yule Lights by Dawn Felagund
As the new lord of Ost-in-Edhil, Celebrimbor must preside over a Yule festivity lacking what he loved of the celebration when he was younger, elements that have become fraught by association with Fëanor, but Annatar has a surprise for him.
Bubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble by Raiyana
Nargothrond, Midwinter:
Curufin attempts to recreate a warming cordial from Aman with Beleriand ingredients. ->
Celegorm tests it. ->
Shenanigans.
Aka the accidental invention of miruvor
cut my roots & now my leaves are dead by Astris
Following the move eastwards, the steward of the camp at Himring prepares for a Feanorian reunion. Written for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2019, OC-centric.
Playing With Fire by liruinielfeanoriel
Some happy and sad times of Findarato's romance to oc "I"; some hints to Findarato's relationship with Amarie; throw in a few comments from Celegorm and Curufin; it became a short story.
And it all started with a poem.
"Fulgurite" and Other Drabbles by Dawn Felagund
A collection of drabbles written for the 2019 Solstice Instadrabbling on the SWG Discord. See the Table of Contents for summaries (and content warnings, if needed) for individual pieces.
