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Our temporarily titled "location bio" will focus on the landscapes and locations of Middle-earth. We need your help naming it!
SWG News
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.
Cultus Dispatches: Canon Deviations, Multifandoms, and Original Content
Tolkien Fanfiction Survey data gives some insight into what connections, if any, exist between fanfiction and original fiction.
New & Updated Fanworks
[Writing] Fire in Four Quarters by sallysavestheday
For the Tengwar challenge, four poems in which Beleriand and Middle-Earth are threatened by flames (once from each cardinal direction).
[Writing] Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Hyarmen'
[Writing] Analysis of "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" by Rocky41_7
Examining the relationship between Andreth and Finrod as shown in the Athrabeth.
[Writing] Perspective by Rocky41_7
Grandfather brings a treat back from Valmar.
Something not seen since the Years of the Trees comes to light. (A sequel of sorts to What A Tangled Web We Weave...)
[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
Of All That Remains
Create a fanwork that features a memory from a character's childhood. Read more ...
New in References
[]
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.
In the House of the Fairbairns by Simon J. Cook
[]The first of some posts on the Elf-tower on the western margin of The Lord of the Rings attempts to frame the relationship between the narrative and the appendices of The Lord of the Rings and an analysis of Frodo's dream-visions.
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
May 2024 Calls for Papers
Conferences and publications that have open calls for papers in May 2024.
Angbang Week 2024
All new, unpublished fanworks about the Angbang (Melron) ship are welcome during this Tumblr event, running 6-12 May 2024.
Tolkien Ekphrasis Week 2024
This is a Tolkien-fandom-wide event dedicated to the art of ekphrasis in Tolkien's worlds, hosted on Tumblr and Dreamwidth.
Tolkien Society Seminar: Tolkien's Romantic Resonances
This free hybrid event explores the influence of Romanticism on Tolkien's works.
Glorfindel Week 2024
Glorfindel Week is a week-long Tumblr event for creating fanworks that celebrate Glorfindel. Glorfindel Week will run April 29-May 5, 2024.
Fanworks Tagged with General
Fire in Four Quarters by sallysavestheday
For the Tengwar challenge, four poems in which Beleriand and Middle-Earth are threatened by flames (once from each cardinal direction).
Analysis of "Athrabeth Finrod ah Andreth" by Rocky41_7
Examining the relationship between Andreth and Finrod as shown in the Athrabeth.
Perspective by Rocky41_7
Grandfather brings a treat back from Valmar.
Remnants by Grundy
Something not seen since the Years of the Trees comes to light. (A sequel of sorts to What A Tangled Web We Weave...)
Waybread (The Waybredlik) by Himring
Lembas speaks out.
Family Gossip by StarSpray
“You,” Fingon pronounced, “are drunk. I am not going to give you anyone’s name just so you can make up a silly drunken ballad."
What Comes Naturally by Rocky41_7
Two queens of the Noldor discuss motherhood.
"Tengwar" artworks by chrissystriped
Artworks created for the "Tengwar" challenge
Language Contact by between_thepages
Drabbles for the Tengwar challenge, featuring Elemmakil and Laegwen
The Siege of Himring by Dawn Felagund
Fingon attacks Himring; Maedhros defends. A calligraphy piece done for the Hungarian Tolkien Society's Mailing Competition.
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.
To those that go before by Quente
Éomer Éadig is dead, and Aragorn meditates on losing his friends.
The leaves were long, the grass was green by Quente
The Giving Tree, but Beren and Luthien. Written for the Tengwar prompt, “Aldi.”
If Time Run True and Away by Anne Wolfe
In Tol Eressëa, Celebrían and Galadriel talk about Arwen. Written for the "It Comes in Threes" challenge, inspired by Maiden, Mother and Crone.
Aratar by Kaylee Arafinwiel
Eight emblems for the eight most powerful of the Valar. Drawn for "Scribbles and Drabbles" 2021.
Tengwar (working title) by cuarthol
For the Tengwar prompt challenge. To be updated as new prompts are completed.
Current up through 'Hyarmen'
Calma, Lambe, Lambe, Óre by sallysavestheday
Maglor prepares some Instructional Art for the Sindar to learn from at the Mereth Aderthad.
Waltzing with you by daughterofshadows
It's a nice evening and Laurendil is trying to teach Rog to dance.
Les Mots de Sagesse by AdmirableMonster
Plusieurs petites histoires qui parle de Pengolodh et Salgant pendant des moments differents.
Three Strands in a Braid by between_thepages
Ecthelion tries to braid Glorfindel's hair.
Atmospherics by Anérea, sallysavestheday
The three atmospheres of Arda celebrated in three drabbles and three photos...
Ready, Aim, Fire by Tehta
Or, Three Attempts to Get Out of Archery Practice
The Unrest of the Noldor by StarSpray
Minyelmë comes to Tirion to see Lalwen, arriving just in time to see things come to a head.
Cliffhanger by Tehta
Climbing partners get very accustomed to saving each other's lives. The habit can prove hard to break, as Findekáno and Maitimo discover.
Betting on Family by Tehta
We are told that Galadriel was “the only woman of the Noldor to stand ... tall and valiant among the contending princes” upon the summit of Túna, when Feanor made his Oath. But why? What about Aredhel: what was she up to?
In this story, I attempt to answer that question, while Írissë and Artanis discuss family matters.
