A Sense of History: Thálatta! Thálatta!
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
SWG News
Choose a Name for Our New Column!
Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
New Challenge: Tengwar
Each day for thirty-six days, we feature a randomly chosen letter from the Tengwar as a prompt.
A Sense of History: Crossroads
In the ongoing series on towers in Tolkien's work, a thread runs through "The Lord of the Rings," revealing the divine assistance of Varda in the travails of the Fellowship.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Malta'
[Writing] I Stood Aside by Flora-lass
Maedhros' horror at the burning of the ships. Inspired by a painting (see notes).
[Reference] Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[Writing] Words of Wisdom by AdmirableMonster
One or more drabbles about Pengolodh and his babysitter Salgant.
[Writing] Les Mots de Sagesse by AdmirableMonster
Plusieurs petites histoires qui parle de Pengolodh et Salgant pendant des moments differents.
[Writing] "Tengwar" ficlets by chrissystriped
Fics written for the "Tengwar" challenge.
Current Challenge
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
History of Tradition
Choose a festival or tradition observed in the modern world and create a fanwork that includes that festival or tradition as it might have been celebrated in Tolkien's mythological world. Read more ...
New in References
Thálatta! Thálatta! by Simon J. Cook
[]While he never climbs the stairs of this Elf-tower, in Lothlórien Frodo Baggins descends a flight of steps to look into Galadriel’s Mirror, wherein he first sees the sea. This post examines the view.
[]
With Gildor Inglorion we finally climb the stairs of Elostirion and look on the view, and what we see appears to reveal a hidden thread in the story of Frodo Baggins. This post reads two annotated translations of two Elvish songs to step through a crossroads in the narrative to arrive at the tower on the margin of the story, wherein is a stone that is a window onto Valinor.
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.
Beyond the Silmarillion
[Writing] Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
[]Lembas speaks out.
[Series] Apr 1st Stories by Uvatha the Horseman
[]Once a year on April 1st, a canon character from LOTR or the Silmarillion gets pranked.
[Writing] Crossing Forest River by Dawn Felagund
[]Bilbo recounts, in verse, the attempt of Gandalf, Beorn, and him to cross the Forest River after the Battle of Five Armies. Written for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's 2024 Mailing Competition.
Around the World and Web
Teitho May/June Challenge: Joker
For the May/June Teitho challenge, you can pick ANY of our past challenges that stir your imagination and write a story or create art for it.
Monstrous May 2024
Monstrous May is a Tumblr event where, for each day of the month of May, there is a prompt involving and invoking the monstrous.
Fellowship of the Fics: Modern AU May
During May, Fellowship of the Fics offers modern AU prompt lists for setting, character occupation, and dialogue on Tumblr.
May challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The May challenge has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic challenge: name; formal challenge: acrostic. As usual, these can be filled independently and freely combined with other prompts such as the SWG challenges. New participants welcome!
May 2024 Calls for Papers
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers in May 2024.
Fanworks Tagged with Estë
Meet & Greet Challenge Drabbles by cílil
A small drabble collection for the 2024 Matryoshka Meet & Greet Challenge.
Ainur-centric, canonverse, various pairings.
Who Shall Release Us? by polutropos
A re-embodied Maedhros slowly remembers. As he does, he must come to terms with an absence and accept that there are some things he will never know.
Letters to Irmo. by hennethgalad
Glorfindel struggles to write his letter.
The Eagle. by hennethgalad
Olwë witnesses Estë soothing an injured eagle.
back to middle earth month 2021
day 2: Valar.
Come Back Broken by StarSpray
In one of her meadows, towering over all the other trees, her arms as branches reaching skyward, Yavanna stirred, and reached out to the little shadow as it made its way west, catching it as she caught baby birds who fell out of their nests, and cradling it in leafy arms. Her thoughts reached out to Estë's with the feeling of a sudden frost, shocked into stillness. The wounded shadow was one of their own—it was Melian.
Estë by Dawn Felagund
Estë is the goddess who sleeps through the book--or is she? Her character illustrates both the potential and ultimate shortcomings of so many female characters in Tolkien's legendarium.
Something So Undefined by Nienna
They fell in love before the dawning of the world. Back then they were pure fëa enfolded into the shapes of their names. Irmo was a pale yellow against Estë’s bright elegant gold.
Written for Tolkien Secret Santa 2018 for through-the-seas-to-Valinor.
The Breathing Sea by StarSpray
‘Alas! there are some wounds that cannot be wholly cured,’ said Gandalf.
‘I fear it may be so with mine,’ said Frodo. ‘There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?’
Gandalf did not answer.
- The Return of the King, “Homeward Bound”
The Ainu Ficlets by Raiyana
A collection of ficlets and drabbles all revolving around the Ainur!
Most of these are Ainu POV ;)
A Purpose Beyond Beauty by just_jenni
Melian realizes that she has a higher purpose of creation in the world. (One-shot)
Taking Readings II by Himring
Anthology for short pieces that don't fit anywhere else.
Now added: "Something for Nothing" (Ecthelion, Egalmoth)
Ere the Nightingales cry by Rhapsody
After her husband is slain, Melian returns to Valinor and finds that even her home of old has been marred...
Telpetari's Tapestry: Tales of a Silver Queen by Kaylee Arafinwiel
What was Celebrian, daughter of Celeborn and Galadriel, wife and cousin of Elrond, the Lady of Imladris like? We really don't get to see her, but these (mostly previously unrelated) stories will feature her along with her family.
Mahtan's Apprentice by WendWriter
Nerdanel is in love with a Noldor prince with a reputation for being sullen at best, difficult at worst. Whatever does she see in him? And how will Mahtan get along with him?
Don't Explain by Gwidhiel
Galadriel's return to Aman prompts Indis to reflect on the state of her fragmented family and defunct marriage.
