New Challenge: Allusive
Literature and art constantly refer back to each other using allusions, and this month's prompts are inspired by allusions to literature, myth, art, and history.

painting of the Tower of Pearl in the Western Isles

The land of Dor-Lómin welcomes a displaced Easterling woman after Nírnaeth Arnoediad. Theirs is a short-lived yet reverent kinship.
Written for the SWG Jumble Sale Challenge September 2025. Sold! One Headstrong rake!
The challenge was to have a character with an identity from Middle Earth is Multitudes interact with the setting-as-character as in Living Lands, in a way that explores nature vs civilization.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Galadriel looked up to find Celeborn following. “What is it you seek?” he asked as she filled the silver ewer from the clear and cold waters of the stream.
“My cousin,” she said as she turned to the silver basin. “It is a new Age; if he lives still, I would find him and bring an end to his long exile.”

Three little unrelated stories from Eglador/Doriath
1) Ziriz, a young jewel-smith from Belegost, accompanies his lord to Eglador, to see the Elves for himself.
2) On the day Melian hallows Tarn Aeluin, she feels very lost, not sure who or what she is anymore. Elu comforts her.
3) Galadriel gets to know her great-aunt (and soon to be grandmother-in-law) Thônwen, Elmo’s wife, while simultaneously marvelling at cultural differences.
(These short stories were written for Sindar Week on Tumblr)

A repository of little songs for elflings, as compiled by Maglor Fëanorion in the late first age.

Fëanor did not know how to explain the ill-defined uneasiness and the almost instinctual dislike he felt, how impossible it was to reconcile the impression he had gotten from the tapestry in Mandos to the reality of Daeron in person, in life. “He seems careless,” he said, because he did not know how else to explain.
“That is certainly not true,” said Nerdanel, “though I know well that I cannot expect you to take my word for it. It is long since you placed any trust in anyone’s judgment aside from your own, flawed though it is.”
Midwinter is meant to be a time of feasting and merriment, but Fëanor does not find it so, especially with Daeron of Doriath in attendance.

"Whatever the songs say, I am still only myself, and I miss my grandfather.”
Five times Eärendil asks for news of Turgon, and one time he does not have to.

Glorfindel seeks out Ecthelion on the beaches of Vinyamar. They talk of driftwood, the hidden city, and where they stand with each other.

Galadriel and Celeborn witness the end of the War of Wrath.

Míriel invents pants.

Fingolfin died. Or so he thought. Until he suddenly, disorientingly finds himself reliving one of the worst days of his life.
This time though, it goes differently.

Then Dírhavel sung of Túrin’s flight north after the Fall of Nargothrond, past the defiled waters of Ivrin as he sought for the Princess Finduilas Faelivrin, and Tuor rose suddenly from his seat, passing out of the hall without a word.

The birth of Tylekormo Turkafinwë had been a joyous occasion.
But a memorable one.

A Feanorian star embroidered in white thread on a grey jean jacket with three studs at the top representing the three Silmarils.

Ecthelion had not shared Glorfindel's uncertainty, then—but it does not seem unreasonable now, nor so difficult to understand.
Ecthelion, Glorfindel, and post-Nirnaeth doubt.

It happens - as always - with no semblance of warning. The ice groans, then shifts, and a channel of dark, swiftly-churning water cleaves open beneath their feet.

Maglor’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of Ekkaia stretching out before them. Its waters were calmer and smoother than Belegaer. The waves were gentle as they washed quietly up over the stony beach, their music no more than a whisper, the stones themselves all warm browns and reds and occasional pinks, and the waters were darker, not quite reflecting the blue of the sky, but instead shimmering with the remembered light of ancient stars. They were endless, vanishing past the horizon; there were no ships that sailed upon Ekkaia, no fishermen to cast their nets into its depths. Certainly no sea monsters, Maglor thought as he lifted a hand to shield his eyes from the westering sun. Here there was only peace.
- High in the Clean Blue Air, Chapter Twenty Seven

The paper written for the presentation of the same name at Mereth Aderthad.
Abstract: In the Silmarillion and The Lord of the Rings, three characters share the same stated or implied name etymology, “twilight + child,” in their secondary names: Lúthien, Arwen, and Maeglin. While the parallels between Lúthien and Arwen are outright stated in the text of The Lord of the Rings, Maeglin’s position as an antagonist sees him left out of the analysis of parallels between characters of the same name.

Elu Thingol trips over Melian while trying to avoid her dancing, and ends up visiting Greenwood the Great for a short enough time that he does no harm (except to spiders and Thranduil's wine cellar).

Tuor finds moving through the snow more difficult than Voronwë does
For September 2025 instadrabbling

Artwork for TRSB 2025, of Maglor in Camelot and Heorot. The corresponding fanfic is being written by Narya, to be linked here when revealed!

Artwork for TRSB25. Sometime after the First Age, Elrond has found among his possessions a small box containing a cache of letters. The box, though it does not have the usual fine craftsmanship one would expect from elves, can only have come from Maedhros or Maglor, slipped in among the things given to Elrond and Elros when they were sent to Gil-galad. The letters, in several different styles, appear never to have been opened…
Story for the art is being written by until_the_stars_are_all_alight, I'm so excited to read it! (Link to be added here once the story is revealed.)

Artwork for TRSB25, which asked the author to consider Fëanor's time in Mandos. The story for the art is being written by biologygeorge, and I can't wait to read it. (It will be linked here once revealed.)

I had this cosplay photo taken of my Maglor and my friend moodrose's Galadriel at Katsucon 2025, and we managed to get set up just in time for the sunset! The rocky shore outside the convention center was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for this shot. This was a last-minute idea I had, but it really paid off, because we knew this photo would be perfect for TRSB, leaving plenty of room for the author to develop Maglor and Galadriel's relationship. starspray wrote a beautiful fanfic for this work which can be found here.
Maglor: skywardstruck
Galadriel: moodrose
Photo: aerlinn.cos
Maglor cosplay made by lady-creations-and-co, designed by me

Here's one of my art pieces for TRSB 2025! This cosplay photo set was so evocative, I was wondering what I could use it for, and then I realized that TRSB would be a perfect fit. The circlet and halo crown were made by me; the circlet has an Eye of Sauron design and the halo crown lights up. This is one of my favorite cosplays and I'm so overjoyed to share it as part of TRSB!
tyelperintal has written a fanfic for this art which can be read here.
Cosplayer: skywardstruck
Halo crown and circlet: skywardstruck
Costume: voldadivnaya
Photo: stargirlpictures