New Challenge: Crossroads of the Fallen King
Cross "The Silmarillion" with a second text or fandom in this month's crossover challenge.
SWG News
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.
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.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] On a night of stars, a bird by Quente
Nimloth and Dior meet, and he is naked.
Alternatively,
Melian travels south to visit her daughter, and meets a familiar looking bird.
Written for the Tengwar prompt, Quessë (feather).
[Writing] Apprentice by Quente
Dior is in Menegroth learning to be his grandfather's heir -- but his grandmother decides to take him as apprentice too.
Written for the Tengwar Challenge, May 15: Súlë (spirit).
[Writing] Tengwar: To The Letter by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge.
All 36 prompts plus bonus chapter
[Writing] A blip on the radar by daughterofshadows
Humanity took to the skies. Eärendil and Ilmarë adjust.
[Writing] History abandons us by AdmirableMonster
During his incarceration in Roderick Burgess' basement, Dream receives a strange, ancient visitor.
[Writing] Tengwar Acrostics by Himring
Responses to the Tengwar Challenge in which first letters spell out the name of a tengwa.
1) Early Encounter (Nerdanel, Indis)
2) Numenorean Lullaby (Almarian, Aldarion)
[Writing] Tengwar Drabbles by cílil
A collection of Silmarillion-centric drabbles written for the Tengwar Challenge. Short and sweet!
Current Challenge
Crossroads of the Fallen King
Create a fanwork that crosses with a second text or fandom. Read more ...
Tengwar
A daily prompt of a Tengwar letter per day. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Songs of Arda
Create a fanwork about music. 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
Mythcon 53: Fantasies of the Middle Lands
Mythcon 53 will be held 2-5 August 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the theme "Fantasies of the Middle Lands."
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!
Fanworks Tagged with Varda
If Ever a Fruit Ripens by Pearl Took
At the start of the Fourth Age, a Hobbit meets a strange woman in the courtyard of the king and learns the deep history of the White Tree.
Of Beren and Lúthien: The Complete Tale of “The Lay of Leithian” by LuthienHuan
A how-it-might-have-been tale based on the Chapter "Of Beren and Lúthien" in The Silmarillion and other writings which fans will recognize.
Sylvanlight, Book I by slflew
What if Feanor's accusations to the Valar were correct?
What if everything you hoped for was a lie?
Valinor is not the paradise expected to be; Earendil's star has fallen - is it the beginning of Dagor Dagorath?
In Sylvanlight the stories of the Silmarillion are turned over and inside out, mysteries and dark intent surfacing if one simple fact is truth.
Silver Blossoms Blown by IgnobleBard
Varda gets her first look at the Elves
Divine Intervention by Meril
“For you are goddesses, inside on everything, know everything. But we mortals hear only the news, and know nothing at all.”
-Homer
Many Journeys by Elleth
A gathering place for ficlets of varying length written in response to prompts, prods and as gift ficlets.
New (added January 2018)
Strength of Mountains: Nerdanel and Curufin's wife, through the ages.
Re-Singing: After the Darkening of Valinor, Findis and Elemmírë set out to do their part in the restoration of Valinor.
Sweeter Blessings: As summer nears harvest, Morwen and Aerin dance in the meadows. NSFW.
In Exchange: Whatever happened to the Lady of the Blue Brooch?
An Exercise: Some magic is altogether wordly. NSFW.
A Better Lot: Aerin and Rían change their stories.
Manwë's Birthday Party by Dawn Felagund, Tarion Anarore, Rhapsody, oshun, Isil Elensar, pandemonium_213, Beatrisu
Round robin. Feel free to join in! In honor of SWG's second birthday, we offer a sillyfic about what may have happened if Varda held a party for her beloved husband ... and invited all of Aman. Please see the Story Notes for more details before adding to the story.
The Blue Book of Bilbo Baggins, or, Tales of the Forbidden Silmarillion by Gandalfs apprentice
As readers know from Tyellas's Lost in the Translation, Bilbo made another book--one with a blue cover. This story tells of the fate of this mysterious volume, and, even better, has extracts from some of the tales....you know you want to read it. Seriously AU. Illustrations by greywing.
Thanks to Tyellas for allowing me to borrow the idea of the Blue Book from her superb story and to oshun for her thoughtful criticism and for being a good friend. Special thanks to Maeve Riannon and to greywing for their unique contributions, and to all the writers at the Garden of Ithilien.
