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 'Nwalmë…
[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
Turgon's Rock Opera
On the anniversary of the publication of "The Silmarillion," we’re reflecting on the importance of music in Arda with prompts that come from rock songs. 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 Glaurung
A Bow of Burning Gold by Lferion
What bow, what arrows will serve against such a foe as Glaurung? A single drabble.
Beasts of Dubious Nature by Anérea
A wolf, a spider, a bat, a dragon... what do they have in common?
All That Is Gold by cuarthol
Túrin struggles to protect Níniel and slay Glaurung, but which has he done?
Alternate Universe - Canon Divergent based on The Children of Húrin
Breathe Again by Lferion
Breathing as an exercise of Fea and Hroa both; three drabbles.
Dragon Deception by Mimi Lind
Spellbound by Glaurung, Father of Dragons, Túrin abandons Princess Finduilas and runs on a fool’s errand. But what if she doesn't wait in vain for a rescuer that will never come, and fights back? Perhaps then Túrin can evade his doom after all.
- A fix-it version of the Silmarillion tragedy, but the first two chapters are canon compliant and can be read as a standalone piece. Written for the Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2021, with cover art by Zomburai
The Seven Gates by Laerthel
The impossible happened – a Silmaril has been stolen from Morgoth’s crown. Maedhros decides to reunite the People of Beleriand against the Enemy and attack him while he is still unprepared (which is by no means less impossible). Meanwhile, in the hidden city of Gondolin, Lord Glorfindel of the Golden Flower pursues the meaning of his recurring nightmares, only to find himself in the centre of a secret ploy against the ever-growing power of Maeglin Lómion in the King’s Council.
The People of Beleriand are astir; and as the strings of our heroes’ fates tangle, a dark shadow creeps above the North – the Fifth Battle approaches. And to what end, no one could dream...
The Mystery of the Vanishing Elf by AdmirableMonster
An essay on the subject of where the hell Beleg Cúthalion gets to in the second half of The Children of Húrin. He may be dead, but why is even his memory conspicuously absent?
Who is the tallest? More Heat than Light on Height in Tolkien’s World by oshun
I beg your indulgence for this, my entry for the "Solve a problem" challenge. I realize the problem is all mine. Who IS the tallest? Or does it matter? What was Tolkien thinking?
Three Sentence Fics 2018: Tolkien by Zdenka
A collection of Tolkien-based fills written for rthstewart's 3 Sentence Ficathon in 2018.
Dagnir Glaurunga by Robinka
The dragon and his executioner. A take of the death of Glaurung, but with a twist. (Artwork)
The Lords that Fell by Taylor17387
Tells the story of the rise and fall of the two dark lords, from the collapse of the fortress in Tol-in-Gaurhoth, to the collapse of Barad-dûr, and what came next. Mainly told from Melkor and Sauron's perspective. Continuation of my other fic: "The Burnt God", though it may be read separately. Occasional slash (mainly Melkor x Sauron)
While These Visions Did Appear by oshun
These are my responses in graphic format to B2MeM 2013 prompts.
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
--Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream
The Burnt God by Taylor17387
Melkor has been imprisoned in the halls of Mandos for all too long. The day of the trial is approaching, and now he's willing to do almost anything to convince his jailer of his change of heart. From then onwards, everything seems to go downhill for him, and upon returning to Angband, his relationship with Sauron will turn rather tense.
A Brief History of the Fall of Utumno by Huinare
Regarding the siege of Utumno by Valinor, as seen from various characters’ viewpoints.
(Very well. As seen mostly from the dark vantage. It’s me we’re talking about here..)
Assembled responses to Tolkien Weekly’s “Natural Disasters” drabble challenge (Apr-May 2012).
Narn Gil-galad by Earonn
The life of the last High King of the Noldor.
Under the Curse by Finch
The love of two fallen Elves: Maedhros and Fingon.
The West Wind Quartet by Himring
Emlinn, a Sinda, becomes Maglor's student and experiences the end of the Siege of Angband and the Battle of Sudden Flame.
Now added: Bonus chapter: Like a Friendly Touch Among the Crowd (ft. Elrond).
Illustrated by Alasse for B2MeM 2012: see link at end of Chapter Two!
Kindly nominated for MEFAs 2011 by Angelica. It won a Honorable Mention in the category "Elves: House of Finwë" and a Smaug's Treasure award.
A Dragon Tale by Pearl Took
Where did the Dragons come from?
Letter to Fingon by oshun
SWG Back to Middle-earth Month prompt: A stereotype is a generalization, usually exaggerated or oversimplified . . . . Write a story… where characters break stereotypes. Summary: Maedhros writes a letter to Fingon questioning his strategy behind his attack on the dragon Glaurung. (I hope that the format is legible. I would have written it in Quenya (yeah, right!) and used Tengwar, but then no one would have been able to read it.) Thank you, IgnobleBard, for Beta reading this ficlet.
