Restoration and Rebuilding

Restoration and Rebuilding challenge banner - a hand with a paint roller, and the text "Restoration and Rebuilding - SWG Challenge 15 Aug - 15 Sept"

The Silmarillion can feel like an unrelentingly tragic work. Yet at the end of every downfall comes a time of restoration that drives not just the storyline but our beloved characters of Middle-earth forward into the next chapter of their history.

In honor of Akallabêth in August, our annual celebration of fanworks set in the Second Age, this month's challenge will center on the themes of rebuilding and restoration.

You may select the prompt or prompts that speak to you from the list below.

This challenge opened in .

Prompts

Choose your prompt from the collection below.

View Prompts

Quotes

"When we rebuild a house, we are rebuilding a home. When we recover from disaster, we are rebuilding lives and livelihoods."
- Sri Mulyani Indrawati

"For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end. A little bit of hunger, but also satisfaction."
- Toni Morrison

“When the storm has passed, put your energy into rebuilding your life. Don’t waste time looking back.” - Leon Brown

“We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
(Or if you prefer the original: "Man muß immerfort verändern, erneuern, verjüngern, um nicht zu verstocken.")

“I can see in the acorn the oak tree. I see the growth, the rebuilding, the restoring.” - Maya Angelou

“Designing a dream city is easy; rebuilding a living one takes imagination.” - Jane Jacobs

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
J.R.R. Tolkien

“I have to be alone very often. I'd be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That's how I refuel." -Audrey Hepburn

“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.” -Robin Wall Kimmerer

“You will be one of the menders of this world; not the makers, nor yet the breakers, just one of the menders.”  -Rosemary Sutcliff

 

Audio

James Newton Howard - Soundtrack for Restoration (1995)

Thomas Newman - "Come Back to Us" (from 1917)

Andra Day - "Rise Up"

Nat King Cole - "Pick Yourself Up"

Nina Simone - "Feeling Good"

Kids See Ghosts - "Reborn"

Meat Loaf, feat. Marion Raven - "It's All Coming Back To Me Now"

Peter Gabriel - "Here Comes The Flood"

Dragonforce - "Dawn Over A New World"

John Farnham - "Have A Little Faith (In Us)"

R.E.M. - "Aftermath"

Starship - "We Built This City"

Bob Dylan - "The Times They Are a Changin'"

Sam Cooke - "A Change Is Gonna Come"

Mediæval Bæbes - "Return of the Birds"

Runrig - "Maymorning"

Coldplay - "Up & Up"

Video

Restoration of Stained Glass Windows

Whychus Creek Restoration

River restoration & natural flood management

Invisible Mending

Candy Drop Roller Restoration

Restoration of Antique Pocket Watch

Images

The outer shell of a domed building, possibly a tower, supported from both sides by a skeleton of metal scaffolding. Half the building has crumbled or collapsed, leaving an almost perfect cutaway view.

 

A fern frond emerges from a cut tree stump




Tea bowl, possibly Satsuma ware; possibly Kagoshima prefecture, Japan, Edo period, 17th century; stoneware with clear, crackled glaze, stained by ink; gold lacquer repairs; Gift of Charles Lang Freer, F1904.323









Fanworks Tagged with Restoration and Rebuilding

This is a Writing fanwork

Burning in the Darkness by Artano

Series of snippets focusing on Finrod and written for the Restoration & Rebuilding and Jubilee challenges

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Instadrabbles (delayed dribbles) by 0ur_Ouroboros

A selection of brief writings (mostly conforming to drabbles but some veer into dribble territory) from the SWG events on January 18-19, 2025.

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

Jubilant Potluck by Grundy

Drabbles written for Jubilee, fulfilling prompts from Potluck and other previous challenges.

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This is a Artwork fanwork

Valier & colours by daughterofshadows

Semi-abstract arts representing the queens of the Valar.

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This is a Writing fanwork

An Element of Noldorin Design by Himring

Melimo, Fingon’s architect, defending the fortress he built against overwhelming force, after the Nirnaeth Arnoediad.

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This is a Writing fanwork

A Day's Journey through Minas Tirith by Himring

Ioreth has to endure some of the physical drawbacks of advanced age, but there are also people who accord her the kindness and respect she deserves. (Now with extra drabble.)

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

Ridiculous Elven Architecture - Caranthir's Lakeside Cottage

Caranthir's sketches by Anérea

Quick & silly sketches from an Instadrabbling/Instadrawbling session...

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This is a Writing fanwork

Bits and Pieces Under 300 Words by sallysavestheday

An evolving collection of little bits and drabbles, too short to publish on their own.

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This is a Writing fanwork

After the Fall by Lferion

The aftermath of the Fall of Numenor, from two different shores and three perspectives. Three drabbles.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Rewilding by Himring

It sounds as if none of the people of Enedwaith who were defeated by the Numenoreans returned.

But maybe a few did, once the Numenorean port was falling into ruin?

Fanwork Information and Table of Contents

This is a Writing fanwork

The Road to the Havens: The First Step by Himring

Andvir later supplies information about Turin to the poet who wrote a poem about him, but what does it mean for him, personally, to be the son of one of the most agressive of Turin's outlaws and nevertheless end up at the Havens?

Now added: Blood on Stone (a drabble set earlier in Andvir's life).

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This is a Writing fanwork

Kintsugi in Andunie by Himring

An elvish visitor from Tol Eressea to Andunie in Numenor mends an old pot.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Restore and Rebuild by polutropos

Instadrabbles for the August-September 2022 SWG Challenge, Restoration and Rebuilding. 

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This is a Artwork fanwork

Answering Light by Anérea

Inspired by Surfacing, Into Light by Maggie Honeybite featuring Keiliss' Erestor and Gil-galad from Answers in the Dark, the sequel to Burning Bright: The Road.

- - - 

Music:  Come Back to Us · Thomas Newman

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This is a Writing fanwork

Restoration and Rebuilding Instadrabbling by Lindariel

Instadrabbles from the sessions on the SWG Discord server, 20-21 August 2022

 

 

 

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This is a Writing fanwork

A New Home by Elwin Fortuna

Elrond and Gil-galad discuss Elrond's reasons for building and staying in Rivendell. 

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This is a Writing fanwork

A New Start by Elwin Fortuna

Finrod emerges from the Halls of Mandos. 

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This is a Writing fanwork

Restoration by Elwin Fortuna

Maglor finds something to do in the modern world. 

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This is a Writing fanwork

Of Beginnings by Elwin Fortuna

Yavanna's busy at the beginning of Time. 

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This is a Writing fanwork

Restoration & Rebuilding Instadrabbling by elennalore

Four different drabbles (100 words each) written during a SWG instadrabbling event 20.08.2022.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Gold-cleaver by chrissystriped

Maglor finds peace in making art that is not music

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This is a Writing fanwork

After the Storm Waves by Himring

The Downfall of Numenor has also inflicted considerable damage on settlements in Lindon.

When Elendil's ships arrive, Cirdan considers how to put up those Numenoreans who escaped the Downfall.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Flowing Songs of Healing by Anérea

Yavanna and Ulmo in Middle-earth after the toppling of the Lamps.

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This is a Writing fanwork

Kingless by Anne Wolfe

An elf of the Laiquendi considers the future, after the death of Denethor in the First Battle of Beleriand. Drabble, written in first-person POV.

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This is a Writing fanwork

What Once Was by cuarthol

What was lost cannot be restored, but something new can always be found

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